Bellator 199 averages 453k viewers on paramount

Well if UFC 224 only sold 85K PPV that means Bader/Mo had 5x the eyeballs on it (in the USA at least) than whatever fight was happening on UFC 224 at the time.
The UFC prelims beat out Bellator's main card on paramount. 85k prelims is still more valuable (profit wise) than 450k viewers.
 
That's quite a conundrum. Main problem is Viacom owns them so it has to be a Viacom channel and they do not have CBS any more. Maybe MTV for the youth audience but I do not think MTV viewers want non-reality programming anymore.

They would die on MTV
But if they move to CMT, they would have to drastically cut budget to survive.
 
Streaming numbers are so low they barely matter
I remember Meltzer reporting on them a few months ago & it was nowhere near 100k (like 10-30k)

MMA is in a slump. That goes for both companies.

Regarding network:
Spike was not a sports channel either, but they did better.
The issue with Bellator is the ratings are down & they are spending more. Viacom lost money with Bellator in 2017.
The rumored CMT move might be a reality.
Its kinda hard to say spike wasnt a sports channel, ,maybe not in the traditional sense but still. They showed Boxing and were the home of the UFC for a long time. Spike did have a "sports feel" at least.

Maybe they rebrand CMT at the end of the year and turn it more into a spike type channel. I remember bellator on MTV2 and no one watched it. It needs to be on a channel people at least associate sports with.

Have you heard anything about why they tape delay and if that has had any impact? I assume for ratings as going on at 9 is more appealing but I think they miss the fact that anyone watching MMA on the west coast is used to it starting at 6pm.
 
Well if UFC 224 only sold 85K PPV that means Bader/Mo had 5x the eyeballs on it (in the USA at least) than whatever fight was happening on UFC 224 at the time.

I get your point, but you are assuming only 1 person watched every PPV buy.

The last study on PPV had 4-6 people per view, with larger fights having more
 
Its kinda hard to say spike wasnt a sports channel, ,maybe not in the traditional sense but still. They showed Boxing and were the home of the UFC for a long time. Spike did have a "sports feel" at least.

Maybe they rebrand CMT at the end of the year and turn it more into a spike type channel. I remember bellator on MTV2 and no one watched it. It needs to be on a channel people at least associate sports with.

Have you heard anything about why they tape delay and if that has had any impact? I assume for ratings as going on at 9 is more appealing but I think they miss the fact that anyone watching MMA on the west coast is used to it starting at 6pm.

CMT is a very strong brand
They are very advertiser friendly for those they brand too & have that niche covered.
They won't rebrand for Bellator

Meltzer, Coker & Viacom all addressed the tape delay (west coast), they said they feel it is better to air Bellator in primetime than at 5-6pm .
Since they are not a live sports station, they would have to jumble their line-up around Bellator & sadly Bellator is not that important to Viacom.

Remember that Bellator was bought so Viacom can have cheap programming on low viewer nights (Fri/Sat)
Now Paramount Network is making a play to be a top tier station so the fit is tougher
 
CMT is a very strong brand
They are very advertiser friendly for those they brand too & have that niche covered.
They won't rebrand for Bellator

Meltzer, Coker & Viacom all addressed the tape delay (west coast), they said they feel it is better to air Bellator in primetime than at 5-6pm .
Since they are not a live sports station, they would have to jumble their line-up around Bellator & sadly Bellator is not that important to Viacom.

Remember that Bellator was bought so Viacom can have cheap programming on low viewer nights (Fri/Sat)
Now Paramount Network is making a play to be a top tier station so the fit is tougher
Coker and Co need to talk to the UFC and FS1 then since it doesnt seem to hurt their numbers at all. It is so frustrating I cant even begin to explain it. Tape delaying any sport is just retarded with all the streaming options available. I guess at least they made it available live thru the app so I shouldnt bitch too much
 
Coker and Co need to talk to the UFC and FS1 then since it doesnt seem to hurt their numbers at all. It is so frustrating I cant even begin to explain it. Tape delaying any sport is just retarded with all the streaming options available. I guess at least they made it available live thru the app so I shouldnt bitch too much

That is not Coker's call, but Viacoms
Of course Coker would want it live, but Viacom makes the call.

The difference is Fox views UFC as a major sports entity.
Viacom see's Bellator as cheap programming
 
How important is it to build the TV fanbase in the UK?

“The London fight is on a Friday and traditionally we air in the UK on a Saturday. Dublin’s on a Friday, we air on Saturday. Belfast the same. Things are loosening up a little where we can start to make more events that are going to be live. Especially the ones that we do here, they should be live. Sport is made to be live. You can’t watch something three hours later already knowing the results, it’s not the same experience. But we have to respect our overseas partners as well."There are a lot of deals all over the world trying to make everyone happy. Paramount would have to air our shows at noon if it was live here, on a Friday. So how does that work? We’re trying to figure it out between the app, the website, and the platforms and trying to make it work. It’s a complicated web, we’re talking 150 countries around the world that we have to answer to including the main company. And that’s Paramount Network.”


