UFC in Talks to Buy G4 TV Network

[EmpireWF]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304259304576373922003371428.html

Ultimate Fighting Championship, which pits boxers and martial-arts specialists against each other in bloody bouts, is in talks to acquire control of its own cable network, said people familiar with the matter, as it seeks a more direct relationship with the sport's growing fan base.

The sports organization, which popularized a new breed of fighting known as mixed martial arts, is in talks to buy control of NBCUniversal's struggling G4 gaming network, the people familiar with the matter said.

The value of the potential transaction and size of the majority stake couldn't be learned. For NBCU, the deal would be one of its first sales since Comcast Corp. took control of the company in January.

How close the companies are to a deal remains unclear. One person familiar with the matter described the talks as serious. Another such person said the talks are in the early stages and that the UFC is in discussions with multiple other networks and outlets.

NBCU is hoping a deal can help revitalize G4, whose already low viewership has been declining during prime time. The cable network features programming targeted at young men, with shows about videogames and gadgets. DirecTV last year stopped carrying the network, citing its low ratings.

Young males are coveted by TV advertisers because they are relatively hard to reach through other media.

For the UFC, its own network would allow it to more directly reach its fans, who are mostly male and between 18 and 34. Having control of their own networks opens new revenue streams for sports organizations, allowing them to collect monthly carriage fees from cable and satellite-TV companies and to build a new asset with equity value. In recent years, major sponsors like auto makers and fast-food chains like Burger King have become UFC sponsors.

UFC and its athletes—which are known for their athleticism and skills in various fighting techniques like boxing, karate and taekwondo— have become wildly popular via televised bouts on Viacom Inc.'s Spike TV, pay-per-view channels and the Web. Last year, the UFC also struck a deal to distribute some events on Comcast's sports network Versus.

UFC's deal with Spike expires at the end of the year, and UFC has been demanding a large increase in money to renew it, people familiar with the matter said.

UFC's Spike show "The Ultimate Fighter" has been struggling of late, drawing its second-smallest audience in the show's 13 seasons, according to Nielsen Co. Viewers have complained they are growing tired of the format and want to see more live shows.

UFC is owned by casino executives and brothers Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta and Dana White.

 

[Liquidrob]

Bellator to spike!

To bad SF couldn't hang on longer, don't se this as a good move for the UFC, spike made them, unless they get a sweet network deal out of it down the line

 

[Houston]

Good.


This is what G4 gets for showing reruns of Cops and Cheaters all day long.

 

[EmpireWF]

Bellator to spike!

To bad SF couldn't hang on longer, don't se this as a good move for the UFC, spike made them, unless they get a sweet network deal out of it down the line

Pretty sure everyone is going forward with the assumption UFC and Spike will go their separate ways at the end of the year (or whenever the deal runs out).

Don't see UFC getting a heavy network TV presence because it would only take away from their PPV business.

No idea where they go though...unless they plan on really buying a cable network and doing it themselves.

 

[1ke]

We all knew when G4 started it was going to be hard maintaining a network based solely on video games. Then slowly she network started cancelling shows left and right. Now its cops and cheaters daily. The only 2 shows left over from when the network started is AOTS and X-Play. I would hope this works out just so I can keep seeing AOTS.

 

[Bmore]

Gaming + MMA = My dream... awesome



If the UFC buys G4 and starts putting its shows on the channel. Cable companies can add it to a package (Ex. Sports or Regular Digital Cable).

People (like me) will buy (if i don't have the package already) it. I'm willing to bet Zuffa will make a ton of money.

I don't know what the percentage is, but I'm willing to bet at least 50% of the world watches events illegally online or go to a sports bar. So instead of charging what they do for PPV's that everyday people usually don't buy, they could easily make a guranteed fixed amount from (lets say) TimeWarner. For putting there channel into a package. Good example of this is how much money the NFL Network channel is making for the 24 hour a day Football only channel.


Thoughts?

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

1. Very discomforting when telecoms own networks. Bad for all of us.

2. Comcast buying G4 and killing/merging Tech tv showed what morons they were. Every decision made from the beginning was a shitty one.

3. G4s been dead for years. There shows took eons to get into HD. How do you have shows dedicated to tech and gaming and not be shown in HD ???

4. Still think UFC on network TV would have been a huge boost. Shoulda done it occasionally ala saturdaynights main event.

5. NFL has a bunch of original programming and top tier production. Not sure what UFC network can provide HDnet doesnt already.

 

[Bmore]

5. NFL has a bunch of original programming and top tier production. Not sure what UFC network can provide HDnet doesnt already.

I'm not familiar with HDnet.

Zuffa has tons to work with. They have Pride, UFC and Strike Force library's to work with. Not to mention TUF, Countdown shows (that follow the lives of Main event fighters until there fight), and possibly a daily news show.

Obviously there contracts with other channels (ex. Spike and VS.) are still intact right now. But it's proven my demographic (Male 18-35) like MMA, so I can't see how an exclusive MMA channel wouldn't be a huge success. Then you add gaming shows like AOTS and X-Play? It's a win/win.

 

[EmpireWF]

Not sure what UFC network can provide HDnet doesnt already.

