what separates Bellator from

[ggtopdog]

Other organizations that have tried but failed. Safe to say that bellator is a success and its here to stay.

 

[PIT FIGHTER]

A generous sugar daddy.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I think it was also once safe to say that Strikeforce, WEC and Pride were successes and here to stay.

 

[Jamoke]

They knew what they were once they started. They didn't try to compete with the UFC but had their own thing, something different from the UFC. They didn't blow their money paying guys millions(like Affliction did). Instead they slowly built their roster and their stars.

Most MMA orgs that start don't seem to have a long term plan, they just wanna be huge and bombastic and have a stacked card and waste all their money on the first few events.

 

[PIT FIGHTER]

I think it was also once safe to say that Strikeforce, WEC and Pride were successes and here to stay.

True. SF, WEC and PRIDE all had savage animal runs.

We all knew Affliction was fucked from the start, though.

 

[ggtopdog]

I think it was also once safe to say that Strikeforce, WEC and Pride were successes and here to stay.

Bellator owned those orgs in ratimgs with less talent.

 

[eiyuu]

Bellator owned those orgs in ratimgs with less talent.

And here I thought Fedor on Strikeforce pulled in 10 million viewers on CBS?

 

[ggtopdog]

Did he???? My bad if he did

 

[tdluxon]

They knew what they were once they started. They didn't try to compete with the UFC but had their own thing, something different from the UFC. They didn't blow their money paying guys millions(like Affliction did). Instead they slowly built their roster and their stars.

Most MMA orgs that start don't seem to have a long term plan, they just wanna be huge and bombastic and have a stacked card and waste all their money on the first few events.

I agree... got a good TV deal which they took advantage of, then instead of blowing lots of money going after existing stars, they used their tournament system to build the names/reputations of their guys, most of which were pretty much unknowns at the time.

They still have a LLLOOOONNNNGGG way to go though before they are any legit competition to the UFC

 

[TheBerserker]

Bellator owned those orgs in ratimgs with less talent.

Refesh my memory - how many times has Bellator cracked 2, much less 5 million viewers?

 

[skeeza00]

People just always assume these companies failed. Many probably did, but some I think succeeded.

They succeeded so much that UFC saw them as a threat and bought them out for millions of dollars.

None of us will truly know what kind of profits they made from the sale. If they made millions, that is a success, not a failure.

History tells us Bellator will probably eventually be bought out by the UFC. If they do, my bet it is because they are successful and a threat.

 

[Magooglie]

Viacom

 

[CC27]

Easy.

Viacom
Spike TV
MMA landscape

Bellator was in the right place at the right time, UFC leaving Spike, Viacom/Spike needed an org to replace the UFC and Bellator was the only one standing.

They ran an org that didnt pay guys too much, didnt overpay like Affliction or EXC did, paying guys millions or Kimbo 500k a fight.

They lasted and when UFC left Spike they got the tv deal. Its safe to say if UFC stayed on Spike Bellator probably either is gone right now or is nothing anyone cares about, just putting on events with ok fighters that few see or know about.

 

[CoffeeAndBeer]

I'd say...

- A slow and steady build
- Not overpaying
- Key, strategic partnerships
- Good talent scouting

 

[PIT FIGHTER]

Bjorn's vision is the secret ingredient.

 

[thedevious]

They built themselves up slowly in terms of fighter signings and TV deals. They started out with one big name (Alvarez, who was only known by hardcore fans). They had a couple of other name guys like Huerta, too. They worked their way through shit TV deals to get to MTV2 and then Spike.

So while I hate Bjorn and generally lol at many of Bellator's actions (and Bellator fanboys) I have to hand it to them, they stuck around for quite a while. And at the end of the day they put on good fights which is most important.

 

[bk365]

I'd say...

- A slow and steady build
- Not overpaying
- Key, strategic partnerships
- Good talent scouting

Yup.. pretty much sums it up.

 

[foard32]

And here I thought Fedor on Strikeforce pulled in 10 million viewers on CBS?

let's not forget Elite XC on CBS doing crazy numbers

 

[foard32]

I'd say...

- A slow and steady build
- Not overpaying
- Key, strategic partnerships
- Good talent scouting

All of which are changing now unfortunately.

-Signing anyone with a UFC appearance from 2005 or later.
-Paying crazy money to a few guys compared to the bulk of the roster (Tito and Rampage are making stupid money apparently though I couldn't find any hard evidence)
-Talent scouting has dropped off a little bit in therm of real talent, more about marketability now

 

[5H3RD0G]

I enjoy watching Bellator but Viacom better make sure that the fighters are clean it would be bad if surprise tests came and found a majority of fighters with substance abuse. Bellator has to have a no tolerance or fired policy. I want to watch fair matches not guys that came from the dead and all of a sudden are out of their minds jacked and unstoppable.