Early UFC 129 Trending Close to One Million PPV Buys
by Brent Brookhouse on May 4, 2011 1:04 PM EDT
in UFC News
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Heading into UFC 129 there was much debate over if the event was going to do big business in United States. While the event was doing huge business at the gate in Canada, there was concern that the event lacked the buzz needed to be a pay-per-view smash domestically. Now, Dave Meltzer is reporting some good numbers based on early trending:
The UFC Prelims on Spike this weekend did 1.5 million viewers, tied for fourth place in Prelims history. Dave will have more in the Observer but early trending numbers are putting the show slightly below 1 million buys. Of course, anything this early is tough to take too seriously.
The quote is right that no one should put too much stock in the early trending numbers. We've seen huge swings from those trending numbers to the final numbers (UFC 117 being a prime example). Still, the early indication is that this show did good business in the face of a main event between Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields which not too many bought into as competitive.
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but if the number is right
Thats a homerun for ufc.
Over a million ppl watched one of the best events of the ufc, That will boost up ppv sales for next.couple of events
Matt "The Terror" Serra!!!!
If any amateur MMA organization in NE is looking for an Asian fighter, let me know =)
by DK_Monster on May 4, 2011 1:06 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Over a million ppl watched one of the best events of the ufc,
This is such a bizarre way to look at it. People watched for a fight that was a dud.
by Jonathan Snowden on May 4, 2011 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions
The hope is that, while the fight that probably drew them in didn't impress,
the other 4 excellent main card fights did. Maybe it’s unrealistic to think that but I hope some casuals that tuned in found some new favorites in Hominick, Aldo, Machida, Bendo, etc.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on May 4, 2011 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
The card wasn't a dud..
I watched the fight with a room full of people and everyone agreed that it was a great card, very entertaining. The main event wasn’t over the top great but it definitely wasn’t a dud either.
Willing to bet that the excellent lead in with Facebook/Spike prelims only helped matters.
And even if it didn’t, it couldn’t have hurt.
Keep doing it dammit!
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
Yeah, between Facebook, Spike and the PPV, there’s no excuse now not to be able to see all the fights.
I could see an argument
that a shitty prelim card could temper excitement for the actual PPV, and there’s no way of knowing beforehand if the prelims will deliver or not. But I would love if every UFC showed all the fights.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on May 4, 2011 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
If it was guaranteed every time in advance? Probably.
Depends on the numbers that the Facebook fights draw and all that, but I seem to remember that the SPIKE prelim fighters end up getting paid more sponsor money than they would if they were on the dark card. Safe to assume that it would probably be true for Facebook prelims to a lesser extent as well.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on May 4, 2011 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Nothing better than this kind of reporting.
“The numbers are trending this way right now … but remember these numbers are always wrong.”
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
Twitter -- @GenoMrosko
by Geno Mrosko on May 4, 2011 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The facebook stream will surely have helped. It was full of exciting fights/finishes. I thought this would do around 700K. If these numbers are correct, it’s obviously a huge success
" Rock crushes scissors! But paper covers rock. And scissors cuts paper! Kif, we have a conundrum. "
------ Zapp Brannigan
the ufc really has plateaued
they need a network deal or something to get to the next level
ppv only allows for so much growth
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
Another good point.
Sports bar I went to didn’t have to check IDs for this one because it didn’t run past midnight, saw a few younger faces in the crowd.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on May 4, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
even with the huge gate, and the high ppv number
i’m really curious how much of a profit they make on a show like this. what with the 38 semi trucks, and all kinds of new audio and video equipment they had custom made for the space (which is a big reason why i assume they’ll continue to do stadium shows).
i’m sure they’re raking it in hand over fist, but it’d be crazy to see what the pricetag for a show like that is.
Will Snowden recant his "Is UFC 129 Only Going to Be Big in Canada?" article
If the numbers hold a million buys or are is he too stubborn and proud to admit when he’s wrong?
by StrangeD84 on May 4, 2011 1:40 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
If everyone who published an article on the Internet admitted every time they were wrong and wrote an article about it, we’d have 50% more articles. Give the guy a break for christs sake.
Hardcore MMA fan since UFC 99
by ChiCubs23 on May 4, 2011 1:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Also, as you pointed out in your comment but are apparently too stupid to understand – I was asking a question…
by Jonathan Snowden on May 4, 2011 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
You were expecting a low buy rate, regardless if you asked a question
“For those expecting a big buy rate in the U.S. – prepare for disappointment. If our internet traffic is any indicator, and usually it is, this is a show that hasn’t succeeded in capturing MMA fans’ imaginations.”
And no I won’t give him a break, he’s usually a contrarian just for the sake of it and to spite the fan base.
And no I won’t give him a break, he’s usually a contrarian just for the sake of it and to spite the fan base.
That’s so stupid. Of course not. What’s contrarian about speculating on PPV buys?
If the show did 1 million buys, that’s higher than expected. I expected more along the lines of 750,000, which is where many of our readers also landed. What is “contrarian” about that?
by Jonathan Snowden on May 4, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
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