UFC on FOX?
Posted by Adam MorganAdam Swift of MMA Payout is passing along some rumors that he’s hearing that FOX and the UFC are making progress towards a deal that would put the UFC on network television:
MMAPayout.com has learned that FOX is now widely believed to be the leading candidate to become the UFC’s network television partner. Earlier this month White met with FOX executives in Los Angeles. While a deal with FOX is not believed to be imminent, industry sources have told MMAPayout.com that they believe the companies are making progress toward a deal.
Obviously this would be another watershed moment for the UFC and the sport of MMA as a whole. The only thing that I don’t think is in UFC’s favor is that EliteXC is going to have the first crack at network television. If EliteXC doesn’t do the numbers that are needed to be a success, FOX could get cold feet even though the UFC has a much better overall roster of marketable talent.
Fortunately or unfortunately, EliteXC is going to set the standard when it comes to MMA on network television and if it does poorly, networks could be looking elsewhere without giving the sport a real shot.
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FOX is a network TV powerhouse for sports.
eleite xc if you fuck this one up….
“If EliteXC doesn’t do the numbers that are needed to be a success, FOX could get cold feet even though the UFC has a much better overall roster of marketable talent.”
You can bet Dana has been pouring poison regarding EliteXC into FOX’s ears during the entire negotiating process in an effort to separate the success of the two brands.
Great fit. get it done Dana! (and put 85 on Fox)
Only thing I could see as better would ESPN. We need mma on the ocho!
And then could “Celebrity Ultimate Fighting” be far behind??
Elite XC’s numbers on CBS don’t matter because it is widely understood that Elite XC is an inferior organization. Their production, leadership and fighters, with few exceptions, low grade. Elite XC is the grapefruit league and the UFC is the show.
I like the UFC/Fox idea better than a partnership with NBC or ABC, which lost their edge in sports programming a long time ago.
… And wouldn’t it be hilarious to have MMA on the same channel as O’Reilly? I’ll be he wouldn’t criticize the sport again. Who knows? Maybe he’d change the tag line to “the no lay and pray zone”.
“… And wouldn’t it be hilarious to have MMA on the same channel as O’Reilly? ”
Here is the deal with FOX…nobody has pushed the boundaries of the FCC more than FOX. Bill is just a blow hard entertainer and his railing on the UFC will do nothing but help everyone involved.
ESPN was already in talks with UFC. Something is going to happen soon. It’s looking like we will see UFC at Madison Square Garden, in Mexico, and on free TV by the end of the year.
Once they do this they’ll probably go Public and pay the fighters in Company Stock.
“Once they do this they’ll probably go Public and pay the fighters in Company Stock.”
The UFC will never….ever….go public. Not under Zuffa and not under anyone.
The interesting thing about this was that Fox is/was essentially holding out for the UFC specifically.
Fox has a much higher 18-30 male viewership demographic, and that’s the prime MMA target market. Fox realized the UFC is the top dog for MMA, UFC knows Fox has the viewers that it targets.
This could be huge, the “first crack” thing is really a non-point considering where the viewers are, and what viewers are aware of MMA wise.
If EliteXC’s show does well, you know FOX will want the UFC. The market will be proven and it’s no secret that the UFC is miles above what EliteXC has to offer so… I think the answer is obvious there.
However, if EliteXC’s debut does poorly, I still think FOX will still be interested… but will probably want more than the UFC is willing to give during negotiations. FOX will use EliteXC’s horrid ratings as the reason behind their demands.
I think it might be in the UFC’s best interest to have EliteXC do well on their CBS debut. That way, the UFC has all the cards… and the question will be, does FOX want the UFC bad enough?
“And then could “Celebrity Ultimate Fighting” be far behind??”
ha, and maybe josh koscheck week on american idol.
I’ve heard this old sing and dance before..I’ll believe it when i see it…I remember seeing Bill O’Rielly bashing MMA just a few weeks ago..I’m not a big FOX network fan..I hope they don’t sign a deal with them but ESPN was what i was wishing for…
Bill won’t have a damn thing to do with this. Its amusing how the most “pushing the FCC line network” also has the most “conservative host” in Bill. Its all entertainment people.
The FOX network itself is not conservative, its just the programming choice they have with the news arm to counteract CNN which at the time of FOX’s rise was labeled as the “Clinton News Network”
Its nothing but what gets the ratings.
Dana will deliver…as always.
I don’t think CBS’ ratings will have fuck-all to do with FOX’s decision. All Zuffa has to say is, “yeah, EliteXC failed - but look at our cable ratings, gate sales, and PPV buys compared to theirs,” and it will be clear that it’s a case of Arena Football versus NFL. Would you pass on the Super Bowl because the Arena Bowl got shit ratings?
>> NealTaflinger (#18) wrote: “Would you pass on the Super Bowl because the Arena Bowl got shit ratings?”
I wouldn’t and you wouldn’t, and I’m sure that the UFC has tried to strike a deals before with networks… so why hasn’t it happened yet? I think it has something to do with the demands of the networks with an unproven sport. However, if EliteXC does really well (and the sport is proven to the networks)… I think more than a few stations will be knocking on the UFC’s door. (Let’s call it the reality TV effect.) And that means the UFC will dictate most of the television deals and not the networks. I’m just speculating that it’s in the UFC’s best interest for EliteXC’s showing to do well in the ratings. Ultimately, the UFC would love nothing more than to have a few networks bidding against each other, scrambling to sign the UFC.