Episode five of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER XI did a 1.3 rating with an average audience of 1.8 million.
According to Spike, the show also did a 2.6 in the Males 18-34 demo.
This season continues to be, excluding TUF 10, the strongest since TUF 3. While it is likely numbers will have a dip or two before the end of the season, things are looking good overall.
Season so far:
Episode 1: 1.5 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.9 million.
Episode 2: 1.2 rating with a 1.9 in M18-34, 1.54 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million
Episode 3: 1.3 rating with a 1.63 in M18-34, 1.53 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.6 million.
Episode 4: 1.5 rating with a 2.4 in M18-34, a 1.9 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 2 million.
Episode 5: 1.3 rating with a 2.6 in M18-34 and an ave aud of 1.8 million.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Week four of TUF XI continues strong season with increased ratings.
Episode four of The Ultimate Fighter 11 delivered season highs with a 1.5 overall rating, a 2.4 in Males 18 to 34, 1.9 in Males 18 to 49 and an average audience of 2 million.
Almost from day one, folks have been certain that the numbers would drop down to the levels of seasons 7-9 and even see some eps go under 1.0 and while that may still happen, Tito and Chuck appear to be keeping folks coming back for more.
It does not hurt that the fights are better than those on last season where the HWs plodded about until they gassed out.
Season so far:
Episode 1: 1.5 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.9 million.
Episode 2: 1.2 rating with a 1.9 in M18-34, 1.54 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million
Episode 3: 1.3 rating with a 1.63 in M18-34, 1.53 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.6 million.
Episode 4: 1.5 rating with a 2.4 in M18-34, a 1.9 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 2 million.
Almost from day one, folks have been certain that the numbers would drop down to the levels of seasons 7-9 and even see some eps go under 1.0 and while that may still happen, Tito and Chuck appear to be keeping folks coming back for more.
It does not hurt that the fights are better than those on last season where the HWs plodded about until they gassed out.
Season so far:
Episode 1: 1.5 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.9 million.
Episode 2: 1.2 rating with a 1.9 in M18-34, 1.54 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million
Episode 3: 1.3 rating with a 1.63 in M18-34, 1.53 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.6 million.
Episode 4: 1.5 rating with a 2.4 in M18-34, a 1.9 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 2 million.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Yet another perspective on the incident after STRIKEFORCE: Nashville.
Ok, I realize damn near everyone and their dog has sounded off on the battle royale that took place after the main event at Saturday night's Strikeforce card. Now I am going to toss my own hat into the ring (whatever that means):
In my opinion, virtually all parties involved are, at least to some extent, to blame.
Jason Miller: Jason should not have interrupted Jake’s moment and his post-fight interview. If nothing else, it was rude and unprofessional. Even if he had been told to confront Jake, he should have waited until after the interview. We have seen Penn face-off against GSP at UFC 87 and Lesnar face off against Carwin at UFC 111, but both times they were brought into the cage and waited until after the post-fight celebration and interview. I don’t think Miller was asked to do it, he simply wanted some of the spotlight and that is bush league. I will say I do applaude your decision to make a public apology. It was the right thing to do.
Gilbert Melendez, Nate and Nick Diaz: This was not a street fight and a member of your posse was not being jumped by a bunch of guys. If a fight did break out, let Jake defend himself. Interjecting yourselves into it was uncalled for and helped make the incident far worse than it needed to be. If you want to be a street thug, stay out of MMA and do it on your own time. For Nick, this is the 3rd embarrassing situation in the last few years. I understanding being true to yourself, but you are hurting yourself, the companies you work for and the sport you claim to love. Nate, you seem all too happy to follow your brother down this destructive career path. If you guys opt to behave like this, don’t complain when headling spots, title shots and/or other opportunities don’t come as quickly as they should. Your actions may well leave the powers that be leery of trusting you to do the right thing. Gilbert has apologized and Nick said "I apologize, it wasn't my fault."
Jake Shields: I can imagine how annoyed/upset you must have been to see Jason Miller stick his nose into your interview. He should not have done so, but was that worth getting into a fight? You have expressed a desire to face the best in the world and to become a standard-barer for the sport. That means acting like one.
Tennessee State Athletic Commission: While it was Strikeforce’s show, it was run under your supervision. Throughout the show, folks seem to wander in and out of the cage. Things could have been run better and now that something has happened, action needs to be taken. Be it reprimands, suspensions and/or fines, examples need to be made so this is less likely to occur in the future. Had the Noons/Diaz incident occurred in Nevada, Cali or another regulated state, it is likely that there would have been consequences. Let us make sure folks don’t think they get away with this kind of thing in the future.
Strikeforce: Some of what I said about the TSAC applies to you: There were, at times, dozens of people milling about in the cage. There needs to be restrictions as to who gets in and when. Event production has been an issue in the past with pacing and getting bouts underway in a timely manner, perhaps it is time to bring in some more experienced folk to handle the actual running of the shows. The UFC was quite smart when they hired Burt Weston, a man that makes sure everything is as smooth as can be. The right person will make sure things are more organized and give your other people less things to worry about.
Gus Johnson: I realize your comments were on the spur of the moment, but had this been a basketball game, would you have said Sometimes these things happen in basketball? Fights do occur in BB and happen more often than in MMA (obviously not including the scheduled bouts!) and your comments were off base and hurt a sport you appear to want to be a part of.
One last person: Caser Gracie. Today, Caser made the following statement:
After reading this, is anyone shocked that it was his students that started the actual fight and did most of the damage? Caser, you are a teacher and are preparing the next generation of the sports’ participants. You mention hockey, but it is an accepted sport today and a lot has been done in the past several decades to reign in the fighting, violence and injuries. The same is true of football. The games today are different than 50 years ago and the players can’t get away with nearly as much. And even when it does happen, penalties are applied and rarely do we see several people jumping on an individual, as your students did. And kicks to a down fighter are not even allowed in the actual bouts, much less afterwards. Once upon a time, both of those sports were seen as barbaric and the players hooligans. It took years and numerous changes to the rules and regulations to get past that. MMA is a young sport and if we want it to eventually be embraced by the media and majority of the public, if we want to see it in all 50 states, if we want it to truly a global pastime….we need to think before acting.
Your own students have, as I said before, been involved in less than professional behavior in the past. They have been criticized but maybe the spotlight should be put on you. While most trainers also work to make their students professionals and ambassadors to the sport, you appear to dismiss this as something unimportant. In the current season of the Ultimate Fighter, Tito actually brought in a P.R person to help the fighters prepare themselves for the future and to help them become true professionals. A little of that would not hurt Team Gracie. Truth be told, that inicident won't help Strikeforce keep going on CBS. Prior to the event, it was made clear CBS wanted everyone on their best behavior.
