What Does EliteXC on PPV Mean for EliteXC on CBS?

by Michael Rome on Aug 25, 2008 8:59 PM EDT in News Comment 20 comments

Chuck Champion told Steven Sievert that they are building to Gina Carano vs. Cyborg Santos for their PPV show early next year:

The two are now expected to meet next year on [the] promotion's first PPV event.

"If Chris destroys another opponent, people are going to be clamoring, especially if Gina clobbers hers.

Put aside the question of whether this is smart booking or not. There is an argument for each side there. The real important implication is that if there is a PPV show in March 2009 that will presumably be headlined by Kimbo vs. Brett Rogers and Gina Carano vs. Cyborg Santos, that means that the earliest either of EliteXC's two stars could return to CBS is next June or July. There's a very real possibility that neither of them will appear on CBS for 8-12 months after this October if that is the plan.

They desperately need stars that can carry the few shows between now and then in the ratings.

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Comments

They're done

There just isn’t that much talent out there and they don’t have the cash to sign anyone now anyway.

by Kid Nate on Aug 25, 2008 9:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What is the path to a successful PPV event for EXC? In my opinion, EXC has a history of spreading themselves too thin with all the events and a shallow talent pool. I would think that CBS would want Gina and Kimbo on the network shows. That would seem like a better home for the both of them. I just can’t see a large number of people shelling out PPV dollars to watch them. Of course, I’d still be somewhat surprised to see EXC make it to March in their current configuration. They’re alive as long as CBS keeps them alive, I suppose.

by Cannon Jacques on Aug 25, 2008 9:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

But who else do they have that could sell a PPV?

I honestly can’t think of any matches that Elite could make (especially with Bigfoot testing positive for Steroids) that would be a draw on PPV.

by Phildo on Aug 26, 2008 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I meant any matches besides Gina/Cyborg and Kimbo/Rogers.

by Phildo on Aug 26, 2008 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They don’t have any other matches or marketable fighters, and that is their problem.

by Cannon Jacques on Aug 26, 2008 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s what I was saying, that’s why I’m not so upset about Gina/Cyborg and Kimbo/Rogers getting pushed back.

What they really need to do to make this whole thing ok, is have the PPV set in stone and be able to promote it on CBS.

That’s the one thing the UFC has on the other orgs right now. Whenever there is a show, they push the next show, that’s the best way to let your audience know what’s coming.

by Phildo on Aug 26, 2008 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

To think that these CBS Executives think going into the PPV business against UFC and Affliction is going to help them is absurd and shows how ignorant they are. I don’t care if they have Kimbo, Carano, Lawler and Diaz on the card, its not pulling in more than 30k buys.

by steveoc24 on Aug 25, 2008 10:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think they can do decent on PPV with enough promotion, but not enough to be profitable on any sort of regular basis. I think they can break the 100k mark with Kimbo and Gina.

by Michael Rome on Aug 25, 2008 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even with a UFC event guaranteed that month on PPV and the possibility of the UFC countering with a free Fight Night Live.

I’m still not sure how Affliction did on their first event PPV wise and that card was stacked. But i figured they did around 100-150k buys. I just can’t see Kimbo/Carano pulling those numbers in from hardcore fans when we all know Kimbo is spoonfead opponents and the womans divsion is so slim its not worth shelling out $50 for.

by steveoc24 on Aug 25, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would be a sad day in mma if ELitexc can pull more PPV buys with Kimbo slice headlining than Affliction did with the rosters of mma fighters they had on their inuagural show.

It would show that circus shows and watching fights in which Kimob KOs some poor overage,far past retiremnt, out of shape fighter with minimal strieking skills are what people will pay for.

WWE and EliteXC should go into business together. WHILE not 100% scripted, EliteXC can book fights in which the outcome is all but a given

by fightfan on Aug 25, 2008 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn’t agree with you more

by steveoc24 on Aug 25, 2008 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing to add.

Well said.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Aug 26, 2008 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You’re underestimating the type of promotion that CBS could bring to the table if they decided to get behind an Elite XC PPV (seeing as how they are a couple of events from owning the company outright anyway).

A solid promotional campaign on a network that regularly draws millions of views all day every day would guarantee 100K buys with a much higher ceiling.

by Day Man on Aug 26, 2008 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry Rome, my first paragraph in my last comment was suppose to be a question.

“Even with a UFC event guaranteed that month on PPV and the possibility of the UFC countering with a free Fight Night Live???”

by steveoc24 on Aug 25, 2008 10:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t see this working. They need somebody like Tito to make a PPV go. EXC doesn’t have the cash to sign him. A free UFC event to counter is certainly a possibility.

by Cannon Jacques on Aug 25, 2008 10:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don’t see Gina and Kimbo alone being enough to deliver strong ppv buys.

by Lynchman on Aug 26, 2008 12:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The one wildcard EXC has, is the advertising of CBS. If they can put together a good card with interesting fights/fighters, and promote it during their CBS shows, it could be interesting. Certainly they will get nowhere near UFC numbers, but I think they could easily outdraw Affliction.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Aug 26, 2008 12:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Big Number

Wouldn’t a February PPV date work best? EXC could advertise on CBS during the entire NFL playoff run. The AFC Championship game pulled a 24.6 rating a couple of years back — I’m not sure what that breaks down to in terms of viewers, but I know it’s an astounding number. Even if they converted a small percentage of viewers, the buy number would be HUGE.

by steak_knife on Aug 26, 2008 1:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If they pull those numbers for the football games, the advertising will be very expensive.

I don’t think CBS has enough invested in CBS to pass on whatever money they could get to run a different commercial to run a commercial for an Elite show that isn’t on CBS. I also don’t think Elite will have enough cash to purchase the advertising on their own.

by Phildo on Aug 26, 2008 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs