Bellator & SF ratings (shocker)

[Liquidrob]

I meant in terms of promotion. MTV did more for one show than SHO has done in the past 3 months for SF. Whatever happens the Bellator name and brand recognition has definitely been elevated as a result. I'm not saying it's anywhere close to SF, but you have to wonder how well they can grow their product unless they get back on CBS.

Bellator had more viewers on there old network

Strikeforce just did more viewers than they ever had before on Showtime last month, plus the Hendo vs Feijao is higher than there average, to say they're not grower is wrong

 

[EmpireWF]

Bellator had more viewers on there old network

Strikeforce just did more viewers than they ever had before on Showtime last month, plus the Hendo vs Feijao is higher than there average, to say they're not grower is wrong

I read last week's number was slightly below the 2010 average. It's nothing significant because they had no draws on the show and almost zero hype leading up to it.

April should definitely do bigger with Nick Diaz on top (perhaps 600k-700k) and the double title fights and everything else they have going on. Depending on the card (ie. a surprise Herscel return), I expect May to dip back down to the average. Then the big June card, that will be interesting to see and the impact the GP minus Fedor has.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Hendo/Feijao did an identical rating to Hendo's last Showtime fight. It was more total viewers because the Showtime universe has expanded.

 

[Liquidrob]

Hendo/Feijao did an identical rating to Hendo's last Showtime fight. It was more total viewers because the Showtime universe has expanded.

negative spin, Strikeforce/MMA is one of the reasons for growth, it's only been December to March

STRIKEFORCE TAKING OVER

 

[EmpireWF]

STRIKEFORCE TAKING OVER

....taking what?

 

[Steel Mamba]

Good article from MMAPayout:

* Because Spike TV is part of the MTV family of networks, the Bellator shows was heavily promoted on Spike TV leading up to the show on Saturday night. Bellator’s featherweight champion Joe Warren even made a guest appearance on Spike’s TNA pro-wrestling show to push the event. The cross-promotion between Spike and MTV 2 only adds more fuel to the idea that Bellator is Viacom’s insurance policy in case the UFC and Spike TV are not able to come to an agreement, since their current TV deals runs out at the end of the year. Bellator has always made TV deals with the bigger picture in mind. They signed with ESPN Deportes hoping to eventually move to ESPN 2, signed with FSN and paid NBC for a late time slot hoping to put them in a position to sign with Fuel TV, FX, or Fox, and it looks now they are with MTV 2 hoping they could eventually land on Spike TV or any other network under Viacom’s wings.

Bellator was featured on WSJ.com and had a billboard on Times Square leading up to the debut this past Saturday night, which along with the promotion on Spike TV, shows that they had a strong synergy with its partners to promote the upcoming season on MTV 2. Next week’s show will be an important one for the promotion as they will air without any competition from the UFC or Strikeforce, so getting a good number is crucial. After next weekend, there will be a great number of UFC, Strikeforce, and March Madness events that will take eyeballs away from the promotion.

Bellator 35 MTV 2 Debut: Payout Perspective : MMAPayout.com: The Business of MMA

MTV is definitely behind building the Bellator brand and they have the muscle to do so, you just have to give it some time. SHO might cover the production for SF, but nothing beats promotion, I just don't see SF growing their numbers, posting the same numbers as before with a terrible gate isn't growing. That is unless CBS comes back into the picture.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, Bellator didnt get on ESPN2 or FX. And if UFC stays on Spike, Bellator wont get off of MTV2, and it will likely be a death sentance. High risk, high reward.

The Showtime deal is good, and they have grown. Its like anything else, its stars that matter, and Hendo is NOT a drawing card star. The live gate in Columbus was less than the WEC did, and he did the exact same rating as the Babalu fight, despite following up the great Fedor rating.

I'd rather be on Showtime, peaking at upwards of 1M and averaging in the 400-500k range, with CBS as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, than be on MTV2, peaking with 200k (because its sure to go down from here), with Spike as the longshot final destination.

Showtime > MTV2, CBS > Spike

And if/when UFC leaves Spike, it would be for a much higher profile spot. And since UFC has the stars, its not as if Bellator would just hop over to Spike and automatically assume the UFC numbers. People will follow the stars.

The rest of 2011 will be very interesting in this regard.

 

[EmpireWF]

As to what was available to Bellator if FX was not an option, MTV 2 had to have been the best.

No doubt the biggest story of the year could be the UFC leaving Spike, if that in fact happens. Whether it would be ESPN (I have a hard time with that) or a combination of network TV and a cable home (Not sure about that either)....unless Spike changes their "for men" style, they will want something to fill the big void if UFC leaves.

Obviously, if Bellator can be in play in that situation, they wouldn't fill it right away and probably not even close for as long as it would last. However, you need good TV to create stars and I would bet Bellator could turn Alvarez, Lombard, Askren, Warren (if he's not in the Olympics) into relatively big stars as far as they're concerned. Not saying they'd be doing 5.0 ratings or anything like that...but it's a nice platform to have.

Why would UFC leave Spike though? At the end of the day, they get everything they want from Spike.

 

[Steel Mamba]

If Hendo isn't a draw then SF is in a lot of trouble. First off you don't give this guy such a huge contract if he's not, or you don't expect him to draw. Also, the UFC was able to turn 4mil viewers with him on Spike along with successful PPVs.

