Karma, UFC Charlotte on FOX worst Prelim ratings ever

[SensoriaUtopia]

Another example of WME running this into ground. I hope they keep fucking up and shitting out the UFC so they can go bankrupt and sell it to people who know how to run this.

UFC Charlotte does worst preliminary viewership numbers ever for FOX card | BJPenn.com

There has been a Fox card in the UFC every January since 2012. Look at this

4.37 mill viewers in 2012, gone down every year since now all the way down to 2.016

Fox cards are designed to bring in casual viewer to go alongwith hardcore, so this shit has gotten to the point that even the casuals are saying "We ain't interested in your bullcrap weak event".

Fuck Em

 

[kneeblock]

I don't think it's WME. Same team besides Joe Silva is making all the decisions. It's the UFC that's jumped the shark.

 

[jason73]

When you have hardcore mma fans asking who the fuck are these guys how do you think casuals are looking at the card? Casuals still think gsp is the champ and mcgregor is holding 2 belts.there has to be known names on a card to even get their attention.i eatch every card and didnt know a lot of guys on this last fox card.3 chick fights in a row killed it for me and i went and did my laundry.plus fuck starting at 130pm pacific.im willing to bet a lot of casuals who only tune in for the main card turned it on in time to see the main event and thats it

 

[Clay]

Exactly. I have watched every ufc card ppv, fight night, Fox cards everything for the past 4years and I am burned out on watching guys fight who I have no clue who they are for the first 6 or 7 fights then an ok Co main and main event. They definitely need to step it up..

 

[Wild]

I don't think it's WME. Same team besides Joe Silva is making all the decisions. It's the UFC that's jumped the shark.

This. However, WME does need to correct some things and get consumers interested again. They have failed miserably at that up til now. The fact that ratings have continued to slide since their acquisition should be major cause for concern.

 

[SensoriaUtopia]

I don't think it's WME. Same team besides Joe Silva is making all the decisions. It's the UFC that's jumped the shark.

Nah, its WME. They fired all the UFC people who where in play for marketing and recruiting. They closed down ufc offices, trimmed staff, fired hundreds of ufc people from the Fertitta regime and put their own feckless tarded crew in.

Not sure why you keep trying to take blame away from WME< its incredibly odd.

 

[SensoriaUtopia]

This. However, WME does need to correct some things and get consumers interested again. They have failed miserably at that up til now. The fact that ratings have continued to slide since their acquisition should be major cause for concern.

Its WME, read my quote of kneeblock

They fired all the marketing and sales and recruiting people from the old regime and put in their own people, this is on them.

 

[Wild]

Its WME, read my quote of kneeblock

They fired all the marketing and sales and recruiting people from the old regime and put in their own people, this is on them.

Fully acknowledge it’s been a shit show since WME purchase, but the ratings were in a steady decline prior to the sale as well. The UFC’s current oversaturated business model with a lack of stars has been going on for a couple of years now.

 

[SensoriaUtopia]

I agree wtih everything you say, but if WME is stupid enough to buy it for that cost, it was on them to do their due diligence. Also, they could have left many of the Fertitta hired UFC people in place, at least for a few years until they get their own feel for how to do this. They willingly and cold heartedly went and fired just about all the marketing, recruiting and sales people that the Fertittas had in play. So they are sinking an already sinking ship but they are making it sink faster.

I am praying they sell this thing to someone who knows what to do.

 

[kneeblock]

Nah, its WME. They fired all the UFC people who where in play for marketing and recruiting. They closed down ufc offices, trimmed staff, fired hundreds of ufc people from the Fertitta regime and put their own feckless tarded crew in.

Not sure why you keep trying to take blame away from WME< its incredibly odd.

They didn't fire them all. They gave the organization an administrative haircut as it was bloated to begin with, carrying plenty of liabilities on the staffing side that WME could make redundant. Let's not pretend Zuffa were ever some marketing geniuses. All of their biggest hits were a combination of luck and being able to pour money into black holes. The bubble is deflating on MMA interest and it's going to correct to a more sustainable level eventually. It doesn't matter who is running these companies right now. Everyone is seeing declines. But ultimately, it doesn't matter. Viewership isn't the only metric the UFC is using to extract value. They have enough revenue streams now to decrease marketing expenditures and still easily make budget and beyond every show. I believe @FrankieNYC has done a good job spelling this out.

 

[GJdeux]

I don't mind watching free fights....well truth be told they are all free for me, lol, but there are just no stars that were built lately. I don't particularly like the smack talk. It's fake for the most part and doesn't hype things for me. I would rather see how the fighters train up to the event. I guess that is what the Vblogs are for and such, but I dunno-I don't watch them, lol. It's like a movie with no character development-you just don't care if they live or die. Don't necessarily need a star, but you need to care about the fighters.

 

[Howard Moon]

As I finally finished watching the card last night, I kept thinking how this is a chore, not a pleasure.

The only UFC event I've missed in probably 12 years was a Fight Night show a couple years ago while I was stuck in camp, but the fun is definitely leaking out.

The UFC needs to cut 2/3 of the roster, and have no more than 12-15 big shows/year. They should follow the WWE model with weekly televised shows with mostly newbs and nobodies, and headline with guys in the 10-15 ranking range. This help build and expose lesser known fighters and saves PPV slots for fighters who belong on PPVs.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

They put 3 womens fights in a row on the prelims and they all sucked. Its not a coincidence

 

[SensoriaUtopia]

They put 3 womens fights in a row on the prelims and they all sucked. Its not a coincidence

Exactly, the women's fights almost always not just suck but are horrible. I went on the UG to see how they where scoring fights on the fight evnet thread and just about every poster was saying how awful the chick fights are.

those 3 chicks fights where horrendously boring, uggh

 

[nuraknu]

They didn't fire them all. They gave the organization an administrative haircut as it was bloated to begin with, carrying plenty of liabilities on the staffing side that WME could make redundant.

They fired some pretty valuable people. E.g. the social media person, who had great relationships and rapport with the fighters and a ton of other people in the business, and who promptly went to work for the Super Bowl after being cut. I think they cut a bit too much to make certain immediate financial goals, and it was bad for business all around.

 

[Sheepdog]

They didn't fire them all. They gave the organization an administrative haircut as it was bloated to begin with, carrying plenty of liabilities on the staffing side that WME could make redundant. Let's not pretend Zuffa were ever some marketing geniuses. All of their biggest hits were a combination of luck and being able to pour money into black holes. The bubble is deflating on MMA interest and it's going to correct to a more sustainable level eventually. It doesn't matter who is running these companies right now. Everyone is seeing declines. But ultimately, it doesn't matter. Viewership isn't the only metric the UFC is using to extract value. They have enough revenue streams now to decrease marketing expenditures and still easily make budget and beyond every show. I believe @FrankieNYC has done a good job spelling this out.

Zuffa was bloated but WME gave the UFC more than a haircut.

The loss of the Frittatas and Joe Silva alone fundamentally made it a different organization, especially with the bald dipshit given more power, and they did get rid of a lot of other key staff.

Zuffa was hardly a flawless machine, but whatever changes WME made, they quite clearly haven't worked.

 

[FrankieNYC]

They didn't fire them all. They gave the organization an administrative haircut as it was bloated to begin with, carrying plenty of liabilities on the staffing side that WME could make redundant. Let's not pretend Zuffa were ever some marketing geniuses. All of their biggest hits were a combination of luck and being able to pour money into black holes. The bubble is deflating on MMA interest and it's going to correct to a more sustainable level eventually. It doesn't matter who is running these companies right now. Everyone is seeing declines. But ultimately, it doesn't matter. Viewership isn't the only metric the UFC is using to extract value. They have enough revenue streams now to decrease marketing expenditures and still easily make budget and beyond every show. I believe @FrankieNYC has done a good job spelling this out.

Thanks man

I was in hospital for a bit but back
Any queries just ask

But your post was fn SPOT ON!

 

[aghof]

They didn't fire them all. They gave the organization an administrative haircut as it was bloated to begin with, carrying plenty of liabilities on the staffing side that WME could make redundant. Let's not pretend Zuffa were ever some marketing geniuses. All of their biggest hits were a combination of luck and being able to pour money into black holes. The bubble is deflating on MMA interest and it's going to correct to a more sustainable level eventually. It doesn't matter who is running these companies right now. Everyone is seeing declines. But ultimately, it doesn't matter. Viewership isn't the only metric the UFC is using to extract value. They have enough revenue streams now to decrease marketing expenditures and still easily make budget and beyond every show. I believe @FrankieNYC has done a good job spelling this out.

excellent, informative post... but I still choose to believe this decline wouldn't be happening if only Chuck and Hughes were still part of the senior executive team!

