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[thehype]

UFC PARTNERSHIP WITH FOX INCLUDES 4 EVENTS AND LIVE TUF BROADCASTS WITH VIEWER PARTICIPATION

As expected, UFC President Dana White, along with UFC executive and part owner Lorenzo Fertitta, FOX Sports Media Group Chairman and CEO David Hill, Co-President and COO Eric Shanks, and FX President John Landgraf all made the announcement offical that the UFC and Fox have agreed to a partnership. The deal includes 4 major event broadcasts on FOX, 32 events on FX, as well as 2 LIVE runs of The Ultimate Fighter that will feature audience participation, allowing viewers to select the fights each week. "This is revolutionary television right here," remarked Dana White.

http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content10561.html

Let's hear everyone's thoughts. The FOX execs took a couple jabs at boxing...basically saying it's too boring and behind on the times when it comes to marketing. I think it says a lot that a sport that's perceived to be more "barbaric" than the Sweet Science by most non-fans can make it's way back to network television (for the second time mind you) relatively easy. Comments? Questions? Suggestions?

For the record, I think it's going to be very interesting to see the new LIVE format of TUF (The Ultimate Fighter), where viewers get to vote on the matchups before they happen that week.

[ks1]

C'mon now, let's not get carried away. Moving from Spike to Fox is a good thing for the UFC and should give it a bump but, as someone said earlier, "big network" TV is hardly the be and end all it once was. Also, all this talk of "prime time" is misleading. Network TV primetime is from 8-11pm EST Mon-Sun. The only shot UFC has to be on primtime is late Sat., or maybe Fri., which are by far the lowest rated primetime periods.

Dana White has done a brilliant job of copying every business tactic and promotional idea/stunt of Vince McMahon's WWE right dwon to the roids scandals but, even with the "shiny new toy" effect going for it, UFC luster's has started to dim a bit because most of the guys with crossover potential are either out, almost done or done. The real test of the UFC will come when the fighters start demanding more control of the careers and more money.

Yes as we all know in true Chicken Little fashion boxing has been dying!!! for some time now but while its problems are obvious and, to a large degree, fixable, its strengths are very underrated. So while the move to Fox is good for UFC, I don't think it means all that much for boxing because I don't think it's a zero sum game.

[Mean Mister Must...]

C'mon now, let's not get carried away. Moving from Spike to Fox is a good thing for the UFC and should give it a bump but, as someone said earlier, "big network" TV is hardly the be and end all it once was. Also, all this talk of "prime time" is misleading. Network TV primetime is from 8-11pm EST Mon-Sun. The only shot UFC has to be on primtime is late Sat., or maybe Fri., which are by far the lowest rated primetime periods.

Dana White has done a brilliant job of copying every business tactic and promotional idea/stunt of Vince McMahon's WWE right dwon to the roids scandals but, even with the "shiny new toy" effect going for it, UFC luster's has started to dim a bit because most of the guys with crossover potential are either out, almost done or done. The real test of the UFC will come when the fighters start demanding more control of the careers and more money.

Yes as we all know in true Chicken Little fashion boxing has been dying!!! for some time now but while its problems are obvious and, to a large degree, fixable, its strengths are very underrated. So while the move to Fox is good for UFC, I don't think it means all that much for boxing because I don't think it's a zero sum game.

That's a good point about the UFC not really having a lot of mainstream stars at the moment. Back in 05, when the UFC really started to gain momentum, people liked it because they had Chuck Lidell knocking guys out left and right. The average Joe loves knockouts and the people jumped aboard. Some new fans were made but a lot of other people got tired of it because they didn't like the grappling aspect of it. I wonder if MMA has hit a dead end as far as its popularity is concerned.

[EAlbian]

That's a good point about the UFC not really having a lot of mainstream stars at the moment. Back in 05, when the UFC really started to gain momentum, people liked it because they had Chuck Lidell knocking guys out left and right. The average Joe loves knockouts and the people jumped aboard. Some new fans were made but a lot of other people got tired of it because they didn't like the grappling aspect of it. I wonder if MMA has hit a dead end as far as its popularity is concerned.

I think the sport has evolved, you can no longer dominate with just one style of fighting. The new hybrid fighters(Jon Jones/Jose Aldo/St Pierre/Anderson Silva) will continue to dominate. If you haven't seen Jose Aldo I suggest you invest 5mins in youtube. He is a true beast

This post has been edited by EAlbian: Aug 19 2011, 05:58 PM

[Mean Mister Must...]

I think the sport has evolved, you can no longer dominate with just one style of fighting. The new hybrid fighters(Jon Jones/Jose Aldo/St Pierre/Anderson Silva) will continue to dominate. If you haven't seen Jose Aldo I suggest you invest 5mins in youtube. He is a true beast

The MMA fighters of today are definitely better, but that's not my point. The point is that as it stands right now, none of the champions in the UFC are as famous as Lidell, Ortiz or Couture were back in 05. Maybe that will change in the coming months though.

[and the NEW]

The MMA fighters of today are definitely better, but that's not my point. The point is that as it stands right now, none of the champions in the UFC are as famous as Lidell, Ortiz or Couture were back in 05. Maybe that will change in the coming months though.

Brock Lesnar and GSP, by pure statistics are more famous than any of those guys you mentioned. They both do HUGE PPV numbers in comparison to those guys.

This post has been edited by and the NEW: Aug 22 2011, 10:08 PM