WEC to Run April Pay Per View Featuring Urijah Faber vs Jose Aldo
by Kid Nate on Feb 3, 2010 5:00 PM EST
in MMA News
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The AP reports:
World Extreme Cagefighting will stage its first pay-per-view event April 24, scheduling a star-stacked card for its first attempt to persuade mixed martial arts fans to pay $44.99 for its fights.
Urijah Faber will meet featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the main event of WEC 48 from Sacramento, Calif., the lighter-weight MMA promotion’s leaders told The Associated Press before Wednesday’s announcement.
Former featherweight champion Mike Brown also will meet Manny Gamburyan at Arco Arena, and lightweight champion Ben Henderson will fight Donald Cerrone in a rematch of their acclaimed October bout.
Our own Michael Rome has done the best argument against this decision:
I've long been a skeptic of the WEC's prospects for PPV, but I understand why they need to start running PPV events. If they can't succeed on PPV they won't be financially viable in the long haul, and they can't count on Zuffa subsidizing them just to keep Versus occupied forever. However, May is a bad month for an obvious reason: there is way too much competition for the WEC to succeed in May.
Take a look at the tentative PPV schedule for May in the United States:
May 1: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley
May 8: UFC 113--Lyoto Machida vs. Shogun Rua, Forrest Griffin vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
May 15: (Presumably WEC)
May 23: WWE Judgment Day
May 29: UFC 114--Rampage Jackson vs. Rashad Evans
Three major events will already strain the wallets of fight fans in May. WEC should wait until June, where a single UFC card in Vancouver is all they'll really be competing with, and it doesn't look like that card will have anything big in the main event slot anyway.
For my part, I think the WEC has made the best possible matches for this event, given their roster. But I too am extremely skeptical about the WEC's ability to fly as a stand alone PPV draw, regardless of the timing.
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WEC PPV is genius!
"For some reason Dana White doesn't like me, and I don't care enough to find out why. So he can go pound sand up his ass as far as I'm concerned."
Don Frye
by keyboardwarrior on Feb 3, 2010 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
how?
shows that used to be free u have to pay for now there is nothing at all good about this for the fans
yeah they really need sarcasm emoticons or something, I figured it was pretty evident that my comment was sarcastic
"For some reason Dana White doesn't like me, and I don't care enough to find out why. So he can go pound sand up his ass as far as I'm concerned."
Don Frye
by keyboardwarrior on Feb 3, 2010 4:32 PM EST up reply actions
No, just the end of April which coincides w/back to back PPVs in May and one at the end of May. WEC should employ Obi Won.
"It would appear that the strain was more than he could bear".- Doc Holliday
by MyFistYourFace on Feb 3, 2010 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
I want some Njokuani on this card
against Varner maybe? And Damacio Page vs. Mizugaki would be nice too.
ATTN: BloodyElbow
The WEC event is scheduled for April… Mr. Rome’s argument is no longer relevant unless you just disagree completely with the idea of WEC holding PPV events….
by lovernotafighter on Feb 3, 2010 3:02 PM EST reply actions
You are still going to be buying 3 to 4 PPVs in little over a months period of time and that is excluding WWE. How is this so much better than the previous date?
"It would appear that the strain was more than he could bear".- Doc Holliday
by MyFistYourFace on Feb 3, 2010 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
True… but the argument by Rome is really about WHEN the WEC should hold a PPV, not IF they should. And its presented as if one were budgeting on a per month basis so it doesn’t make a difference if the event is in April or June, just not May. IMO I don’t think this will go over very well, considering Im about the only person that knows what the WEC is let alone MMA where Im from. Its pretty frustrating actually…
by lovernotafighter on Feb 3, 2010 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
Did you actually read the article?