If you opt to ignore this, if you simply dismiss the pussies and crybabies, you risk having the sport you love pass you by. That would be a real shame. You are a legendary figure and one that should go down in the history books as being a part of the shaping of MMA.
And before I stop, let me say a few words about Dana White and his reaction to this:
Now Dana has offered up his own opinions on this and, not surprisingly, was quick to not simply criticize Strikeforce and CBS, but to attack them as well. Doing so only lessens the value and impact of his comments. Instead of simply addressing what happened, he had to complain about CBS not signing with him. The UFC is not part of what happened thus is not relevant here. Including them also is distracting as some on-line fans have used it to make this more of a UFC vs. Strikeforce situation. Once again, a more thought-out approach would have been more effective. A lesson he can’t seem to learn.
Some have been calling out certainly call Dana out on over-reacting, something he constantly does, and calling him a hypocrite because of the altercation at UFC 45, but jumping up and down about a UFC incident seven years ago is kind of silly. Cabbage/Tank did indeed happen, but it was ages ago and things have changed, both inside the UFC as well as outside, since then. The sport in general is held to higher standards.
The time to talk about it is right now. When actions have been taken, when penalties have been applied, we must move on. There are too many wonderful things to look forward to, to dwell on one regrettable moment in the rich history of our beloved sport.
In my opinion, virtually all parties involved are, at least to some extent, to blame.
Jason Miller: Jason should not have interrupted Jake’s moment and his post-fight interview. If nothing else, it was rude and unprofessional. Even if he had been told to confront Jake, he should have waited until after the interview. We have seen Penn face-off against GSP at UFC 87 and Lesnar face off against Carwin at UFC 111, but both times they were brought into the cage and waited until after the post-fight celebration and interview. I don’t think Miller was asked to do it, he simply wanted some of the spotlight and that is bush league. I will say I do applaude your decision to make a public apology. It was the right thing to do.
Gilbert Melendez, Nate and Nick Diaz: This was not a street fight and a member of your posse was not being jumped by a bunch of guys. If a fight did break out, let Jake defend himself. Interjecting yourselves into it was uncalled for and helped make the incident far worse than it needed to be. If you want to be a street thug, stay out of MMA and do it on your own time. For Nick, this is the 3rd embarrassing situation in the last few years. I understanding being true to yourself, but you are hurting yourself, the companies you work for and the sport you claim to love. Nate, you seem all too happy to follow your brother down this destructive career path. If you guys opt to behave like this, don’t complain when headling spots, title shots and/or other opportunities don’t come as quickly as they should. Your actions may well leave the powers that be leery of trusting you to do the right thing. Gilbert has apologized and Nick said "I apologize, it wasn't my fault."
Jake Shields: I can imagine how annoyed/upset you must have been to see Jason Miller stick his nose into your interview. He should not have done so, but was that worth getting into a fight? You have expressed a desire to face the best in the world and to become a standard-barer for the sport. That means acting like one.
Tennessee State Athletic Commission: While it was Strikeforce’s show, it was run under your supervision. Throughout the show, folks seem to wander in and out of the cage. Things could have been run better and now that something has happened, action needs to be taken. Be it reprimands, suspensions and/or fines, examples need to be made so this is less likely to occur in the future. Had the Noons/Diaz incident occurred in Nevada, Cali or another regulated state, it is likely that there would have been consequences. Let us make sure folks don’t think they get away with this kind of thing in the future.
Strikeforce: Some of what I said about the TSAC applies to you: There were, at times, dozens of people milling about in the cage. There needs to be restrictions as to who gets in and when. Event production has been an issue in the past with pacing and getting bouts underway in a timely manner, perhaps it is time to bring in some more experienced folk to handle the actual running of the shows. The UFC was quite smart when they hired Burt Weston, a man that makes sure everything is as smooth as can be. The right person will make sure things are more organized and give your other people less things to worry about.
Gus Johnson: I realize your comments were on the spur of the moment, but had this been a basketball game, would you have said Sometimes these things happen in basketball? Fights do occur in BB and happen more often than in MMA (obviously not including the scheduled bouts!) and your comments were off base and hurt a sport you appear to want to be a part of.
One last person: Caser Gracie. Today, Caser made the following statement:
"So a fight broke out at a fight. That's not a good thing, and I'm not condoning it ... but a lot of people are jumping on this because they're babies. The same night, they had an NBA fight. They want to talk about a fight at an MMA fight between MMA fighters."
"How would it be damaging?" Gracie said. "If you're a sports fan, you're used to seeing fights all the time. It's really, seriously, a bunch of pussies latching on to this and trying to make it a bigger deal than it is. Is it a good thing? It's not a good thing. We're sorry. Everybody involved has apologized.
"But you've got a lot of crybabies that are going to latch on to this to the bitter end, but they're not going to say anything when a hockey game has fights every night. Young sport, old sport – people are making a much bigger deal than this. It's hype; it's all hype."
After reading this, is anyone shocked that it was his students that started the actual fight and did most of the damage? Caser, you are a teacher and are preparing the next generation of the sports’ participants. You mention hockey, but it is an accepted sport today and a lot has been done in the past several decades to reign in the fighting, violence and injuries. The same is true of football. The games today are different than 50 years ago and the players can’t get away with nearly as much. And even when it does happen, penalties are applied and rarely do we see several people jumping on an individual, as your students did. And kicks to a down fighter are not even allowed in the actual bouts, much less afterwards. Once upon a time, both of those sports were seen as barbaric and the players hooligans. It took years and numerous changes to the rules and regulations to get past that. MMA is a young sport and if we want it to eventually be embraced by the media and majority of the public, if we want to see it in all 50 states, if we want it to truly a global pastime….we need to think before acting.
Your own students have, as I said before, been involved in less than professional behavior in the past. They have been criticized but maybe the spotlight should be put on you. While most trainers also work to make their students professionals and ambassadors to the sport, you appear to dismiss this as something unimportant. In the current season of the Ultimate Fighter, Tito actually brought in a P.R person to help the fighters prepare themselves for the future and to help them become true professionals. A little of that would not hurt Team Gracie. Truth be told, that inicident won't help Strikeforce keep going on CBS. Prior to the event, it was made clear CBS wanted everyone on their best behavior.
If you opt to ignore this, if you simply dismiss the pussies and crybabies, you risk having the sport you love pass you by. That would be a real shame. You are a legendary figure and one that should go down in the history books as being a part of the shaping of MMA.
And before I stop, let me say a few words about Dana White and his reaction to this:
Now Dana has offered up his own opinions on this and, not surprisingly, was quick to not simply criticize Strikeforce and CBS, but to attack them as well. Doing so only lessens the value and impact of his comments. Instead of simply addressing what happened, he had to complain about CBS not signing with him. The UFC is not part of what happened thus is not relevant here. Including them also is distracting as some on-line fans have used it to make this more of a UFC vs. Strikeforce situation. Once again, a more thought-out approach would have been more effective. A lesson he can’t seem to learn.
