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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2011 13:13:03 GMT -5
In what would represent a major push into the mainstream for the UFC, Fox has agreed to a deal that will see the broadcast channel air as many as four MMA events per year, according to several sources. The multiyear deal would mark the first time the UFC will have consistent airtime on a broadcast network. Fox execs refused to comment on the deal, but sources with knowledge of the negotiations said bidding had gone as high as $90M per year. The Fox deal is believed to be for seven or eight years. As part of the deal, most of the weekly programming that UFC has on Versus and Spike TV will move to FX starting in January. That includes several fight cards, plus shows like the reality series “The Ultimate Fighter.” Fox-owned Fuel also will wind up with some UFC content. But rumors that Fox will rebrand Fuel as a UFC channel are not true, sources said. Fox was attracted to UFC programming, which has produced some of the highest viewership figures — and most attractive demos — on Versus and Spike TV…Both the Versus and Spike TV deals with UFC expire at the end of the year. The report went on to say that the UFC had previously been negotiating with Comcast/NBC for a broadcast deal that would have placed UFC events on NBC and Versus and transformed G4 into the UFC’s official cable channel, but those talks recently broke down. Also, negotiations with Spike TV are officially kaput. Spike ultimately walked away amid concerns that ratings for its UFC programming were on the decline. (“Shows like ‘Unleashed,’ ‘Knockouts’ and ‘Countdown’ averaged 1 million viewers in ’05. This year, they are averaging 492,000.”) Still, Spike holds the rights to UFC library programming through 2012, and may continue to air content like their “UFC Unleashed” fight-compilation show. www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/08/16/Media/UFC.aspxI usually hate FOX, but this is huge for them being able to air events on basic TV. |
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Post by Ian from 616Entertainment. on Aug 16, 2011 15:28:22 GMT -5
I was going to post this, but Dana is very non committal on the whole thing.
"Everyone is asking me to comment on the Sports Business Journal article. Well, there's a reason I haven't, just like I didn't comment on the Wall Street Journal article on us buying G4."
Looks like we'll have to wait and see. I love FX, but fox is garbage. It's going to hurt having to watch American Idol and other horrible commercials while waiting for the fights to come back.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2011 17:19:44 GMT -5
Great news for the growth of the UFC and MMA in general, thanks for posting.
I just wish the channels here in Australia would show more recent stuff and stop changing it around, instead of one week showing UFC 129 then the following week showing UFC 121.
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Post by sean™ on Aug 16, 2011 17:26:34 GMT -5
I was going to post this, but Dana is very non committal on the whole thing. "Everyone is asking me to comment on the Sports Business Journal article. Well, there's a reason I haven't, just like I didn't comment on the Wall Street Journal article on us buying G4."Looks like we'll have to wait and see. I love FX, but fox is garbage. It's going to hurt having to watch American Idol and other horrible commercials while waiting for the fights to come back. How is that any different from watching any sports event like Football or Baseball on Fox? And at least with live fights, they have a specific time limit. So I'd seem them doing quick commercials, like Spike does, so that the fight comes back on right as the round is either starting, or as the corner guys are finishing up. |
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Post by Ian from 616Entertainment. on Aug 16, 2011 18:01:06 GMT -5
I was going to post this, but Dana is very non committal on the whole thing. "Everyone is asking me to comment on the Sports Business Journal article. Well, there's a reason I haven't, just like I didn't comment on the Wall Street Journal article on us buying G4."Looks like we'll have to wait and see. I love FX, but fox is garbage. It's going to hurt having to watch American Idol and other horrible commercials while waiting for the fights to come back. How is that any different from watching any sports event like Football or Baseball on Fox? And at least with live fights, they have a specific time limit. So I'd seem them doing quick commercials, like Spike does, so that the fight comes back on right as the round is either starting, or as the corner guys are finishing up. It's different because I don't watch other sports on Fox. I don't watch anything on Fox. I suppose you're right, though. Quick breaks. Ugh, still, it's going to be the same spots over and over. |
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Squatch
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Post by Squatch on Aug 16, 2011 23:59:29 GMT -5
I think this is definitely good for the UFC. Fox is a big network that can be shown a lot more than Spike TV can. Honestly I really almost crapped my pants when I seen the $90 Million dollar contract!
If UFC makes the most of this deal then it will be a great time for them to be on Fox and FX!
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Post by James Hetfield on Aug 17, 2011 22:19:24 GMT -5
They'll be a press conference tomorrow.
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threehgame
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Beyond Bored By You and Your Wrestling
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Post by threehgame on Aug 18, 2011 4:02:27 GMT -5
Anyone else feel the ratings decline on Spike is mostly Spike's fault for showing the same Knockouts specials and Unleashed episodes over and over? TUF is getting a bit boring but maybe the answer is to have twice as many episodes that include house hi-jinx, more detailed fighter bios and more complete coverage of their training regimens.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2011 10:56:48 GMT -5
We don't need anymore house hijinx. There's usually one bunghole per season that likes to  with people's stuff, there isn't any need for more lol. |
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Post by Mr. Orange on Aug 18, 2011 14:33:10 GMT -5
More in depth
The centerpiece for most longtime fans will be more live fights. That’s not to say that the UFC is planning to add in inordinate number of events to its current schedule. A large number of live fights will come from a revamp of The Ultimate Fighter.