Is there prospect of two or more UK and Ireland events after Bellator 200?

“Yeah, I think so. The commitment to the UK is still extremely strong. We’re healthy and robust in the UK market. I think you’ll see a lot of fights this year. How many? Maybe a couple. But they’ll be a lot of fights next year as well.”


It seems like V iacom is more focused on the UK and foreign markets and trying to build a presence.They are still trying to figure out the tape delay problems between all the platforms but are atleast trying I guess.The UFC wasn't making money for many years before it finally gained profits I'm sure Viacom isn't naive enough to think it'd be a moneymaker in its first couple years as a real #2 org.

I'm sure they aren't excited that their more expensive shows aren't doing better numbers but if you look at the viewership losses across the bored the numbers Bellator are seeing aren't surprising when you add in the tape delays,rebranding channels,etc.They are also putting on quite a few cards with very little name talent im positive they don't expect much from these shows.

Bellator also has a much smaller staff to work with to organize and adjust things as you can tell they still seem like they are figuring out a good formula for everyone because they have alot of broadcast partners to make happy and it seems they are struggling to figure it out.

I've personally enjoyed every show I just wish tape delay would go away.
 
Reports are UFC ppv did under 100,000 buys......

Like 85,000 worst numbers in 10 years!!

Numbers are down across the board and bellator definitely had an effect on an already uber weak UFC card.
 
I get your point, but you are assuming only 1 person watched every PPV buy.

The last study on PPV had 4-6 people per view, with larger fights having more
Plus the local posters who watch everything for "free" .
 
Reports are UFC ppv did under 100,000 buys......

Like 85,000 worst numbers in 10 years!!

Numbers are down across the board and bellator definitely had an effect on an already uber weak UFC card.
TBH its crappy reports from a unreliable source. I would wait for Metlzer's numbers.
 
And two playoffs of two major sports
Basketball had no games going Saturday night.

I know hockey had a game that was before the card with Las Vegas vs somebody (I'm a fairweather blackhawks hoxkey fan that isn't following) not sure if it had any head to head games going against itm
 
The goal needs to be to land a TV deal.... Premium network like NBC, ABC, CBS like strikeforce had.

Problem with that is that would against every reason of why Viacom bought Bellator, cheap sports programming on nights that traditionally do poor ratings and programming that attracts the key audience when it comes to advertising.

I've said it before on here...........being owned by your media provider in North America is a double edge sword because chances are high you'll never be able to cash in on the most lucrative TV market in the world. Not too mention, if that said media provider can replace you with cheaper programming that can draw better ratings your days are probably numbered.

It really seems like 2018 is the make or break year for Bellator/Viacom/Paramount and so far it isn't looking that great on the surface. I think Frankie is right predicting Bellator move to CMT and chances are extremely high the operating budget gets axed way down.
 
The UFC prelims beat out Bellator's main card on paramount. 85k prelims is still more valuable (profit wise) than 450k viewers.
Bellator prelims did 605k between Paramount and CMT.
UFC did 574k

UFC is dying bro.
 
Bellator prelims did 605k between Paramount and CMT.
UFC did 574k

UFC is dying bro.
A couple people have explained this before but I will again. The only ratings that matter for Bellator, currently, are paramount. The CMT views are basically standby viewers. That means the viewers are mostly people who forget to turn the channel and just keep it on CMT for most of the day. There Is no discernable difference in CMT viewership with or without bellator on, so its useless to a advertiser currently.
 
The goal needs to be to land a TV deal.... Premium network like NBC, ABC, CBS like strikeforce had.

if they cant get a decent audience on UFC's original home what is a network like cbs going to do with them?
 
A couple people have explained this before but I will again. The only ratings that matter for Bellator, currently, are paramount. The CMT views are basically standby viewers. That means the viewers are mostly people who forget to turn the channel and just keep it on CMT for most of the day. There Is no discernable difference in CMT viewership with or without bellator on, so its useless to a advertiser currently.
Whether the views matter or not, is it not possible they take away from some of Paramounts? There's at least a few MMA fans who watched the event on that channel.
 
Problem with that is that would against every reason of why Viacom bought Bellator, cheap sports programming on nights that traditionally do poor ratings and programming that attracts the key audience when it comes to advertising.

I've said it before on here...........being owned by your media provider in North America is a double edge sword because chances are high you'll never be able to cash in on the most lucrative TV market in the world. Not too mention, if that said media provider can replace you with cheaper programming that can draw better ratings your days are probably numbered.

It really seems like 2018 is the make or break year for Bellator/Viacom/Paramount and so far it isn't looking that great on the surface. I think Frankie is right predicting Bellator move to CMT and chances are extremely high the operating budget gets axed way down.
Remember that these big tentpole events bring the biggest attendance numbers. Bellator holds them in key cities where the namebrand guys are... money making gates
 
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