UFC strikes deal with FOX

[clovett]

It looks like the UFC on network TV is finally a reality. According to a report from Sports Business Daily, the UFC and Fox have agreed on a deal that would bring as many as four events to the network each year. A recent deal with Fox Sports Latin America appears to have been proper foreshadowing.

Fox refused to comment to Sports Business Daily, but several of their sources revealed the following details:

•As many as four events per year on Fox
•A seven- or eight-year deal with bidding having reached somewhere around $90M/year
•Weekly programming on Spike and Versus moving to FX
•Some UFC content will end up on Fuel, though the cable network will not be rebranded
The SBD article also reveals details about negotiations with Comcast/NBC and Spike TV. Spike ultimately passed on a new deal, citing stoppage in growth. SBD notes that programs like "Unleashed," "Knockouts," and "Countdown" average 1 million viewers in 2005, with that number falling under 500k this year.

If this is the real deal, it's big news for MMA and the UFC.

[EmpireWF]

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/08/16/Media/UFC.aspx

Womp, there it is.


Now the ball is in Bellator's court to jump to Spike next year.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Game changer.

Bellator needs to weasel out of that shit MTV2 deal NOW before someone else sneaks onto Spike.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Over saturation continues.

[Liquidrob]

Game changer.

Bellator needs to weasel out of that shit MTV2 deal NOW before someone else sneaks onto Spike.

Sources close to the situation say that it's pretty much a done deal Bellator will be on Spike

This is bigger for Bellator than the UFC's deal, the UFC will always make money and all that, if Bellator gets on Spike it is big

They can run there tourney format, have a built in MMA audience, can than work on a reality show, etc...

VIA LA BELLATOR

[EmpireWF]

Chiapetta tweeted it's a "stone cold lock" Bellator moves to Spike.

[EmpireWF]

It begins November 2011.

http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-on-fox-announcement081811

4 Events, "in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network" beginning November 12th at 9pm eastern.

TUF will debut on FX in the Spring.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC's signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX's general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes. With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

[EmpireWF]

FX will turn Friday nights into their UFC block.

On the bright side, they're changing TUF into more of a non-taped format.

From meltzer:

The Ultimate Fighter reality show during its two seasons will air on Fridays. They will tape footage all week and the fights on the show will now be live. The fighters will be in the house for 12 weeks instead of six. The first show of the season will be a two hour special.

There will be more audience participation as they will poll the audience each week regarding what match-ups they want to see on the reality show.

Friday night will be FX's UFC night, with its live events as well airing on Fridays. This heightens competition with WWE Smackdown. Ultimate Fighter is very likely not to be head-to-head if it starts at 10 p.m., but live events of two hours would at least have a one-hour overlap.

[EmpireWF]

F4Wonline.com

A few quick notes from a conversation with Dana White regarding the new deal:

*They've been negotiating this deal hardcore for nine months, and has been well documented, with multiple networks

*UFC will control the production of the shows, but they are going to make changes, including getting rid of the Gladiator open. "I'm looking at this as a fresh start."

*FOX and FX will not only air fights, but also air pre and post-game shows before and after. FOX and FX will be in charge of the production, so they will have their own announcing crew. For the fights themselves, the idea is to keep Joe Rogan & Mike Goldberg together.

*The number of PPVs in 2012 will drop from 15 this year to 13 next year

*As much as possible, they'd like the FOX shows to coincide with the PPV shows, shortly before so they can use the biggest exposure to push the PPVs.

*Ultimate Fighter starts in March on FX with a two hour special. The time slot is not determined so it's not a sure thing it will or won't go head-to-head with Smackdown. Those aspects of the deal are not done.

*The show will be filmed in Las Vegas at the UFC Gym. As far as the live fights go, he said they would most likely be done live from the gym, but that's not for sure.

*As far as the UFC TV channel idea that he had talked about, that's not in the cards for now. "I don't even want to think about that. It's not what we do."

*FX Fight Nights will be the same type of shows as the Spike Fight Nights.

*The four FOX network live specials will be a higher caliber of fight.

*There is 0% chance of Brock Lesnar being on the 11/12 show. Lesnar will not even be cleared to go to the gym to start light conditioning training for three more weeks and the earliest he will fight is the ealry part of 2012.

*He did not rule out using some fighters and pulling matches on some of the shows tentitively booked for the fall to be on the 11/12 show. Said they are working on the main event right now and will announce it ASAP.

*He regrets not booking a soccer stadium for the show next week in Rio de Janeiro. The first day tickets went on sale for the 8/27 show, they sold out 14,000 seats immediately, but there were 350,000 calls made for tickets. "We blew it. We pussed out. We could have done something crazy."

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[Kuzzy Powers]

UFC desperately needs to do another vets TUF, like season 4. Do it with bums that are no longer with the company, may the best bum win. It'll have recognizable names and will draw their biggest rating in years, guaranteed.

[Kuzzy Powers]

And of course we dont get FX in Canada, so royal burn on the "FX Fight Nights". So much for caring so much about Canada.

[SHOGUN]

RIP shitty gladiator intro. Best thing to come out of this whole deal.

[Liquidrob]

Congrats to Zuffa, they really made a huge move and have made a lot of money for themselves, I tip my cap

Hopefully this leads to less PPV, bigger fights on network TV and bigger paydays for the fighters

[EmpireWF]

Interesting...

11/12 on Fox will be a 1 hour special with 2 fights at 9pm eastern. They're off the air by the time Pacquiao fights.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

RIP shitty gladiator intro. Best thing to come out of this whole deal.

Gladiator intro kicks ass.

Im skimming where did they say they got rid of it ??

Will we get Cleatus into some MMA gear ?