Some have been calling out certainly call Dana out on over-reacting, something he constantly does, and calling him a hypocrite because of the altercation at UFC 45, but jumping up and down about a UFC incident seven years ago is kind of silly. Cabbage/Tank did indeed happen, but it was ages ago and things have changed, both inside the UFC as well as outside, since then. The sport in general is held to higher standards.
The time to talk about it is right now. When actions have been taken, when penalties have been applied, we must move on. There are too many wonderful things to look forward to, to dwell on one regrettable moment in the rich history of our beloved sport.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Prelim numbers for STRIKEFORCE: Nashville.
The overnights have come in and, as expected, the news is not good for Strikeforce.
STRIKEFORCE: Nashville averaged 2.63 million viewers, a drop of 31% from the overnights of the first Strikeforce show on CBS.
Here is how it went from half hour to half hour:
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 2.57 million (4th among networks), Adults18-49: 0.8/ 3 (4th)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 2.55 million (4th), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (4th)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 2.89 million (3rd), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (2nd)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 2.52 million (#3rd), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (2nd)
These numbers are bad, very bad. Honestly, to secure a quarterly slot and a new contract, SF needs the final number to be 4.5 million or so. Worst case would need to be no less than the first show, which ended up at 4.042 million. And this is not simply a case of the MMA community seeing these as bad, the media that covers ratings are calling them bad and that will be heard by the higher ups at CBS.
And the mess with Team Gracie and Jason Miller will hurt them with the network as well. The fighters were told, in advance, that they were expected to behave in a professional manner which makes the post-main event mess even worse. One more note about that: This is the 3rd embarrassing situation that Nick Diaz has found himself in in the last few years. He had a scuffle with KJ Noons in the cage, the whole licensing mess last year and now this. I understanding being true to yourself, but he is hurting himself and the companies he works for. Nate seems all too happy to follow his brother down this destructive career path.
Strikeforce had had a 2 fight deal with CBS and that ended with last nights show. At best, SF will have to focus on the Showtime cards for a while and try to earn another shot on CBS. Worst case is CBS closes the door permanently.
Getting CBS was a key part of SF's plans to slowly move to a PPV model. The idea was that CBS would allow them to establish stars and become marketable enough that folks would see enough value in SF to pay for it. Without PPV, SF is relegated to a distant #2 and won't be able to woo top fighters to the brand.
This will also give M-1 a stronger position from which to negotiate from. The numbers certainly suggest that while Fedor was able to match the Elite/CBS numbers, he was a big part of the first show's popularity.
One other potential effect of this is that it will make re-signing Jake Shields even harder. They won't be able to offer as much exposure or the promise of PPV money down the line.
STRIKEFORCE: Nashville averaged 2.63 million viewers, a drop of 31% from the overnights of the first Strikeforce show on CBS.
Here is how it went from half hour to half hour:
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 2.57 million (4th among networks), Adults18-49: 0.8/ 3 (4th)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 2.55 million (4th), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (4th)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 2.89 million (3rd), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (2nd)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 2.52 million (#3rd), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (2nd)
These numbers are bad, very bad. Honestly, to secure a quarterly slot and a new contract, SF needs the final number to be 4.5 million or so. Worst case would need to be no less than the first show, which ended up at 4.042 million. And this is not simply a case of the MMA community seeing these as bad, the media that covers ratings are calling them bad and that will be heard by the higher ups at CBS.
And the mess with Team Gracie and Jason Miller will hurt them with the network as well. The fighters were told, in advance, that they were expected to behave in a professional manner which makes the post-main event mess even worse. One more note about that: This is the 3rd embarrassing situation that Nick Diaz has found himself in in the last few years. He had a scuffle with KJ Noons in the cage, the whole licensing mess last year and now this. I understanding being true to yourself, but he is hurting himself and the companies he works for. Nate seems all too happy to follow his brother down this destructive career path.
Strikeforce had had a 2 fight deal with CBS and that ended with last nights show. At best, SF will have to focus on the Showtime cards for a while and try to earn another shot on CBS. Worst case is CBS closes the door permanently.
Getting CBS was a key part of SF's plans to slowly move to a PPV model. The idea was that CBS would allow them to establish stars and become marketable enough that folks would see enough value in SF to pay for it. Without PPV, SF is relegated to a distant #2 and won't be able to woo top fighters to the brand.
This will also give M-1 a stronger position from which to negotiate from. The numbers certainly suggest that while Fedor was able to match the Elite/CBS numbers, he was a big part of the first show's popularity.
One other potential effect of this is that it will make re-signing Jake Shields even harder. They won't be able to offer as much exposure or the promise of PPV money down the line.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Ratings for episode three of TUF XI.
Episode three of The Ultimate Fighter 11 did a rating of 1.3 with of TUF 11 generated a 1.3 HH with an average audience of 1.6 million viewers. The broadcast 1.63 in the M18-34 and 1.53 in the M18-49 demos.
MMA Payout has reported the numbers for Episode one of season eleven of The Ultimate Fighter. The show had a rating of 1.3 with a 1.63 for males 18-34, a 1.53 for males 18-49 and an audience of 1.6 million.
Season so far:
Episode 1: 1.5 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.9 million.
Episode 2: 1.2 rating with a 1.9 in M18-34, 1.54 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million
Episode 3: 1.3 rating with a 1.63 in M18-34, 1.53 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.6 million.
One interesting note is that the key demos have seen drops, but the audience is up slightly. That suggests new viewers coming from other age (and pos gender) groups.
Here is a look at where TUF 9 (10 was Kimbo and thus way higher than all other seaons) was at this point:
1 1.3 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, a 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.8 million.
2 1.1 rating with a 1.3 in M18-34, a 1.2 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million.
3 0.9 rating with a 1.13 in M18-34, a 1.2 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.2 million.
If TUF were to maintain a 1.2 for the season, it would be a slight step up. Odd are we will see some drops over the course of the season and maybe even a peak when Tito does leave. As long as the ave is a 1.0 or better, the show is safe.
MMA Payout has reported the numbers for Episode one of season eleven of The Ultimate Fighter. The show had a rating of 1.3 with a 1.63 for males 18-34, a 1.53 for males 18-49 and an audience of 1.6 million.
Season so far:
Episode 1: 1.5 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.9 million.
Episode 2: 1.2 rating with a 1.9 in M18-34, 1.54 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million
Episode 3: 1.3 rating with a 1.63 in M18-34, 1.53 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.6 million.
One interesting note is that the key demos have seen drops, but the audience is up slightly. That suggests new viewers coming from other age (and pos gender) groups.
