Combate Global MMA franchise to move production to Burbank from Miami

In a small victory for the California film and television industry, mixed martial arts franchise Combate Global will relocate its production from Miami to Burbank.

The franchise, which will air on Spanish-language channel Estrella TV after six years on Univision, will film 20 live events at the network’s new Estrella studio, starting in February. This space can accommodate 500 people and was used to film the talent competition “Tengo Talento Mucho Talento”.

The franchise wanted to move to Southern California because of the larger media market, said Campbell McLaren, chief executive of Combate Global and co-creator of the UFC.

The move is expected to create about 60 jobs and is expected to have an economic impact of more than $1 million on an annual basis for the 20 shows, an increase from the eight produced this year, he said.

“It’s a bigger market, access to more talent, access to more talent behind the camera, access to more talent in front of the camera,” McLaren said. “We feel like we’re taking a big step forward.”

The move also allows the franchise to target the large Mexican American market in Los Angeles – Combate Global currently has its largest audience in Mexico – as well as others who have not had as much exposure to mixed martial arts events, such as the Korean community. The Japan-Mexico parties have also been popular and could find wide appeal in Los Angeles, McLaren said.

“This is a move to better serve our target audience,” he said. “We’re going to have real traction with the public.”

The news comes as California attempts to attract film and television productions to the Golden State, after many of them moved to other states and countries in search of more lucrative tax incentives.

Over the summer, state lawmakers strengthened the film and television tax credit program and agreed to more than double the annual amount allocated to it. So far, dozens of projects have benefited from tax credits, including 22 series and 52 films. (Combate Global did not receive a tax credit because sports are not eligible for the program.)