Live UFC Events Coming To Versus
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 14, 2009 12:34 PM EST
in MMA News
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As part of VERSUS’ renewal deal, the network will air seven live WEC fights and two live UFC events in 2010, marking the first time that live UFC events will air on a national sports cable network. Also included in the renewal deal are digital media rights, giving VERSUS.com the ability to air one non-televised fight and behind-the-scenes footage from each live WEC Event. Details regarding when the first live UFC event will air on the network will be announced in the near future.
- From Versus.com (emphasis mine)
The deal will also allow Versus digital media rights to air WEC preliminary bouts on their website.
There are a few different ways to view this news. Maybe Zuffa is just looking at this as an opportunity to use the UFC to boost the visibility of the WEC. Maybe this is an attempt to get in better with Comcast and in turn have an increased chance of landing on NBC in the near future. Or maybe this is simply the UFC looking to expand their number of shows without expanding the amount of PPV's put on yearly.
Whatever the case, we'll be seeing two live UFC cards on Versus next year. Well, those MMA fans who don't have DirecTV anyway.
Update: From MMA Junkie:
Spike TV spokesperson David Schwarz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that anything that's good for MMA is also good for Spike TV.
"We feel anything that helps expand the sport is good for Spike as we are the longterm home of the UFC, who are tremendous partners to work with," Schwarz said....
what most fans don't know is that the UFC has always had the option of airing up to four additional events on cable stations other than Spike TV each year, as Schwarz confirmed.
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I had a fanshot about this. Your post is a lot cleaner and with some insight. This could be huge if Versus becomes NBC sports.
Yeah...
I just now saw that. I GOT SCOOPED!
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 14, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Great, more good MMA I can’t watch. I hope it’ll be on Spike too.
Keep firing Assholes!
Fedor has accomplished nothing until he fights Kimbo.
DAMMIT!
Comcast is truly becoming the personification of why capitalism can become a bad economic system and why Adam Smith was wrong. The “invisible hand” of the marketplace DOES NOT self-correct. Comcast is Exhibit A.
I guess that’s nine MORE times I’ll have to visit my parents this coming year.
"(Brock Lesnar) is never in good spirits and he's not in good spirits now." - Dana White
Good book. I love overarching views of anything (“Guns, Germs, and Steel”, “The Lucifer Principle”, “Outliers”,etc.).
It's a fanastic read.
Anytime a person wants to discuss contemporary economics, I ask if they are familiar it. If they aren’t, it’s generally a good time to walk away.
Thanks for the recommndation!
"(Brock Lesnar) is never in good spirits and he's not in good spirits now." - Dana White
Isn’t Spike just another name for UFCTV?
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah...
I left that off of the post but it is curious. We’ve heard time and again that the UFC could never work to get on ESPN because Spike’s contract stipulated that they had exclusive cable broadcast rights for the promotion.
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 14, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
However, what most fans don’t know is that the UFC has always had the option of airing up to four additional events on cable stations other than Spike TV each year, as Schwarz confirmed.
Spike is saying that it’s good business for Spike to have the UFC do this, as whatever helps grow the sport helps them out as well.
by MMAWrestling on Dec 14, 2009 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
This is awesome. Wonder if this also means you could have prelims on Spike and Main Card on VS?
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 1:38 PM EST up reply actions
The interesting part is that Spike is saying the UFC can do 4 additional events, and the deal with VS is only for 2 events. That leaves the UFC with the option of doing 2 more events on another cable station if they would like.
by MMAWrestling on Dec 14, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions
This is going to be the start of something beautiful.
The mat is my church, the ground is my heaven, Jiu-Jitsu is my religion. And once you hit the ground you're in my world. My world is like the ocean, I’m like a shark and most people don't even know how to swim - Draculino
by Patrick Tenney on Dec 14, 2009 12:47 PM EST reply actions
I really think that the NBC/Comcast marriage is going to make the vs/directv feud end a lot quicker than it would have without it.
I don’t know how much of the olympics TV schedule is set in stone already, but I can imagine lots of whining if something that everyone wants to see gets stuck on vs, and directv caving.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if Comcast doesn’t end up with nfl sunday ticket.
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 1:14 PM EST up reply actions
since i don't have directv, i'm enjoying this news
looking forward to more fights! w00t!
Not to be a stickler
marking the first time that live UFC events will air on a national sports cable network.
but didn’t 43.5 have fights aired live on Fox Sports Net? Does that not count as a national sports cable network?
It wasn’t live and there was only one fight shown.
The only thing Jon Jones does better than Matt Hamill is hear.
(And smash faces)
by ufc4 on Dec 14, 2009 12:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I don't know
where I got 43.5. It was 37.5, and I guess you’re right about it being live. I thought the one fight that was aired actually was live at the time.
Yeah I didn’t even notice u had the number wrong I knew what you were talking about.
The only thing Jon Jones does better than Matt Hamill is hear.
(And smash faces)
by ufc4 on Dec 14, 2009 1:38 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
As someone who has neither a TV nor cable, this doesn’t affect me much either way. But what I have never understood for the life of me is why Spike, Versus, WEC, and UFC don’t post their non-PPV fights on-line. Surely each company gets revenue from advertising on their respective web pages based on the number of “hits” or “views.” So then why oh why don’t they just put the damn things on-line? The same goes for Bellator and Strikforce. Obviously, if the fights are PPV, it makes sense for them not to post them. But when it is already available on TV in the first place, I don’t see how they derive any benefit from refusing to make them available on-line. Ironically, they end up simply directing business to Justin.TV and the like when they could be snatching up additional on-line ad revenue. Given how financially astute the Zuffa Mafia usually is, this seems like an obvious lapse in judgment to me with one caveat—namely, TUF. After all, they sell episodes of TUF on iTunes, DVD, etc. But when it comes to “free” fights, I just don’t get it. I would love to hear whether Brent and/or the rest of the BE Crew have any potential explanations for what otherwise seems like a bad business move.
