Following a sport that sees the majority of events placed on pay-per-view can be pretty expensive. That’s probably no secret to anyone reading this site. We drop money month after month to watch events, especially if you’re not one of the people that feels that being a fan entitles you to steal events via illegal streams.
But I’ve never been struck with the inspiration to sit down and do the math on exactly how much it costs to keep up with the promotion. Luckily, Ben Fowlkes at MMA Fighting did it for me:
If you had stayed home all by your lonesome and paid for every single event without any friends or even sympathetic, MMA-loving acquaintances to pitch in, you’d have spent $800 just on UFC events in 2011. Of course, that doesn’t count the cost of monthly cable (which you need in order to watch those Spike TV or Versus events, not to mention the prelims before each pay-per-view) or monthly internet access (which you need in order to watch the Facebook prelims and, you know, read this article).
But let’s be realistic. Very few people are laying down the dough for each and every pay-per-view all by themselves. For the sake of argument, let’s say you had three friends who were just as fanatical about seeing every single pay-per-view. Let’s say the four of you split each one equally. Then you’re looking at $12.50 a pay-per-view, and $200 on the year (not counting snacks, drinks, and carpet cleaner for when your friends inevitably get drunk and spill some snacks on your floor)
There is much more in the piece. Including going on to mention the cost in terms of time also. It’s really incredible (sad?) to realize just how much time a hardcore fan like those who frequent this site (and those who run it) invest into the sport.
Day after day, dollar after dollar, it all adds up before you even have time to let it sink in.
About the author
