Ariel: Bellator to Be Sold Soon, Shocked if its PFL

[Doctor Grudge]

This is exactly my thought. Bellator has a better collection of MMA fighters than PFL and ONE put together. Their champions are all certified world beaters who are nearly all home grown. There has to be value in that for any big money wanting a piece of the MMA market and are willing to promote it. Right?!?

Not much really. Who cares if one promotions fighters can beat anothers? That doesn't have all that much commercial value.

 

[Karl_Hungus]

So where’s the guy who said it would sell for $7 billion and the guy who kept insisting on here it was going to be to PFL at?

I think that was the guy who was pushing some sort of podcast, but he deleted his threads once he realized he screwed up in the one thread.

 

[SokoudjouFanboy]

Not much really. Who cares if one promotions fighters can beat anothers? That doesn't have all that much commercial value.

But then go to the heavies and ask why 90% of them watch only the UFC and you'll hear a different tune.

 

[CalmLlama]

There was also rumours of it being one fc. Personally I hope it’s them. Would make for good fights

 

[STAY GOLD]

There was also rumours of it being one fc. Personally I hope it’s them. Would make for good fights

It would be cool if they focused more on MMA as I'm a big fan of fighters like Patricio Pitbull, but I don't want to see him in muay thai fights.

 

[Mentallooser]

Is this a net positive for Bellator as a promotion?

Depends on the buyer, and the distribution. If it magically ended up using HBO or something for distribution, then who knows? If it ends up being some investment groups, it might be sold for parts.

 

[CalmLlama]

It would be cool if they focused more on MMA as I'm a big fan of fighters like Patricio Pitbull, but I don't want to see him in muay thai fights.

I think they would focus more. Their mma side is very lacking in big names. Most of their weight classes don’t even have rankings. Absorbing bellator would allow for actual rankings and more interesting match ups.
Like:
Aung vs Yoel
Lima vs soldic
Patricio vs Andrade
Dj vs Patricio

 

[skylolow]

This is exactly my thought. Bellator has a better collection of MMA fighters than PFL and ONE put together. Their champions are all certified world beaters who are nearly all home grown. There has to be value in that for any big money wanting a piece of the MMA market and are willing to promote it. Right?!?

If you believe Coker there has been different people/groups kicking tires on Bellator for the last few years.

What is different now is it seems like Viacom is very interested in either moving on and selling it or selling a percentage of the product. The later I think is what the sticking point is right now but sounds like its moving in the right direction.

I just hope they are bought out completely or at least like 80% where the new owner can do as they see fit. Bellator needs new leadership willing to invest in the brand itself and understand the roster needs to be utilized much better to grow the product. The later is what Coker's downfall has always been. Lack of direction of weight classes and way too many WTF cards on paper and not enough events that get people talking. In the end you get an org that has a solid roster but fans literally barely ever care an event is taking place.

 

[David Street]

LIV golf dudes are going to buy em

Saudis or Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund?

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Is this a net positive for Bellator as a promotion?

I think it would be. Viacom never seemed to want to really invest and grow Bellator, hopefully the new owners are different.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Fox makes the most sense as it's been pointed out that without a TV deal Bellator only value is its roster and video library. Will be interested to see if it's full on sale or just partner taking a stake.

I think Amazon Prime would be a great place for them too but it might be an issue since they have ONE already but if they can figure out a way to have both without overlapping cards that would be a good place for Bellator since most people have that service.

 

[SakurabasEar]

PFL buying Bellator would be crazy, an impressive roster no doubt but with loose contracts.

I just wish Bellator would fold in some way. They have some great fighters but people have had trouble over years even knowing that they have a card on, let alone where to even watch it. They squandered potential, and overly protected hype machines

 

[Bubba32]

Im very much checked out of the whole Bellator purchase rumor. It has dragged for longer than I care to keep up with. Whatever happens, I dont care about rumors anymore, just the facts.

bellator has been for sale for a very long time. The problem is nobody wants to buy it at an acceptable price. Sounds like viacom has gotten more realistic as their stock price tanks and is very close to taking one of those offers.

 

[Bubba32]

This is exactly my thought. Bellator has a better collection of MMA fighters than PFL and ONE put together. Their champions are all certified world beaters who are nearly all home grown. There has to be value in that for any big money wanting a piece of the MMA market and are willing to promote it. Right?!?

unfortunately the roster quality no matter how good means nothing outside of the UFC. as bellators roster gets better they viewership keeps decreasing.

 

[Bubba32]

Fox is the one place Bellator could thrive. Put out a consistent product at the same time on Friday nights that anyone, anywhere can watch without paying extra or having to use some dodgy app. Back it up with decent promotion throughout the year. It could work. It's dead man walking anywhere else, IMO.

I doubt fox wants to get into the business of owning an mma organization. Ariel says the 2 most likely buyers are investment funds most people never heard of and it sounds like viacom is selling it in the 10's of millions as thats the most it can get for it.

Bellator is losing money so whoever buys it expect a downsizing and an attempt to get it to stop bleeding. Most likely it will go under and become a write off for the investment fund.

 

[Bubba32]

Is this a net positive for Bellator as a promotion?

No, bellator only survived this long because viacom owned them. A fund will shut it down and write it off if they cant turn it around and stop the bleeding soon.

 

[don't ask]

I've found Bellators roster has really grown silently, they have a wild amount of talent both at the top level and when it comes to amazing prospects compared to ONE, PFL or ACA. I've been hopeful they will figure out something to do with it, combat sports are if anything, hot right now. Seems like a good time to find an investor. Bellators biggest issue is promotion but of their brand and their athletes...They struggle to draw interest but the means to do so is there.

I agree. The UFC has really been showcasing how watered down their events are while Bellator has been stacking the deck.

 

[HaulParris]

LIV golf dudes are going to buy em

I wouldn't be surprised if someone from that part of the world bought Bellator.

 

[TRVITMVNZ]

I wouldn't be surprised if someone from that part of the world bought Bellator.

Would be their best bet honestly

 

[skylolow]

I agree. The UFC has really been showcasing how watered down their events are while Bellator has been stacking the deck.

Well, that kind has been Coker's problem from the get go in the sport of MMA. He can collect talent. Use it questionably at times. But his biggest down fall and this probably falls more on Viacom than Coker but they can't build the brand and that is the problem. Viacom is in a space that you produce a good quality show or movie, promote it for a few weeks and people will tune into it and buy advertising space. MMA is 24/7 grind of building awareness to the product and it never ends and sponsorship/advertisers are very short list compared to what Viacom is use to.

You say UFC is giving us a water down product but at the same time the revenues have never been higher. This is all do to the UFC branding.

It's like any business you can invent the best product in the world in whatever space but if you can't get the general public to recognize it you'll never get anywhere.

If we ever really want to see a true number 2 org in the world that is player for 90% of the free agents regardless of star power you need to have an org that has strong branding above anything else. They have to attract blow joe that the UFC attracts. You need passionate owners through and through that realize debt is going to come and pile up well before profits and success. PFL showed us that the later is what allows them to sign Francis where Bellator was like nope, too much money. But look at the run PFL has gotten in the media world from the signing. More advertising for the brand and conversations about PFL than Bellator has gotten in years. They haven't paid Francis a nickel yet and probably got millions worth of advertising out of him.