Bellator Ratings Analysis, since Coker took charge

[Shogun Stomp]

With Bellator 158 drawing a measly 556k viewers, despite having names such as Paul Daley, Michael Page, Matt Mitrione and Douglas Lima on the card, it's worth a look at Bellator ratings while under Coker.

https://www.the-newshub.com/combat/bellator-ratings-analysis

While Coker's input is not absolute, he and Rich Chou have been directly responsible for which fighters they have been pushing (or lack thereof), which sort of fights they favour (a preference for squash matches has been established) and what sort of events (Unpopular Dynamite cards) they prefer to highlight.

Something needs to change. Personally I think Coker has ruined a good promotion. Harsh? maybe, but entirely acceptable given the numbers and other factors.

Opinions welcome on this subject, let's see what others think

 

[tithas]

Spikeforce is going the way of the dodo I think

 

[USAUSA1]

Look at the numbers he's been doing at the gate this year. Incredible considering the roster. They did over a million at the gate the last two events.

149- $1.1 million
152-$1 million
154-$984,552
157-$1 million
158-$1.1 million

Ratings is ratings. They're not LIVE on the west coast,they have a huge DVR audience.

Even at their lowest, they're in the top 50 shows of the night. Always trending on twitter.

 

[Cousin Oliver]

You forgot to factor in the # of Spike subscribers, which has declined significantly in the past 3 years.

During the Bjorn era, Spike had 97.6 million subscribers. Spike currently has 87.7 million subscribers. That is a decline of 10%.

Nielsen August 2013 cable networks subscriber #s:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/20...network-coverage-estimates-as-of-august-2013/

Nielsen June 2016 cable network subscribers #s:

http://sportstvratings.com/how-many...nd-nbc-sports-network-june-2016-edition/5087/

 

[mime]

ruined a "good" promotion is too strong. for me it's took over a 2nd-tier mma promotion with some mild fanfare among mma fans/journalist and has produced underwhelming results in growth of viewership. he took a 2nd-tier promotion and made it a different 2nd-tier promotion

Look at the numbers he's been doing at the gate this year. Incredible considering the roster. They did over a million at the gate the last two events.

149- $1.1 million
152-$1 million
154-$984,552
157-$1 million
158-$1.1 million

Ratings is ratings. They're not LIVE on the west coast,they have a huge DVR audience.

Even at their lowest, they're in the top 50 shows of the night. Always trending on twitter.

the bottom line for viacom is that bellator is profitable and looks good in their portfolio of products. that doesn't really do much for mma fans though. coker was able to take more risks in strikeforce i think with fedor and the grand prix. if he could convince viacom to shell out some more money to grow the product after seeing how much the UFC was sold for then maybe he could setup an awesome grand prix. i want tournaments back but i want grand prixs of the best available guys not the same guys in bellator fighting each other over and over again. for that they need more money but to pay the fighters they need they might lose their profit on the gates...which is why i think they should start focusing on tv viewership and sponsors since the gates have a cap to how much they can make

 

[USAUSA1]

On top of that, they move to 2nd tier packages with some cable companies.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

Great article, I didn't even know Coker's and Rebney's ratings were so similar with the top three shows taken out of each one. You know something might have become worse when people start to get nostalgic for the old thing, which only ended 2 years ago.

 

[Andy Capp]

I will just repeat what I have said all along; I don't get why people are so high on Coker other than maybe he came along when people felt anyone must be better than DfW. He's short sighted, more interested in the big fight of the moment rather than planning ahead and building a structure around which they can construct consistently good shows.

I think he sucks, to be blunt, a nice man by all appearances, but not able to avoid short term gain over long term growth.

 

[Shogun Stomp]

ruined a "good" promotion is too strong. for me it's took over a 2nd-tier mma promotion with some mild fanfare among mma fans/journalist and has produced underwhelming results in growth of viewership. he took a 2nd-tier promotion and made it a different 2nd-tier promotion



the bottom line for viacom is that bellator is profitable and looks good in their portfolio of products. that doesn't really do much for mma fans though. coker was able to take more risks in strikeforce i think with fedor and the grand prix. if he could convince viacom to shell out some more money to grow the product after seeing how much the UFC was sold for then maybe he could setup an awesome grand prix. i want tournaments back but i want grand prixs of the best available guys not the same guys in bellator fighting each other over and over again. for that they need more money but to pay the fighters they need they might lose their profit on the gates...which is why i think they should start focusing on tv viewership and sponsors since the gates have a cap to how much they can make

A stronger focus on legitimate tournaments would be very welcome.

