Bellator to CBS thread

[GueseGuy]

I feel like the Fedor-Bader announcement kinda overshadowed the Bellator to CBS move so this thread could be to talk about the move.

Coker at the post fight show said the 2/4 slot was “open” on CBS so they “jumped” on it. Kinda crazy to see that the weekend before the super bowl would be open on CBS and they would give it to Bellator.

Live sports programming is desperately coveted by sponsors to hit that 18-34 male demographic so I understand CBS’s willingness to give Bellator a shot.

If they nail this first show and really get things right, maybe this could be a 3-4 shows a year kind of thing and would be their equivalent of PPVs the way the UFC does. I think it would really give Bellator that big card feel that the ufc has when it’s a PPV. Regular cards on Showtime, premier ones on CBS. Casual fans might miss ufc fight nights but they know not to miss a PPV.

If Bellator gets it right this could be huge for them. Usually you don’t get 2nd chances in life but Coker CBS is giving it right here!! Take it!!

 

[USA-man]

Its needs to be at least quarterly , not just a one off for them to get traction. They can showcase mckee, pitbull, eblen and maybe sign diaz, hopefully thus show show does well for them.

 

[TRVITMVNZ]

Im cool with maybe 3-4 shows a year

 

[TorontoTO]

Im cool with maybe 3-4 shows a year

With the roster depth, 3-4 is how many you can realistically. Put the interesting title bouts on there and keep the other cards headlined by meh titles or number 1 contender bouts

 

[careto]

It is pretty unexpected, tbh. It seemed like CBS cares very little for Bellator (less shows, no marketing, dwindling viewership, etc.) But suddenly they get this chance at a CBS, not just any CBS slot but primetime on the week before the Super Bowl.

 

[careto]

With the roster depth, 3-4 is how many you can realistically. Put the interesting title bouts on there and keep the other cards headlined by meh titles or number 1 contender bouts

Alternatively, they can do the LWGP on CBS, too. Eight-man tournament, the title on the line on every event, and as the tournament progresses (semis and final) throw some other title fight and/or big fight if they were to sign Nate.

 

[TITS]

So, does this mean no more Showtime?

 

[SokoudjouFanboy]

So, does this mean no more Showtime?

Almost certainly not. Most likely they're going to do a few shows a year on CBS and load them up while having weaker cards on showtime. Same idea as UFC only on OTA instead of PPV. Hopefully this is the start of having them on quarterly.

I could see them getting a summer afternoon slot with a Europe show.

 

[The Last King]

CBS>>>> Anything the UFC can do

 

[TRVITMVNZ]

If they was Smart they would try to get Usman and the Nurmagomedov name on the card but i know Usman said he would like time off

 

[GueseGuy]

If they was Smart they would try to get Usman and the Nurmagomedov name on the card but i know Usman said he would like time off

I think down the line you have to make Usman vs McKee on CBS. Usman vs Shabliy/Tofiq/Mansour I think would sell more overseas.

 

[GueseGuy]

It is pretty unexpected, tbh. It seemed like CBS cares very little for Bellator (less shows, no marketing, dwindling viewership, etc.) But suddenly they get this chance at a CBS, not just any CBS slot but primetime on the week before the Super Bowl.

It’s just crazy. I mean CBS is America’s most watched network. Huge opportunity really. People were speculating Bellator was dying and then this comes through. Business looks to be better than ever with this move and now with the brightest and most marketable young Nurmagomedov with the belt.

 

[The Last King]

It’s just crazy. I mean CBS is America’s most watched network. Huge opportunity really. People were speculating Bellator was dying and then this comes through. Business looks to be better than ever with this move and now with the brightest and most marketable young Nurmagomedov with the belt.

The Bellator CBS lights are the brightest lights a fighter could fight under brather.

 

[MMALOPEZ]

Coker confirmed is a 1 off at this moment … they got offered the time slot 2 weeks ago … so the rest of 2023 it’s Showtime for main cards and YouTube prelims …

 

[careto]

It’s just crazy. I mean CBS is America’s most watched network. Huge opportunity really. People were speculating Bellator was dying and then this comes through. Business looks to be better than ever with this move and now with the brightest and most marketable young Nurmagomedov with the belt.

I was excited about the announcement but Coker really downplayed the move. He made it seem like CBS is letting Bellator have that TV slot due to some random fortituous events rather than Bellator doing a great job lately. So, instead of this feeling like CBS has faith in Bellator and they are committing more resources to them, it feels more like a one-off thing that will possibly get 0 promotion, like everything else with Bellator.

I think if the move was a long-term thing, they would have made a big announcement about it (like they did with the move to Showtime).

 

[careto]

Coker confirmed is a 1 off at this moment … they got offered the time slot 2 weeks ago … so the rest of 2023 it’s Showtime for main cards and YouTube prelims …

Im hoping this does good numbers, maybe CBS will be more open to some quarterly events.

 

[TorontoTO]

I was excited about the announcement but Coker really downplayed the move. He made it seem like CBS is letting Bellator have that TV slot due to some random fortituous events rather than Bellator doing a great job lately. So, instead of this feeling like CBS has faith in Bellator and they are committing more resources to them, it feels more like a one-off thing that will possibly get 0 promotion, like everything else with Bellator.

I think if the move was a long-term thing, they would have made a big announcement about it (like they did with the move to Showtime).

Im hoping this does good numbers, maybe CBS will be more open to some quarterly events.

CBS is the biggest platform and much bigger then ESPN, hopefully Bellator doesn't fumble in their classic way.

 

[skylolow]

You aren't going to see Bellator on CBS very often. Could be another year before we see it again. They just don't pull numbers to justify Bellator on CBS, period. This will fail in ratings, they couldn't even get 300K to tune into Paramount 95%+ of the time. Static snow on CBS probably gets 200K. But that is all Bellator is to Viacom, cheap live sports and that can fill time slots(that is what is happening here with CBS). They don't care one bit of growing that product. It's been years now that Viacom has owned Bellator and can anyone honestly say Bellator is leaps and bounds better than it was in the first few years of Coker era to now????? Hardly anything has changed outside of getting away from crazy shit like Royce Gracie vs Ken Shamrock 20 years after the fact. Trust me that odd ball shit was all Scott Coker.

 

[skylolow]

I was excited about the announcement but Coker really downplayed the move. He made it seem like CBS is letting Bellator have that TV slot due to some random fortituous events rather than Bellator doing a great job lately. So, instead of this feeling like CBS has faith in Bellator and they are committing more resources to them, it feels more like a one-off thing that will possibly get 0 promotion, like everything else with Bellator.

I think if the move was a long-term thing, they would have made a big announcement about it (like they did with the move to Showtime).

You're 100% right.

Bellator is just cheap live sports for Viacom that can fill time slots no matter what outlet they are on. The product is what it is and has been for years now.

If Viacom was putting any more effort behind Bellator than they did 8 years ago we would've seen it grow, we would see better signings, we would see better quality events over and over, we would see more marketing, etc etc. This product is just spinning its tires in mud.

 

[tehMoose]

You're 100% right.

Bellator is just cheap live sports for Viacom that can fill time slots no matter what outlet they are on. The product is what it is and has been for years now.

If Viacom was putting any more effort behind Bellator than they did 8 years ago we would've seen it grow, we would see better signings, we would see better quality events over and over, we would see more marketing, etc etc. This product is just spinning its tires in mud.

So you don't see better signings? The last card had Nemkov, Usman & Khizriev on the main, enough said

Bellator never had a roster that's even close to what it is now