UFC programming & PRIDE programming...

I don't know what the percentage is, but I'm willing to bet at least 50% of the world watches events illegally online or go to a sports bar. So instead of charging what they do for PPV's that everyday people usually don't buy, they could easily make a guranteed fixed amount from (lets say) TimeWarner. For putting there channel into a package. Good example of this is how much money the NFL Network channel is making for the 24 hour a day Football only channel.


Thoughts?

No way. PPV is their big money maker. They will not sacrifice their PPV business for cable TV or network TV.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

UFC programming & PRIDE programming...



No way. PPV is their big money maker. They will not sacrifice their PPV business for cable TV or network TV.

"Old shit" doesnt do as well as people think. While I think we all want NFL network to air old jim brown/unitas games IIRC its the original broadcasts and daily shows that bring in the viewers.
Someone would have to tell me if this is also true on NBA/MLB channels I wager yes.

Theres only so many wandy/sakuraba gracie vs sumo guy videos you can play. You need programming that keeps people coming back on a weekly or daily basis. They arent going to carry smaller shows/k1/grappling tourneys or anything else to fill in time. Selling 12-20 hours a month of programming is a HUGE difference from trying to fill 672 hours a month.

Unless they do some weirdness like Speed/Golf channel where programming is split dont see it being successful. Ill be happy to admit Im wrong if it happens.

UFC buys nework creates a unique name network than turns it into tech/games/MMA network ?

In any case if they do make a purchase like that I highly suggest W2B and anyone with any MMA desires to start writing up ideas for original shows they will be desperate for it.((and no im not kidding))

 

[Bmore]

"Old shit" doesnt do as well as people think. While I think we all want NFL network to air old jim brown/unitas games IIRC its the original broadcasts and daily shows that bring in the viewers.
Someone would have to tell me if this is also true on NBA/MLB channels I wager yes.

Theres only so many wandy/sakuraba gracie vs sumo guy videos you can play. You need programming that keeps people coming back on a weekly or daily basis. They arent going to carry smaller shows/k1/grappling tourneys or anything else to fill in time. Selling 12-20 hours a month of programming is a HUGE difference from trying to fill 672 hours a month.

Unless they do some weirdness like Speed/Golf channel where programming is split dont see it being successful. Ill be happy to admit Im wrong if it happens.

UFC buys nework creates a unique name network than turns it into tech/games/MMA network ?

In any case if they do make a purchase like that I highly suggest W2B and anyone with any MMA desires to start writing up ideas for original shows they will be desperate for it.((and no im not kidding))

You must not have NFL Network.

Cuz I watch it almost religiously and it's nothing but "Old Shit" stuff.

I don't know how many times i've seen Lost Treasures of NFL films, America's Game, NFL Greatest Games (Ex. Browns at Broncos 1988).

Sure NFL Total Access makes up the 1am-10am and the 9pm-10pm (am stuff is just re-run of the night before.)

 

[Epidemik]

AOTS is a guilty pleasure of mine from time to time. Never been a huge fan of X-play really at all even though i enjoy adam and morgan. Plus they have the best (only?) E3 coverage, Comic-Con coverage and Adult Expo Coverage ( :shifty: )

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

You must not have NFL Network.

Cuz I watch it almost religiously and it's nothing but "Old Shit" stuff.

I don't know how many times i've seen Lost Treasures of NFL films, America's Game, NFL Greatest Games (Ex. Browns at Broncos 1988).

Sure NFL Total Access makes up the 1am-10am and the 9pm-10pm (am stuff is just re-run of the night before.)

Americas game ,greatest games ,top 10 whatever. Those are original programming. Replaying an old event with no new footage commentary or angle is not original programming. Something like best of pride where you are just replaying the same old footage isn't going to work. Their big shows will be on pay per view..they won't have stuff like dream k1 bellator etc. to fill in slots. They will have very very limited things to show. Your talking what 200-250 events in there library ? That's one month of baseball and 3 months of football. There's endless material for those sports and yet they still have a ton of filler programming.
I don't even think an MMA only channel would make it. You'd have to have something broader to stay afloat long term. You can't just simply fill it with reality shows like other networks do.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

AOTS is a guilty pleasure of mine from time to time. Never been a huge fan of X-play really at all even though i enjoy adam and morgan. Plus they have the best (only?) E3 coverage, Comic-Con coverage and Adult Expo Coverage ( :shifty: )

That I miss. But since none of it was ever in hd on directv I'm not missing much anyways. I sincerely hope those events get covered somewhere.

 

[1ke]

1. Very discomforting when telecoms own networks. Bad for all of us.

2. Comcast buying G4 and killing/merging Tech tv showed what morons they were. Every decision made from the beginning was a shitty one.

3. G4s been dead for years. There shows took eons to get into HD. How do you have shows dedicated to tech and gaming and not be shown in HD ???

4. Still think UFC on network TV would have been a huge boost. Shoulda done it occasionally ala saturdaynights main event.

5. NFL has a bunch of original programming and top tier production. Not sure what UFC network can provide HDnet doesnt already.

#2 Breaks my heart. I miss the old G4/Tech Tv. I miss Cinematech...