As long as it's relatively profitable I'm sure Viacom are happy, but it's at the expense of viewers. From what I've seen on forums and in comment sections there has been a bit of a downturn in people actually interested in their product since Coker took over. Mostly down to choices I mentioned in the OP. Fans will give people leeway to an extent but it soon becomes too much, to the detriment of their popularity.

 

[skylolow]

I guess I'd like to know more about how Spike views Bellator.

Coker is doing overall similar ratings as Bjorn. But Spike is spending much more on Coker Bellator than Bjorn. But then Coker is doing way better gate numbers.

Like I've said before I feel this is the year for Spike/Bellator to take a shit or get off the pot. Meaning go after big name free agents and make it known you want to talk to any fighters when their contract is up. Start playing like a big dog and be vocal.

Also a big issue with Coker and always has been is he has no direction with his roster. It's hard to follow cause so many fights have no bearing on future match ups. Fights are put together almost solely based on entertainment or selling value. Anyone with name leaps frogs all others and usually does it in multiple weight classes. I get this happens once in awhile in even the UFC but for Bellator and Strikeforce previously it happen all the time. By doing business this way the only time anyone tunes in is when it all works out and they get a great card stacked up with names vs names. Problem is you don't have the roster to do that more than a few times a year at best. Just so hard to build new stars this way.

 

[Shogun Stomp]

I will just repeat what I have said all along; I don't get why people are so high on Coker other than maybe he came along when people felt anyone must be better than DfW. He's short sighted, more interested in the big fight of the moment rather than planning ahead and building a structure around which they can construct consistently good shows.

I think he sucks, to be blunt, a nice man by all appearances, but not able to avoid short term gain over long term growth.

I'm personally in agreement. For me he hasn't made better changes to offer the product more sustainability. Right here, right now is very much his M.O and it's hurting their growth massively.

 

[Shogun Stomp]

I guess I'd like to know more about how Spike views Bellator.

Coker is doing overall similar ratings as Bjorn. But Spike is spending much more on Coker Bellator than Bjorn. But then Coker is doing way better gate numbers.

Like I've said before I feel this is the year for Spike/Bellator to take a shit or get off the pot. Meaning go after big name free agents and make it known you want to talk to any fighters when their contract is up. Start playing like a big dog and be vocal.

Also a big issue with Coker and always has been is he has no direction with his roster. It's hard to follow cause so many fights have no bearing on future match ups. Fights are put together almost solely based on entertainment or selling value. Anyone with name leaps frogs all others and usually does it in multiple weight classes. I get this happens once in awhile in even the UFC but for Bellator and Strikeforce previously it happen all the time. By doing business this way the only time anyone tunes in is when it all works out and they get a great card stacked up with names vs names. Problem is you don't have the roster to do that more than a few times a year at best. Just so hard to build new stars this way.

Same here. If Viacom/Spike felt that Coker was the man to help progress them then I'm sure now is a good as time as any to pump a little money and more exposure into them given the free agency bubble we are now in.

 

[USAUSA1]

I think the shows is overproduce. It feels more like a pro wrestling event instead of a live sporting event like UFC/Strikeforce. The energy is not there.

 

[mime]

I will just repeat what I have said all along; I don't get why people are so high on Coker other than maybe he came along when people felt anyone must be better than DfW. He's short sighted, more interested in the big fight of the moment rather than planning ahead and building a structure around which they can construct consistently good shows.

I think he sucks, to be blunt, a nice man by all appearances, but not able to avoid short term gain over long term growth.

his strength is his relationship with fighters (he mended the relationship with King Mo and Rampage) and camps like AKA so he is in the know on the next rising stars like Rockhold, DC, etc.

I think he's been around the promotion game so long that his thinking is a bit antiquated, like from the old dark ages of mma. I guess thats good and bad depending on whether you like 1-night tournaments, Gracies, Shamrocks, etc...

I dont have a problem with things like 1-night tournaments and other gimmicks as long as its not the focus of the promotion which is seems to be. I think its more that he doesn't understand how to market toward to todays viewership rather than being short-sighted, i just dont think he has that skill...but spike should recognize that and bring in a marketing guy. Also I don't think Rich Chou is a good matchmaker, I think a lot of the criticism from mma fans about bellator are the mismatches and inability to build up fighters properly. Rich is Coker's friend and they go way back which is why he has the position he has but sometimes your friends aren't the best business partners. Plus Rich is another guy whos been around so long I don't think he understands today's market either.

I think Bellator should keep Scott for his relationships in the business but they need to start putting other people around him to cover his weaknesses especially in the promotion game. Dana White also has a lot of obvious weaknesses but he knows how to draw attention and promote.

 

[Shogun Stomp]

his strength is his relationship with fighters (he mended the relationship with King Mo and Rampage) and camps like AKA so he is in the know on the next rising stars like Rockhold, DC, etc.

