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By Wade Keller, Torch editor Updated Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 2:14 p.m.
The deal with HBO is a huge moment in UFC history. There are many borderline sleazy and minor league products available on PPV, be it Carmen Electra's new naked women's pro wrestling or lower end MMA groups. Getting on HBO is a sign of prestige. It's record for feature high-brow dramas, documentaries, and sporting events is unmatched. UFC being accepted by HBO - although not without protest from within - moves UFC to another level. ESPN's coverage was a breakthrough moment, and this is even bigger.
The snowball effect of being on HBO is huge. Combined with the big name talent acquisitions this year, the acquisition of Pride by UFC's owners, and the continued strong performance on Spike TV, 2007 is already potentially a bigger breakout year for UFC than 2006 - although the jump in UFC PPV buyrates in 2006 will always be seen as the most important leap in company history and the sport's history. Without the PPV buyrates surging, it wouldn't have been noticed in the trade press as much and wouldn't have had the momentum to get an HBO deal done despite protests from sports snobs within the network.
I'm intrigued with watching a production team and announcing team cover the event that doesn't work for UFC. Dana White has been able to indulge in being a control freak over how the product is presented. Announcers were under his control, and they could stop short of being overly critical of referees decisions, fighter efforts, or acknowledgment of the competition. This set-up on HBO puts UFC in a position to have to product an event that can withstand objective scrutiny. They've already in a good position for that, so it shouldn't take much of any adjustment to how the product is promoted.
It's a whole dynamic, though, and while it wasn't White's first choice, variety for viewers has potential to add a new dimension to the HBO broadcasts so they don't seem like just something between a Spike special and PPV event. The downside is if the announcers aren't good, but if that's the case, the passionate MMA fanbase will come down very hard on them.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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