The UFC made history recently by signing a seven-year deal with Fox and bringing MMA to network television.
This story has been repeated over and over again, and in truth most of you reading probably know every single fact that could be mentioned at this point.
The fact that the UFC gets to broadcast four fights a year on the Fox network is huge. Most likely, they will have some title defenses and other pay-per-view main-event fights on these cards.
So, what fights should the UFC pick to use for these fights? The answer is those that take place on a global setting.
The reasons are simple and twofold.
One, it would allow people watching to see exotic locales with different fans cheering for the same sport they love.
Fans could not only watch their favorite fighters but watch them in places like Germany, Brazil, Abu Dhabi, and Ireland. It would only add to that big-fight atmosphere that the UFC usually engenders.
Hearing chants in foreign languages and seeing people half a world away wearing the same merchandise would give a global sense of community to any fans that might have felt isolated.
Overall, it would help bring the MMA community together.
The other reason? It would mean a better bottom line.
That is because, other than one or two exceptions, the UFC foreign PPVs just don’t do well. UFC 134 is coming up, and though it might do well, history shows something different.
UFC 72 did 200,000 buys.
UFC 80 did 225,000 buys.
UFC 85 did 215,000 buys.
UFC 93 did 350,000 buys.
UFC 99 did 360,000 buys.
UFC 110 did 240,000 buys.
UFC 112 broke the mold and did 500,000 buys. However, this card had two championship fights on it and included fights with Anderson Silva and BJ Penn, who are both known to be PPV attractions.
UFC 127 had BJ Penn on it and did 260,000 buys.
Other than one anomaly, UFC events abroad just can’t break the 400,000 mark. Whereas a few years ago that would have been incredible, now it’s just middling.
Of course this might have to do with the fact that the UFC continues to gain steam and will have more people buying events every subsequent year, but it might just be a little too difficult to try and sell those fights.
However the UFC has an obligation to put on so many fights abroad every year. They need to do to grow the sport and their brand.
It just might be in their best interest to let Fox foot the bills for those, though, and build up anticipation—and potential buys—for the next one.
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