Bellator 39 and Strikeforce Challengers ratings

**LiquidLarry2GhostWF** · 04-05-2011, 01:52 PM

I think Bellator has found the right station. When it was with FSN and other sports related networks...meh. Have it on MTV2, where its getting that young male demo that is loyal as an audience...not bad.

**Warner2BruceTD** · 04-05-2011, 02:32 PM

This was the first week I would call it a bad number. No MMA comp, regular timeslot, and waaay down from the 200+ they were doing early.

They shouldn't move the timeslot for UFC, I've said that from the beggining. Consistancy is more important than trying to squeeze a few extra viewers. You end up shooting yourself in the foot longterm because of the "creature of habit" theory. Might as well have stayed on FSN if you were going to keep moving the times around, because more people watch FSN by a wide wide margain.

**Steel Mamba** · 04-05-2011, 03:18 PM

Unless you're a baseball fan FSN has 0 programming. MTV is still the best option for them considering the demographic that they're after, and the type of push that they're getting from Viacom. They're doing so much more to build Bellator than what FSN is willing to do. So, all considered the numbers aren't bad. They're pulling these ratings with an unestablished brand and a bunch of fighters no one knows, as time progresses the ratings will improve.

It's pretty unrealistic to expect anything better. Are they supposed to do 500k with the roster they have with minimal brand recognition? They have to establish their selves first and that's going to take time, but no other partner can help them better than Viacom can.

**Warner2BruceTD** · 04-05-2011, 03:57 PM

There is a huge difference between MTV & MTV2. And I don't see this supposed push from Viacom you are talking about.

The bottom line is the number has dropped steadily since Week 3, and has settled below 200k. on a network that virtually nobody watches. More people watch FSN, and all of those people are sports fans, so if they were going to screw with the timeslot every week (which was the main drawback of FSN) they should have just stayed.

You can't make stars or your brand doing 170k on MTV2, so they are going nowhere with this deal. If it wasn't shitty MTV2, they'd be pulled off the air already on a decent basic cable channel.

**Steel Mamba** · 04-05-2011, 04:09 PM

You can't watch MTV or MTV2 without a Bellator ad popping up, constantly. Didn't they also have a billboard in Times Square and an article in the WSJ for their first event? They're getting way more publicity than they ever did on FSN. FSN is shit, they were out of sight and out of mind on that network. Viacom has a better foothold on the 18-35 dem than FSN does. Also, like I mentioned before you're only looking at the present instead of looking at the big picture. You can't accurately judge any business by only looking at the present, especially when talking about a new brand.

As far as switching time slots, it's definitely not ideal, but you can't build stars when your audience is watching the competition. Other orgs tried to go head to head with the UFC and failed.

**Liquidrob** · 04-05-2011, 04:38 PM

I love Bellator and always said they have the best sporting model in all of MMA, it is credible, but they are going no where fast on MTV2

Strikeforce has/had a better deal with more ability to have casuals watch than MTV2, I don't know whats out thetre for them in the future if they survive, but it doesnt look good, non zuffa shows will die without an awesome TV deal which isnt out there, they need a HBO or something, but with a season format HBO would never show bellator every week on a saturday, they need to move to friday anyway, saturday was a bad decision

all the great TV deals would be with networks wanting to work with the UFC, not the bellators of the world until they can prove to get ratings which they cant

**Liquidrob** · 04-05-2011, 04:41 PM

eddie alvarez is there biggest 'name' and highest ranked fighter who they always push and they got 175,000 viewers on MTV2, a show on Showtime headlined by Justin Wilcox averaged 215,000

also another thought, Bellator has had everything go right for them with the fights compared to strikeforce

Fedor losing 2 in a row, Hendo losing to Shields, a brawl on national TV after 3 boring decision fights, delayed talks with M-1, you name it, they were not lucky

Bellator had pretty much all the guys want to win, win, besides huerta who ended up fighting Alvarez anyway, some crazy finishes (inverted triangles, KO knees, etc...) it just doesnt look good on MTV2 to draw MMA fans that are not hardcore, they will die on MTV2 if they stay there

**Warner2BruceTD** · 04-05-2011, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by Steel Mamba

You can't watch MTV or MTV2 without a Bellator ad popping up, constantly. Didn't they also have a billboard in Times Square and an article in the WSJ for their first event? They're getting way more publicity than they ever did on FSN.

All of this supposed publicity hasnt meant a thing, considering they are now at levels lower than what they were at on FSN.

Originally posted by Steel Mamba

As far as switching time slots, it's definitely not ideal, but you can't build stars when your audience is watching the competition. Other orgs tried to go head to head with the UFC and failed.