"Der freie Mensch ist Krieger" -- Nietzsche
Zuffa does post their fights online. You have to pay 2.99 per fight I believe @ ufcondemand
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 1:11 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, right...
I can’t believe I forgot about that since I wasted my money on their service when it first came out. Perhaps I repressed the memory! In short, you can’t actually download any of the fights. Instead, they remain on Zuffa servers. So, that explains Zuffa’s stance with respect to on-line content, now what explains Strikeforce, WEC, Bellator, and others? Obviously, you can find their fights on Youtube, but it would make more business sense for each organization to make the content available on their own web pages for the ad revenue reasons I mentioned above.
"Der freie Mensch ist Krieger" -- Nietzsche
I think WEC fights are on the Zuffa server?
Strikeforce and Bellator don’t really seem to be all that bright about protecting their product with all the youtube/daily motion videos. Hell Bellator put up the great finishes for season 1 on youtube weekly.
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
U-Verse has Versus so I’m good to go
Yes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late. - Mike Tyson
yep
TigerTV is coming through for me right now
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Dec 14, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
He was talking about the Playboy channel.
The only thing Jon Jones does better than Matt Hamill is hear.
(And smash faces)
by ufc4 on Dec 14, 2009 3:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
nah, Penthouse
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Dec 14, 2009 9:05 PM EST up reply actions
Booo!
But, if DirecTV gets vs back..
Yayyy!!!
Mauricio Shogun Rua #1 LHW in the World. The TRUE Champion.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
This whole DTV-Comcast war is stupid and frustrating. I can’t do DTV because of the houses on either side of my apartment, and Comcast…well it’s Comcast.
comcast is so bad. would rather have cablevision but my building only has comcast. so mad.
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 2:01 PM EST up reply actions
cablevision sucks. comcast sucks. Time warner sucks.
If it’s a cable company, there’s a 99% chance that it sucks.
cablevision is the best in the nj/ny/ct area though. fucking comcast has the worst equipment and shittiest upload/download speeds.
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions
Live?
Even on the west coast? I’m fucking sick of WEC (and UFC on Spike) events being tape delayed in California. I have to go to a friend’s house since they have VSHD, which does air live.
You sure about that?
Because I’m out here, get Versus through Cox cable, and it’s always tape delayed unless you have Versus HD. UFC FN and TUF Finale are tape delayed on Spike. Showtime tape delays Strikeforce and Challengers cards unless you have ShowEast, and CDB tape delayed Fedor-Rogers. It’s infuriating.
As a DIRECTV sales rep
we shouldn’t worry that much VS. should be back on DIRECTV pretty soon. I think VS. was recently pulled from DISH too. There is alot of chatter of discussion because of the Comcast sports network contract so hopefully VS is back on sooner rather than later.
J mackin Roe 623
i really hope that is true
because ive already missed out on a lot of hockey and WEC cards. this needs to end!
I am sure this had a little to do with it:
Versus’ distribution dropped by about 9 million homes December 1 when a free preview period with Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Cox ended. Versus execs say they are negotiating with those distributors about getting moved back to the well-distributed tiers and are confident a deal can be worked out.
but in the end, the UFC may just be repositioning themselves for this NBC Sports deal. Either way, if nothing happens, WEC will take some big hits again soon for their upcoming events.
you really can’t be siked abou this kind of news ever?
by Matthew Roth on Dec 14, 2009 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
do one
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Dec 15, 2009 5:36 AM EST up reply actions
UFC & Bellator sharing a distribution "family"
Very glad that these two fights are going to give a boost to Versus (or whatever the heck it becomes with the merger). Now, the NBCU/Comcast team is a huge parent with multiple networks and moving parts, so the exposure is amazing, but I’m surprised, given their penchant for exclusivity, they’re showing the UFC brand now on Versus…which falls under the same umbrella as NBC & Telemundo…which are both showing a competitor, Bellator, in the upcoming spring.
Thoughts?
I think it's like pre-Fedor/EXC aquisition Strikeforce
Dana just doesn’t care about them and I don’t think he should. Aside from Alvarez they don’t have any assets that Zuffa wants, and UFC can keep truckin’ right along without him. Not to mention that their new TV deal is sketchy and could easily bankrupt them within the year.
“what most fans don’t know is that the UFC has always had the option of airing up to four additional events on cable stations other than Spike TV each year, as Schwarz confirmed.”
I’ve always wondered why the Fight Nights that Oxygen shows don’t get covered here.
by some schmuck in texas on Dec 14, 2009 4:46 PM EST reply actions
More free mma is always good, gotta hand it to Zuffa and company the fact that they’ve had this clause for years and no one knew about it tell me alot about how they run things. Which is why I always find it funny when people think they know more about what’s going on with that company and their moves than they want us to this is yet another example of that.
Finally a smart move for the WEC
That organization was dieing on the vine left on Versus all by itself. Placing a few UFC cards on the network as lead ins and build ups will seriously breathe some life into the promotion.
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