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[baba]

With Shaw signning with Showtime and Zuffa looking to seal the deal with HBO, I started wondering about how valuable premium cable (pay channels) contracts are versus standard cable(i.e. Spike, or even USA Network).

I understand any TV contract is good business and will increase exposure/revenue/recognition, but how many people have HBO compared to regular cable? And how many people have Showtime compared to HBO?

If it all comes down to how many sets of eyes you can get to watch your program, I'm guessing HBO trumps them all as far as pay channel subscriptions go. I have no statistical basis for this assumption other than I've had HBO for the last 20 years, and Cinemax for the last year, and have never opted to purchase any of the others.

The first MMA fight I ever saw was Vitor vs. Tank, and I was blown away! I became an instant lifelong, paying fan from that point onward. I guess I'm just saying that the more people they can get to see MMA the better, so why not lobby for more standard cable contracts ?

Any thoughts or opinions?

[2mcgrath]

i think staying on regular cable it would get more exposure as everyone doesnt have hbo.and most will not get hbo just to watch it if they dont have it

[bigaxel123]

Nah,

Here's exactly what UFC is thinking. Trust me, I know the business. What they are looking to do is keep running the UFC Unleashed shows on Spike TV, as well as, Inside the UFC. Possibly even running the UFC Ultimate Knockouts and whatever else may be that is not considered a "live" event. Then what they will do is run monthly "ultimate fight nights" to give mainstream exposure to the mid and low carders that the UFC has. They will run probably 4-6 events live on Pay Per View a year. Now this gives them maximum exposure and maximum profiting. They receive ad revenue from Spike TV. They receive contract, gate attendance and sponsorship revenue from HBO. And they receive sponsorship, gate attendance and buyrate revenue from Pay Per Views. It's an incredibly smart business strategy. This will ultimately protect the UFC from a business standpoint because they're contracted with Multi-Billion dollar media outlets. But more importantly, IMHO, is it gives UFC fighters the chance to earn some real money across the board.

[Bran]

they would get far more exposure running on basic cable, but most basic cable companies don't want an MMA promotion to run on it. spike was the only company that wanted any part of the UFC. and a company like USA couldn't because they'r with WWE and they couldn't air any MMA with one of their affiliates like TBS or TNT for the same reason. a premium channel is good because they can run live programming without freaking out about the FCC on their asses and they have commercial free exposure.

[SimpleJack]

I think folks are on the right track, only it has a lot to do with HBO's PPV deal with cable providers. When they become covered under HBOPPV, they will have less overhead and less paid out to the independent providers. That's why HBO contracts their own boxing promotions.

[Howie]

sucks for me since i cant get either in canada

[Legend]

^^^^^^^^^
No worries Bullock or Ace always come through.

[Soul_Edge]

Originally Posted by thelegendrvb

No worries Bullock or Ace always come through.

Very true, I love those guys!

[Dan0]

I don't have HBO or Showtime. I do have cable tv, high speed internet from the cable company, and telephone service from the cable company. I only pay a Kazillion dollars for these services, and I'm going to sell my tv when MMA goes to HBO and Showtime, then rely on Ace and Bullock.

[Howie]

yea the internet is always a good hook up for older stuff and stuff ya couldnt watch live....the hard part is stayin off the boards and pages until u can get it downloaded