“I’ve long been a skeptic of the WEC’s prospects for PPV”
I realize he focused on a date in May as the main drawback but overall he really doesn’t care for the idea period.
by ufc4 on Feb 3, 2010 4:50 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
So far they are following the card we recommended, craziness… =)
Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber
Brian Bowles vs. Miguel Torres
Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone
Mike Brown vs. Manny Gamburyan
Jamie Varner vs. Anthony Njokuani
Scott Jorgensen vs. Damacio Page
Kamal Shalorus vs. Shane Roller
Josh Grispi vs. Brandon Visher
Raphael Assuncao vs. Leonard Garcia
Wagnney Fabiano vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Even if he wins
I doubt he can turn around and fight again 6 weeks later. I wouldn’t expect Torres on this card.
Jamie Varner vs Njokuani
Varner pound till end of round. Repeat twice. Varner wins decision. Njokuani will come to fight, Varner will come to grapple. Not interested.
The man known simply as "Christmas Cheesesteak"
I agree… The fact that its 45 bucks, which is the same price as a UFC PPV, which has much higher quality fights and fighters, I think that the WEC is going to hurt themselves.
Why not make it 29.95, which is more then they were getting for being on versus, and its more reasonable to the average view
I would argue that the fights and fighters are just as high quality in the WEC, it’s just the marketability that’s lacking. I agree with 30 dollars though.
by HarmlessNinja on Feb 3, 2010 3:14 PM EST up reply actions
Totally. I’m not paying 45 bones for this, and that’s the problem. I’m curious what their rationale is for going premium on the first show.
I'm paying $45 for it
Those top 3 fights have the potential to be as good and the top 3 fights on any UFC card this year. Just because the guys are lighter doesn’t mean the fighters aren’t as good.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
The price is too high but
I dont see how you can say the UFC has higher quality fights and fighters.
This card has the top 3 fw’s in the world on it.
by bigdmmafan on Feb 3, 2010 3:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Zuffa is afraid of pricing-anything below its standard PPV rate of $45. Once that door has been opened, they are afraid fans will expect lower priced PPVs from the UFC, especially for weaker cards. Also, a lower price may look like an acknowledgment that the product isn’t as good.
I know what you mean as far as the acknowledging thing goes, but the fact of the matter is that most of the MMA fans that are aware of the WEC and know the quality of the product are the hardcore MMA fans. Just thinking about the casual fan, I can’t see them putting $45.00 down to see a product that isn’t heavily advertised and hardly that known. I think that it would be best to charge a lower price despite the warnings. I can only wonder if MMA fans will really expect lower priced UFC PPVs just because the WEC PPV is a lower price.
The WEC has so little exposure that I dont even know that casuals will notice at all, regardless of price. How many casuals are buying King of the Cage PPVs, which are priced at $10? Hardcore MMA fans are the audience. And as this comment section shows, more people would buy it at a lower price. But I’m not sure the swing would be that large. It’s a choice as to which PPVs are worth buying with so many this spring. I dont think this one is that bad of a choice.
they will hype this card a lot in the UFC fights leading up to it so all casual fans will be aware
"For some reason Dana White doesn't like me, and I don't care enough to find out why. So he can go pound sand up his ass as far as I'm concerned."
Don Frye
by keyboardwarrior on Feb 3, 2010 9:22 PM EST up reply actions
Please NO ONE buy this
If no one buys it then they will be forced to move the smaller weight classes to the UFC. Then these world class fighters can finally get PAID
by HighNoon on Feb 3, 2010 3:08 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Well, if people do buy this, I think that that will make the WEC brand more valuable thus raising pay scale. Especially considering Torres and Faber (the two that are brought up most often for not making anything) are likely to be making a cut of the ppvs. But whatever you can do what you like.
The man known simply as "Christmas Cheesesteak"
The brand will still be competing with the UFC
Which is no-win and self-destructive for either.
by asa on Feb 3, 2010 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
That’s assuming there is only really market for one fight org. The WEC provides a different product than the UFC. The fights are faster pace, and there are more wars. Fighters trade speed for power. It is conceivable that the UFC could continue to be the mega success that it is while the WEC has moderate success.
