Who here thinks the fox deal was a mistake?

[FactCommittee]

I think spike was a much better platform for the ufc. Remember when they had fights on tv more than once every six months? huge business mistake

 

[Diet Otsuka]

Since i'm not a business executive with insider knowledge about the contracts and cost benefits of being with FOX, as opposed to Spike, I can't really speak on it.

 

[Grimm911]

Fox production is much better and almost everyone has fox as a channel.

 

[LongTermLurker]

UFC is on tv way more than once every 6 months.

 

[joeyjoejoe]

I miss having all those free events on one channel.

 

[Emjay]

A better question is "WHY do people feel it was a mistake?" if they feel it was a mistake.

It's one thing to take the negative position (as is usually the case on Sherdog), it's a different thing to EXPLAIN why you're taking that position.

 

[Sole]

Mostly everyone I know still thinks UFC is on Spike and when Bellator's on, they think it's UFC.

 

[Fbed]

Don't know the business details, but from what i see, FOX is far better for the UFC

 

[Tugboat]

That deal allowed the UFC to grow as much as possible with the tv market.

Of course it was a good deal.

Look at the 'side' shows, pre and post fight, UFC tonight, insider, countdown etc.

 

[Russie]

You can't say it's a bad deal. I think fewer casual fans are likely yo stumbel onto Fox Sports 1 than Spike. As a whole I like all that the Fox deal provided to fans. There is just a lot more of the UFC on TV than before so that's a win for UFC fans and I would assume for the UFC the Fox deal has been rewarding from the money standpoint.

 

[maniacmatt1782]

If it was just stuff aired on Fox and Fox sports 1, its a great deal, but then you have cards buried on fox sports 2, which half of the cable providers around the US don't carry, and who knows what they can get over in europe. Fox Sports 2 events need to go. most people can't watch them.

 

[irish0331]

FS8, "The Ocho."

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

If it was just stuff aired on Fox and Fox sports 1, its a great deal, but then you have cards buried on fox sports 2, which half of the cable providers around the US don't carry, and who knows what they can get over in europe. Fox Sports 2 events need to go. most people can't watch them.

Yeah i have fs2 and the quality is really bad, i guess everything else being in HD messed me up, oh well, ill never complain about almost free cards

 

[Mikeyz]

Not my Money so I really don't care.

 

[Degen Gambler]

Why would I give shit what channel its on?

 

[K1HerosNakamura]

It was way easier to follow back then. Free cards on Spike, others on PPV. Now there are FB prelims, fightpass cards, fox sports one, fox sports two, Fx, regular fox...whatever those translate to up here in Canada, is versus still a thing? I never know if I'm going to be able to watch an event until I actually find it scrolling through channels or if its PPV.

Its a mess, and its too much of a pain in the ass for me to work out to watch these thin ass cards.

 

[krelianx]

I like it less; the presentation is too monotonous, there's far too many cards with fights I don't care to see.

But to say it was bad business is retarded.

 

[wartor]

Mostly everyone I know still thinks UFC is on Spike and when Bellator's on, they think it's UFC.

THIS, I would bet > 60% of casual MMA fans have no idea, I mean you can watch Tito and Rampage plus see Couture show up. Bellator = UFC to a lot of people and I think they did this intentionally.

Fox deal was a great deal for the UFC, problem is they can't deliver enough talent for it. MMA does not have even 20 top guys let alone 60-70 you need for all the cards they want on FOX.

 

[Tigerknee]

everyone saying that fox is available to everyone, its not true. Im not sure where you guys live but in Texas spike is included in your basic cable package, but fox sports you have to pay an extra 15 dollars

 

[Free_MMAson]

Bigger mistake was the UFC jacking up the price of PPVs to pubs/bars/restaurants. This has dried up the venues that actually show UFC live anymore. Even certain locations of Boston Pizza and Buffalo Wild Wings will not show and will recommend a location that still will show events.

By lowering the amount of venues that show the fights, they are quelling the interest in UFC and it is working dramatically. So many of the friends/acquaintances I know that used to go out to the pub to watch an event do not now, and really could care less.