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The latest on Setanta trying to save itself
By Zach Arnold | June 11, 2009
UFC’s UK boss says that UFC 99 will air as scheduled on Setanta Sports. As far as programming afterwards, nobody is sure. MMA Unlimited reported that UFC draws around 250,000 viewers on Setanta versus the 100,000 they used to get on Bravo.
Meanwhile, there are several UK reports that Setanta is looking to sell its international operations (that are reportedly profitable) to get an infusion of a couple of hundred million dollars in cash. However, it may simply be not enough to cover upcoming payments to various creditors.
Media outlets in London expect that the final word on Setanta’s future will be determined by this weekend.
- Reuters: Disney’s ESPN says no current plan to buy Setanta
- The Canadian Press: UFC forced to explain MMA in Germany
- The Guardian: ESPN rules out Setanta bid – blow to Setanta founders in averting administration
Topics: MMA, Media, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
White said on twitter today it’d be either Setanta or Bravo. However, I’m wondering if it defaulted to Bravo, would it be shown live? All previous Bravo broadcasts were delayed by at least a day.
Faber/Brown II did a strong rating on Versus. Question: Does this dispell the talking point of “Its Versus’ fault the WEC ratings are bad”? They now have two big statistical outliers with the same name on the top of the card.
I can’t find the ratings info.
Plus you never returned my mail as you promised last week.
Sorry about that. Busy times here in my household. Really busy.
The numbers come from YOUKNOWWHO, so I’m told as a nonsubscriber. But they seem pretty legit. Supposedly UFC 98 is trending really high too. Then again, the number we get for the trending is always the high figure.
MMA Unlimited reported that UFC draws around 250,000 viewers on Setanta versus the 100,000 they used to get on Bravo
That isn’t correct. Most of the ppv shows on Setanta draw around 20-60,000 viewers. UFC 98 drew 46,000 viewers live.
http://www.barb.co.uk for ratings #s.
it’s worth pointing out that the bravo vs setanta ratings isn’t apples vs apples:
- a lot more people have bravo than have setanta (one of the basic Sky packages vs a premium subscription channel).
- As Si says, setanta show all the events live (ie the US events in the wee hours of the morning) and then repeat them at more reasonable hours during the week. obviously the German event this weekend is at normal hour.
- Bravo showed them at a sensible hour in the evening on the sunday after, not live.
So without some more context all those ratings might be a little misleading… are we counting re-runs, US event or UK event etc…
Dana White’s twitter;
“Hang tight we will be on tv. Either setanta or bravo. We are working on it”
So it looks like they realize Setanta is probably not an option.
I can’t find the WEC rating on the WO site.
I can’t find the WEC rating on the WO site.
Give it time. You’ll know when its up because Mike Rome will post about it.
[...] Setanta staying on air until at least Sunday and everyone making weight, it looks like UFC 99 is all set to go in Cologne, Germany. That’s [...]