The man known simply as "Christmas Cheesesteak"
I have nothing but the same argument everyone else has
They could be stronger together and help round-out MMA on a global level. Apart they are weaker than their sum in my eyes.
by asa on Feb 3, 2010 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
Wish I had more self control
sorry, but I’m buying this one. Never followed WEC too closely, but I’m sold on this one
im going to buy it....
its not like i buy every ufc every month anyways. i will buy it to show my support for the product. its a great card and tho i wouldve like them to price it around $25-30, thats obviously not going to happen so i guess ill just have to get over it….i think everyone should buy this card for sure to make sure the WEC doesnt fold….everyone allways cries that we need more promotions, well here we go. i didnt hear this many ppl crying around when affliction was holding there 1st event (wich i didnt buy). so i am gonna show my support to the lightweight guys and give them my money!!! hell yea, im gonna get abunch of t.u.f guys over here that nite, they will be clueless and it will be priceless! haha
freedomwatchonfox.com lp.org
I always thought moving the wec to a bigger cage would diminish the fights. They use a smaller ring for smaller guys in boxing, no?
Sure glad Lesnar got his shit straightened out.
by judonerd on Feb 3, 2010 5:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
The funny thing is a lot of people will complain that this card isnt worth buying
but if they took the exact same card and put it as UFC 114 or UFC 115 people would talk about how it is a decent card.
I think the main thing for me is they have to find a way to start giving the fans more free cards. On network TV or Spike whatever. PPV’s should only be limited to once a month.
If 112 was free then I dont think people would be complaining so much but 2 ppv’s in 1 month gets very pricey especially HD PPV.
At least they figured out it shouldn’t be in April. They should also set it at 30 dollars, definitely. They can always ramp it up later.
I agree with this. When it’s your first foray into PPV you shouldn’t start out at your max pricing. Start low and build up an audience, then that’s when you start upping the prices. I think they’re really hurting the buy rates by pricing it at the UFC level for what many casuals view as a minor league.
It’s certainly a tricky line to draw. You can’t just crank up the rates so you want to make sure that you get the highest possible rate to start with, at the same time you need something to entice people to buy. It should be some degree lower than the UFC though. $30 seems about right. If it’s too low you can get it up to $40 within a year or two.
It doesn’t matter if people cry about an increase in price. You’re not going to make a $15 jump right away. They should start low to see how big their audience is and then incrementally increase it by $5 over time. They have a better chance of garnering a bigger audience and keeping that audience by doing it this way.
Exactly. Step-by-step, they can raise the price so long as the numbers stay up, but to have any hope of getting a decent number of casual buys they should be starting with a lower number.
I think the skill level (especially at BW and FW) is as high as the UFC, but the WEC is just not in the minds of many non-hardcore fans.
by HarmlessNinja on Feb 4, 2010 6:27 AM EST up reply actions
It is in April. You meant May, right?
The Seattle Times linked to my website in June 2009. I wasn't aware of this until January 2010.
He said "at least they figured out it shouldn't be in April". I'm alluding to that error.
The Seattle Times linked to my website in June 2009. I wasn't aware of this until January 2010.
This doesn’t have the same threshold for success as a UFC card or even Affliction.
The payroll is much smaller, so 100k ppvs could even be considered a success. I don’t know how much they get from vs. But all they need to do to be successful is make more money than vs and have enough leftover to top off some fighter salaries (I don’t think it’s out of the question to think that at least Faber, at a minimum) will be getting some money from PPVs.
I still think it would be easier and more profitable to fold the WEC bantam and featherweights into the UFC, but with a card like that, if I can’t find a bar showing it, I’ll pay for it and watch it.
This leads me to believe that the UFC is not going to run a live counter program up against StrikeForce on CBS.
I'm going to buy it
I hope it succeeds. Faber – Aldo is one of the more exciting possible fights in all of MMA. I love Cerrone and Bendo and Brown. Maybe Mike Brown will beat some of the boring out of Gamburyan.