You can't build stars on MTV2, period. Nobody is watching that network, so nobody is watching Bellator. M-1 drew a similar number with ZERO pub, on a pay network with a fraction of the viewer universe. Connect the dots. People watch Strikeforce, people watch boxing, people watch Shameless, people watch Dexter, etc. You don't even have a chance on MTV2.

Look, FSN wasnt a good place to be, either. Just ask PRIDE, IFL, Real Pro Wrestling, etc. But being on MTV2 is nothing more then treading water inhopes you land on a real network before you run out of money and close up shop. Rebney knows that long term, MTV2 is a death sentance.

**Liquidrob** · 04-05-2011, 04:48 PM

exactly, M-1 drew a solid number with zero pub, less than challengers get which is next to nothing

like warner said when this was announced, MTV2 IS NOTHING, SHOWS GO TO DIE ON THAT NETWORK

**Warner2BruceTD** · 04-05-2011, 05:04 PM

Also, the first couple of weeks, the combined number was around 400k for the first run + replay. This week, the replay did 89k, and the combined number was around 260k. Yes, I know that this week had no UFC or SF, but still, neither did Week 2 and the replay matched the first run. Where did the other 140k go?

The replay numbers were always suspicious to me. Remember when Strikeforce was on NBC at like 3am? They were doing MONSTER numbers, bigger than anything ever in that time period. NBC did some research, and determined that it was actually people who fell asleep watching Saturday Night Love and Poker After Dark (which is a big ratings winner), so the TV was just left on for Strikeforce.

I think something similar is happening here with the Bellator replays (and to some degree, the first run). Let me explain.

I think their are 13 year old boys who come home, go to their room, put on MTV2 as their "backround noise" (like adult men do with ESPN when nothing is on, or they are doing something else), and just leave the channel on. This would explain why the replay number has matched (and was even higher one week) the first run, which is unheard of in TV. Just like Strikeforce at 3am, I think half of the "viewers" arent even watching. There is no other viable explainantion.

**Warner2BruceTD** · 04-05-2011, 05:09 PM

The more I think about this, the more I think i'm right.

The average prime time number for MTV2 is around 90k. This week, with no SF or UFC, which enabled everyone who wanted to watch to watch live, the replay did 89k. That's just regular MTV2 viewers leaving the fucking channel on! You could reasonably say that 90k of the Bellator "viewers" arent even watching.

**Liquidrob** · 04-05-2011, 05:11 PM

people (some here and other sites) always ripped on me when I said the Showtime deal with Strikeforce was a great deal, well, great for a non UFC show, it is still the best TV deal a non UFC show has ever got

Why? because they actually paid them good money, handled all production costs, etc...it's just almost impossible for a non UFC branded show to suceed, WEC didnt even do well with Zuffa backing, it just didnt have the UFC name

Right now, no current MMA promotion will make it big with the current deals in place, Strikeforce had the best chance, but pretty much everything they needed to suceed went wrong, like I said before, they didnt get lucky like the UFC did

**LiquidLarry2GhostWF** · 04-05-2011, 07:53 PM

Originally posted by Warner2BruceTD

There is a huge difference between MTV & MTV2. And I don't see this supposed push from Viacom you are talking about.

The bottom line is the number has dropped steadily since Week 3, and has settled below 200k. on a network that virtually nobody watches. More people watch FSN, and all of those people are sports fans, so if they were going to screw with the timeslot every week (which was the main drawback of FSN) they should have just stayed.

You can't make stars or your brand doing 170k on MTV2, so they are going nowhere with this deal. If it wasn't shitty MTV2, they'd be pulled off the air already on a decent basic cable channel.

You can't go to FSN. FSN has more viewers, but you have to realize there are an inordinate amount of channels that "FSN" falls under and its all regional.

I think MTV2 is a start...then eventually MTV. Then, who knows?

**Liquidrob** · 04-05-2011, 08:12 PM

I think Warners and my point is that MTV2 will do nothing to grow Bellator, they just had their 5th show with there biggest star, rankings and hardcore wise, none of there other champs even get mentions in the rankings, Eddie is it and it averaged 174,000 viewers

M-1 with no name, no hype, no promotion on a pay station averaged more, that just shows what MTV2 is for MMA, nothing

You think they will get moved up to MTV2 with 150k to 200k shows?

Hopefully it picks up, but withe no big names or 'gimmicks' and the MMA media not helping at all I dont see it getting any better

Bellator 39 and Strikeforce Challengers ratings

Bellator 39 and Strikeforce Challengers ratings

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