FX Network
The FX Network is going to be the new home of The Ultimate Fighter Live beginning in 2012. A host of changes are underway, including a much quick turn-time from filming to air on TV. Weekly episodes will be filmed during the week in a format UFC president Dana White coined “jive-live.”
The content will be quickly assembled throughout the week and air on Friday night’s with a live fight on air at the end of the show. This will happen 24 times per year, over the course of two 12-week season, and then culminate in a live finale event.
There will also be six live UFC Fight Night events throughout the year on FX.
“When you take the 26 weeks of The Ultimate Fighter, each with a live fight culminating in a live finale, and you take six fight nights on FX, that’s 32 weeks of live fights on FX on Friday nights, which is going to revolutionize our network,” remarked John Landgraf, the president of FX Network.
So right out of the gate, there are 32 weeks of fights on the FX Network.
Big Fox
The UFC won’t be relegated solely to FX. This new TV deal also marks the promotion’s first continual live event presence on a broadcast network.
“Big Fox,” as White referred to Fox’s broadcast network, will carry at least four events per year. The first such event is already in the planning stages for November.
“We’re working on the fight. That’s going to be the first fight on Fox,” White said in reference to the Nov. 12 live event on Fox. “We’re looking to do it down in Anaheim (Calif.) and we’re still working on the card. It’ll be on Fox. No main event yet.”
That brings the total of live fights on the Fox group of networks to at least 36 weeks worth. Granted the TUF fights aren’t full events, but it’s programming that the UFC, nor anyone else, has ever pulled off before.
Fuel TV
The lesser known Fox network, Fuel TV, which caters to the younger, more extreme sports oriented crowd, will also be receiving UFC programming, including some live fights.
It’s not currently in the plans for Fuel to get full-on events, but the channel will air support programming, as well as picking up where Spike TV left off by airing UFC Prelims Live.
“A lot of that other programming from Unleashed to the prelims and things like that will go to Fuel,” said White. “There’s gonna be a lot of great programming on Fuel. You guys no how well our Prelims Live work on Spike, so we’re going to be working to build Fuel much in the way we did Spike.”
Current Fox-UFC TV Deal is the Foundation
White and the other participants in Thursday’s announcement mentioned several times that, while this marks the foundation of the seven-year agreement between the UFC and Fox, it is only the beginning.
All parties involved said that with the official announcement, now they can get down to brass tacks and plan for their partnership to grow and evolve over the years.
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Post by sean™ on Aug 18, 2011 15:42:35 GMT -5
I guess New York can't ignore the issue anymore.
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Post by machoking on Aug 18, 2011 16:28:02 GMT -5
Kinda surprised they went with FOX. Its much better then SpikeTV. I actually thought CBS was going to splurge out for them because outside of some Saturday Afternoon football, they really dont have any sports to capture the audience.
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Post by sean™ on Aug 18, 2011 17:11:01 GMT -5
I think the only disappointing thing about all of this is that we have one more TUF season before these cool changes take place. Makes you wonder what's in store for season 14.
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Post by Mr. Orange on Aug 18, 2011 19:48:17 GMT -5
Just saw an epic commercial for the UFC during the Eagles/Steelers game. Great, great idea. The audience that loves football can easily crossover to MMA if they haven't already.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2011 18:50:04 GMT -5
this is awesome! Can't wait for the new ultimate fighter format to begin!
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Post by SteveHulk on Aug 20, 2011 22:57:13 GMT -5
Looks like the UFC will be revamping things - they say the "Gladiator" intro will be axed and that all TUF fights will be live (Friday nights). And how about this for a packed line up: October 29th (UFC 137: Georges St. Pierre Vs Nick Diaz), November 5th (UFC 138: Chris Leben Vs Mark Munoz on Spike TV), November 12th (1st FOX show), November 19th (UFC 139), December 3rd (TUF 14 finale), December 10th (UFC 140).  It'll be really interesting to see what fight headlines the first FOX show... I think they might bump the Velasquez Vs Dos Santos fight up a week (instead of it being at UFC 139). |
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Post by James Hetfield on Aug 21, 2011 1:39:47 GMT -5
August 27 - UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami (Middleweight title; PPV/Spike TV/Facebook)
September 17 - UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger (Spike TV)
September 24 - UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage (Light Heavyweight title; PPV/Spike TV/Facebook)
October 1 - UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson (Bantamweight title; Versus)
October 8 - UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III (Lightweight title and Aldo vs. Florian for the Featherweight title; PPV/Spike TV)
October 12 - UFC Primetime: St-Pierre vs. Diaz, Episode 1 (Spike TV)
October 19 - UFC Primetime: St-Pierre vs. Diaz, Episode 2 (Spike TV)
October 26 - UFC Primetime: St-Pierre vs. Diaz, Episode 3 (Spike TV)
October 29 - UFC 137: St-Pierre vs. Diaz (Welterweight title; PPV)
November 5 - UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz (Spike TV)
November 12 - UFC on Fox 1
November 19 - UFC 139: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos (Heavyweight title; PPV)
December 3 - TUF 14 Finale (Final live show on Spike TV)
Yeah, hell of a lineup coming up from the UFC in the coming months.
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Post by James Hetfield on Sept 19, 2011 18:03:54 GMT -5
Thought it was pointless to start a new thread about this, but since it relates to the Fox deal, I figured I'd post it here.
Dana White recently did an interview and said come January, the Facebook prelim fights will stop, and now with the deal with Fox in place, ALL fights will be televised.
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