It's an awesome card for sure but.....
I already pay extra on my cable bill to get Versus. I do not like the idea of paying extra for something that I have already been getting for “free”.
"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"
I do not like the idea of paying extra for something that I have already been getting for "free".
I think this is the main problem people are having. It’s a phenomenal card, certainly better than a lot of UFC PPV cards. I don’t see why people think it’s only worth $30, except that for every other WEC card they paid nothing.
Id be shocked if it made it to 60k. I’m feeling the 20k range
by HighNoon on Feb 3, 2010 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
So...why are Henderson and Cerrone fighting again?...
I don’t see a different outcome from their first encounter after such a short amount of time.
Yes, because the first wasn’t close and the decision wasn’t controversial. No way Cerrone could’ve won that fight.
http://www.mmarocks.pl
https://twitter.com/mmarocks_pl
by Venom77 on Feb 3, 2010 3:39 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
Not to mention it was an incredibly boring snoozer of a fight
and made me never want to watch a fight with either fighter ever again.
by Trysdor on Feb 3, 2010 3:41 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
simply can not afford it
… so i wont watch it
I'm old school hating Lesnar, I've been hating Lesnar since '08
Exactly.....
I CAN afford it, but I don’t WANT to push my budget anymore. My wife pressures me to steal off the internet but I buy PPVs cause I love the sport and want to support it. However, I think Zuffa is just pulling this shit to appease the top talent of the WEC. When what they should be doing is moving that top talent under the UFC banner so they can earn PPV revenue there. Not start doing WEC PPVs.
This has disaster written all over it
The most they have even pulled on Versus is 1.5 million, right?
I bet this doesn’t break 50,000 buys.
Damnit I said I wouldn’t order a WEC PPV and now here I am drooling… I’d love to see Benderson fight Cerrone again but it just feels like the WEC is trying to get Cerrone a title shot every single time despite him losing, he loses, wins, gets title shot, loses, wins, gets title shot; give someone else a shot.
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
Reality check is coming for Reid. Most wont buy.
Do they know we’re in a recession? It’s tough enough keeping up with UFC PPVs and the occasional good boxing ones. WEC is going to lose this one big time.
by snakecharmer1340 on Feb 3, 2010 3:54 PM EST reply actions
Great card? Absolutely. But what will they put on their next foray? They are using all their biggest matches here, theoretically speaking.
Are we going to pay to see Brown vs Faber 3 or Brown vs Aldo 2, matchups we have already gotten free? Say what you want, the draw is Faber vs Aldo and once that is done, I think it will be hard for them to sustain more ppvs.
They should have gone ahead with the joint UFC/WEC ppv and built more interest in the promotion. What they really need to do is get the classes into the UFC and quit screwing around.
And many people say this is going to pay the fighters more, but does anyone know if they will get altered contracts due to the PPV? Or if they have PPV clauses already built in? I don’t see sponsors paying more, when less people are likely to watch this than a VS broadcast.
Sorry, even though I will watch it, I think this is a bad idea.
Great card, but really tough timing. Lots of MMA, and lots of PPVs just before and after this WEC card.
Feb 20 – UFC 110 PPV
March 21 – UFC on Vs (Free)
March 27 – UFC 111 PPV
March 31 – UFN 21 (Free)
April 10 – UFC 112 PPV
April ?? – Strikeforce on CBS (Free)
April 24 – WEC PPV
May 1 – Mayweather vs. Moseley PPV
May 8 – UFC 113 PPV
If only that March 21 date was free....
It’s gonna cost me doing the dishes at my parent’s house, because DirecTv STILL doesn’t have Versus back on yet! I hate Comcast so much….
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
The boxing and WWE events aren't that big of a deal
Its not 100% crossover in buys. Many UFC/MMA fans aren’t going to be buying those events anyway.