I think he's been around the promotion game so long that his thinking is a bit antiquated, like from the old dark ages of mma. I guess thats good and bad depending on whether you like 1-night tournaments, Gracies, Shamrocks, etc...

I dont have a problem with things like 1-night tournaments and other gimmicks as long as its not the focus of the promotion which is seems to be. I think its more that he doesn't understand how to market toward to todays viewership rather than being short-sighted, i just dont think he has that skill...but spike should recognize that and bring in a marketing guy. Also I don't think Rich Chou is a good matchmaker, I think a lot of the criticism from mma fans about bellator are the mismatches and inability to build up fighters properly. Rich is Coker's friend and they go way back which is why he has the position he has but sometimes your friends aren't the best business partners. Plus Rich is another guy whos been around so long I don't think he understands today's market either.

I think Bellator should keep Scott for his relationships in the business but they need to start putting other people around him to cover his weaknesses especially in the promotion game. Dana White also has a lot of obvious weaknesses but he knows how to draw attention and promote.

Agree completely on the Chou front. I despise Rich Chou and his matchmaking. The guy is totally negligent in which fighters he matches up with which. He could cause a serious injury (such has been the case with Cyborg) and possibly a death one of the days.

Definitely agree that Coker doesn't know how to market in todays MMA landscape.

 

[Shogun Stomp]

his strength is his relationship with fighters (he mended the relationship with King Mo and Rampage) and camps like AKA so he is in the know on the next rising stars like Rockhold, DC, etc.

I think he's been around the promotion game so long that his thinking is a bit antiquated, like from the old dark ages of mma. I guess thats good and bad depending on whether you like 1-night tournaments, Gracies, Shamrocks, etc...

I dont have a problem with things like 1-night tournaments and other gimmicks as long as its not the focus of the promotion which is seems to be. I think its more that he doesn't understand how to market toward to todays viewership rather than being short-sighted, i just dont think he has that skill...but spike should recognize that and bring in a marketing guy. Also I don't think Rich Chou is a good matchmaker, I think a lot of the criticism from mma fans about bellator are the mismatches and inability to build up fighters properly. Rich is Coker's friend and they go way back which is why he has the position he has but sometimes your friends aren't the best business partners. Plus Rich is another guy whos been around so long I don't think he understands today's market either.

I think Bellator should keep Scott for his relationships in the business but they need to start putting other people around him to cover his weaknesses especially in the promotion game. Dana White also has a lot of obvious weaknesses but he knows how to draw attention and promote.

Agree completely on the Chou front. I despise Rich Chou and his matchmaking. The guy is totally negligent in which fighters he matches up with which. He could cause a serious injury (such has been the case with Cyborg) and possibly a death one of the days.

Definitely agree that Coker doesn't know how to market in todays MMA landscape.

 

[AGEZ909]

It's tough for sure. A lot of different things need to be factored in. Decline in spike subscribers... Almost no promotion for a lot of cards. It all adds up. It sucks to see bellator get such low ratings, but what else can u expect with no ads?

All that being said... As mentioned above, gates under Coker have been through the roof (relatively speaking of course). Bjorn had trouble filling Indian casinos. Coker is in the same predicament with actual arenas. Coker has had multiple million dollar gates. And some that fell shy of 1m.

It's tough to gauge what's going on, but I'm sure Viacom only cares about net numbers. If ratings are down but gates are more than making up for that, I'm sure Viacom would take that trade off. It could be that bellator is trying to prove that they could turn in a profit sooner rather than later with these gates... Get immediate income, and improve cash flow for the company... Next year comes around, and Viacom might jump on board with more promotion.

Another thing to take into account is bellator a changing roster. They have been on cutting sprees. Some bad, others good. But this might be a reason to why they haven't promoted much. Why waste promotional dollars on fighters you're pretty sure you're going to cut? Makes business sense in that regard. Interesting to see how they promote the wrestlers they have been signing.. I'm hoping they up the ads.

International expansion is real with bellator as well. Us viewership is just a piece of what bellator is looking at. Ratings might suck in the states at times but like I said... If net numbers for international events add up nicely, that's all that matters I'm sure...

Frat I know... Just thinking out loud... Trying to make sense of what bellator is doing.

 

[USAUSA1]

The channel 5 ratings were really good in the UK.

 

[Rogerdraven]

How much did the ufc pay their hired "journalist" to write this hit piece?

 

[AGEZ909]

The channel 5 ratings were really good in the UK.

What is "really good" in the uk? What kind of numbers are we looking at?

Also. You post gate numbers for certain events, but you post no source... Can u get a link?