Broadcast deal coming in 2011, UFC Network Soon After

[Steel Mamba]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/458947-UFC_Chief_Says_Broadcast_Deal_Coming_in_2011.php

UFC president Dana White has always been a bold figure, and it appears he has a television strategy to match. Already finding success on pay per view as well as cable outlets such as Spike and Versus, he says he is not done growing the sport's television footprint domestically or globally. His most notable goal - finally taking his sport into broadcast television for the first time, a move he says his organization is finally prepared for in the coming year, as well as launching his own channel. UFC's current deal with Spike expires next year and White is already said to be shopping that as well.

[EmpireWF]

First of all...LMAO when he talks about HBO (and their response)

B&C: Have you spoken with HBO lately? Have you chatted with Ross Greenburg?

First time I ever walked into Ross Greenburg's office, I was in awe. I was one of these boxing guys, I knew everyone around the boxing rings and I was honored to be there. Until I talked to him for five minutes. And all I kept hearing about was how many Emmys he has got and all this shit. And I was like, "You know we are kicking your ass in pay per view, right?" Ross Greenburg, and I will give him credit, nobody has ever done boxing better than he did. HBO is the kings of boxing. But it never changed. If you watch an HBO boxing event from 1975, what's different from now? HD. Even the announcers are the same.

[Editor's note: in response to White's comments, an HBO spokesperson relayed the following statement: "We admire Dana White's work in building the UFC brand. Since Ross Greenburg became President of HBO Sports, the top two grossing PPV events of all-time have taken place on his watch (including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather $137 million in PPV revenue) and HBO Sports launched in 2007 the ground-breaking "24/7" reality franchise that has won more Sports Emmys (12) than any other sports series on television the past three years."]

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As for a UFC network...

First they need the tape library. They have UFC, PRIDE, WEC, and a few other small promotions they bought. They would need to buy more IMO. Then they would need different kinds of content, not just fighting, but documentaries, news coverage, analysis, etc.

They wouldn't cover any competing promotions just like when Vince starts his own network, they won't cover TNA or Japan.

I think they're more than two years away from their own network. WWE's been talking about it for over a decade and it looks like they're a couple years away...finally.


As for network TV....

Dana's been talking about it for over 3 years. Fuck him.

I'll wait until they announce a deal.

And it better be better than those CBS deals (in terms of promotion and frequency).

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

A network ?

Thats a bit much.

Get a national network deal. Long overdue.

[Warner2BruceTD]

MMA has been showing signs of overexposure already, I've seen the signs for a year now. Big Dave Meltzer spies on my postings and now he is even saying it.