I’ll comment on this more later, but I just wanted to say that the analysis at Bloody Elbow keeps getting better and better. Keep up the good work!

I believe I read an article on MMAPayout suggesting that HBO was doing the same. For them, it certainly makes sense: since HBO is by subscription, any extra programming beyond a few UFC fights makes no sense for them. For instance, they don’t really benefit by doing countdown shows, and those countdown shows would cut into other programming they could do to attract other markets. For their boxing countdown shows, any increase in the buy rate benefits them since they produce the PPVs. They’d need a piece of the UFC for that to make sense for them in terms of UFC countdown shows.

Networks make a lot more sense, since they get advertising dollars, and even countdown shows draw a decent viewership. Having the majority of events on free television, with the occasional PPV supercard, would make good sense in terms of growing the sport and the UFC market, and probably not result in too enormous a decrease in revenue, as having regular shows on the networks would quickly drive the fanbase up and make the supercards that much larger.

I wonder what affect it would have on payouts, though. Right now the big names take pieces of the PPV revenue; having only a few “super-PPVs” would mean more top fighters on those PPVs taking a bigger chunk of the revenue.

told me that early on there was a deal on the table that involved no ownership by the network. This was during the writer’s strike when networks were desperate for new content. Now it sounds like that has become a bigger issue.

The fact is The entertainment business thrives during downturns… you will see viewership for Zuffa programming actually increase.

Volume will increase, but high end purchases will decrease. Zuffa is already planning for this – shows will still sell out.

The fight business is a lot like drugs and pussy… the worse people are off the better it sells.

The only real factor this economy has in regards to MMA is the availability of capital…

You will not see any Elite XC’s or IFL’s popping up… the cookie jar is closed. (The AFL recently found this out as all capital commitments have been pulled… their business plan can now be used to wipe someones ass).

In a way this is a good thing as whatever money is invested into this space it will be very well managed.

The weak dollar has probably actually helped Zuffa – it makes it cheaper for tourists to visit the US. In addition, it increases Zuffa’s profits from overseas events.

there is no added direct taxpayer strain from the bailout until and unless taxrates go up. and, if the bailout solves the financial crisis (by no means a certain outcome) and thereby eases current economic difficulties, then the net result (bailout costs + improved economy) could be positive even if taxes are eventually raised to pay for the bailout.

the broader concern about a downturn cutting into disposable income and thereby into demand for the UFC product is valid though. i’m not sure how elastic demand for the product is.

mmalogic’s assertion about demand being counter-cyclical isn’t obvious. i know that boxing struggled through the first half of the 1930s after doing spectacularly well in the 1920s. he’s right though that difficulties in corporate financing will be the most immediate obstacle to more MMA.

Will increased melting of the polar ice caps end the UFC?
Will Affliction solve the Israeli-Palestinian logjam?
Does the sun rising fuck the UFC forever?

God damn, this is alarmist. They’ll be fine.

As far as the UFC and the networks go, its been clear that the UFC’s attitude is that it is their way or the highway when it comes to every aspect of their business. Right now their PPV buys are fantastic, and rationally, I suppose its a bit absurd to demand that they should be forced to hand over a cut of that to HBO, Fox, CBS, or whoever, or for that matter, allow someone to run the production for them for that reason. When pushed on it, they can mention that they want NBA money or the like, and you’ll probably see a lot of nodding heads on the internet.

The downside is that it may mean that MMA becomes the perennial “next big thing” or that they will “see an explosion similar to NASCAR” for the next however many years.

ive read all of the comments on this thread, and i think there is one determining factor that has been left out, that is by the end of this year or early next year, the ufc may be the only major mma organization left, save strikeforce, if you consider them a major org. Elite xc is 55 million in the hole and are on life support. Affliction just got put on life support with a desperate merger with GBP. Dream, even though they are not an american company, got abysmal ratings for tuesday’s show and are relying heavily on nye’s event. so my thoughts are if there is no real competiton (not that there’s much now) what else will there be for mma fans to watch. the economy has been in the toilet for quite some time now and the ufc has only flourished. i dont think they need to go the network tv way just yet, unless it is in their best interest and it is a good deal for them. only time will tell.