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16 Sep 10
19:17
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Date Joined:
17 Sep 02
Wow, I didn't see that coming. Going to be on SS2 starting Sept 21st. A bit of a delay but very interesting to see Sky sign it up, an excellent move by the UFC:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/7999460/UFC-lands-Sky-Sports-deal.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/7999460/UFC-lands-Sky-Sports-deal.html
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It really is quite something, the show is basically 13 weeks of advertising for an event on ESPN.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11979_6374407,00.html
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11979_6374407,00.html
I work for Sky , not suprised they have done this. The relationship with ESPN is more of a partnership type deal than a rivalry . Sky use their own staff to sell ESPN to their own subscribers, so they must be profiting from everyone who adds it. ESPN is seen as something to add on to Sky Sports , rather than an alternative, very rarely find a customer with ESPN and no SS.
The latest thing is anyone calling Sky to add ESPN is offered the first 3 months subscription free, as long as they are prepared to committ to a 12 month subscription, which locks them in with Sky for another year.
The latest thing is anyone calling Sky to add ESPN is offered the first 3 months subscription free, as long as they are prepared to committ to a 12 month subscription, which locks them in with Sky for another year.
Marshall Zelaznik, president of the UFC’s International Division, told Telegraph Sport: “It is hard to build a sport on a narrow distribution platform, and our plan is to allow fans to see the product as inexpensively as possible. We are always conscious of how we make the sport more accessible and more available.”
While the sport is clearly growing rapidly in the UK, Zelaznik admits that building mixed martial arts “is a fragile process”.
He said: “Putting The Ultimate Fighter on Sky will create a halo effect of mainstream awareness. We are probably three or four years behind the US. We are trying to get it exposed to a new sports fan. We know we already have a solid fan base, but being on the Sky platform means an even bigger market to showcase the sport to mainstream sports fans.”
Agree that is good business sense from The UFC .They are looking to maximise the number of potential fans of the sport , and thinking of how to minimize the cost to people of getting into it.
Contrast that to Horse Racing , which is happy for people to have to pay £20 a month to RUK .Can imagine loads of 20 somethings with hitherto no interest in Horses, paying £20 a month on the off chance they might get to like it.
While the sport is clearly growing rapidly in the UK, Zelaznik admits that building mixed martial arts “is a fragile process”.
He said: “Putting The Ultimate Fighter on Sky will create a halo effect of mainstream awareness. We are probably three or four years behind the US. We are trying to get it exposed to a new sports fan. We know we already have a solid fan base, but being on the Sky platform means an even bigger market to showcase the sport to mainstream sports fans.”
Agree that is good business sense from The UFC .They are looking to maximise the number of potential fans of the sport , and thinking of how to minimize the cost to people of getting into it.
Contrast that to Horse Racing , which is happy for people to have to pay £20 a month to RUK .Can imagine loads of 20 somethings with hitherto no interest in Horses, paying £20 a month on the off chance they might get to like it.
Yes, the ESPN/Sky relationship is not like how the ESPN/Sky one was.
I'm sure you'll know more than me, but I was under the impression that Sky like to have a lot of production control over their sports, and this would be a stumbling block with them showing actual UFC fights.
I'm sure you'll know more than me, but I was under the impression that Sky like to have a lot of production control over their sports, and this would be a stumbling block with them showing actual UFC fights.
well im sure that this is the fist step towards people from the uk having to pay to watch main ufc events, the old only on PPV will soon kick in!. I will give it a year before we have to cough up, personly i will be paying to watch as im a long time addict! I mean sky have gotta get there cash somewhere via PPV, did anyone pay for the magnificent 7? not me havnt paid for sky box office since the naz and lewis days and only the odd hatton fight,man do you remember when you had to pay extra to watch footie on a sat night!! all in all it had to happen sometime as all people from the states and canada have had to pay for a long time,
sky get 2£ from every subscription through them for ESPN. well at least they did anyway. that was why they pushed it so hard and looks like they still do
load of tosh 'morrissey', thats a load of tosh.
Sky certainly profit from people taking ESPN, not sure what the cut is but the subscription is added to the Sky Bill unlike Setanta which was a separate payment.
Yes Sky do have their own studio for when they show NFL etc, whereas UFC seem to want to control the coverage themselves ( i believe Rogan and the other guy are UFC employees?) . I suppose Sky would just have to take it like that as thats how The UFC wants it.
I think it would be a lot more than a year before UK customers have to PPV for UFC on Sky or anywhere else.
