So the results are in: The Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather apparently drew in over two million total buys and $120 million in revenue. That's all well and good, but the question I asked myself in all the hype was "What's the point?" Sure, there are two great personalities with De La Hoya and Mayweather, but the fact that they were fighting for any sort of championships was barely even mentioned by any of the writers or by the announcers.
And now, just two weeks later, Sports Illustrated examines whether or not UFC is the next big thing. The answer to that question is blatantly obvious. No. Why no? Because it is already a big deal. And although many of the fighters are anonymous to a mainstream audience, they already average with a paid audience, what the NHL playoffs drew on the Vs. network. For fifty dollars and an average of just under one million buys for 2006, According to a story on SI.com, UFC's 2006 PPV revenues were almost $223 million, compared with $177 million for boxing on HBO and $200 million for WWE.
And UFC is already training the next generation of fighters with a reality television show on the Spike TV channel. A recent episode 1.2 million viewers. And although this is only just a decent number for cable television the holy grail demographic, 18-34 males , continues to do very well. And this season has seen growth in the over-35 crowd, traditionally a tough crowd to grab for what some people still think of as bonafied human cockfighting.
But UFC has cleaned its' act considerably since being purchased by boxing promoter Dana White in 2001. Since then, the company has experienced all of its' mainstream growth. Spike has the reality show. HBO, the channel that's kept boxing breathing the last 15 years, will begin broadcasting UFC events very soon. UFC also bought out one of their top competitors, PRIDE. Copycat leagues have formed and will continue to form. And many states are beginning to allow MMA events. Illinois recently loosening its' laws has already caused copycat International Fighting League (IFL) to run a show and Dana White had talked of running the Allstate Arena or United Center for a big UFC Pay-Per View.
People can choose to hate UFC. I've remained ambivalent to this point about the fights, but with all the attention it's getting, there's a good chance I too may become a fan. Especially when certain leagues continue to screw their fans by charging increasing amounts of money for a depleted product. Here is a sport at its' purest. Two men getting into a ring (or in this case Octagon) and settling a score. Not a single fighter has died in a UFC ring. And White has put certain rules (no eye-gouging, fish-hooking, or choking) to make sure that UFC is relatively safe.
While UFC is nowhere near the NBA, MLB, NASCAR, and especially the NFL, it certainly is a big thing.
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3 comments:
The UFC definitely has garnered a lot of national recognition, and I imagine that as Boxing continues to plummet in the eyes of sports enthusiast all over the country, there will be a vacancy and desire for something to fill that void.
What are the chances that Ultimate Fighting becomes an Olympic Sport though?
I think we're a long time from seeing UFC becoming an olympics sport because I think tghere is still a perception out there that this isn't a sport and just a bloodsport.
I really have trouble watching UFC, for some reason it seems much more violent to me than boxing. But you're right, it already is a big thing -- Chuck Liddell is quickly becoming a household name and others are sure to follow. I don't think it's a threat to the Big 3, but it will definitely steal popularity from boxing and wrestling.
No way it will ever be in the Olympics, not in our lifetimes. Remember that five years ago NASCAR was the next big thing, and it has sustained it's popularity, but it probably isn't going to get much bigger than it is now any time soon. I feel like the same thing will happen with the UFC, it will grow quickly the next couple of years before leveling off well below the level of MLB, NFL, NBA and even NASCAR.
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