Why is PFL failing?

Because no one knows about PFL. Even hardcore UFC fans have no idea about PFL. I haven’t seen it marketed anywhere. Also, when I checked the PFL website just a couple months ago, all the events were still TBD and the roster wasn’t even online. The marketing behind PFL has been non-existent, so you can’t expect it to have good ratings, regardless of how good the concept is.
 
Just hoping that the tournament winners actually get their money.

Any organization with Ali associated with it, I will be skeptical until proven otherwise.
 
Just hoping that the tournament winners actually get their money.

Any organization with Ali associated with it, I will be skeptical until proven otherwise.
Possible some fighters felt the same way, but that if the money went through, it would attract more names for season 2.
 
Because no one knows about PFL. Even hardcore UFC fans have no idea about PFL. I haven’t seen it marketed anywhere. Also, when I checked the PFL website just a couple months ago, all the events were still TBD and the roster wasn’t even online. The marketing behind PFL has been non-existent, so you can’t expect it to have good ratings, regardless of how good the concept is.
Hardcore UFC fans- like the ones on Sherdog- do know about PFL. For marketing they have banner ads on places like Sherdog or The Underground where actual hardcore MMA fans would see them among other reasonable publicity initiatives. You can't expect Ray Sefo to get booked on Good Morning America or for them to run millions of dollars worth of television commercials in prime time tv like they do for something like Dwayne Johnson's Skyscraper movie.
 
The sureshot for formula for success (in their minds) was brainstorming and coming up with list of ideas/gimmicks that would in theory bring success to their promotion like the standings table (with points and eliminations), the one million dollar prize incentive (that should’ve attracted better known name talent but didn’t) and the whole tournament format which has been proven to be a successful endeavor for the orgs that have known how to do one. On paper it was a bunch of ideas on how to fix the sport and make it about merit and talent instead of popularity but they fell short because in order to be successful you need to start with better household marquee name fighters imo, that’s the best bait to attract hardcore and casuals alike, and then growing it from there. They failed in that aspect , therefore weakening their whole mission which had been a good ideas from the start and strong in conception but poorly executed.


Right, I'm just saying no matter their name or format the 3rd best US MMA promotion on a not widely viewed cable channel with little advertising is only really going to attract some of the niche hardcore MMA audience.

They'd have to do things like pay big money for a Randy Couture, Belfort or some over the hill overpriced star and be on a more popular network if they expect viewership to rise significantly. That's not a format they are going for and it doesn't look like they have any other options for broadcasting. The audience, coverage and amount of talk/buzz they are getting now is about what they should expect.
 
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It's simple guys, the UFC has won the war.

Blow joe fan only cares about the UFC and to take it a step further blow joe is doesn't care about 40 cards a year. He/She cares about 5 or 6 big cards a year. These other orgs are fighting for the scraps. PFL is pulling a majority of hard cores and not much beyond that. You'll probably see the ratings continue to be in that 100K to 225K area.

Also I don't know how anyone can say it looked like a smash hit on paper. I think a majority of hardcore fans agreed there is no way they can make money doing what they laid out. I doubt NBCsports is paying them very much. But maybe they are getting enough to cover winnings and the investors and other revenue they make pay for the events. Either way I can't see it making money.

P.S.: I still can't understand why none of these orgs outside of the UFC spend big money on advertising. They all seem to take the approach of build it they will come. Bellator who has been around for awhile I won't doubt if the UFC spends more in one month on advertising than Bellator has in years. Pretty hard to take any product and grow it without letting people know your around. The people that do more or less got lucky with a great product.
 
The market for watching MMA is alreadysaturated by UFC and its diluted quality. Not to mention the extraordinary length of their broadcasts! Who has time/the appetite to watch non-UFC regularly? The viewing figures suggest that declining numbers of people have the time to desire to watch MMA.
 
PFL is awesome, I hope they stay afloat.

Love seeing hyped up Russians with laundry lists of cans on their records get clowned by unknown journeymen.
 
PFL is awesome, I hope they stay afloat.

Love seeing hyped up Russians with laundry lists of cans on their records get clowned by unknown journeymen.

You noticed that too.

They love hyping the Russians and the tournament hasn't been to friendly to them this far.
 
NBCSN doesn't draw ratings.
 
Right, I'm just saying no matter their name or format the 3rd best US MMA promotion on a not widely viewed cable channel with little advertising is only really going to attract some of the niche hardcore MMA audience.

They'd have to do things like pay big money for a Randy Couture, Belfort or some over the hill overpriced star and be on a more popular network if they expect viewership to rise significantly. That's not a format they are going for and it doesn't look like they have any other options for broadcasting. The audience, coverage and amount of talk/buzz they are getting now is about what they should expect.

They have the money for some big name guys but they are going to give a million to whatever no name wins the tourney.
 
They have the money for some big name guys but they are going to give a million to whatever no name wins the tourney.

I'm not sure there all about "big names", if they can get some great. But they are trying just a different approach to MMA and see if they can grow that way. The payout of winning the tournament is suppose to be the attraction for best free agents to sign for that season for PFL.

Will it work, I don't know but it is something different than just your typical org.
 
They have the money for some big name guys but they are going to give a million to whatever no name wins the tourney.
Investors got behind the concept. They wouldn't have raised as much money to pay fighters if they just stuck with a traditional format.
 
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I'm not American so this is my perspective:
- Cards on thursdays make me unwatchable online (time difference)
- Not a decent stream to watch it, streamers don't even care to get it
- No replays at the next day on Youtube or any website like other orgs do

Fighters and format really interested me
 
PFL is a terrible name. it seems ACB is going under aswell and their product was pretty good, loved the aspect of finishing one fight and proceding onto the next.

im not american so i cant view pfl anyway. isnt sport viewership down in general ?
I believe the Facebook stream continues for the main card for non-US viewers. So actually it is better as you can get the entire card for free while US viewers need NBCSN for the main card.
 
Cuz i keep forgetting they're on and watching it's always sunny in philadelphia repeats instead.
 
- Not a decent stream to watch it, streamers don't even care to get it.

PFL makes the official stream available internationally on facebook. Only America needs NBCSN.
 
PFL makes the official stream available internationally on facebook. Only America needs NBCSN.

Now you mention it, you're right
I tried to use it during the first event and it freezed all the time, not sure if it was my connection or buffering issues

For the next event I couldn't stay awake to try again, I just tried to catch the replays the day after but I didn't find it
 
Now you mention it, you're right
I tried to use it during the first event and it freezed all the time, not sure if it was my connection or buffering issues

For the next event I couldn't stay awake to try again, I just tried to catch the replays the day after but I didn't find it
Some people really like to complain. How could you not find it? The Facebook videos are free, high quality and archived for anyone to watch in full including the pre & post-fight show if it's not convenient to watch live. https://www.facebook.com/PFLmmaLive/
 
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