For over two decades, Main Event has been broadcasting some of the biggest sporting events from around the globe directly into the living rooms of Australian sports fans.
The Facts
Launched over a decade ago, Main Event is the only pay-per-view channel in Australia. Essentially, what this means is that rather than pay for the channel in its entirety, you’re able to pay simply for the events that you want to watch.
Virtually all of the action from the WWE, UFC, as well as local and international boxing can be found here, and they have shown some of the biggest fights in history over their 20-year period.
Over the years, Main Event of Australia has had a major role to play in ensuring that Aussies have been able to tune in to some of the biggest and most anticipated sporting events in the world.
Main Event of Australia
Main Event specialises in mixed martial arts. Virtually all of the action from the WWE, UFC, as well as local and international boxing can be found here, and they have shown some of the biggest fights in history over their 20-year period. Perhaps never more notably than the airing of Anthony Mundine and Danny Green putting up the gloves up in 2006, in what was the most watched pay-per-view event in Australian television history.
Other historic Main Event features include Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao in 2015, the “Battle of Brisbane” between Australian Jeff Horn and Pacquiao two years later, and most recently, the highly anticipated clash between Mayweather and UFC champion Conor McGregor televised live. The network also shows various concerts which are of significant interest to the public. Past such events have involved global superstars such as Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, and Dutch violinist Andre Rieu.
Main Event offers both live programming and replays of the same events in the hours and days that follow. Subscribers are able to record the featured broadcast if they can’t watch it live, after which it is available for 72 hours in total and 24 hours after the time they press select to view.
Another feature is the ability to cancel your payment prior to the start of an event if you change your mind. If you ordered your Main Event using the MyFoxtel app or online, you’ll be able to cancel and receive your money back up to a day before the event. If you make your order using your Foxtel remote control, you can cancel anytime prior to the start of the broadcast.
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How Do I Access Main Event?
Main Event is jointly owned by Foxtel and Optus, meaning that any subscribers to these service providers have the ability to access the event — though Optus customers will first need to subscribe to Optus TV Featuring Foxtel. To access Main Event, you have three choices: the first is to head to the Main Event website and follow the prompts, the second is to click the “On Demand” or “Box Office” buttons on your remote control, and the third is to simply call up 1300 760 579. Once you’ve paid for the event, which can generally be done from five days prior to the broadcast, simply tune into Channel 521 or 248 on Foxtel, or Channel 521 on Optus, at the time of the event.
If you’re not a subscriber to Foxtel or Optus, you’ll need to register before you’re able to access Main Event.
Main Event on Foxtel
Foxtel can be ordered by heading to the website or calling 1300 657 538. You’ll have the choice of a number of different subscription packages, the cheapest of which is the Entertainment base pack. This pack costs just $29/month, while the Foxtel set-top box will cost $125.
Main Event on Optus
Optus partners with Foxtel to provide Optus TV Featuring Foxtel, meaning you’ll go through a similar process to access this service. By bundling the Foxtel service with other Optus services, you’ll receive free installation, meaning you’ll pay just $100 for the set-top box along with the monthly cost of whichever package you choose — again, the cheapest is the entertainment pack, which will cost $29/month. It’s also worth noting that Optus TV Featuring Foxtel is only available to residents of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The Good
The Gotchas
International Sporting Events Broadcast Live and in HD
Some five years ago, Main Event took significant strides forward in their ability to deliver subscribers with the best possible experience when they launched an HD simulcast. Since then the number of HD events has gradually increased, to the point where they now show the majority of premium pay-per-view events in HD. This gives viewers the opportunity to see some of the world’s biggest sporting events in the clearest available quality.
As long as you have an iQ HD set-top box or a My Star HD set-top box, you will automatically be able to access this HD feed on the regular Main Event channel. The price to watch the broadcast in HD is the same as to watch in SD.
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