The majorty of Sky's Boxing PPVs are shown in UK peak time ( or no later than 11pm at least) because they won't get enough take up otherwise .If they put too much on PPV then they risk losing regular subscribers. The Las Vegas fights are only PPV when there is a massive name involved , almost always a British Fighter , or else Mayweather . Even Manny v Cotto was free to subscribers .
With UFC it seems it's a few years away from either criteria . The really top class UFC fights are going ahead at 5-6 am UK time and only the hardcore of what is a minority sport (albeit growing impressively) are going to pay to watch at that time. Of course there are UK Cards at a decent time but it seems these are invariably much weaker line ups which would not justify the extra £ ( the UK stuff is not PPV in America is it?).
Yes Sky do have their own studio for when they show NFL etc, whereas UFC seem to want to control the coverage themselves ( i believe Rogan and the other guy are UFC employees?) . I suppose Sky would just have to take it like that as thats how The UFC wants it.
I think it would be a lot more than a year before UK customers have to PPV for UFC on Sky or anywhere else.
The majorty of Sky's Boxing PPVs are shown in UK peak time ( or no later than 11pm at least) because they won't get enough take up otherwise .If they put too much on PPV then they risk losing regular subscribers. The Las Vegas fights are only PPV when there is a massive name involved , almost always a British Fighter , or else Mayweather . Even Manny v Cotto was free to subscribers .
With UFC it seems it's a few years away from either criteria . The really top class UFC fights are going ahead at 5-6 am UK time and only the hardcore of what is a minority sport (albeit growing impressively) are going to pay to watch at that time. Of course there are UK Cards at a decent time but it seems these are invariably much weaker line ups which would not justify the extra £ ( the UK stuff is not PPV in America is it?).
All correct.
One of the main reasons the UFC spurned HBO is because HBO wanted too much say in the production of the show. The UFC control everything, the commentators are their commentators, not those chosen by a tv station and they plug all their sponsors (and, indeed, the US channel they're shown on) throughout the show.
PPV won't happen in the UK for a long time because a) it's not something the UK public have ever taken to and b) the shows are on at 3am to 6am. Shows which are on at a more UK-friendly time will be weaker and aren't PPV in the US.
One of the main reasons the UFC spurned HBO is because HBO wanted too much say in the production of the show. The UFC control everything, the commentators are their commentators, not those chosen by a tv station and they plug all their sponsors (and, indeed, the US channel they're shown on) throughout the show.
PPV won't happen in the UK for a long time because a) it's not something the UK public have ever taken to and b) the shows are on at 3am to 6am. Shows which are on at a more UK-friendly time will be weaker and aren't PPV in the US.
all bullshiit Peck lad.
apart from the ufc contol thing..
MMA is going to be huge in the uk and is geting bigger all the time my local gym is packed to the rafters everyday and night, with alot of young lads wanting to give it a go. also two more MMA training centers opend up in my area this year also heard of a few in nearby smaller towns all offering MMA sessions. And seen many a person walking round with MMA kit on tapout etc etc, never used too! As for the late night early moring thing, almost every boxing match ive seen on ppv has started at daft oclock (thats what sky + is for) also they offer repeats allday long wich you have to pay for. so dont really see your point .
apart from the ufc contol thing..
MMA is going to be huge in the uk and is geting bigger all the time my local gym is packed to the rafters everyday and night, with alot of young lads wanting to give it a go. also two more MMA training centers opend up in my area this year also heard of a few in nearby smaller towns all offering MMA sessions. And seen many a person walking round with MMA kit on tapout etc etc, never used too! As for the late night early moring thing, almost every boxing match ive seen on ppv has started at daft oclock (thats what sky + is for) also they offer repeats allday long wich you have to pay for. so dont really see your point .
As for the late night early moring thing, almost every boxing match ive seen on ppv has started at daft oclock (thats what sky + is for) also they offer repeats allday long wich you have to pay for. so dont really see your point .
As you said yourself you've not bothered with PPV Boxing since Lennox and Naz were in their prime - late 90s - . They were huge names so people would pay to watch at 5am . Of the last 11 Sky PPV events , 8 were in Europe (starting 9pm -11pm), and the other 3 in America featured Hatton , De La Hoya and Mayweather , again fighters well known even to people who take little interest in Boxing.So thats the level of recognition someone needs to have to be on Sky PPV in the middle of the night .
MMA is growing rapidly as you say but there is no one in the sport with anything like the level of Fame that those boxers have if you ask the man in the street . Probably still 20 boxers more recognisable to the public than Brock Lesnar is. The way UFC is growing that will likely change but still at least 3 or 4 years away before the top MMA fighters are as well known as the top boxers . And until that happens it won't be on Sky PPV .
You can just buy it to watch the next day but only a tiny % will pay £15 if they are not going to see it as it happens.
As you said yourself you've not bothered with PPV Boxing since Lennox and Naz were in their prime - late 90s - . They were huge names so people would pay to watch at 5am . Of the last 11 Sky PPV events , 8 were in Europe (starting 9pm -11pm), and the other 3 in America featured Hatton , De La Hoya and Mayweather , again fighters well known even to people who take little interest in Boxing.So thats the level of recognition someone needs to have to be on Sky PPV in the middle of the night .
MMA is growing rapidly as you say but there is no one in the sport with anything like the level of Fame that those boxers have if you ask the man in the street . Probably still 20 boxers more recognisable to the public than Brock Lesnar is. The way UFC is growing that will likely change but still at least 3 or 4 years away before the top MMA fighters are as well known as the top boxers . And until that happens it won't be on Sky PPV .
You can just buy it to watch the next day but only a tiny % will pay £15 if they are not going to see it as it happens.
fair opinion tobe,
But how many people paid for them 8 events in europe not many i guess apart from the haye v the giant match up, and that was like watching paint dry. Personly i dont want it to go ppv rather spend my cash elsewhere but i do think it will be sooner rather than later. Also i think you will be suprised at the publics knowledge of MMA and how many people follow the sport, what with the tuf fights on five and the recent alex reid fight (the missus and her pals where talking about that!!) and tuf now on sky its mushrooming all the time more exposure from the o2 event and the fan expo and good coverage in some of the national and local newspapers. Ask a man in Notingham who Dan Severn is and they might not know ask em who Dan Hardy is and they will tell you. its all progress imo. time to tap out
But how many people paid for them 8 events in europe not many i guess apart from the haye v the giant match up, and that was like watching paint dry. Personly i dont want it to go ppv rather spend my cash elsewhere but i do think it will be sooner rather than later. Also i think you will be suprised at the publics knowledge of MMA and how many people follow the sport, what with the tuf fights on five and the recent alex reid fight (the missus and her pals where talking about that!!) and tuf now on sky its mushrooming all the time more exposure from the o2 event and the fan expo and good coverage in some of the national and local newspapers. Ask a man in Notingham who Dan Severn is and they might not know ask em who Dan Hardy is and they will tell you. its all progress imo. time to tap out
Scotty, I have posted quite a bit of stuff on the boxing forum about the growth of MMA, so I'm not saying MMA isn't growing at a rapid rate. I'm in total agreement with you on the sport's growth.
I also think the UFC want to make the UFC PPV in the UK, Dana White has mentioned we should be grateful we get to watch it for free which I took as him implying that one day we'll go PPV.
I just don't think it will happen (if it does) for a few years yet. The time difference is a huge factor and it really isn't something the British public has ever taken to.
I also think the UFC want to make the UFC PPV in the UK, Dana White has mentioned we should be grateful we get to watch it for free which I took as him implying that one day we'll go PPV.
I just don't think it will happen (if it does) for a few years yet. The time difference is a huge factor and it really isn't something the British public has ever taken to.
Templeton Peck Joined: 17 Sep 02
Replies: 2601 29 Sep 10 11:24 it really isn't something the British public has ever taken to.
Brits havent taken to UFC or the time difference!? Are you for real!!??
Have you got a PS3 cos im gonna have to beat u up on the ufc undisputed 2010 game!
my lad plays it all the time and guess what its full of brits playing it
Replies: 2601 29 Sep 10 11:24 it really isn't something the British public has ever taken to.
Brits havent taken to UFC or the time difference!? Are you for real!!??
Have you got a PS3 cos im gonna have to beat u up on the ufc undisputed 2010 game!
my lad plays it all the time and guess what its full of brits playing it
big difference between being a fan of the sport and shelling out 15 quid for a ppv that runs from 3-6
there is no way a ufc ppv will sell big in the uk now or in the next 3 years
there is no way a ufc ppv will sell big in the uk now or in the next 3 years
suppose it is the mortgage money for peeps of sheffield! (only teasing)
would you not of payed £15 to watch silva and sonnen or brock and carwin?
would you not of payed £15 to watch silva and sonnen or brock and carwin?
dont get the big thing about wot time the fights start, you eithier come in from a night out clubing and drink right through to 6 or sky plus it and watch 1st thing on the sunday morning .
i would easily easily pay 15 for every single ufc cards even fight of the nights.
