Ben Askren Claims Viacom Trying to Sell Bellator

He is going to get fined for that according to Cooker.
 
Coincidence that Ben becomes a Bellator and Viacom insider shortly after Coker said Paul would knock him out?
 
I’ve always been an Askren Stan but he needs to chill before we change his nickname from Funky to Salty.

If he’s butthurt that Scott picked Logan, then the best revenge would be to defeat Paul.
 
Not a good source. Askren says a lot of objectively stupid shit on the internet. He's also about to get beat up by a youtuber.
 
Coker should sign him and he can play a heel against the boss (kind if Stone Cold-ish).
 
If Viacom wanted to sell Bellator they would've done it shortly after the Dazn deal was finalized. That was point that Bellator was worth the most money recently.

Now to sell it they would probably have to include some type of multi year US media deal on one of Viacom's channels to make it much more valuable than without it or the investment group would have to have some other deal ready to go. The org is too large to operate without a very good paying US media deal to go with the international deals.


P.S.: I honestly wish they would sell it. Viacom does almost nothing for Bellator outside of saying here is your budget. They have a massive fight library that barely gets used. Almost zero advertising or working relationship of any kind under the Viacom umbrella. No support shows to further the product. Maybe that changes now that they are on CBS Sports and probably have a lot of cheap air time to fill throughout a day. Similar to when UFC was on Spike and they had hours upon hours of UFC programming on throughout the week. They can't even get Viacom to live broadcast in some time zones. Viacom rarely ever replays events. It's just like Bellator is this little redheaded stepchild in the corner and the Viacom world goes on.
 
I don't think it's impossible at all but I think its significance is overstated at best. Companies explore the value of their properties on the market all the time, it doesn't mean that anything is particularly wrong, or even that they have a genuine intention to sell.
 
skylolow said:
If Viacom wanted to sell Bellator they would've done it shortly after the Dazn deal was finalized. That was point that Bellator was worth the most money recently.

Now to sell it they would probably have to include some type of multi year US media deal on one of Viacom's channels to make it much more valuable than without it or the investment group would have to have some other deal ready to go. The org is too large to operate without a very good paying US media deal to go with the international deals.


P.S.: I honestly wish they would sell it. Viacom does almost nothing for Bellator outside of saying here is your budget. They have a massive fight library that barely gets used. Almost zero advertising or working relationship of any kind under the Viacom umbrella. No support shows to further the product. Maybe that changes now that they are on CBS Sports and probably have a lot of cheap air time to fill throughout a day. Similar to when UFC was on Spike and they had hours upon hours of UFC programming on throughout the week. They can't even get Viacom to live broadcast in some time zones. Viacom rarely ever replays events. It's just like Bellator is this little redheaded stepchild in the corner and the Viacom world goes on.
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according to Coker Viacom got around 5 offers which they decided to turn down. I guess the offers were so low it didnt make sense for them. In order to get 5 or 6 offers it must have been for sale.
 
Bubba32 said:
according to Coker Viacom got around 5 offers which they decided to turn down. I guess the offers were so low it didnt make sense for them. In order to get 5 or 6 offers it must have been for sale.
Click to expand...

Wonder if they are kicking themselves now with the Dazn deal gone?

Either way Viacom gets a cheap live sports programming with Bellator and fight library that can give them hours upon hours of more or less free programing.
 
Bubba32 said:
according to Coker Viacom got around 5 offers which they decided to turn down. I guess the offers were so low it didnt make sense for them. In order to get 5 or 6 offers it must have been for sale.
Click to expand...

That doesn’t mean anything except that everything is for sale but not necessarily being shopped. It didn’t exactly have to be something that Viacom was trying to sell for investors to call and inquire about purchasing it. They likely get inquiries all the time. Viacom would always sell them for the right price but it doesn’t mean they are “trying to find a buyer” as Ben ass pulled because he’s angry about something Scott said.

Strikeforce, after all, was not actively being shopped around when the Fertittas called with an above market value offer for them. Most everything is owned by venture capitalists who have a price.

UFC wasn’t likely being shopped until somebody came with an offer they liked and then it become open to the highest bidder once they established the starting point. That’s how what we originally thought was $1-2 billion...went to $4 billion.
 
I really do not know how they are doing it, signing new fighters of such high caliber. I would think UFC is doing good so should buy them but though UFC is doing good it's owner Endeavor is going thru hard times. Saw a good talk on this on You Tube :
Fight Business Podcast #21: UFC cuts explained - which fighters are at risk of being released?

As most think the future will be streaming services and holding on to Bellator for 5 years to build their streaming service may be the way to go, a very long term investment that I doubt will pay off but might if UFC ever folds.
 
David Street said:
I really do not know how they are doing it, signing new fighters of such high caliber. I would think UFC is doing good so should buy them but though UFC is doing good it's owner Endeavor is going thru hard times. Saw a good talk on this on You Tube :
Fight Business Podcast #21: UFC cuts explained - which fighters are at risk of being released?

As most think the future will be streaming services and holding on to Bellator for 5 years to build their streaming service may be the way to go, a very long term investment that I doubt will pay off but might if UFC ever folds.
Click to expand...
Very surprising to see Bellator continues to sign top level talent without the DAZN money or live gate. Possibly CBS/Viacom is sees a future in MMA and is somehow funding this with a long-term goal. Maybe they have a big budget for sports, because they are trying to fill CBS Sports Network with better content and MMA is cheaper than boxing and soccer so it might be worth their expenses.
 
careto said:
Very surprising to see Bellator continues to sign top level talent without the DAZN money or live gate. Possibly CBS/Viacom is sees a future in MMA and is somehow funding this with a long-term goal. Maybe they have a big budget for sports, because they are trying to fill CBS Sports Network with better content and MMA is cheaper than boxing and soccer so it might be worth their expenses.
Click to expand...

it is a bit surprising on the surface... unless signing up all this new talent is increasing the value of the bellator brand in the marketplace... I would argue it is. they don't have to deliver fights to Romero or Rumble immediately. That can be put off for a while to save short term capital.

bellator needs cbs. put it on cbs 6-8 times a year.. even if it's the afternoon slot.. put some fights on the new P+ platform. Be smart with expenses. Some good content that isn't expensive comparative to the "mainstream" sports.
 
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