Here is a look at where TUF 9 (10 was Kimbo and thus way higher than all other seaons) was at this point:
1 1.3 rating with a 2.1 in M18-34, a 1.8 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.8 million.
2 1.1 rating with a 1.3 in M18-34, a 1.2 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.5 million.
3 0.9 rating with a 1.13 in M18-34, a 1.2 in M18-49 and an ave aud of 1.2 million.
If TUF were to maintain a 1.2 for the season, it would be a slight step up. Odd are we will see some drops over the course of the season and maybe even a peak when Tito does leave. As long as the ave is a 1.0 or better, the show is safe.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Ratings for Episode 2 of TUF XI.
Episode two of TUF 11 did a 1.2 rating with an ave audience of 1.5 million viewers.
Episode one did a 1.5 with an ave audience of 1.9 million viewers.
By comparison, the second episode of TUF 9 (10 did monster numbers because of Kimbo Slice) did a 1.1 ratings.
Episode one did a 1.5 with an ave audience of 1.9 million viewers.
By comparison, the second episode of TUF 9 (10 did monster numbers because of Kimbo Slice) did a 1.1 ratings.
Friday, April 2, 2010
TUF 11 starts out on a strong note.
MMA Payout has reported the numbers for Episode one of season eleven of The Ultimate Fighter. The show had a rating of 1.5 with a 2.1 for males 18-34, a 1.9 for males 18-49 and an audience of 1.9 million.
While numbers may indeed drop somewhat, I don't know that I would agree that they will dip below 1.0. By most accounts, Tito and Chuck go at each other and the the initial bouts were exciting enough (Exciting meaning folks got KTFO). I think there will be a drop, but it will still be a bit higher than seasons 6-9. I don't think any season will match season ten.
By comparison:
Ep one of TUF 10: a 2.9 rating with 4.1 million viewers
Ep one of TUF 9: 1.3 rating with a 1.8 in M18-49, 2.1 in M18-34 and an ave audience of 1.8 million.
Ep one of TUF 8: 1.2 rating
Ep one of TUF 7: 1.3 rating
Personally, I think Zuffa needs to space out the seasons more. Twice a year is too much to generate genuine excitement.
One other suggestion would be to shorten the period between the start of filming and the actual Finale. Start playing the first ep as the actual events are unfolding. It might help make things more interesting.
Zuffa has launched the Ultimate Fighter website, so they should put it to use. They like to keep the participants secret until right before the season starts. Instead, announce them all two weeks in advance and post bios and a video clip of each fighter. Give folks a chance to get to know all of them prior to the start. It might make the elimination round a little more interesting. It would also allow folks to connect with those that make it to the house a little faster. As the season goes on, add clips online of the guys talking about their lives, families, hopes and dreams. Again, it would help the viewers become emotionally invested in the fighters.
Lastly, we saw Mike Van Arsdale and Tiki Goshen verbally sparring last season, how about having an Asst. coach from each team square off on the finale? You would have to have Coaches that were all under contract, but it could make things a little more interesting.
While numbers may indeed drop somewhat, I don't know that I would agree that they will dip below 1.0. By most accounts, Tito and Chuck go at each other and the the initial bouts were exciting enough (Exciting meaning folks got KTFO). I think there will be a drop, but it will still be a bit higher than seasons 6-9. I don't think any season will match season ten.
By comparison:
Ep one of TUF 10: a 2.9 rating with 4.1 million viewers
Ep one of TUF 9: 1.3 rating with a 1.8 in M18-49, 2.1 in M18-34 and an ave audience of 1.8 million.
Ep one of TUF 8: 1.2 rating
Ep one of TUF 7: 1.3 rating
Personally, I think Zuffa needs to space out the seasons more. Twice a year is too much to generate genuine excitement.
One other suggestion would be to shorten the period between the start of filming and the actual Finale. Start playing the first ep as the actual events are unfolding. It might help make things more interesting.
Zuffa has launched the Ultimate Fighter website, so they should put it to use. They like to keep the participants secret until right before the season starts. Instead, announce them all two weeks in advance and post bios and a video clip of each fighter. Give folks a chance to get to know all of them prior to the start. It might make the elimination round a little more interesting. It would also allow folks to connect with those that make it to the house a little faster. As the season goes on, add clips online of the guys talking about their lives, families, hopes and dreams. Again, it would help the viewers become emotionally invested in the fighters.
Lastly, we saw Mike Van Arsdale and Tiki Goshen verbally sparring last season, how about having an Asst. coach from each team square off on the finale? You would have to have Coaches that were all under contract, but it could make things a little more interesting.
Early estimates for UFC 111 very strong.
If early cable estimates are accurate, UFC 111 not only did better than I thought, it did better than anyone thought possible.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer (Subscription required), UFC 111 is in the range of 850,000 buys. That would make it the 6th biggest ppv in the history of the UFC (After 100, 92, 91, 66, 94) along with UFC 101. Since 101, only UFC 104 and 107 managed to hit 500,000 buys.
Now it is important to point out that early numbers can end up being way off. At this point, those estimates are coming from a limited number of providers. In the next 7-10 days, the overall number will become a little more accurate. But even if it does trend downward, it is unlikely to drop more than 100-150k buys, which would still put it a little over my own prediction of 675,000.
If true, it would appear to verify a couple of things:
A) GSP is one of the top draws the UFC has. He does well in the U.S. and brings 100k more buys from Canada. While Lesnar is bigger today, GSP has, with his mainstream appeal, the potential to be bigger down the line. His manager has done an excellent job marketing him to mainstream sponsors. They hired CAA Sports and that has helped them sign deals with the likes of Gatorade and Under Armour.
B) Frank Mir has become a bit of a draw. MMA and Cable insiders give Mir some credit for the 620K buys of 107. Frank is one of the best talkers in MMA. He was quieter than usual, likely afraid of saying the wrong thing after the Lesnar remarks. But his talking for, and his performance at, 107 made an impression with folks.
As I wrote previously, the UFC is hoping 111 starts a hot streak that goes well into the fall. Barring any major injuries, the future. It will be especially interesting to see if the success of 111 provides any momentum for UFC 112, a strong card that has the disadvantage of being on tape delay. It is the strongest overseas card the UFC has ever had and will show us just how much being on tape delay hurts a card. In the past, those cards have generally been weaker than most domestic ones. So while that delay may indeed have hurt them, the quality of the cards also played a part.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer (Subscription required), UFC 111 is in the range of 850,000 buys. That would make it the 6th biggest ppv in the history of the UFC (After 100, 92, 91, 66, 94) along with UFC 101. Since 101, only UFC 104 and 107 managed to hit 500,000 buys.
Now it is important to point out that early numbers can end up being way off. At this point, those estimates are coming from a limited number of providers. In the next 7-10 days, the overall number will become a little more accurate. But even if it does trend downward, it is unlikely to drop more than 100-150k buys, which would still put it a little over my own prediction of 675,000.
