Comments on: Should Tito Ortiz have won the decision at UFC 106?

By: The Gaijin

The Gaijin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:47:52 +0000

“People don’t typically get together for free events like the one on CBS or Couture vs. Vera….”

That’s ridiculous…people do it for all types of sporting events – 99% of which are for free.

You really believe on a Saturday night that people wouldn’t have all gone to a buddy’s house to watch the Fedor or Randy fight? Plz.

By: Zack

Zack — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:33:14 +0000

I’m not sure what high school seniors do, but the biggest crowd I ever had at my house for fights was Kimbo/Thompson. I also had a healthy crowd for Fedor/Rogers.

By: 45 Huddle

45 Huddle — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:27:13 +0000

People don’t typically get together for free events like the one on CBS or Couture vs. Vera….

By: The Gaijin

The Gaijin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:35:25 +0000

So the CBS rating was also a deceiving rating due to the “get together” theory?

By: 45 Huddle

45 Huddle — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:14:34 +0000

Ivan,

1) What other network would be better? I highly doubt ESPN wants the WEC. They didn’t want Bellator…

2) Do you think the top WEC fighters should go into the UFC?

By: 45 Huddle

45 Huddle — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:12:32 +0000

I believe that rating is deceiving. People get together for UFC PPV events. That would cut down on the number of houses for the ratings. Either way, it wouldn’t be a blockbuster rating, but the ratings do likely suffer somewhat from it….

By: Ivan Trembow

Ivan Trembow — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:12:23 +0000

The WEC’s events often draw less than 1,000 paid fans in Las Vegas. In addition, one of their biggest events of the year, headlined by Mike Brown vs. Jose Aldo, only drew 414,000 viewers on Versus. So now they’re drawing less viewers than they were two years ago, and it’s not just because of DirecTV, as they were drawing those kinds of weak numbers even before they lost DirecTV.

Those same featherweight and bantamweight fighters, who are among the best in the world in their weight classes, could draw far greater ticket sales, TV ratings, and yes, even PPV buyrates if they were properly promoted on a cable network that doesn’t consider you its #1 show when you manage to draw 500,000 viewers.

If Zuffa’s reasoning for the WEC fighters’ pay (which is shamefully low for some of the best fighters in the world) is, “Well, they’re not drawing right now!” that’s not a valid reason because that is a problem of their own creation and of their own choosing.

By: Zack

Zack — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:13:35 +0000

Prelims on Spike did a 1.0 rating and 1.3 million viewers.

Source: http://www.wrestlingobserver.com

By: Fluyid

Fluyid — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:58:06 +0000

Kizer is missing out on revenue for the state by not enforcing that rule!

Also, this ain’t great: “WEC 44 draws 1,132 paid, 1,845 total, 39% comps, $131,200 gate.”

Any word on how many PPVs were sold?

By: Ivan Trembow

Ivan Trembow — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:49:32 +0000

Paid attendance: 6,631

Comp attendance: 3,898

Empty seats: 223

Value of tickets sold: $3,003,250

Value of tickets given away for free: $2,331,250