Time doesnt bother me either,sometimes with work i cant stay up and watch it as i fall asleep and dont fully enjo it but i just sky plus it and get up and watch it 1st thing,when i dont have work i stay up and watch it and then just stay in bed a bit longer,simple.
Time doesnt bother me either,sometimes with work i cant stay up and watch it as i fall asleep and dont fully enjo it but i just sky plus it and get up and watch it 1st thing,when i dont have work i stay up and watch it and then just stay in bed a bit longer,simple.
There speaks a true MMA fan in mehmet j mook. I wold pay £15 for the fight nights aswell
Oh dear, scotty66 you really are getting confused.
PPV is something the UK has never taken to, not the UFC. I'm starting to wonder if you're trolling.
I would pay £15 for each fight and thousands would but nowhere near enough to make it a sensible option. It's nowhere near mainstream in the UK, MMA doesn't even get a mention on the BBC Sport website yet sports like modern pentathlon and canoeing do.
It's a simple strategy, you keep it free until it's very popular and then you can consider PPV. Although the time difference really will make a difference to the casual fans (which will always outnumber the hardcore).
Let's see what I've said to confuse you this time!
PPV is something the UK has never taken to, not the UFC. I'm starting to wonder if you're trolling.
I would pay £15 for each fight and thousands would but nowhere near enough to make it a sensible option. It's nowhere near mainstream in the UK, MMA doesn't even get a mention on the BBC Sport website yet sports like modern pentathlon and canoeing do.
It's a simple strategy, you keep it free until it's very popular and then you can consider PPV. Although the time difference really will make a difference to the casual fans (which will always outnumber the hardcore).
Let's see what I've said to confuse you this time!
deary me peck [;)]
. c`mon peck the bbc dont even show racing these days, and i think the sport of MMA is very popular right now as i have said in previous posts. Listen peck it might not be on the up where you live but in my area and others where i have friends to inform me more youths and men are taking up MMA as a sport then sunday football.And all are hooked on watching the sport not just ufc but bamma,strikeforce etc etc. By the way trolling??.
. c`mon peck the bbc dont even show racing these days, and i think the sport of MMA is very popular right now as i have said in previous posts. Listen peck it might not be on the up where you live but in my area and others where i have friends to inform me more youths and men are taking up MMA as a sport then sunday football.And all are hooked on watching the sport not just ufc but bamma,strikeforce etc etc. By the way trolling??.
Scotty , he meant you might be taking the p!ss
Yes Scotty, no doubt you and Mehmet would pay the £15 , as would anyone who follows the sport closely, but as soon as you have it PPV here it closes the door on a lot of potential fans, and the potential fans probably still outnumber the actual ones by 10-1 .
Personally i wouldn't pay to watch it . It's a good sport , if i'm around and it's on then i'll watch it . I am more interested in it than i was a year ago and maybe i'd get to the point where i'd consider it unmissable and be happy to pay. At the moment though i am at the point where i've heard of maybe 40% of the fighters on a typical card , so having seen them before , i'm curios enough to see how they get on, then of course there will be a couple i haven't seen that i learn about , and so my interest develops. If it went PPV now though i wouldn't bother and i would lose touch with it and be back at the point where i knew nothing about it.
I first watched it in late 2008 i think, just because i was flicking through channels and it was there on a channel i had anyway (Setanta? ) . If it had gone PPV 2 years ago i can say with certainty that i would never , ever, have seen a single minute of it , and never would in the future. And thats probably true of many people who have watched it for the first time since then, including many who are now avid fans.
If it does overtake Boxing then it can all go PPV as it will be at the level where people will hear enough about it in the media and from their mates that they will want to see what they are missing, and so be prepared to pay without seeing any of it for free first.
Yes Scotty, no doubt you and Mehmet would pay the £15 , as would anyone who follows the sport closely, but as soon as you have it PPV here it closes the door on a lot of potential fans, and the potential fans probably still outnumber the actual ones by 10-1 .
