What type of rating will Fedor vs Rogers get on CBS?

[Liquidrob]

The advertising hasnt been great, they have this week but didnt really do much during the football games like people thought they would, Fedor and Brett were at the Chicago/Clevland game and the halftime interview never happened

Not sure how much impact the 'Fight Camp 360' will do on Showtime this week, but it will replay on CBS stations, times vary from 2am, 2pm to 4pm depending on where you live

Here is an article from Bloodyelbow

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/11/1/1110328/the-ratings-expectations-game-for

The Ratings Expectations Game for Strikeforce
by Michael Rome on Nov 1, 2009 8:00 PM EST in News 51 comments

On November 7, Strikeforce will present the most important show in the history of the promotion, and its success hinges on whether or not a few hundred thousand viewers decide that watching a guy hyped as the greatest fighter in the world is worth their time on Saturday night.

Though they will try to lower expectations publicly, CBS is looking for fairly strong numbers. They know it won't hit Kimbo Slice levels, but they are hoping to do significantly better than the July 2008 show featuring Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith. Anything below four million total viewers would be a disappointment for CBS.

Nobody really knows what Fedor will draw. His pay per view record is decidedly mixed. Affliction's buyrates were not strong enough to keep the promotion afloat, but they were the best numbers ever done outside of the UFC. It's also important to note that it is much easier to convince people to watch a new fighter for the first time on free TV than it is to convince them to pay to see a guy they've never seen before. There may be a curiosity factor that drives ratings up.

When EliteXC was successful on television, they had two main events pulling in viewers. Gina Carano set record with the viewership increases she drew, and then Kimbo followed up by breaking records of his own. On this show, there is only one fight with the prospect to be a really strong draw.

From my perspective, anything below a 2.0 is a big disappointment. Something in the mid-2's would be a strong showing, and a number above a 3.0 would be an unqualified success. If they bring in a number above a 2.5, expect CBS to order a number of additional shows.

 

[Liquidrob]

I dont think it will do Kimbo/Gina numbers, but I would hope it would beat Lawler/Shields II numbers so CBS just doesnt pull the plug on MMA, but it would be there own fault for not pushing this harder

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm waiting to see how much "buzz" I feel this week before I make a prediction.

If I made a prediction right now, it wouldnt be good news for SF or CBS.

 

[Liquidrob]

I'm waiting to see how much "buzz" I feel this week before I make a prediction.

If I made a prediction right now, it wouldnt be good news for SF or CBS.

I think they can still do ok, maybe I'm just a Strikeforce/M-1 shill though

Anyway, on aonther forum someone posted this

I've been listening to ESPN radio (national) all day today and literally (no exaggeration) every 10 minutes there has been an add for the Fedor/Rogers 360 show tomorrow. Every 10 minutes. It's getting ridiculous.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I think they can still do ok, maybe I'm just a Strikeforce/M-1 shill though

Anyway, on aonther forum someone posted this

Define "ok".

4m? 2m?

To me, they have to beat the Lawler/Smith number. That number was acceptable for EliteXC becaue they were producing great numbers with other draws.

 

[Liquidrob]

Define "ok".

4m? 2m?

To me, they have to beat the Lawler/Smith number. That number was acceptable for EliteXC becaue they were producing great numbers with other draws.

I would hope they beat the Lawler/Smith number, I think they can do that, should be good enough to have another CBS show

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

I actually saw a number of ads yesterday, I was quite pleased with how hard they were pushing it.

I really do expect the numbers to be good.. id be disappointed if they werent. Even the casual fans have to be catching on to the mystique of Fedor and want to watch this for free.

 

[Steel Mamba]

I think anything in the 2m area would be a success.

 

[Liquidrob]

I'm thinking it will do ok now that I think about it

Not many, but commercials on NFL games, on shows like Survivor and CSI, Radio Ads, the 360 show on Showtime and CBS than throw in the EA game, it will be the first showing of the game and EA has a big community, so maybe it will do well

 

[Steel Mamba]

Good point - the EA fanbase alone is going to draw a big crowd.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

But will they leave in droves after the game debuts?

How embarrassing would that be, if the biggest quarter hour was for the video game promo?

