You can get too much of a good thing. Try listening to your favourite song on a loop for a few days or eating your favourite meal every day for a couple of months, and you’ll eventually begin to appreciate the value of novelty.
As the UFC looks to increase its already-hectic schedule, with 35 events planned for 2014, some within the MMA media are questioning whether Dana White and Co. have eroded fan interest by flooding the market with their product.
On the surface, dwindling television ratings and pay-per-view numbers would seem to suggest that the sheer volume of content has exhausted the fanbase.
According to MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer, UFC 165 generated a relatively paltry 300,000 buys, while UFC 166 is estimated to have fared only marginally better.
One would ordinarily expect events headlined by stars such as Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez to be good for at least 450,000-500,000 buys.
UFC 165 had a built-in excuse for its disappointing showing, coming on the heels of the blockbuster Mayweather vs. Alvarez PPV, which pulled in 2.2 million buys at $65 to $75 a pop.
More surprising, at least at first glance, was the lack of interest in UFC 166’s rubber match between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
Add the UFC’s recent television ratings to the mix and, predictably, certain media members have been quick to declare their suspicions of market saturation confirmed.
In order to make sense of this apparent downward trend, one has to understand the surrounding context.
The UFC’s business model is based on promoting its PPVs on free television. Of course, a great deal more goes into marketing upcoming events, but the bulk of the promotion uses free content as its vehicle.
With the move to the fledgling Fox Sports 1 network, the UFC’s television ratings have taken an inevitable hit.
It takes time for a new network to establish itself in the general consciousness. It’s the nature of the beast. Despite being in a comparable number of homes, Fox Sports 1 was never going to immediately draw the same kind of numbers as FX and Spike.
The net result of the move is that there are fewer eyeballs on UFC’s product, which directly impacts the organisation’s ability to promote its premium content.
Unquestionably, the UFC’s schedule is also a contributing factor. With an event taking place every other week, consumers are forced to be more selective. The average fan’s disposable income is not infinitely elastic, nor is his attention.
More events means fewer PPV sales and lower television ratings on average, but the aggregate numbers tell a different story—and the year’s biggest events are still to come.
MMA fans possess an attitude that is almost unique in the sports world. Indeed, I can’t think of another fanbase that complains about getting too much of its favourite sport.
Consider soccer for a moment.
In any given week, there are likely to be 20-30 matches from the various top leagues televised live. That’s not to mention the various highlight shows, panel shows, result shows, etc.
Where are all the disgruntled soccer fans? Please, someone point these malcontents out to me. I can’t wait to meet them. While you’re at it, find me a unicorn.
Let’s be clear, though. There is a difference between lamenting too much content and expressing concern that the UFC is spreading itself too thin.
I am sympathetic to the latter point.
The UFC’s events have become increasingly top-heavy over the past couple of years. Many fighters on the roster are simply not good enough to be in the UFC—or certainly wouldn’t have been three years ago.
Unfortunately, this is a symptom of the desire for growth. The UFC is not willing to wait for the talent to match its ambition.
In order to break into new markets and maintain its presence in established ones, the UFC needs to employ the Colton Smiths and Michael Chiesas of the world. Do we want the sport to remain in stasis while we wait for tomorrow’s stars, or do we want its continued growth to spur the development of fresh talent?
Sure, we might get the occasional card littered with sub-UFC-level fighters, but is that really such a hardship given what’s at stake?
So, how much is too much? At what number of events do I draw the line? To borrow a quote from Josh Brolin’s character in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, “More.”
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com