 

[sparkuri]

I haven't heard anyone mention the ongoing lawsuit, what it means for Zuffa, Dana, and WME-IMG.
I have no doubt in my mind, none, that the decline is not only as mentioned and will level out, but DIRECTLY related to the company's image both then and now, and that Dana is in his position for a strategic amount of time with a gag order, for all intents and purposes.
By stretching the trial out a decade, lawyers can point to trends rather than monopolization as a defense come trial-time, if it goes there.
In the past we NEVER would've seen popular & established UFC fighters attend other promotions' events, let alone freely be released as if there were ever any semblance of an open market.
WME didn't "run" anything into the ground.
The UFC got caught, and sold to businessman who understood the image that needed to be portrayed over the next few years.
It WILL level out(both the UFC & MMA in general), as it should. The UFC was never supposed to be as insane as it was when it was.
Although many factors are involved, if you take a step back and look at the big picture over the last ten years, it's fairly clear why what's happening is happening.
WME has brand recognition, and that's enough to build on. There's a large majority of young fighters that would still pick the UFC over Bellator for less money and no sponsors on name alone, and the company knows it and uses it.
This is a transition period, and is finally, good for the sport.
Viacom made a great move at a great time, and continue to move.
This is great for fans/consumers and fighters alike, best it's ever been really.
You still get a big show of SOME kind every month or two or three, likely aren't blowing $400 a year on PPV's, and you can catch main events on shitty cards in the passenger seat from a tablet on a trip back from wherever.
Fighters have a voice like never before, with unions and association efforts ongoing.
Fighter safety is actually and finally becoming a thing, rules are getting better.
Fighter's futures are finally being considered, thanks in no small part to veterans' efforts(E.G. Carlos Newton, Le, Fitch, Quarry, Couture, etc.)
I think about the only thing that could go better is for Rizin to have a couple more shows a year.

 

[BJJMMA]

If they want to see these ratings jump it is as simple as cutting down on the commercials and talk in between. Non-PPV events have a fight, 20 minutes of nothing and then a fight. If the fights aren’t all amazing (and they never are) it becomes a incredibly drawn out and boring. Especially when I can just catch the highlights later.

 

[SongExotic2]

If the UFC wants to get back some ratings it needs to have the women fight topless (they make the men fight topless, equality)


That right there will bring back a lot of viewers.



The real decline in the recent UFC product can all be attributed to one major thing, and I am saddened that none of you guys have mentioned it yet.


Of course I am talking about the gladiator intro!

 

[Dashabox]

Exactly, the women's fights almost always not just suck but are horrible. I went on the UG to see how they where scoring fights on the fight evnet thread and just about every poster was saying how awful the chick fights are.

those 3 chicks fights where horrendously boring, uggh

I usually try to turn my brain off during the women's fights so that I can just try to be entertained by people fighting. But sometimes I make the mistake of analyzing footwork and striking technique, control of space etc (I am no expert) and that is when I get turned off and even annoyed. They clearly are not at a level to be in the UFC, save one or two of them. The fact that you can actually have an over/under on head and arm throws says it all.

I like the idea of up and comers being on smaller cards along with women and keeping PPV and most fight nights for the top 15 to fight it out as well as a couple of feature fights with streaking fighters ranked 16 and above thrown in to build up future stars/matches.

 

[Dashabox]

If the UFC wants to get back some ratings it needs to have the women fight topless (they make the men fight topless, equality)


That right there will bring back a lot of viewers.



The real decline in the recent UFC product can all be attributed to one major thing, and I am saddened that none of you guys have mentioned it yet.


Of course I am talking about the gladiator intro!

Have you seen the topless pics of Magana (Pre-boob job) and Racquel Pennington???

My god, that could not only bankrupt the UFC but destroy any chance at future erections.

 

[BrunoMcGyver]

One of the things I like about Rizin is they don’t hold events so regularly, so it gives me something to look forward to.

With the UFC nowadays I’ll look at a card before it starts and plan on seeing 2-3 fights I really wanna watch.

Even with the Perth card next weekend (which is my home city) I’m planning on only tuning in to see the Israel Adesanya fight, a the co-main and the main. I would’ve watched a whole card just 18 months ago

 

[SensoriaUtopia]

One of the things I like about Rizin is they don’t hold events so regularly, so it gives me something to look forward to.

With the UFC nowadays I’ll look at a card before it starts and plan on seeing 2-3 fights I really wanna watch.

Even with the Perth card next weekend (which is my home city) I’m planning on only tuning in to see the Israel Adesanya fight, a the co-main and the main. I would’ve watched a whole card just 18 months ago

The Perth card is more proof of how WME is running this into the ground. That is a 65 dollar ppv and not only does it look like a fox card, it looks like a below average fox card to be honest. Great main event, but the other 4 fights are absymal for a PPV you want people to pay good money on. LOL Hunt vs Blades is co main? Blades may end up deserving to co main a PPV but not at this time.

When you let a lot of top talent leave like Gegard, Rory, Lorenz etc...and you tie up just about every champ you have in weird illogical fights, this is what you get. LOL at any person that orders this shit. The next PPV after that, Edgar and Holloway is also a terrible ppv card.