& we don't know where these MTV2 numbers will peak at, how can you make such a broad assumption off of one show? Talent does not sale, what sales is perception. If that's not the case then explain to me how guys like Diego Sanchez can draw more than the likes of Fedor?

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

UFC would leave Spike in a nanosecond if they could get on, say, ESPN, while still retaining production control.

I would not give up production control under almost any circumstance if I was Zuffa. Its the smartest thing they have ever done in rejecting deals because of it.

USA, TBS, FX, all better places to be than Spike.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

If Hendo isn't a draw then SF is in a lot of trouble. First off you don't give this guy such a huge contract if he's not, or you don't expect him to draw. Also, the UFC was able to turn 4mil viewers with him on Spike along with successful PPVs.

Hendo bombed on CBS, and has now done two very mediocre Shotime ratings with him on top. He is absolutely NOT a draw. Live or TV.

& we don't know where these MTV2 numbers will peak at, how can you make such a broad assumption off of one show? Talent does not sale, what sales is perception. If that's not the case then explain to me how guys like Diego Sanchez can draw more than the likes of Fedor?

Who said talent draws? I have never ever said that ever. STARS draw.

Diego does not draw more than Fedor. Diego just headlined a UFC show that did the all time record low rating for UFC. 600k. Fedor just did a fight on a network with a smaller universe that peaked at 1.1M.

And I can make that assumption about Bellator because ratings almost always drop and settle lower than the debut. Plus the fights were not great fights for casuals.

I think they might peak higher for a big show or two, but the average will settle below the 0.2/200k that they did for week 1.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

SF thought Hendo would be a draw, but they were wrong. He is behind Fedor, Gina, Diaz, and probably even Walker if he ever fights again.

To be fair, Babalu and Feijao mean nothing, but we do now know that Hendo can not carry a rating on his own based on those two fights, plus the Shields disaster. SF essentially let their champion walk based on the fact that the Hendo/Shields fight drew nothing and likely killed the CBS deal (for now).

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I should also note, that unlike most people, I still consider the Bellator number a success. That is a monster number for MTV2. I was expecting network averages or slightly better, they anihalated that.

 

[Steel Mamba]

Hendo bombed on CBS, and has now done two very mediocre Shotime ratings with him on top. He is absolutely NOT a draw. Live or TV.



Who said talent draws? I have never ever said that ever. STARS draw.

Diego does not draw more than Fedor. Diego just headlined a UFC show that did the all time record low rating for UFC. 600k. Fedor just did a fight on a network with a smaller universe that peaked at 1.1M.

And I can make that assumption about Bellator because ratings almost always drop and settle lower than the debut. Plus the fights were not great fights for casuals.

I think they might peak higher for a big show or two, but the average will settle below the 0.2/200k that they did for week 1.

Diego was just a loose example, but you know that there are smaller fighters out there who have pulled higher ratings simply due to the UFC marketing machine.

Stars draw, I'll make that distinction and agree with that. But, how do you create stars? It takes a certain personality, but it also takes having the right platform as well. I'm sorry but SF has a relatively shitty platform for when it comes to bolstering their star power.

A huge part of their problem is perception. The general public tends to view SF as a second rate organization and Scott Coker almost fosters that mentality in fans. One, SHO just doesn't market the brand hard enough. Secondly, Coker has allowed Dana White to obliterate their brand in the press. If he wants to change public perception then he needs to get out there and start telling everyone why is brand and his fighters are on the same level as the UFC.

 

[Steel Mamba]

Look at these ridiculous P4P rankings, you put one SF fighter in the top 5 and Dana flips out. Meanwhile you don't have a single SF fighter in the top ten at all now and you won't hear a peep from Coker! That's not going to cut it.

 

[EmpireWF]

Look at these ridiculous P4P rankings, you put one SF fighter in the top 5 and Dana flips out. Meanwhile you don't have a single SF fighter in the top ten at all now and you won't hear a peep from Coker! That's not going to cut it.

Why would anyone blow up about meaningless opinions?

 

[Steel Mamba]

Why would anyone blow up about meaningless opinions?

Why do you think Dana does it? Again, it's all a matter of altering peoples perception.

 

[EmpireWF]

Why do you think Dana does it? Again, it's all a matter of altering peoples perception.

Because he is a promoter who takes stupid stuff personal.

 

[Liquidrob]

Thats how Coker plays it and he is sticking with it

Affliction, EliteXC, etc...tried that plan and failed, Coker just does his own thing, zombies will be zombies no matter what Coker says in the media that doesnt even cover him anyway, best thing Strikeforce and Coker can keep doing is putting on great shows, thats been there plan for a while now and they're building even if zombies tell you they're dieing

Anyway, I read that Hendo vs Feijao peaked at 520,000, thought it would be higher, but still decent

Bellator this week has been dead in the MMA media, even worse than last week, I think having it on with a SF card helped it actually, now thats it the only show on this Saturday no one cares, strange

I see 150k max for viewers

 

[EmpireWF]

I don't recall much pub from the "MMA media" towards Bellator last week.

Tonight's # will certainly drop but it's a question of how much of a drop.