The Challenge of Primetime

by Michael Rome on Mar 3, 2008 12:54 PM EST in News

Dave Meltzer reports Zuffa's company line on the CBS deal:

There was definitely a lot of talk regarding the CBS/Pro Elite deal from people at Zuffa. The line, since it was repeated often, is that they don't believe enough people will watch the first show, noting how Saturday Night's Main Event in a similar time slot with the far more popular WWE didn't do well.

I think this talking point has a lot of salience. The WWE has weekly mainstream TV with millions of total viewers. They heavily hyped their first show, and ended up doing a 3.11, followed by a 2.65. The deal has gone completely sour since then, and it has been acknowledged as a ratings disaster.

Now, consider that UFC's highest overall rating for a TV show ever is a 3.1, a number considered a disaster by NBC. Can Elite XC top UFC's highest number ever on their first show?

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Re: The Challenge of Primetime

The move from Showtime to network television is different than the move from basic cable to network. By and large, the people who would be able to watch WWE on network television are able to watch it every week on basic cable for three hours (on USA and Sci-Fi) and for another two hours every friday night on network television (CW at present), actually.

I'm getting away from the point I want to make, so I'll wrap this up by saying the fact that the MMA market is not oversaturated will work into EXC's favor when they make the move to network television.

But to the question of "can EliteXC do a better rating than UFC's highest rated show?" The answer is "maybe." It will be a matter of a couple yet to be addressed issues. The first is promotion for the show, which is a huge question. The other rather obvious issue is the card, and more specifically, whether or not Kimbo Slice will be fighting Ken Shamrock. As silly as the fight may seem to some MMA purists, the fight will do business. Going back to that highest rated UFC event of all time, the main event was, of course, Shamrock v. Ortiz 3. Aside from brining in Tito Ortiz or Randy Couture, Shamrock represents the biggest drawing card who can face EliteXC's current biggest drawing card.

A failure to get that match done doesn't close the door on EliteXC's chances to surpass a 3.1 rating on CBS, but it puts a lot of pressure on Kimbo. Or, more accurately, it will really show what exactly the Kimbo Slice brand means in the mainstream. Maybe that's the better move, to put Kimbo v. whomever other than Shamrock in the first show on CBS, see where you stand, and then put Kimbo v. Shamrock or Kimbo v. Ortiz on the second CBS show. That's the advantage EliteXC has with CBS being on the hook for four events.

Then again, it was rightly pointed out that a 3.1 on network TV is lousy, so while surpassing that figure would allow Gary Shaw to thumb his nose at Dana White, it would allow Dana to, quite rightly, tell us "I told you so" regarding doing "stupid deals" on network television.

by Brett Jones on Mar 3, 2008 1:21 PM EST 0 recs

Re: The Challenge of Primetime

With Elite talking about the first show on CBS being in April/May I think it was? They will fail miserably IMO. This is why..

#1. Their fanbase is VERY small
#2. Their promotional hype machine pails to the UFC's hype machine
#3. Who will sit through 3-4 fights just to watch Kimbo fight Shamrock?

Think about it...even on the UFC shows on Spike...Tito/Shamrock...the number's for that show were mediocre up until that fight came on...

by Tha Realness on Mar 3, 2008 3:08 PM EST 0 recs

Re: The Challenge of Primetime

Counterpoints:

Going to network television opens up a completely new fanbase. Their current fanbase will be irrelevant. This event will be the first time a lot of people have ever even had the opportunity to see mma. That is who the average viewer is going to be. Either a completely new audience or a very "casual fan" (oxymoron, I know). This is on top of all the normal EXC fans and even detractors who will watch out of curiosity to see if the event flops.
EXC's promotions department will be supplemented by the audience that CBS can reach along with probably some of CBS's other advantages. CBS will not want this investment to fail.
New fans. See point 1. Of course the finale will be the highest rated but the event as a whole will have viewers due in part for no other reason than the spectacle it is.

by Simco on Mar 3, 2008 5:22 PM EST up 0 recs

Re: The Challenge of Primetime

I think Dana is rightly cautious about such a deal. Without the perfect deal, a bomb rating for UFC would badly hurt its reputation. He may be right that a bud light sponsorship and more time to break out is needed before a primetime TV deal.

I suspect that the HBO deal may be back on the table given showtime's increase in subscriptions as a result of Elite XC.

by Michael Rome on Mar 3, 2008 3:30 PM EST 0 recs

Re: The Challenge of Primetime

Also I agree Shamrock/Kimbo is their best chance to do it. However, recall that Ortiz/Shamrock had an entire season of TUF at its highest ratings ever to hype it, and lots of TV hype. I find it hard to believe this show breaks a 2.5.

by Michael Rome on Mar 3, 2008 3:34 PM EST 0 recs