 

[Liquidrob]

But will they leave in droves after the game debuts?

How embarrassing would that be, if the biggest quarter hour was for the video game promo?

I think they are going to use it in place of the figures used for keys to the cage or something, so it should be for every fight

 

[Bigpapa42]

CBS hasn't advertised it enough to generate fantastic numbers.

 

[Liquidrob]

Give me some numbers W2B, whats the buzz-o-meter at?

I am not jumping for joy over the way they have promoted it, its sort of weird, but I think they will do pretty good numbers when I factor in everything

They have been on shows like Survivor, Amazing race, Letterman, etc...seems they tried to expand who watches it, not just NFL games, the Fight Camp 360 on Showtime and CBS will help, the EA fan base, Frank was on Jim Rome which I dont think they have had before and throw in the hardcore fan who probably is telling anyone who will listen that Fedor is fighting instead of Kimbo in the past, they can feel more pround, lol

Some newspapers have done storys on it like the Chicago Sun Time and what is funny is that the best press Fedor has ever had in the US is when Dana was ripping him for not signing, Dana should have just chilled and said whatever, he is just a chubby Russian

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

With the show one day away, here are my thoughts...

They really, really blew it with the lack of NFL promos. Those infrequent 15 second spots during commercials mean almost zilch. People at home are taking a piss, and people at bars arent paying attention and cant hear the audio. Plus, there wasnt enough of them. Through the eyes of a non-MMA fan (or even a casual UFC fan), I wouldnt have cared or came away remembering the time or date.

CBS should have ran those bumper promos (the ones when they are back from the commercial break and shove CBS programming down our throats) until we were sick of seeing them. Do they really need to remind us that "The NFL Today" is on next week at 12 eastern? We've been "joining JB, Boomer, Dan, and Shannon", or whoever else, for decades now. And yeah, we know "60 Minutes follows the game--except on the west coast", too. Do you know why I can remember that stuff like my phone number? Because they run it to death, like they should have dne with this.

As far as media stuff outside the NFL, i've seen/heard/read nothing. Keep in mind, I wasnt going out of my way to look, so they had to find me...and they didnt. I already know when the show is, and i'm watching. But If I was a casual sports fan, this show is tommorow, and I have no idea who Fedor or Rogers are, and I have no idea they are fighting on CBS.

Alot of people are saying it will do Lawler/Smith numbers at minimum. Why? I can promise you, more people were aware of Lawler/Smith, because they piggy backed Kimbo, and were sandwiched between Kimbo shows. Rogers is on the same level (that level being a non factor) as a draw as Lawler & Smith, and Fedor is slightly higher on that food chain, assuming he drew the Affliction 100k buyrates (we have no Fedor-lesss show to compare).

I'm disappointed in Rogers. He should have done more trash talk. Picture Tito Ortiz or Frank Shamrock or Rampage or Frank Mir in this spot. Those guys all have different styles, but they all know how to promo in order to sell tickets and put people in front of the TV. Fedor is Fedor, and will just bore you to death with religion and his granparents and playing chess. I said a month ago that Rogers needed to inject life into the fight, and he didnt come close. Mayhem Miller was the most memorable person at the press conference (is anyone surprised?).

Put it all together, i'm going to say 2.0. That might be ambitious. This could bomb tremendously. Although oddly, something bigger wouldnt really shock me. It's a difficult event to judge.

 

[EmpireWF]

I expect a low 2.0's with the potential to bomb b/c there are no real stars on the show to bring in casual folks.

It comes down to whether you believe Strikeforce has successfully gotten Fedor over to non-PRIDE fans/viewers.


Just heard a promo for Fight 360 show on Sho2 tonight on WFAN.

 

[Liquidrob]

I dont think any of you guys watch CBS besides football

 

[EmpireWF]

There's nothing on CBS besides football


...I take that back. Big Bang Theory is solid...but I d/l it.

 

[Liquidrob]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOP6HAwVkfA&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- CBS' Kelly Kahl Pre-Fight Strikeforce Interview[/ame]

 

[Liquidrob]

At the end he kind of down plays ratings, hopefully this means they will do a 2nd show which I think will happen