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Noche UFC: the scoop that shouldn’t have come out (on TVA Sports)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 29: <>in a welterweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

As we all know, the Montreal Canadiens and CF like to be able to release their scoops themselves, via their own communication channels.

Limousine drivers, scouts, Web guys… many have lost their jobs for (maybe?) leaking information to the media. When it comes to breaking news, our sports organizations like to do it themselves. That way, they can better control the message they want to convey… and in their eyes, they look good because the information isn’t leaked internally.

Except that this desire to get the scoop out ourselves is not exclusive to our Montreal sports teams. No !

TVA Sports has been broadcasting UFC galas on its airwaves for several months now. TVA Sports was the official French-language broadcaster, then the rights went to RDS… and they’ve just returned to TVA Sports.

Except that the description/analysis team never changes; Jean-Paul Chartrand Fils and Pat Côté have been with us for years. They’re loyal to UFC rights, not to either of our two Franco-Quebec sports channels. And why is that? Because the UFC loves the consistency AND the work of these two men.

Except that Dana White and his gang didn’t like one segment of last Saturday’s broadcast on TVA Sports. Not at all!

Between two fights on UFC Fight Night: Barber vs Namajunas, Jean-Paul Chartrand and Pat Côté began promoting UFC 306 – also known as Noche UFC – which will be presented in the Sphere in Vegas on September 14. The images were incredible, and the gala promises to be spectacular.

A huge card is expected, but no fights have yet been announced.

However, Jean-Paul Chartrand indicated on-air during the official broadcast that he could confirm two fights that would take place in the Sphere in September: Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili and Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway.

A few accounts picked up the story on Twitter/X and it went viral in no time. Millions of people across the planet saw the news on their X feeds…

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Images were even created by a fairly influential account in mixed martial arts circles.

Not to mention the 1,001 fan-made videos on TikTok…

The UFC wanted to announce its own fights when it saw fit, but J-P Chartrand scrapped its plans.

It’s worth noting that an MMA journalist/reporter at Sporstnet – the UFC ‘s official English-Canadian broadcaster – made a point of mentioning that this was all speculation and that nothing had yet been announced/confirmed by the UFC.

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First, we knew from looking at the UFC accounts that nothing had been announced…

Second, damn, that sounds like the partner who gets an “order” from the producer, that…

Whatever…

I can confirm that no, the UFC didn’t like it…

That yes, the people involved were told so…

But no, J-P Chartrand will not be sanctioned by TVA Sports and/or Dana White. We have a lot of respect for Jean-Paul, both at the UFC and at Québecor, and we’re going to let it go. If it had been a new kid on the block, it might have been different…

Yes, I understand that the official Saturday night broadcast isn’t necessarily the place to break scoops on the entity that this official broadcast covers… but trying to muzzle members of the media isn’t desirable either. Whether they’re in “news journalism” mode or “description” mode at an event…

In my opinion, sports organizations shouldn’t put so much effort and energy into preserving their confirmed news. Because yes, these two fights would be confirmed and should take place. At least, that’s what someone tried to get across to me earlier this morning, by reminding me that Jean-Paul Chartrand has too much experience and background to say on air that something is confirmed, when it’s not. If these fights don’t happen, I’m told, it’s because the UFC has changed its plan…

In conclusion, the sole objective of sports organizations and teams should be to offer the best possible product to the fans who spend in order to consume it. That’s it.

Getting people talking about you, especially when it’s positive, I don’t see anything wrong with that…

Overtime

– Georges Campbell and Laurent Courtois both criticized Jules-Anthony Vilsaint on Saturday night.

– Jabang, like Doody, is likely to be loaned out to an American club later this week.

– I laughed (and cried, because I’m originally from England).

– And he wasn’t even a starter in the last few games. Never. Never. Get discouraged.