Alternative to PPV format

[AceCooch]

What if UFC did the following:

9.99 a month for unlimited access to fight library + 3 PPVs a year. = $120/year
14.99 a month for unlimited access to fight library + 5 PPVs a year. = $180/year
19.99 a month for unlimited access to fight library + Unlimited PPVs. = $240/year

You could maybe throw in an extra $5 a month package for exclusive interviews + bonus content + Contender series + Old Tuf seasons + personal fighter promos etc.

Everything would be streamed through UFC.com, UFC would get 100% advertisement money.

For non-subscribers, PPVs would be regular price still.

You wouldn't have to put on these freak show fights with Lesnar and CM Punk to churn PPV interest. UFC could focus on simply making solid cards and pumping the brand. Success would not hinge on Conor and Big draws fighting. The company would be promoted as a whole, just like Netflix, and it would probably grow faster and maintain a higher level of consistency.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

wood

 

[ChumpyKiwi]

I'm sure they have considered something like this although I have no idea

 

[boxingskills]

I love when Sherdog accountants make topics.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

The problem is they got people on fightpass for $9.99. Thats $120 a year
PPVs are $60 each. 2 PPVs are the same cost as your unlimited program. I guess they figure MMA fans will buy at least 2 PPVs a year. Then again they probably only get about 50% from PPVs so that would be 4 PPVs and I don't know anyone who would pay for 4 PPVs a year. Usually there are only 1 or 2 worth the price these days.

 

[BobbyHillComedian]

That was what I thought FightPass was originally going to be. In fact I know of people who immediately signed up for it under that impression, then found out what they were actually getting and cancelled.

Unfortunately WME is waaaaaay too greedy and incompetent for anything like this to ever happen

Classic traditional business being unable to think outside the box situation. Why go for that Netflix type money when you can get in the booming and rapidly growing industry of cable pay-per-view television. Because it's 1978 of course.

 

[trident]

I do think they could bring in more revenue offering annual packages but there might be an issue with the ppv carriers

 

[AceCooch]

The problem is they got people on fightpass for $9.99. Thats $120 a year
PPVs are $60 each. 2 PPVs are the same cost as your unlimited program. I guess they figure MMA fans will buy at least 2 PPVs a year.

I totally get your point, but if you have more subscribers than individual ppv buyers, that evens itself out...

There are tons of MMA fans who won't buy the PPVs or will go watch them in a bar, but if they had a monthly package option, they would take advantage of it.

When Cormier vs Stipe is pulling >400k, there's a problem.

 

[Haj01]

Instead of pay per view. It should be pay per every 10 views.

 

[LouisBolanos]

The only way I'll consider paying for UFC is if they put 100% of their content on Fight Pass with no geoblock including all Fox and FS1 cards and all UFC PPVs for free and charged $4.99 a month. Otherwise they can go pound sand I'll just free stream.

 

[BrockRefsner]

or just $20 for PPV

more people will be willing to buy in since its so inexpensive and they would make up the money from more buys than to charge $60 a PPV

 

[bubbleboyjones]

or just $20 for PPV

more people will be willing to buy in since its so inexpensive and they would make up the money from more buys than to charge $60 a PPV

No it won't. They've done numerous analysis on doing things like that. Reducing your price does not make up in buys. Simply put if they reduce the price of their PPV by 50% they will not see an increased buy rate of anywhere near 50%.

 

[skylolow]

I think we'll see a change sooner than later in the amount of PPV's.

Sure the first year of the deal with ESPN the UFC is locked in. But the market is screaming right now they have had enough of every month PPV's.

Personally the best way for the UFC to win is either go down to 4 massive PPV's a year or cut down to like 8 or 10 and offer them exclusively on Fightpass. They have to do something soon with Fightpass as it has become pretty stale for the most part. Other solution would be to say screw PPV providers and offer all Fight pass users and ESPN+ subscribers PPV cards for an extra $5 or $10 per an event there able to purchase.

Anything but more of the same will be better.

 

[car epic win]

$0.00 a month, unlimited fight library + 12 PPVs

 

[Crimson Glory]

I'd pay 20 bucks for all of that.

 

[Rvd Slmr]

or just $20 for PPV

more people will be willing to buy in since its so inexpensive and they would make up the money from more buys than to charge $60 a PPV

It was briefly ten euros in France, which I was very willing to pay. Then a random channel that doesn't even air on my network bought the rights and now I have no access to any recent main cards at all (PPV and "free" cards like Fight Nights), even at full American price. So now I watch the prelims on Fight Pass and torrent the main cards...