What I like about this
is that the worst case scenario might actually be the best case scenario for the fans. Worst possible outcome for this PPV is an absolute bomb. But even in this case, not only do we hardcores still get a great card, but WEC learns they won’t succeed and we get that merge we’ve been clamoring for.
ppvs suck for the fans
this aspect of mma is gonna have to go as the sport becomes more mainstream sure its easy to make a buck off of it but free network tv is the future of the sport
Not sure why we're complaining...
Most of the fans here agree that the WEC fighters should be paid more (much more in some cases) for their services but the majority of people posting here say they won’t pay the fee… what gives?
If you’re posting comments on an MMA website you’re more than just a casual fan and the WEC needs buys from this demographic. I don’t expect my casual MMA fan friends to buy or chip in for this card since they don’t watch the WEC even when it’s free.
If you’ve ever said that the WEC fighters deserve more money than put your money where your mouth is and support this card.
The WEC events are generally better than their UFC counterparts anyways.
by NateDouble on Feb 3, 2010 4:09 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
wec fighters deserve more money
but not my money
Then where is the money coming from?
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
I know they are having it in Sacramento because Faber is on the card and that will probably mean a decent gate, i think they are missing out on some marketing to a broader audience by not having their first PPV and arguably biggest card in a bigger city like Philly, Chicago, Atlanta, etc…A place where the mainstream media would be more likely to pick it up. Getting Sacramento to buy the fight on PPV will be less difficult….JMO
The question is not whether the WEC PPV is going to sell impressive numbers—- it’s not. The question is, will they make more money than if they showed it on Versus. The answer to that is almost certainly yes.
And whoo, that is a nice card. I was gonna skip it, but when I read that list I’d really rather watch that than anything the UFC has put out since November.
"an excellent example of why most MMA "journalism" is a joke. Pseudonyms like "toxic" and shitty writing like that dopey article"--- Joe Rogan.
Is it just me, or is it starting to get kind of annoying when every single WEC-related post has about 20 “MERGE WITH THE UFC ALREADY” comments? We get it, you want them to merge. It’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Either way, if you want to support the WEC (in whatever capacity it exists in now, or in the future) order the PPV. If not, okay then. But the merging stuff is getting pretty tired.
http://www.twitter.com/TB_Money
Yep, there is no reason to believe the success of this pay per view has any correlation with a merger. Don’t overthink it. If you want to see the fights, buy the card.
The man known simply as "Christmas Cheesesteak"
I'm not buying in protest......
Screw Zuffa and the WEC brass. It’s time for 135 and 145 under the UFC banner and make the WEC the league where Zuffa showcases young up and coming talent.
Co-promotion
Why couldn’t Zuffa have a few combined UFC/WEC cards? That could be a viable way of establishing the WEC as a PPV brand.
Ticket Information
WEC: Aldo vs. Faber is at the Arco Arena on Saturday, April 24th. Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com.
Newsletter – Friday, February 5 at 10 am pt
Public – Saturday, February 6 at 10 am pt
Ticket prices are $185, $135, $75 and $40.
I wonder if the streaming deal with Yahoo extends to this....
If Derek Jeter clubbed a baby seal on earth day while wearing a mink coat and crocodile skin boots while burning tires on an iceberg, the reaction would be "Its OK Derek, you’re a Yankee." -First mammal to wear pants
I dont get all the hate? This card will be AMAZING!
There must be a ton of either 1. "UFC-only fans, or 2. “I dont watch little guys fight” types of folks on here today! This card is great!
I keep reading about people who purchased Showtime just for these average Strikeforce cards, but people are complaining about paying full price for a kick ass WEC super-card?
Most hardcores on these sites order ever UFC PPV or go to a bar to see it (or stream it), even the ‘shitty’ UFC cards… Why not get this one then? Is it just me, or does almost every time a WEC card falls on the same weekend of a UFC or SF card, people chirp about how the WEC product was better quality? Seems that way a lot… But this isnt an average WEC card, its a badass card featuring almost all of their top stars in intriguing fights (especially if Torres make it on).