If true, it would appear to verify a couple of things:
A) GSP is one of the top draws the UFC has. He does well in the U.S. and brings 100k more buys from Canada. While Lesnar is bigger today, GSP has, with his mainstream appeal, the potential to be bigger down the line. His manager has done an excellent job marketing him to mainstream sponsors. They hired CAA Sports and that has helped them sign deals with the likes of Gatorade and Under Armour.
B) Frank Mir has become a bit of a draw. MMA and Cable insiders give Mir some credit for the 620K buys of 107. Frank is one of the best talkers in MMA. He was quieter than usual, likely afraid of saying the wrong thing after the Lesnar remarks. But his talking for, and his performance at, 107 made an impression with folks.
As I wrote previously, the UFC is hoping 111 starts a hot streak that goes well into the fall. Barring any major injuries, the future. It will be especially interesting to see if the success of 111 provides any momentum for UFC 112, a strong card that has the disadvantage of being on tape delay. It is the strongest overseas card the UFC has ever had and will show us just how much being on tape delay hurts a card. In the past, those cards have generally been weaker than most domestic ones. So while that delay may indeed have hurt them, the quality of the cards also played a part.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS VII gate, ratings and payroll.
On Friday night, Strikeforce ran their seventh Challengers card. Here are the numbers for it:
Attendance: 4,963 overall. No data has been released as to how many are paid and how many are comps.
Gate: $109,222.
These numbers are a notable improvement from the previous couple of Challengers shows. The gate was up 26% from the previous show.
Ratings: a 1.0 with 316,000 viewers. This show took place on free Showtime weekend this show certainly benefited from it. These numbers are up 111% from the previous challengers show.
Official payouts:
Lavar Johnson: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)
def. Lolohea Mahe: $3,000
Ron "Abongo" Humphrey: $7,000 ($3,500 win bonus)
def. George Bush III: $5,000
Andre Galvao: $10,000 (no win bonus)
def. Luke Stewart: $5,000
Miesha Tate: $5,000 ($2,000 win bonus)
def. Zoila Frausto: $3,000
Justin Wilcox: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def Shamar Bailey: $4,000
Daniel Cormier: $500 (no win bonus)
def. John Devine: $2,500
Total disclosed payroll was $73,000.
Note: Obviously Daniel Cormier made more than $500. The To Fight and To Win pay has to be reported to the SAC, but any and all other income does not. Signing bonuses for overall contracts or even for the fight agreement as well as gate or ppv percentages are not uncommon in MMA at the bigger levels. While none of the other guys on this card are likely to get any of those things, Daniel certainly did. Odds are good he gets a signing bonus that makes this worth his while.
The reason for constructing the contract this way could be a number of things. The simplest of which is Cormier and/or Strikeforce not wanting folks to know exactly how much was paid to this new fighter. His background certainly increases his worth and I would not be surprised if they feel he could be a legit draw both in terms of ratings and gate, but also in terms of mainstream media attention.
Final thoughts:
Overall, these numbers are very positive. If the next SF Challengers show can maintain these, it would suggest that Strikeforce is making some progress in terms of brand recognition. The increased ratings can be attributed to Showtime being free from another 50 million homes, but that does not account for the increase in attendance and gate. The attendance could be nothing since we don't know how many comps were handed out, but a 26% gate increase is impressive in any situation.
Attendance: 4,963 overall. No data has been released as to how many are paid and how many are comps.
Gate: $109,222.
These numbers are a notable improvement from the previous couple of Challengers shows. The gate was up 26% from the previous show.
Ratings: a 1.0 with 316,000 viewers. This show took place on free Showtime weekend this show certainly benefited from it. These numbers are up 111% from the previous challengers show.
Official payouts:
Lavar Johnson: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus)
def. Lolohea Mahe: $3,000
Ron "Abongo" Humphrey: $7,000 ($3,500 win bonus)
def. George Bush III: $5,000
Andre Galvao: $10,000 (no win bonus)
def. Luke Stewart: $5,000
Miesha Tate: $5,000 ($2,000 win bonus)
def. Zoila Frausto: $3,000
Justin Wilcox: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def Shamar Bailey: $4,000
Daniel Cormier: $500 (no win bonus)
def. John Devine: $2,500
Total disclosed payroll was $73,000.
Note: Obviously Daniel Cormier made more than $500. The To Fight and To Win pay has to be reported to the SAC, but any and all other income does not. Signing bonuses for overall contracts or even for the fight agreement as well as gate or ppv percentages are not uncommon in MMA at the bigger levels. While none of the other guys on this card are likely to get any of those things, Daniel certainly did. Odds are good he gets a signing bonus that makes this worth his while.
The reason for constructing the contract this way could be a number of things. The simplest of which is Cormier and/or Strikeforce not wanting folks to know exactly how much was paid to this new fighter. His background certainly increases his worth and I would not be surprised if they feel he could be a legit draw both in terms of ratings and gate, but also in terms of mainstream media attention.
Final thoughts:
Overall, these numbers are very positive. If the next SF Challengers show can maintain these, it would suggest that Strikeforce is making some progress in terms of brand recognition. The increased ratings can be attributed to Showtime being free from another 50 million homes, but that does not account for the increase in attendance and gate. The attendance could be nothing since we don't know how many comps were handed out, but a 26% gate increase is impressive in any situation.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Episode 3 of PRIME TIME: GSP/Hardy bounces back.
A large sigh of relief could recently be heard coming from the Zuffa offices.
After a 50% drop in veiwership from episode one to episode two of Prime Time: GSP/Hardy, things took a turn for the better with the third and final episode.
Wednesday night's show drew an ave of 613,000 viewers, up 107,000 from last week. That number is not too far off from the final ep of the GSP/Penn series (662k).
GSP/Hardy:
Episode 1: 1,000,000
Episode 2: 506,000
Episode 3: 613,000
GSP/Penn:
Episode 1: 880,000
Episode 2: 825,000
Episode 3: 662,000
Last week, I talked about some of possible reasons for the drop. Looking back, I really do think St. Paddy's day did a number on it. This recovery is solid and does show that there is a sizeable number of folks interested in the match-up. I also think being just days before the bout played a role, media coverage really increased in the last several days.
Episode three was fairly strong, with Hardy stepping up and delivering in the mic. He came across as confident and took more than a few jabs at GSP. After a lackluster second episode, some spice was certainly needed.
I think the buyrate will be 625-675k, and likely closer to the latter.
After a 50% drop in veiwership from episode one to episode two of Prime Time: GSP/Hardy, things took a turn for the better with the third and final episode.
Wednesday night's show drew an ave of 613,000 viewers, up 107,000 from last week. That number is not too far off from the final ep of the GSP/Penn series (662k).
GSP/Hardy:
Episode 1: 1,000,000
Episode 2: 506,000
Episode 3: 613,000
GSP/Penn:
Episode 1: 880,000
Episode 2: 825,000
Episode 3: 662,000
Last week, I talked about some of possible reasons for the drop. Looking back, I really do think St. Paddy's day did a number on it. This recovery is solid and does show that there is a sizeable number of folks interested in the match-up. I also think being just days before the bout played a role, media coverage really increased in the last several days.
Episode three was fairly strong, with Hardy stepping up and delivering in the mic. He came across as confident and took more than a few jabs at GSP. After a lackluster second episode, some spice was certainly needed.
I think the buyrate will be 625-675k, and likely closer to the latter.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Episode 2 of Prime Time: Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy takes a big drop.
And there was no joy in Mudville...ok, it is not that bad, but the second episode of Prime Time: GSP vs. Hardy can't have Zuffa and Spike folk dancing around the desks.
Ep 2, which aired on Wednesday night, drew 506,000 viewers and.43 rating, down from 1,000,000 and a rating of about .9. Losing half the audience is a real surprise, but looking at the promotion of the show, it makes some sense. Spike inadvertently aired commercials of Prime Time: GSP/Penn. Now one could shrug it off if it happened once, but they it repeatedly. Earlier this week, Spike also accidentally released a promotional photo for TUF 11 that revealed the final members of the two teams. Oops. Does Spike have some new interns?
I don't have the demos of males 18-49 and 18-34, but am hoping to get them. Did St. Patrick's Day play a part? I spent the entire day on the road for a funeral and drank not a drop (despite being 1/4 Irish) but there are plenty of folk that spend the entire day and night boozing mightily. That may have played some role, but likely not all of it.
Episode one was, in my opinion, very strong. GSP showed a bit of fire and Hardy was brash and in your face. But ep two was just sort of there. Not bad, but more of the same and little to really grab out attention. GSP is training with great guys, we know that. Dan Hardy does not like GSP's trainer giving him little chance of winning. What did Dan expect him to say? And Dan, your own coach was talking down GSP in ep house. There is this saying about glass houses.
But the entire episode just seemed to wander along. There was little narative to pull us in. Ep three is the go home show and they really need to turn it up a notch and get folks fired up. Most of us think that Dan is going to lose, but a strong ep should help get folks emotionally invested in the match-up.
My suggestions for the final ep is to have Hardy address the fact that he is in a postion to become the first U.K. fighter to become a champion. With a win, he would become the poster boy for U.K. MMA. There has to be mixed feelings about that. Pride to be sure, but a hell of a lot of pressure. If nothing else, he is headling a PPV, something only one other U.K. fighter has done before.
For GSP, talk about what a win here does for him in terms of his legacy. Since the last PT series, he has successfully defended his title twice. With each win, he comes closer to being labeled the greatest WW of all-time (a title that is currently worn by Matt Hughes).
For each of them, this fight means something different. Talk about it and build up the stakes.
Hardy, along with the PT crew, has done a good job of building himself up. I think he has to realize that even if he loses to GSP, this show offers him a chance to increase his visibility and become more of a name fighter. And he has mixed cockiness with good-natured humor and the result is a fairly likeable and funny guy.
Another downside is that the Countdown to 111 followed Prime Time. The Countdown show was pretty decent, with Frank Mir delivering more than a few entertaining moments. Frank is a guy that can add buys with his mic work. Had this been seen by a larger audience, it would have helped the buy rate.
I think 500,000 is the base in terms of success. Under 500k is, by virtually any measure, a failure. So this is certainly bad news, but not a disaster. But there is a real chance that the third ep could dip below that number. The second ep was not overly exciting and GSP/Penn trended downward with each ep (Starting with 880,000 and ending up with 662,000). Nothing on this show is going to pull buys away from 111, but an inability to hold onto those initial viewers throws some cold water on those that thought ep 1 gave 111 a shot at 800 or 900k.
My original prediction was 675,000 buys and I think that is pretty realistic. 700-750k would not be a shock, but I don't see this doing more than 750k no matter what. The initial thoughts within Zuffa were between 600 and 650k and that is reasonable. It has been some time since a PPV had the momentum of a previous strong show and, as I said last week, many folks have gotten out of the habit of buying the shows. With 111, they have a run of very strong shows and it should be sunny skies from here on out. But first they have to get everyone back on board the ppv train.
Ep 2, which aired on Wednesday night, drew 506,000 viewers and.43 rating, down from 1,000,000 and a rating of about .9. Losing half the audience is a real surprise, but looking at the promotion of the show, it makes some sense. Spike inadvertently aired commercials of Prime Time: GSP/Penn. Now one could shrug it off if it happened once, but they it repeatedly. Earlier this week, Spike also accidentally released a promotional photo for TUF 11 that revealed the final members of the two teams. Oops. Does Spike have some new interns?
I don't have the demos of males 18-49 and 18-34, but am hoping to get them. Did St. Patrick's Day play a part? I spent the entire day on the road for a funeral and drank not a drop (despite being 1/4 Irish) but there are plenty of folk that spend the entire day and night boozing mightily. That may have played some role, but likely not all of it.
Episode one was, in my opinion, very strong. GSP showed a bit of fire and Hardy was brash and in your face. But ep two was just sort of there. Not bad, but more of the same and little to really grab out attention. GSP is training with great guys, we know that. Dan Hardy does not like GSP's trainer giving him little chance of winning. What did Dan expect him to say? And Dan, your own coach was talking down GSP in ep house. There is this saying about glass houses.
But the entire episode just seemed to wander along. There was little narative to pull us in. Ep three is the go home show and they really need to turn it up a notch and get folks fired up. Most of us think that Dan is going to lose, but a strong ep should help get folks emotionally invested in the match-up.
My suggestions for the final ep is to have Hardy address the fact that he is in a postion to become the first U.K. fighter to become a champion. With a win, he would become the poster boy for U.K. MMA. There has to be mixed feelings about that. Pride to be sure, but a hell of a lot of pressure. If nothing else, he is headling a PPV, something only one other U.K. fighter has done before.
For GSP, talk about what a win here does for him in terms of his legacy. Since the last PT series, he has successfully defended his title twice. With each win, he comes closer to being labeled the greatest WW of all-time (a title that is currently worn by Matt Hughes).
For each of them, this fight means something different. Talk about it and build up the stakes.
Hardy, along with the PT crew, has done a good job of building himself up. I think he has to realize that even if he loses to GSP, this show offers him a chance to increase his visibility and become more of a name fighter. And he has mixed cockiness with good-natured humor and the result is a fairly likeable and funny guy.
Another downside is that the Countdown to 111 followed Prime Time. The Countdown show was pretty decent, with Frank Mir delivering more than a few entertaining moments. Frank is a guy that can add buys with his mic work. Had this been seen by a larger audience, it would have helped the buy rate.
