What can the UFC do help grow in the UK

[Marc A]

With huge success in the US and Brazilian market why has the UFC brand not been able to have it in the UK. And all signs point that it's slowly losing interest in the UK


What can the UFC do to boost interest in the UK?

 

[kickingheads]

With huge success in the US and Brazilian market why has the UFC brand not been able to have it in the UK. And all signs point that it's slowly losing interest in the UK


What can the UFC do to boost interest in the UK?

Theres a number of things.

Its not really a proper sport in the european model, which emphasizes fairness and the importance of rules as driving factors in success..
It doesnt know how to tie into football, which boxing has previously been very well able to exploit.
Its distinctly middle class, and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its distinctly american and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its highly wrestling based and beyond that its martial arts, which doesnt really go down that well in a beer and punch up culture.

Boxing has lineage in the uk, tie ins to football, is easy to understand and visually attractive in a rules sense, is lent legitmacy by the olympics, the bbc and a lot of home grown grass roots fighters.

UFC is visable, and compared to what it is made of "wrestling and karate kid" its doing all right. It is known by a lot of students.

If it wanted to blow up in the UK, its needs to be something that urban kids and pie eating beer swilling english kids watch. It is just too divorced from the real, to get there at the moment.

 

[PaulRFC53]

Its never been big over here nor is it losing interest, its pretty much the same as its always been but with more people aware of it.

With the time difference its just hard for them to breakthrough, every show is on at 3am. They need to do more shows in the UK, the last one was the most watched UFC fight in UK history and peaked a bit of interest in the UFC. They need to get on to a better platform, right now they are on BT Sport which is a new channel that doesn't really have much viewership. Sky Sports is the channel that dominates sport in the UK. They could also really do with a few notable stars from the UK.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

With huge success in the US and Brazilian market why has the UFC brand not been able to have it in the UK. And all signs point that it's slowly losing interest in the UK


What can the UFC do to boost interest in the UK?

I call shenanigans

 

[99Silva]

What they need to do is give a brit a title fight. I think Dan Hardy got one but you have to give someone like a Bisping a title fight.

 

[theincognito]

They have to wait for some great UK fighters. Bisping was a good start but he is getting old and could never quite get over the hump to elite status.

 

[VolkHan]

Soon Calderwood will be in UFC and if she'll not win the title with TUF 20 she'll have some title shots in years to come.

Btw I think isn't enough, Kickingheads explained the reasons very well

 

[Shayo]

Its never been big over here nor is it losing interest, its pretty much the same as its always been but with more people aware of it.

With the time difference its just hard for them to breakthrough, every show is on at 3am. They need to do more shows in the UK, the last one was the most watched UFC fight in UK history and peaked a bit of interest in the UFC. They need to get on to a better platform, right now they are on BT Sport which is a new channel that doesn't really have much viewership. Sky Sports is the channel that dominates sport in the UK. They could also really do with a few notable stars from the UK.

Not for long. BT sports has the rights for the champions league and most of the premiership. BT sports is growing and Sky are shaking in their boots.

 

[Concrete]

Theres a number of things.

Its not really a proper sport in the european model, which emphasizes fairness and the importance of rules as driving factors in success..
It doesnt know how to tie into football, which boxing has previously been very well able to exploit.
Its distinctly middle class, and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its distinctly american and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its highly wrestling based and beyond that its martial arts, which doesnt really go down that well in a beer and punch up culture.

Boxing has lineage in the uk, tie ins to football, is easy to understand and visually attractive in a rules sense, is lent legitmacy by the olympics, the bbc and a lot of home grown grass roots fighters.

UFC is visable, and compared to what it is made of "wrestling and karate kid" its doing all right. It is known by a lot of students.

If it wanted to blow up in the UK, its needs to be something that urban kids and pie eating beer swilling english kids watch. It is just too divorced from the real, to get there at the moment.

Most British people are middle class but I mostly agree with you.

 

[Mma Adiction]

Begin to hype Luke Barnat and hope he's legit

 

[kickingheads]

Most British people are middle class but I mostly agree with you.

Middle class people often say that, but I dont know if I agree.

Most people don't go to university and current data suggests that most people in the UK never will. 60% identify themselves as working class. And even anecdotally, theres a big difference between university students and the kind of people you meet in football stands.

UFC has some small sway among students and doormen, and the doormen have stopped watching. It has zero traction among the football crowd or the great unwashed, whether they be anglo or urban, so that millions of people, that UFC has zero interest or hold of.

 

[DesignedFailure]

Actually do a real card outside of vegas?

 

[Buff]

I say it needs a physical base... Some kind of place in Central London with a sort of museum feel to it that people can go to and look at belts and memorabilia. Hard Rock Cafe style - even Gary Neville opened a football themed restaurant. People over here don't care for PPV shit, but they do live a brush with stardom in whatever way. It would also show that it's a serious thing, and not just 2 bar - thugs brawling it out in a chicken wire cage, which is still how most people view it.

Over here every sport that you can think of has its home that you can instantly associate with whichever - Football had Wembley and all the club stadiums, Rugby has Twickenham, cricket has Lords, and so on. I say the UFC needs a home for people to associate with - not necessarily a stadium, but certainly something you could tie into a day out, or get drawn into passing by.

 

[MeatballMagnus]

It's not mainstream enough is the problem.

I live in a big town and I know zero people that I've met who have half the interest in MMA as I do. Plus Dana has always known that if you're not on Sky Sports you won't have much viewers. That's what TV deal Dana has always been after.

 

[The Komodo]

Two things.
1. PPV in England. Been a long time since we've had one and would generate a huge buzz.
2. TUF UK. Explains itself really.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Theres a number of things.

Its not really a proper sport in the european model, which emphasizes fairness and the importance of rules as driving factors in success..
It doesnt know how to tie into football, which boxing has previously been very well able to exploit.
Its distinctly middle class, and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its distinctly american and therefore detached from normal britain.
Its highly wrestling based and beyond that its martial arts, which doesnt really go down that well in a beer and punch up culture.

Boxing has lineage in the uk, tie ins to football, is easy to understand and visually attractive in a rules sense, is lent legitmacy by the olympics, the bbc and a lot of home grown grass roots fighters.

UFC is visable, and compared to what it is made of "wrestling and karate kid" its doing all right. It is known by a lot of students.

If it wanted to blow up in the UK, its needs to be something that urban kids and pie eating beer swilling english kids watch. It is just too divorced from the real, to get there at the moment.

Scandinavia has even less cultural connections with the US than the UK, yet this distinctly American sport is gaining ground there.

 

[RoryFan]

It's a niche... it always will be.

 

[Futureal]

I actually think they're doing a pretty good job with BT Sport and the European cards. Having some big title fights here again would help, but that's unlikely to happen due to the time difference. I'd love Jones v Gus II here.

 

[robmorpeth]

I actually think they're doing a pretty good job with BT Sport and the European cards. Having some big title fights here again would help, but that's unlikely to happen due to the time difference. I'd love Jones v Gus II here.

I agree that BT Sports are doing a good job with UFC coverage but their viewership is a limiting factor. I know numerous people who like watching MMA and have watched it previously who no longer do because they don't have the channel.

 

[hydingjekyll]

They need to find an excuse to give Bisping a title shot.