I dont know how it will do financially, but they can put me down for 45$.
(on a side note) I dont know why Rome mentioned the WWE ppv. Id Imagine the ’Master’s’ or the ‘Final Four’ would have more of an impact on MMA interest.
A true MMA fan from the great state of Arkansas.
Won't buy it
I buy 50% of the UFC PPV’s but no way I’m paying for WEC. I love Aldo, he’s a stud. He needs to pack on 10 pounds and fight BJ Penn. Aldo vs. Faber is a good fight with Aldo winning comfortably. That said, I wouldn’t pay 30 for this card. Maybe 19.95, Maybe 14.95 but $45??? You must be joking.
The only reason WEC exists is to prevent any other MMA organization from broadcasting on Versus. That’s the only one and only reason…. and that’s bullshit.
Aldo vs. Faber could headline a UFC event, stack it like a typical card and people would buy it. Bendo vs Cerrone??? Ok, good fight but watching them plus Varner vie for the title and fighting nobody else in the world is senseless. Unless Torres is on the card and I guess he won’t be, I can’t imagine WEC selling 10,000 PPV. Maybe less, way less.
Fold the WEC and let the top fighters make it to the UFC and get paid as they deserve. Let any other MMA org take Versus, it won’t hurt UFC. FIX THIS STUPID PROBLEM!!!
This made so little sense...
that it actually made less sense when I re-read it.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
Conspiracy theory ; Zuffa is setting this card up for mediocrity on purpose
so they’ll have a legitimate reason to merge the promotions by the third quarter of next year. Why else would they schedule it so close to all the other events and charge that price when the overhead for this event will still be a lot lower than a UFC one(You’d think) for a product that used to be free?
There are constant reports that the promotions will merge this year, but the WEC side always denies it. This is just the Zuffa looking for an excuse to pull the trigger and lay off most of the WEC staff in the cleanest way possible. The WEC isn’t needed to hold VS anymore, and the UFC’s most recent cycle of PPVs was starved for title fights and main event talents. The writing is on the wall.
Of course that is a bit extreme, no business "wants" a product to fail, but I will be curious to see if the typical Zuffa marketing strategy is used for this card, what they will consider a "success" and what they do if and when this card doesn’t succeed. This is a "feeler" card. If it fails, it will likely be one of the last WEC cards ever.
I really believe that.....
Strikeforce could pull better numbers on PPV right now than the WEC will/can. I think the majority of fans want 135 and 145 in the UFC and won’t buy this card in protest. That’s my plan.
...or download the torrent 24 hours later
Hmmm, isn’t the 18 to 34 demographic computer savy? Yup, they are.
strikeforce cbs on the samenight
wec is so screwednow because people will rather watch a stacked cbs card . than a poor man ufc event titled faber v.s aldo. hey people you can save your money. and the best thing about this no fucking counterprogramming. so we all can save our money on April 24th.
Poor man's UFC?
Strikeforce?
'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 Feb 4, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions
Funny thing is that won’t stop any counterprogramming because most mainstream UFC fans basically just watch UFC shows. They don’t know or care about either SF or the WEC, so you put up a UFC ppv replay like they did last week and you get a couple of million eyeballs on Spike and it’s another win/win for Zuffa.
Anyways this idea that the WEC will merge with the UFC is fanstasy talk and a waste of time. The UFC already has more than enough weightclasses and more than enough fighters adding 2 more is not even an option. So if you bitch about how underpaid WEC fighters are and you don’t shell out for their first ppv basically you’re full of crap and need to shut the hell up.
Personally speaking I’ve come to enjoy WEC shows alot and will gladly pay for a stacked card, because just like last time showed the WEC is simply put better than any org not named the UFC.
It's impossible for the UFC to maintain the status quo
And pay the WEC guys what they deserve. The merger is happening and it is far from a fantasy, if not a near certainty.
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