SBS Australia, FOX SPORTS Australia, FOX Netherlands, BBC BRIT for Scandinavia, Poland and Africa, Qatar Airlines, Thai Airlines and Emirates and NRK Norway have all acquired the hit RTÉ2 series about mixed martial arts sensation Conor McGregor.
Bill Malone, Channel Controller RTÉ2 said “The international success of The Notorious is a perfect example of how quality programming, originally conceived and produced for RTÉ2’s audience, can also hit home with international audiences in diverse territories all across the globe. The bottom line is it’s a great story, well told, featuring an amazing character. It’s great to see it getting the attention it deserves on a worldwide stage”.
Produced by Conor McGregor and Motive Television for RTÉ, The Notorious is a six-part series that chronicles the meteoric rise of McGregor, the fighter whose appeal is fast transcending his sport. Three years ago, McGregor — aka The Notorious — was an apprentice plumber grinding out a living on the building sites of Dublin. Now, he is a global superstar. The six-part series follows the professional and personal life of a colourful and charismatic man over a period of six months, while examining the increasingly popular sport of MMA and the mental and physical strain of making it in a profession where failure means more than a bruised ego.
Edel Edwards, head of sales at RTÉ GLOBAL, said “The sale of The Notorious into seven new territories is an endorsement of the quality of the series produced by Motive Television and illustrates how RTÉ Global can give Irish stories and Irish production talent a worldwide stage. The international sale of programming and formats also enables RTÉ to re-invest in content ensuring that more Irish programming can be delivered for Irish audiences on RTÉ One and RTÉ2. A win-win for audiences at home and abroad. ”
The Notorious was conceived on the back of a critically acclaimed, one-off documentary on McGregor, which was produced in 2013. The series was a breakout hit on RTÉ2 this spring, performing exceptionally well with males 15-34 (30.5% share) and males 15-24 (37.5% share). It was also broadcast on FOX Sports USA over six consecutive nights in April.
McGregor defeated Chad Mendes via second-round knockout at UFC 189 in July after Jose Aldo controversially pulled out due to a rib injury two weeks prior. The highly anticipated championship title unification bout between McGregor and Aldo is set for December 12 when they will finally have their long-awaited grudge match.
Wednesday 30 September, 2015
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For further information, please contact:
Tara O’Brien, Communications Manager, RTÉ television, 01 2082287, 086 3544481 Tara.obrien@rte.ie