Lorenzo Fertitta Talks To Congress.

Pirating internet feeds?

THEY’RE ON TO ME!!!!

The only people I ever hear about pirating PPVs or any sports content are on the these boards and I’d say that’s a handful of people. Every business losses revenue to stealing, I’m betting the UFC losses 2-5% which is typical of almost any large consumer based business.

Now, I would never say that I watch MMA events illegally in any way, shape, or form. But I wouldn’t say that I haven’t done it hundreds of times either. I will admit that I’m very savvy with such things and a few points to give those that aren’t

- There are two main forms of piracy that the UFC has to worry about. Bit Torrents (a method of downloading/uploading between many many computers at once sharing files, in a nuthsell) and Streaming (Which is basically the video being played on a website)

- Fertitta reported that Zuffa found 271 streams, with 140,000 people watching UFC 106 illegally. (Which is definitely not every stream, only what they found). UFC 106 had 350,000 buys, meaning that the Zuffa CAUGHT nearly one person illegally streaming for every 2 people who purchased the PPV.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2009/12/16/lorenzo-fertitta-140-000-people-viewed-ufc-106-illegally/

- A week out from UFC 107, and still 13,000 people not only have the video but are allowing people to upload it from them on of many bit torrent sites, out of hundreds. Take note- most people delete the file after watching it, and many more don’t allow people to upload from them. The highest numbers are usually within 24-48 hours after the fight. I’ve seen some with over 50,000 people having the file at one time.

In my not-so-expert estimate (cuz a true number could never be found, there is probably a minimum of a quarter million illegal views each UFC event. We’re talking at the very least 1 person illegally watching for every 2 buying.

1. Lorenzo being the one talking to Congress instead of Dana White.

To put it nicely, Lorenzo is much more professional than Dana. You don’t want DW up there dropping the F word every other sentence.

I may not pay for every event I watch, but I do buy all the IMPORTANT ppv’s. Put ‘lesser’ fights on free TV, sell more advertising, make more money. Problem solved.

Would the pirates buy the UFC 100 show if they had no internet to pirate it with? From my understaing, pirates steal becuase they have no money, if they had money they would have bought the PPV like honest people. And some people dont want to spend $50 on a mma event that they might not like. They would rather pirate it and see if they like it and if they did, buy the dvd later.

It would go something like…. “motherfuckers are stealing my fuckin money bro…… ok? and you’se guys gotta fuckin call it unconstitutional or some shit and i’ll intruduce you to arianny. If you don’t i’ll fuckin take you fuckers down, look at what i fuckin did to trump.”

Some kick ass analysis in this thread.
+1 BE.

More often than not, if I couldn’t find a stream, I’d go to the bar and watch for free.
I dare say most stream-users are kids who don’t have $50 to watch and can’t get into bars showing the event.
There’s very little money lost in streaming. If anything, streams allow people to remain fans when their lack of means would otherwise keep them away.