I think 500,000 is the base in terms of success. Under 500k is, by virtually any measure, a failure. So this is certainly bad news, but not a disaster. But there is a real chance that the third ep could dip below that number. The second ep was not overly exciting and GSP/Penn trended downward with each ep (Starting with 880,000 and ending up with 662,000). Nothing on this show is going to pull buys away from 111, but an inability to hold onto those initial viewers throws some cold water on those that thought ep 1 gave 111 a shot at 800 or 900k.
My original prediction was 675,000 buys and I think that is pretty realistic. 700-750k would not be a shock, but I don't see this doing more than 750k no matter what. The initial thoughts within Zuffa were between 600 and 650k and that is reasonable. It has been some time since a PPV had the momentum of a previous strong show and, as I said last week, many folks have gotten out of the habit of buying the shows. With 111, they have a run of very strong shows and it should be sunny skies from here on out. But first they have to get everyone back on board the ppv train.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Will the bout with Dan Henderson be Jake Shield's final with STRIKEFORCE?
On April 17th, Strikeforce Middleweight champion Jake Shields will defend his title against Dan Henderson in the main event on CBS.
Jake is on a hell of a roll, having not lost in over five years. And while he has wins over folks like Robbie Lawler and Nick Thompson as well as UFC fighters Paul Daley, Mike Pyle, Carlos Condit and Yushin Okami, this will certainly be the biggest challenge of his career. Dan is an Olympic level wrestler and has a right hand that Michael Bisping is likely still having nightmares about.
But there is one other thing that makes this fight even more interesting: It is the last on Jake's Strikeforce contract.
Jake to Graciemag.com:
So while many feel that Dan will beat Jake, there is a very real chance that if he wins, he could walk away from Strikeforce as the reigning MW champion.
Even though he has been doing well at 185, his normal weight class is WW and the best WWs in the world are in the UFC. He has never been shy about wanting to face GSP and this would be a chance for him to not just come to the UFC, but do so in a very high profile fashion. You have to figure Dana, a person that loves battles and one-upping the opposition, would love to have a SF champion walk into the UFC.
That seems like a hell of a risk for Coker and co to take. I have not heard anything about them negotiating, so I am guessing that Jake and co are looking to roll the dice and see if he can pull off the win and become a high-profile free agent. Of course a loss would certainly remove much of his leverage. While the UFC still might have some interest, I don't think he would be quite as mouth-watering a prospect as he would be with the belt still around his weight.
Jake is on a hell of a roll, having not lost in over five years. And while he has wins over folks like Robbie Lawler and Nick Thompson as well as UFC fighters Paul Daley, Mike Pyle, Carlos Condit and Yushin Okami, this will certainly be the biggest challenge of his career. Dan is an Olympic level wrestler and has a right hand that Michael Bisping is likely still having nightmares about.
But there is one other thing that makes this fight even more interesting: It is the last on Jake's Strikeforce contract.
Jake to Graciemag.com:
I’m focused on winning a fight at a time. Now I’m focused on Dan Henderson for this fight and after that my contract with Strikeforce ends. I’ll talk with Strikeforce and the UFC to find out which one I will work for.
So while many feel that Dan will beat Jake, there is a very real chance that if he wins, he could walk away from Strikeforce as the reigning MW champion.
Even though he has been doing well at 185, his normal weight class is WW and the best WWs in the world are in the UFC. He has never been shy about wanting to face GSP and this would be a chance for him to not just come to the UFC, but do so in a very high profile fashion. You have to figure Dana, a person that loves battles and one-upping the opposition, would love to have a SF champion walk into the UFC.
That seems like a hell of a risk for Coker and co to take. I have not heard anything about them negotiating, so I am guessing that Jake and co are looking to roll the dice and see if he can pull off the win and become a high-profile free agent. Of course a loss would certainly remove much of his leverage. While the UFC still might have some interest, I don't think he would be quite as mouth-watering a prospect as he would be with the belt still around his weight.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Most of the apparent Team Ortiz and Team Liddell.
In announcing that Stephan Bonnar would be hosting the TUF aftermath this year, Spike appears to have revealed the members of Team Ortiz and Team Liddell. We know that 28 fighters take part at the start, but the picture (shown on the left) offers up a pretty solid indication as to who makes it into the house.TEAM ORTIZ:
Kris McCray
Fighting out of: Dumfries, VA / Chute Boxe
Record: 5-0
Age: 28
Son of a military father, Kris McCray was raised in Germany, where he excelled on the soccer pitch and garnered All-Europe honors in high school. In 1999, McCray moved permanently to the United States, where he has served parts of 8 years (6 active, 2 inactive) as a member of the US Army Reserve, while also finding time to earn his Associates Degree in Social Studies from Northern Virginia Community College.
Clayton McKinney "aka The Money Shot"
Fighting out of: Orlando, FL / Jungle MMA
Record: 4-2
Age: 27
A teammate of TUF (season 8) alum Tom Lawlor at Jungle MMA, Clayton McKinney is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt that supplements his training by working security at a local bar in Orlando.
Nick Ring
Fighting out of: Calgary, Canada / B.D.P. Martial Arts
Record: 10-0
Age: 30
Nick Ring returned to MMA in May 2009 following a three year stint away from the sport after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that time, Ring boxed professionally to the tune of a 4-1 record with 3 knockouts.
Kyacey Uscola
Fighting out of: Sacramento, CA / Team Alpha Male
Record: 18-15
Age: 28
Kyacey Uscola joins the cast with 33 professional MMA fights on his record. He trains with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber out of Sacramento.
Jamie Yager
Fighting out of: Los Angeles, CA/Kings MMA
Record: 2-1
Age: 25
A standout varsity letterman in baseball and football, Yager was the 2001 Athlete of the Year at South Pasadena High School in California. He picked up training MMA as a hobby and went straight from training to the professional ranks in February 2008 as part of BET’s “Iron Ring,” where he defeated his opponent by TKO.
TEAM LIDDELL
Rich Attonito
Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-3
Age: 32
A 2001 graduate of Hofstra University in Long Island, Rich Attonito wrestled several different weight classes as a member of the Pride wrestling team including the 167lb. and 197lb. divisions. Attonito has been training with American Top Team since he moved to Florida in 2006. He is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti.
Charles Blanchard
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-2
Age: 24
A 2-time All State wrester in high school, this single father is a jiu-jitsu brown belt and a published poet.
Josh Bryant
Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK / Absolute Combat Alliance
Record: 10-0
Age: 29
A member of the Absolute Combat Alliance camp in Tulsa, OK, Josh Bryant sports a perfect 10-0 professional mixed martial arts record. When not training, Bryant works as a manager for Mazzio’s Italian Eatery in Oklahoma.
