Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: What can the UFC realistically do to raise their ratings on Fox?
Apr 23, 2014 - 2:40:11 PM ROUNDTABLE: What can the UFC realistically do to raise their ratings on Fox?

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

What can the UFC realistically do to raise ratings for their network television outings on Fox?


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

It's time for a rant that will veer off the beaten track, but please stay with me for a minute or two. It's best to start off by letting you know just how disillusioned with the UFC product I've become. Like all of you over the last twelve months, I've watched the UFC add multiple events to their calendar, expand far too fast, and continue to put together more-and-more sub-standard events headlined by fighter's barely deserving of a main card spot (Rafael Natal, Jimi Manuwa, Jeremy Stephens, John Hathaway, Hyun Gyu Lim etc, etc, etc).

From a UK perspective, I've also sat back and watched EMEA events stacked full of undeserving talent, sourced from anywhere and everywhere, just to make the numbers up. To make matters worse, they've recently introduced a dedicated EMEA announcer and commentary duo. I'll give Dan Hardy, John Gooden, (and if I really have to), Andy Friedlander a fair chance to make their mark, but for now and the foreseeable, the jury is out. They've flagrantly regionalised their product worldwide to cut costs and expand faster - yet expense for the average fan attending hasn't reduced anywhere near enough to compensate for it. That alone is enough for any (would be) fan to go and find another hobby to which they can dedicate their time and money.

Friend of MMATorch, Luca Fury, hit the nail on the head perfectly with a tweet he sent out earlier this week. In it he mentioned (the hyperbole spouting) Dana White's claim that UFC 172 is probably the "most stacked pay-per-view card ever" (see White shout/scream/spit those exact words in his recent vlog). Like Luca, I'm sick of the lies and being constantly treated like an idiot. White's a fight promoter who's in this business to make money and sell his product. I get that, I really do. I'm simply past the point of taking that hyperbole with a pinch of salt, because it genuinely annoys me now. I can stop watching any time I like; it's my prerogative, similar to those who obviously decided not to bother last weekend.

Expansion is great if supply can meet the demand - and in the UFC's case - demand can meet the supply. At this moment in time, they clearly can't. They're forever robbing Peter to pay Paul (Google it), moving fights from card to card to fill huge gaping holes. That isn't necessarily a new phenomenon, but their reasoning is different. Prime example is the removal of Junior dos Santos vs. Stipe Miocic from the UFC 173 card, they moved it to the TUF Brazil Finale because Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen was delayed. To compensate UFC 173, they added Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger. UFC 172 suffered as a result but the UFC obviously decided, "What the heck we're giving them Jon Jones - it's still the best pay-per-view card in history."

It's delusional methodology, and sooner rather than later, it's all going to backfire on them. Most fans don't know whether they're coming or going anymore. Cards are frequently changed and it's always on a different channel. No wonder fans get confused. Is it on FOX Sports 1? Is it on FOX? Is it on pay-per-view? Is it on Fight Pass? I always imagine casual fans thinking, "What the heck, I can't be bothered to find the UFC, I'll do something else." Events come by so quickly now, it all becomes a blur with one sub-standard card after another. TV ratings will continue to slowly but surely decline over time. And, mark my words, if the UFC Fight Pass subscription figures really are that awesome, trust me, we'd know about it by now. I guarantee they're not. Unless they slow down the expansion process, Dana White and the UFC have reached their ceiling in North America, even if they don't know it yet.


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Look. If MMA is the fastest growing spot in the world, at the pace the UFC is going at all sports will cease to exist in about six weeks. So you should probably sell your Disney stock now, because when ESPN goes belly up that Disney stock is going to tank. The UFC's ratings aren't leveling off, they're plummeting to a new floor, and no one knows how low that floor will be. They could easily boost the Fox ratings by putting Jon Jones vs. Cain Velasquez on Fox, but seeing as how they aren't guaranteed to do even one pay-per-view this year that sells 600,000 buys, and considering they still make more money on pay-per-view than on Fox, and considering that the Fox money is guaranteed per their contract but the pay-per-view money rises and falls based on the number of buys they do, that's not happening.

Now, I do understand that over the last three years, the spring and summer Fox shows do lower ratings than the fall and winter Fox shows. So it isn't fair to compare last weekend's numbers to, say, JDS vs. Cain peaking at 10,000,000 (ish) viewers. But it is fair to say that overnight numbers of 2,000,000 in the spring is the new normal. And unless the UFC starts to promote and build the fighters over the brand, something they've been either loathe to do, unwilling to do, or incompetent at, there isn't a damn thing they can do.


KALE HAVERVOLD, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think that the ratings had little to do with the product that was on the card. I think the ratings simply failed for a number of other reasons. One big reason was that it was a holiday weekend and therefore, lots of people were likely traveling/out of town. Another big blow to their ratings was likely the fact that both the NHL/NBA playoffs were on that evening, which likely took some of the eyes away from the UFC's programming.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

How about title fights and household names? Werdum and Browne aren't exactly what people know - give me someone whose name is known and I'll give you ratings, it's a weak offering. And when I say title fights I'm not talking flyweight either; I don't even like to watch that unless it's razor close. They need to put an established champion on a card if they don't want Fox to say "go away" and ditch the poor ratings like a drunken prom date. We need Rousey, Jones, Velasquez, or Pettis in the main event.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

They need to have better cards. Easier said than done, of course, but the ratings are weak because the cards are weak. The UFC needs to stop treating these Fox cards as another Fight Night event. They need to be special. They only have four of them a year, but they don't feel special. Of the four main card fights, at least two of them have to involve fighters that casual fans have a chance of knowing. A title fight helps as well. It helps sell the fight. They have to put together better cards if they want better ratings.


TOM STRONG, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

Raising viewing figures on a card that's free won't be easy. Saturday night's card was very solid and had some very good match ups. The UFC are probably at fault here, as they are flooding the market with too many events; they also have too many fighters on the roster, and there's hardly a week that goes by without an event.

You will always get the hardcore fans who will watch every event no matter who is fighting, though to attract the casual and new fans to the sport there has to be a unique selling point like a title fight, or named fighter they can relate with. The UFC won't be keen putting on title fights onto free TV as it won't generate the money it would on a pay-per-view. There is no easy solution to this problem, though I'm sure the UFC will be keen to resolve it.


CASH NORMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Honestly, the UFC will need to change their business model. The company has been focused on solely promoting and advertising the UFC brand rather than the individual fighter. Meanwhile, fighters have been tasked with building their own brand, especially those whom are not champions. If the UFC has decided they are only willing to promote their champions then they must put on championship fights for network television to draw the interest of the casual fan. However, if they are going to feature non-championship fights on network television, they must begin to promote individual fighters. I do not understand how a company which has renewed focus on building the image of the UFC does not understand the individual fighter also encompasses that brand. Most of the fighters are not media savvy and some are unable to articulate themselves in a manner to fully maximize their promotional value. However, the UFC could assist in this aspect by providing media coaching for some of the more established guys or potential rising stars.

Also some of the UFC marketing campaigns for individual fights are uninspired such as the promotion featuring Alexander Gustafsson against Jon Jones in which the premise was they were both tall. Or the horribly photoshopped arms of Roy Nelson versus Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Then the UFC will feature great posters like the middleweight championship between Chris Weidman vs Lyoto Machida with their faces painted representing their respective country.

If the UFC is not willing to put the maximum effort into promoting and building their fighters to possibly build two or three breakout stars, then they are only hurting themselves in the end. While fighting may be the hurt business, it is also an entertainment business, and for that business to continue to thrive it needs individuals stars, not a company brand.