Comments Thread For: Spike's TV Deal With Premier Boxing Champions Has Ended

[Mitchell Kane]

Well we now have a two year case study that proves millions will tune in if you put a big fight on network TV. Before PBC, many in television doubted it was possible. Now we know it is.

We also now have a two year case study that proves a big fight on network TV will do a better ratings than UFC does on network TV. Before PBC, many in television doubted that was possible. Now we know it is.

So when UFC signs a new TV deal next year and PBC attempts to sign a TV deal next year, it's not outrageous to believe PBC has a legitimate shot at getting a TV deal that exceeds the HBO budget.

The content that the UFC provides to FOX is far from what the PBC currently has to offer.

Much of the UFC content on the FOX networks is NOT live MMA matches.

Yes, there are live events, but a lot of it is weigh-ins and pre/post-fight coverage of their live events (not just FOX-televised events but also PPV's).

It's also The Ultimate Fighter, studio show UFC Tonight, and a bunch of library content shows like UFC Unleashed, UFC Main Event, UFC Ultmate Knockouts, UFC Reloaded, UFC Classics, UFC Top Ten.

The PBC does not have that kind of content to offer.

[original zero]

but live pbc on fox outrated live ufc on fox

so if fox loses ufc, isn't it reasonable to believe they might want pbc?

and if ufc is $450 million a year, is $50 million for pbc unreasonable?

[Mitchell Kane]

but live pbc on fox outrated live ufc on fox

How many times did this happen and what were the comparative budgets of the events?

so if fox loses ufc, isn't it reasonable to believe they might want pbc?

In that kind of scenario, perhaps they'd want some boxing, but that doesn't necessarily mean just the PBC.

Or they could prefer to just stick with MMA and look for a smaller promotion that they think has growth potential....something like Spike did with Bellator.

and if ufc is $450 million a year, is $50 million for pbc unreasonable?

Well, the Tuesday shows don't cost anywhere near $50 million....so that would have to be a LOT of primetime events for that kind of money....and keep in mind, the FOX/Big Ten contract kicks in this year, which means more college football games in the fall.

[original zero]

How many times did this happen and what were the comparative budgets of the events?

Happens every time and while the purses on a PBC card may be higher than a UFC card, the price of televising UFC is about to get so insanely expensive that FOX could have higher rated world championship boxing at a lower cost.

In that kind of scenario, perhaps they'd want some boxing, but that doesn't necessarily mean just the PBC.

FOX/FS1 currently get all of their boxing from PBC. PBC has almost all of the American world champions. All they're missing is the big PPV stars, who wouldn't fight on FOX anyway if FOX cut a deal with another boxing entity.

So why in the world would FOX cut a deal with anyone other than Haymon if they want to do boxing? He's got dozens of reasonably priced world champions. Who would they cut a deal with instead?

Or they could prefer to just stick with MMA and look for a smaller promotion that they think has growth potential....something like Spike did with Bellator.

Hahahaha, so instead of going with the #1 boxing brand, which got them more viewers than the #1 MMA brand, they'd rather go with a #3 or #4 MMA brand?!? Not gonna happen.

[Mitchell Kane]

Happens every time

Live fights on FOX aren't the primarily aspect of the UFC tv deal, and that is unlikely to change in the future....so you're comparing apples to oranges, since live fights is all the PBC really has to offer at this point.

But okay, let's dive into some of those UFC ratings on FOX.

Below is a full list of their ratings on FOX...as you can see, they've had a number shows that did higher ratings than the PBC FOX shows have.

UFC on Fox Ratings
Overnights Live + SD
UFC on Fox 1 5,700,000
UFC on Fox 2 4,570,000
UFC on Fox 3 2,250,000 2,400,000
UFC on Fox 4 2,360,000 2,400,000
UFC on Fox 5 3,410,000 4,400,000
UFC on Fox 6 3,770,000 4,220,000
UFC on Fox 7 3,300,000 3,700,000
UFC on Fox 8 2,040,000 2,380,000
UFC on Fox 9 2,410,000 2,800,000
UFC on Fox 10 2,550,000 3,220,000
UFC on Fox 11 1,990,000 2,500,000
UFC on Fox 12 2,020,000 2,500,000
UFC on Fox 13 2,270,000 2,800,000
UFC on Fox 14 2,820,000 3,049,000
UFC on Fox 15 2,430,000 2,745,000
UFC on Fox 16 2,290,000 2,800,000
UFC on Fox 17 2,280,000 2,781,000
UFC on Fox 18 2,430,000 2,685,000
UFC on Fox 19 2,130,000 2,500,000
UFC on Fox 20 2,440,000 2,975,000
UFC on Fox 21 2,200,000 1,983,000
UFC on Fox 22 2,690,000 3,178,000
UFC on Fox 23 2,020,000 2,189,000
UFC on Fox 24 1,740,000

http://mmapayout.com/2017/04/ufc-on-...rnight-rating/

And some of those events are a fraction of what the PBC events costs.

For example, here are the purses on that UFC on FOX 22 event, that did 3.1 million...

Main Card (FOX)
Michelle Waterson ($15,000 + $15,000 = $30,000) def. Paige VanZant ($43,000)
Mickey Gall ($20,000 + $20,000 = $40,000) def. Sage Northcutt ($60,000)
Urijah Faber ($160,000 + $160,000 = $320,000) def. Brad Pickett ($40,000)
Alan Jouban ($27,000 + $27,000 = $54,000) def. Mike Perry ($14,000)

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/1...0000-in-defeat

[Mitchell Kane]

PBC has almost all of the American world champions.

And how many of these would FOX have to split with CBS/SHO?

[original zero]

Live fights on FOX aren't the primarily aspect of the UFC tv deal, and that is unlikely to change in the future....so you're comparing apples to oranges, since live fights is all the PBC really has to offer at this point.

Doesn't have to be apples to apples for FOX to be interested. The price tag isn't apples to apples either. But no matter how you slice it, PBC can deliver millions of viewers on FOX and hundreds of thousands of viewers on FS1. FOX & FS1 are already in the PBC business. If UFC leaves, PBC gains a lot of leverage.

And some of those events are a fraction of what the PBC events costs.

A fraction of what they cost the promoter, not a fraction of what they cost FOX. Big difference.

[Mitchell Kane]

PBC can deliver millions of viewers on FOX

Should read "Certain PBC boxers can deliver millions of viewers on FOX".

As we've seen with the PBC ratings across the various networks, the boxers and the match-ups matter to the ratings.

Which raises many questions for any tv partner with the PBC....one being if you're a network, are you going to give tens of millions of dollars to the PBC if they're splitting their roster with CBS and SHO (or any other network)?

[Mitchell Kane]

Hahahaha, so instead of going with the #1 boxing brand, which got them more viewers than the #1 MMA brand, they'd rather go with a #3 or #4 MMA brand?!? Not gonna happen.

Depends on how much FOX values the MMA market.

But yeah, if FOX lost the UFC, they could go after another MMA organization the way Spike did with Bellator....just like NBC Sports televises World Series of Fighting and CBS Sports televises Cage Fury Fighting Championships.

[Mitchell Kane]

FOX & FS1 are already in the PBC business.

So was Spike.

So is (was?) ESPN.

Same with NBC.