Joseph Henle
Fighting out of: Thousand Oaks, CA / Big John McCarthy’s MMA
Record: 3-0
Age: 26
Joseph Henle splits time training at Big John McCarthy’s MMA and working as a substitute teacher and wrestling coach in Thousand Oaks, CA. Henle earned his MBA in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University in ’06. He speaks fluent Japanese.
Court McGee
Fighting out of: Orem, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team
Record: 9-1
Age: 24
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist out of Orem, UT, Court McGee beat “The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom” runner-up DaMarques Johnson in 2007 by submission
Brad Tavares
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, NV / TapouT
Record: 4-0
Age: 21
At 21, Brad Tavares is the youngest of this season’s cast members. Originally from Hilo, HI, Tavares recently relocated to Las Vegas and trains full-time with TapouT.
Now I am sure some of you eagle-eyed folk will notice that there are 14 fighters in the picture, yet I have only listed 11. That is because I can't quite figure out the others. So if you can tell who the other three are, let me know. Because, quite frankly, I alredy spent more time on this than a normal person would.
Friday, March 12, 2010
UFC Prime Time numbers suggest there is light at the end of the tunnel for the UFC.
First, let me say I am honored to have been asked to share my own thoughts for Budo MMA Good time jamboree. Ok, that is not the name of the site, but it would make for a decent title....don't you think?
On Wed the 9th, the UFC aired Episode one of UFC Prime Time: GSP vs. Hardy. That ep had an ave audience of one million. That is about 15% above the ave for Penn/GSP. They also did a 1.1 rating among males 18 to 34 and 1.0 for m18 to 49. Both of those are up from Penn/GSP.
Heading into this first episode, there were those within Zuffa that were expecting a buyrate of 600-650,000 for this upcoming showdown (UFC 111) and that it is the PPV that will start the upswing in buyrates.
Anyone that follows MMA (and thus pretty much everyone that will read this) knows that the last six months, for the UFC, have been not unlike the trials of Job (in the bible). Murphy's law has run rough shot over the company, with injuries, illness, disease and infections beating the crap out of the roster. I would list the number of line-up changes, but I just don't think we have that kind of bandwidth.
But I will say that the Fall of 2009 was supposed to be a big one for the UFC. Things did not turn out that way and from UFC 105-109, the UFC did all it could to salvage the shows and keep the train on the rails. Overall, they did a decent job considering the troubles they were having.
But that did not change the fact that the shows simply lacked the star power and big name match-ups that made the first half of the year so profitable. While some of these cards still ended up being damn good, they failed to send fans to the piggy bank for money to buy the shows. Some of the worst buyrates in the last four years occurred in the last six months.
This has resulted in some MMA internet writers to proclaim that the sky is indeed falling. Reading some of the articles, one would be certain that Dana White was put on suicide watch and that Frank and Lorezno Fertitta are likely down to their last one million dollars.
I don't think things are quite that dire. I certainly agree that those shows have killed the momentum that was built by UFC 91-100, but profits have still been made and things can be put back on track. It will just take some good shows and star power. The kind of star power Mr. St-Pierre brings into UFC 111.
As excited as folks around the Zuffa HQ were prior to the first ep of Prime Time: GSP/Hardy, they have to be even more ecstatic after seeing these numbers. Dan Hardy understands the PR game and is doing a pretty good job so far. And GSP is being presented as a great MMA fighter that is looking to take it to the next level and become one of the true greats.
If they are able to sustain these numbers for the second and third episodes, UFC 111 might deliver numbers well beyond the initial expectations. Until I see what those other eps do, I am not going to alter my own prediction: 675,000 buys. Keep in mind that the countdown show will have Shane Carwin and, more importantly, Frank Mir hyping their own bout. Frankie seemingly dreams about Lesnar more than a fat guy dreams about...Hey Buffalo, what do you dream about?
Just kidding! But Frank's apparent obsession has made for some entertaining sound bites and should be able to entice more than a few to buy 111.
And barring another visit by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, UFC 111 should be the start of a strong Spring/Summer for the UFC and keep Mr. White from entering said suicide watch.
On Wed the 9th, the UFC aired Episode one of UFC Prime Time: GSP vs. Hardy. That ep had an ave audience of one million. That is about 15% above the ave for Penn/GSP. They also did a 1.1 rating among males 18 to 34 and 1.0 for m18 to 49. Both of those are up from Penn/GSP.
Heading into this first episode, there were those within Zuffa that were expecting a buyrate of 600-650,000 for this upcoming showdown (UFC 111) and that it is the PPV that will start the upswing in buyrates.
Anyone that follows MMA (and thus pretty much everyone that will read this) knows that the last six months, for the UFC, have been not unlike the trials of Job (in the bible). Murphy's law has run rough shot over the company, with injuries, illness, disease and infections beating the crap out of the roster. I would list the number of line-up changes, but I just don't think we have that kind of bandwidth.
But I will say that the Fall of 2009 was supposed to be a big one for the UFC. Things did not turn out that way and from UFC 105-109, the UFC did all it could to salvage the shows and keep the train on the rails. Overall, they did a decent job considering the troubles they were having.
But that did not change the fact that the shows simply lacked the star power and big name match-ups that made the first half of the year so profitable. While some of these cards still ended up being damn good, they failed to send fans to the piggy bank for money to buy the shows. Some of the worst buyrates in the last four years occurred in the last six months.
This has resulted in some MMA internet writers to proclaim that the sky is indeed falling. Reading some of the articles, one would be certain that Dana White was put on suicide watch and that Frank and Lorezno Fertitta are likely down to their last one million dollars.
I don't think things are quite that dire. I certainly agree that those shows have killed the momentum that was built by UFC 91-100, but profits have still been made and things can be put back on track. It will just take some good shows and star power. The kind of star power Mr. St-Pierre brings into UFC 111.
As excited as folks around the Zuffa HQ were prior to the first ep of Prime Time: GSP/Hardy, they have to be even more ecstatic after seeing these numbers. Dan Hardy understands the PR game and is doing a pretty good job so far. And GSP is being presented as a great MMA fighter that is looking to take it to the next level and become one of the true greats.
If they are able to sustain these numbers for the second and third episodes, UFC 111 might deliver numbers well beyond the initial expectations. Until I see what those other eps do, I am not going to alter my own prediction: 675,000 buys. Keep in mind that the countdown show will have Shane Carwin and, more importantly, Frank Mir hyping their own bout. Frankie seemingly dreams about Lesnar more than a fat guy dreams about...Hey Buffalo, what do you dream about?
Just kidding! But Frank's apparent obsession has made for some entertaining sound bites and should be able to entice more than a few to buy 111.
And barring another visit by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, UFC 111 should be the start of a strong Spring/Summer for the UFC and keep Mr. White from entering said suicide watch.
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