UFC Pay Per View Numbers Updated for 91-93

by ufc4 on Feb 5, 2009 11:54 PM EST Comment 19 comments

Update on PPV numbers. For UFC 91 (Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture), the show is at this point verified as doing 920,000 buys. It will probably end up just under or possibly just over one million when all late buys are tabulated. UFC 92 (triple main) is at 1 million. We don’t have a number for UFC 93 based on actual numbers, but trending data indicates about 320,000 buys, a shockingly high number, as it would have beat out the live UFC 90 from Chicago and been nearly 100,000 more buys than any prior U.K. show.

A few thoughts:

First, even though it's coming in just under a million, the number for 91 is still incredibly strong. Everybody thought Dana was full of hot air when he was predicting a million for that event, looks like he was almost spot on.

One million for UFC 92 is simply amazing. I never thought it was going to do as poorly as some predicted (I heard 400,000-500,000 a lot) with the 2 title fights plus Rampage-Wanderlei 3 but I don't think anyone could have guessed it would do nearly this well, and actually better than 91. It looks like the great card that was UFC 91 pulled in and kept a lot of new fans.

And finally if the early estimates of over 300K for 93 are correct then that is probably the most impressive number of all. Usually the tape delayed shows do about half that, if that number holds up then it's a great sign for the upcoming year because it appears as if the UFC made a ton of new fans over the last 2 months of 2008. With these kinds of numbers coming in I wouldn't be surprised if 94 did 1.4-1.5 million, I would actually be disappointed if it didn't break the all time UFC record with all the hype it received in the weeks leading up to the fight. If you're a fan of the UFC this is great news for the long term outlook of the sport.

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Comments

Damn.

Da ist keine Stelle, die dich nicht sieht.

by Eugene Schelfaut on Feb 6, 2009 12:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

So if 94 is looking to possibly do 1.5 million, and Affliction is supposed to have done 150,000 at most and 80,000 at most on Bravo, could UFC done 800,000 in England for 94? Are the UFC carried on the same network as Affliction? Those are numbers I never see, I’d love to see their numbers worldwide.

by Gogo Platter on Feb 6, 2009 12:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

UFC used to be on the network that covered Affliction in England and was reported to have never done that number. Apparently UFC has jumped to a more prominent British network but numbers have not been reported here in the states.

by bignerd on Feb 6, 2009 1:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They jumped to a pay subscription network, kind of like an HBO for sports.

by Michael Rome on Feb 6, 2009 5:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Setanta

You can get it with Direct TV. The have it over at Wild Wings if you ever go in when there is no sports going on and its on soccer – thats Setanta

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Feb 6, 2009 6:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well it could be its just a brit network showing footage FROM Setanta

and thats why the logo is in the corner. Either way this is not an easy way around buying the UFC PPV.

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Feb 6, 2009 6:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So Setanta shows UFC? Could I get directv and then get sentata and watch UFC? I am guessing blackout, but what’s the deal? I need more info.

by szucconi on Feb 6, 2009 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not in the US at least. I checked.

by iiowyn on Feb 6, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Although I did end up with something after all this, I don’t have Versus…yet somehow I get Versus HD…

by iiowyn on Feb 6, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Do you have the golf channel? Golf and versus used to be on the same HD channel, but not they split them.

by szucconi on Feb 6, 2009 12:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

US SENTANTA does not carry is. Setanta UK has like 4 channels I think.

by banter on Feb 6, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Incredible numbers there, the growth and success of the UFC just continues even in this reccession this really needs to be front page news. It’s one thing for the UFC to get a million buys once a year but for 3 of the 4 shows to average out at a million plus in unheard of and show that Dana and company are only getting stronger.

by Raker on Feb 6, 2009 5:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

They already said

94 is looking at 1.25 to 1.4 or so

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Feb 6, 2009 6:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The UFC has some very established PPV stars – guys who bring in big PPV buys every time they headline.

UFC 92, for being a great card with 3 main event type fights, didn’t have a guy who, IMO, has been known as a PPV heavy hitter for the UFC to this point.

Which fighter or fighters does everyone believe pushed UFC 92 to higher levels than the Lesnar-Couture card did? Based on those 2 names alone, I never imagined UFC 92 could do higher PPV #s than 91, even though 92 had more top notch fights.

Thoughts?

by Hardcharger on Feb 6, 2009 10:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

you had the two biggest stars from TUF fighting each other

plus, the current season of TUF coaches fighting each other

by dbcb on Feb 6, 2009 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure but I think Rampage is a bigger draw than a lot of people give him credit for, also Forrest has a huge following obviously from his TUF fight with Bonnar.

by ufc4 on Feb 6, 2009 7:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not too shabby.

by subo on Feb 6, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’m really curious to see what kind of numbers Lesnar/Mir 2 can draw and if it’s going to get the Primetime treatment from the UFC. between that and UFC 100 the UFC unless hit by more injuries could have 2 more huge PPV’s in the summer that set more records.

by Raker on Feb 6, 2009 7:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking about that and I believe they will do a Primetime with Mir and Lesnar, there’s just too much backstory with these guys not to. This fight could set the PPV record, again.

by ufc4 on Feb 6, 2009 7:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs