FOX will broadcast The 64th Annual Miss Universe Pageant from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Sunday, December 20th (7pm ET).
The deal with IMG and The Miss Universe Organization also includes rights to the Miss USA Pageant. For details, follow the jump.
“THE 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE® PAGEANT” TO AIR LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, ON FOX
Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Selected as Host Site
Network Agreement Also Includes Rights for The MISS USA® Pageant
NEW YORK – October 28, 2015 – IMG and The Miss Universe Organization today announced “THE 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE® PAGEANT” has been picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX). The three-hour annual event will air live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 20 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. As part of IMG’s agreement with FOX to broadcast MISS UNIVERSE®, the network will also have domestic rights to air MISS USA®.
“MISS UNIVERSE® is a unique, global media property and this partnership with FOX marks a new era for The Miss Universe Organization as a whole,” said Michael Antinoro, SVP of Original Content, IMG. “As the broadcast leader in innovative and groundbreaking live events, FOX is the perfect partner as we look to implement new and exciting changes to this show and the franchise.”
“The MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants are iconic television events loved by generations of viewers around the world,” said David Madden, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “We are very excited to partner with IMG and The Miss Universe Organization to infuse a fresh new energy into these perennial broadcast favorites.”
Known for its energy and endless entertainment options, the city of Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino have hosted many MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants over the years.
“Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has been a fantastic partner to The Miss Universe Organization, and it will be a great home for THE 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE® PAGEANT,” said Paula M. Shugart, President of The Miss Universe Organization. “The resort’s AXIS Theater is a premier entertainment venue, and the ideal site for the pageant’s inaugural broadcast on a new network.”
The MISS UNIVERSE® telecast is one of the most-watched events in the world, with distribution in approximately 190 countries and territories. Contestants from more than 80 countries will vie to become the next Miss Universe in this special programming event, which will conclude with current Miss Universe Paulina Vega of Colombia crowning her successor.
The MISS USA® Pageant, which will air in 2016 on FOX, features contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The winner of MISS USA® goes on to compete for the title of Miss Universe.
As previously announced, WME | IMG wholly acquired The Miss Universe Organization in September 2015, expanding the company’s portfolio of global events and media properties across entertainment and live events. Prior to the acquisition, IMG had produced a number of pageants for The Miss Universe Organization and will continue to do so with this year’s MISS UNIVERSE® telecast.