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.
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Thanks for the feedback on the article.
- I agree about the Bravo/Spike comparision. Whilst both clearly appeal to the same viewer demographic, Spike has established itself as a relatively big player in the US market where virtually everyone has cable (Americans even refer to it as ‘free tv’ which I find amusing and something you’d never hear over here). Bravo is a niche channel, popular with young males, but with relatively small viewing figures and little mainstream appeal.
- I think the issue of PPV coverage is a double-edged sword. The current Bravo PPV coverage simply isn’t good enough. A lot of ‘hardcore’ MMA fans would willingly pay ¬£15 a pop to watch the PPVs live on Setanta. But I think that would alienate a large number of casual fans who the UFC needs to attract at the moment. I know a lot of people who watch the PPVs on Bravo but wouldn’t dream of shelling out money every month to watch a PPV at 3am. Moving to the PPV format would drive away these viewers and limit the audience before the sport has even taken off. PPV sport has never been particularly successful in the UK like it has in the States, we’re just not accustomed to it.
The middle-ground would be getting coverage on Sky Sports, but Cage Rage wisely stole a march on the UFC there. Hopefully it won’t be long before Sky Sports News starts to run Cage Rage stories and promote the events they broadcast like they do with every other sport. Long-term, however, I think the UFC would be a much better fit here.
- UFC 75 should be a massive event, hopefully with tons of exposure and media interest, simply because its being held in London. But the UFC needs to do a lot more than turn up a few times a year, put on decent(ish) cards then go home, thinking that just because they did well at the gate they’ve cracked the market. If MMA is to be considered a respectable long-term sport in this country and not just seen as a WWE-type spectacle then the UFC needs to take responsibility for regulation, marketing, educating, etc and stay here for the long-haul.
I totally agree with Chirs, especially on his second point - while i would buy it (if i had the cash) it would def put alot of new viewers off, and the PPV market really isnt that big in the UK anyway.
Just to clarify I said they should remain on Bravo but also offer PPV as an option. As Chris says the hardcore fans would greatly appreciate and be willing to pay for high quality live shows.