FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST Opinion & Analysis : The Specialists ALL BUSINESS: How can Strikeforce make better use of CBS, and did you really expect Dana White to be proud of them?

Nov 19, 2009 - 8:40:47 AM

By: Alvin Carter III, MMATorch Specialist

What is UFC President Dana White supposed to say about Strikeforce’s Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers event on CBS? His dismissive comments about the “tiny” promotions less than stellar ratings make perfect sense from a business standpoint. Does Microsoft praise Apple when they debut of a new product? Of course they do not. Just because the competition has a far smaller market share does not mean the UFC can sit back and take time to pat Strikeforce on the back.

The debut Strikeforce on CBS event had an average of 4 million viewers and peaked at 5.46 million viewers during the Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers bout. While this is not bad, the fact of the matter is that the UFC can easily do that on the Ultimate Fighter - a weekly reality series and competition (Dana White has no problem in saying that). The Kimbo Slice vs. Roy Nelson TUF episode averaged 5.36 million viewers and peaked at 6.1 million viewers during the fight. Now some may argue that the difference in the numbers stems from the fact that Kimbo is more of a general celebrity, and Fedor is a far better fighter. But, I think that is the point that the UFC brass is trying to make. Their product is far more exciting.

Anyone that watched Fedor bleed through round one only to come out and put Brett Rogers to sleep in round two probably enjoyed that fight. There is something about watching a living legend teeter back and forth between mortal and mythical. Still, that is not enough to call Fedor a star. He is a fighter’s fighter, and fans around the world respect him, but he is not a spectacle like Brock Lesnar or Anderson Silva.

Strikeforce’s product is missing the electricity that can make fight card a must see. The Ultimate Fighting Championship on the other hand is a marketing machine. The UFC creates much of the hype around their events, but the fighters also create a lot of it on their own. Now, Fight Camp 360 did showcase the training camps of Fedor and Rogers, but Strikeforce did not have an outlet to air fight promos to the members of their demographic that might not be aware of their product. The UFC has this procedure down cold. They also have Spike TV, and the ability to air a commercial or two every hour on the network.

So... what’s the point? The point is Strikeforce needs to really work with CBS to make sure they can get the viewers to tune in. What is the benefit to having events on CBS if you are not using the networks marketing power to it’s fullest extent? The UFC has regularly scheduled UFC fight replays, fighter specials, The Ultimate Fighter series, free preliminary PPV cards, and the occasional free UFC numbered event on Spike TV. All of these shows act as promo for the other shows and for the PPV cards. (Genius!)

UFC 105 aired on Spike TV for free with the main event of Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera. No matter what the numbers turn out to be for the event, they can chalk the cost up to marketing. UFC 105 served, as marketing for UFC 106 an UFC107 which both will air on PPV for about $45.

CBS is not completely dedicated to the male 18-34 demographic like Spike TV is, but they should look at MMA in the same way NASCAR is looked at. It is a fast growing sport and full of sponsors. I mean the fighters have almost as many logos on them as the cars do. The relationship between Strikeforce and CBS has to be more than a network airing the occasional fight card for “free.” It has to be a marketing machine for Strikeforce and MMA in general. This is more than an opportunity to market to a specific demographic. Strikeforce on CBS should be seen as away to expand the total demographic range of MMA. That is the benefit of being on a network that is broadcast to almost every home in America.

I have said it before, and I will say it right now: Strikeforce needs to get their champions in a row sooner than later, and they need to market them aggressively. There should be cross branding with sitcoms, daytime tv, commercial products, and anything else that might air or be sold on CBS. People notice champions. A champion making a special appearance on CSI: Miami or Two and a Half Men might be the kind of outside-of-the-box marketing Strikeforce needs. The new demographics they would expose themselves to do not now much about MMA; so Strikeforce’s goal should present themselves to this new and slightly gullible audience as though they are the standard in MMA, not the “tiny” company that Dana White seems eager to smash.

Strikeforce still has a large number of moves to make before they can be considered the Pepsi to the UFC’s Coca-Cola. And, to be honest I do not think the question is can Strikeforce do it, but rather do they have enough money and access to potential star power to do it.

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