Time for the UFC to hold PPV Events every other Month

[tricky92]

Originally Posted by theocean

You guys do understand that the UFC is a business right, and that a business goal is to make as much money as possible. So if you can have more shows you make more money, regardless of how great the card is. Money drives all decisions

You're correct...

and what better way to get this idea rolling than to not buy the upcoming UFC? It looks like complete garbage, and the first one I've ever considered not paying for... I'm not even sure I'd take the time out to watch it even if it were free. Perhaps, I'd DVR it and watch it when I was utterly bored.

[kaunman24]

Originally Posted by SLF509

I think to help produce better cards, the UFC needs to go to major events on an every other month schedule. By major I mean PPV. There are so many cards now that they are getting watered down.

The UFC hasn't had more than 600,000 buys since 101 which was Penn Florian. If they went to every other month, that would produce 6 per year - can probably can a main event title shot at each one. The current schedule is causing too many injuries and weak cards that aren't even top heavy where the main event alone doesn't justify the $50 purchase.

Scrap TUF. This has run its course.

Do a fight night on the alternating months. This allows for the development of new talent and can help create a fan following for them and still keep the UFC in everyone's house on a monthly basis. As these fighters string some wins together and create fan bases, then they can jump to PPV and the buys should follow.

Right....because guys dont get hurt in training...sorry. I disagree.

[totalstranga]

well they ARE putting more free cards on Versus. But it seems like everyone cant get that channel or some shit. and I like the PPV's fine the way they are

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

i agree 100%. there is too many cards in ufc now which has made for some really bad cards. i have not brought a ufc ppv since ufc 101.

the cards don't really appeal to me lately.

[Ronwah]

Originally Posted by tricky92

You're correct...

and what better way to get this idea rolling than to not buy the upcoming UFC? It looks like complete garbage, and the first one I've ever considered not paying for... I'm not even sure I'd take the time out to watch it even if it were free. Perhaps, I'd DVR it and watch it when I was utterly bored.

It doesn't look fantastic on paper, but neither did 108 and that turned out pretty good. Plus again the card is fucked with call offs, Anderson vs Belfort, Lil Nog vs Vera and Kos pulling out too.

[808Caliber]

Originally Posted by Ronwah

Pretty much.

The floor for the UFC is around 350k PPV buys. If they start dropping under that on a regular basis they might change something. But you need to consider that they have so many top PPV draws out injured or unavailable.

We talk about under 600k buys being a negative thing. Bodog, Affliction and the future Strikeforce would kill to do those numbers.

not to mention less events means fighters dont get paid sitting on the shelf waiting.

[TKJ]

Not mad at this idea.

I would say the UFC could hold 10 PPVs a year though. That would mean every title holder could defend their title two times a year and every PPV would (should) have a title shot to headline it.

If two of the five title holders defend their belt three times, the UFC could have one PPV with two title shots a year, and one UFN (or a free numbered UFC event) with a title shot.

The UFC could easily have 7 UFNs a year to showcase upcoming talent and feature lesser known contenders in the main events.

While I am one of the few who does think TUF can still serve a purpose, I do think they need to cut down to one season a year.

That would leave 1 TUF Finale show a year, bringing the UFC's total events per year to 18.

While that wouldn't lower the number of events, it would lower the expectations to put on cards worth $50 every month, and would make the fan base much more happy.

Right now the UFC has 10 PPV cards pushing 500-600k buys, one cracking 1 million buys and two or three barley getting 350-400k buys in the span of a year (these #s are an educated guesses by me, if I am way off and you have a more credible source than my memory than please feel free to correct me).

If the UFC went to having 10 PPVs a year they can probably count on 7-8 cards sitting around 650-850k buys and 2-3 cards landing anywhere between 850k-1.25 million buys.

That would (should) get the UFC similar #s of PPV buys to what they have now.

The larger number of free UFC events would work wonders for bringing in even more casual MMA fans, and hooking them so they become hardcore fans, or at least fans who would be willing to buy 4-6 PPVs a year.

I for one would love to see this happen.

[Total Package]

I don't think less cards is the answer. The UFC needs a major network deal to start showcasing their cards and still keep their PPVs to maybe once a month with their free cards on TV, such as Fight Night or something else. They got the roster to do this.
Making less cards means fighters are getting less money and UFC is making less money, not a good business strategy. You don't see Strikeforce reducing their amount of cards, they're trying to pump out more as well.

[Ronwah]

Also remember the UFC had their best ever year for PPV numbers. Purely from a business stand point, it wouldn't make sense for them to reduce the number they put out.

UFC Establishes New Mark for PPV Buys in 2009 : MMAPayout.com: The Business of MMA

The UFC sold an estimated 8 million PPVs in 2009, which is a mark that breaks the organization’s previous record of 6.2 million that was set in the calendar year of 2008.

[TKJ]

Originally Posted by theocean

You guys do understand that the UFC is a business right, and that a business goal is to make as much money as possible. So if you can have more shows you make more money, regardless of how great the card is. Money drives all decisions

Right, but if the UFC put together 10 PPVs that were stacked instead of 14 that are good, but lack title shots from time to time, they could make up the difference.

A more superior product would draw more buys. The Free cards would still get them money, and would bring in more casual friends and potential hooking them so they become hardcore fans.

That is good business.