Great article here on how the UFC is being portrayed in the UK. The one thing I would argue is that Bravo can’t really be placed on the same footing as Spike TV. While they do have the same target demographic (18 - 34 year old males), Spike is available to the vast majority of homes in the US whereas Bravo is not in the UK. Cable/satellite TV while increasing its market share simply does not have the same level of penetration as it does in the US and is considered by many to be second rate compared to terrestrial broadcasting.
As it continues to grow I could see UFC fitting in well on ITV or Channel 5 in a late night time slot. Channel 5 already air American sports and though late a night, the potential viewership is far higher. ITV already show boxing on a semi regular basis but to get on that channel would involve getting past the boxing promoters which might be a tall order. Like HBO are trying to do with UFC now, ITV would also want to use their own broadcast team.
For now I think the most important thing UFC needs to do is maintain their presence on Bravo but ensure that all shows are available live on pay per view. Right now UK audiences can only purchase the local fights (70, 72), US cards are shown cut down and edited the night after which is completely unacceptable. WWE quickly realised producing localised pay per views was dumb so I hope UFC does too.
As an international sport you can’t section off areas of the world as a completely separate market. Luckily the main event of UFC 75 in London looks like it could bring both sides of the Atlantic closer together if the main event really turns out to be Quinton Jackson vs Dan Henderson. That’s a fight that British fans, American fans and Japanese fans (if they air it) will all be clamouring to see.
So in the short term I see Zuffa continuing to sell out 15,000 seat arenas a few times per year where the card and location is good (ie not UFC 72). In the long term unless they are able to improve their TV exposure and, as a result, sports media coverage it could remain a sport perpetually on the bubble.