Personally i wouldn't pay to watch it . It's a good sport , if i'm around and it's on then i'll watch it . I am more interested in it than i was a year ago and maybe i'd get to the point where i'd consider it unmissable and be happy to pay. At the moment though i am at the point where i've heard of maybe 40% of the fighters on a typical card , so having seen them before , i'm curios enough to see how they get on, then of course there will be a couple i haven't seen that i learn about , and so my interest develops. If it went PPV now though i wouldn't bother and i would lose touch with it and be back at the point where i knew nothing about it.
I first watched it in late 2008 i think, just because i was flicking through channels and it was there on a channel i had anyway (Setanta? ) . If it had gone PPV 2 years ago i can say with certainty that i would never , ever, have seen a single minute of it , and never would in the future. And thats probably true of many people who have watched it for the first time since then, including many who are now avid fans.
If it does overtake Boxing then it can all go PPV as it will be at the level where people will hear enough about it in the media and from their mates that they will want to see what they are missing, and so be prepared to pay without seeing any of it for free first.
Though even there i think the PPV events would need to be Europe based or else involve a British Fighter in America who had become a household name.
no chance of it being a success in the uk
as great as i think it is, its a minority sport, just because you've got some mates who like it doesn't mean its a great idea
temp is 100% right on this
the numbers just don't add up
as great as i think it is, its a minority sport, just because you've got some mates who like it doesn't mean its a great idea
temp is 100% right on this
the numbers just don't add up
thanks, tobe not up to speed on all nerdy computer talk.
peck you ever thought of taking up MMA ? you would be welcome to attend my gym in the north east area anytime.
peck you ever thought of taking up MMA ? you would be welcome to attend my gym in the north east area anytime.
Thank you for the offer. A debilitating back injury means I can do little more than ride an exercise bike or cross trainer at the moment.
I've no intention of taking up MMA anyway. Before screwing up my back, I half-toyed with the idea of heading off to learn BJJ or maybe do some sort of MMA for fitness purposes but I have no intention of letting anyone hit me in the head so would never have taken it up properly.
I've no intention of taking up MMA anyway. Before screwing up my back, I half-toyed with the idea of heading off to learn BJJ or maybe do some sort of MMA for fitness purposes but I have no intention of letting anyone hit me in the head so would never have taken it up properly.
ahhh shame,id have loved nothing more than to put you in a triangle peck.
mehmet j mook Joined: 05 Apr 08
Replies: 1609 04 Oct 10 23:03
ahhh shame,id have loved nothing more than to put you in a triangle peck.
Replies: 1609 04 Oct 10 23:03
ahhh shame,id have loved nothing more than to put you in a triangle peck.
Ditto Mook. Sorry to hear about that peck. I had protuding disc in lower back was a nightmare plenty of diclofenic and training programe to build muscle in the area sorted it out tho. Have been watching TUF 4 on espn classic think its 4 with Serra & Hughes just have to say what a arrogant pricck Matt Hughes is i hate that guy .
Thanks. I have a prolapsed disc which has caused permanent muscle damage in my left leg. Just been a few months so need to step up cardio work and then working on strengthening other leg muscles to compensate for the damaged ones. Also need to start doing some core work or pilates. Then, some time after, I can hopefully run again and then maybe I'll work on my triangle defence in case I bump into MM!
Thankfully the pain's gone as that was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I couldn't even lie down, let alone walk.
Thankfully the pain's gone as that was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I couldn't even lie down, let alone walk.
then maybe I'll work on my triangle defence in case I bump into MM!
Whatch out for the flying armbar peck, that would really fuke that back up! I belive that pilates and yogo are the best remady for a bad back the (GFs mother does both and i can tell yeh she is very flexable!) combined with the right strength an conditioning you should have that submission defence up to speed in no time.
Whatch out for the flying armbar peck, that would really fuke that back up! I belive that pilates and yogo are the best remady for a bad back the (GFs mother does both and i can tell yeh she is very flexable!) combined with the right strength an conditioning you should have that submission defence up to speed in no time.
Anyone yhink they can pick the winner of this seasons TUF? il let you no my pick in a few weeks
Shame Aarron Wilkinson didnt want it in that 3rd round the other guy came out fighting where as (English) to me looked like he came out for the 3rd thinkin how tired he was, still was a great 1st round for him and he certainly gave GSPs team a shock yet again the yanks underestimate the brits in TUF, hope he gets the wild card and does the wolfslair proud . Mike Tyson in attendance was cool looking at him now though he looks a shadow of his former self GSP looked bigger when they where side by side! why is it all former heavyweight boxers fall by the wayside? look at big frank bruno and whats happend to him
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