Can Someone Explain the Economics of Dana White's Desperation to Hold Fights

[Tyler Durden]

There is no competition because all other sports are going along with the governors and health officials. UFC is going to ridiculous lengths to get around the rules and contrary to getting new fans, I think they'll get hammered in the press for it instead.

Ohh this is definitely short term thinking. Any thoughts of being viewed as a major sports company has gone out the window. UFC is just whoring themselves out now.

 

[Captain Herb]

Ohh this is definitely short term thinking. Any thoughts of being viewed as a major sports company has gone out the window. UFC is just whoring themselves out now.

Totally, and the idea that your average sports fan is going to buy a $70 PPV because there is nothing else on is just dumb, it's not going to happen. More likely they're going to resent MMA because why is this shit happening when MLB, NBA, and NHL are shut down?

 

[Tyler Durden]

Totally, and the idea that your average sports fan is going to buy a $70 PPV because there is nothing else on is just dumb, it's not going to happen. More likely they're going to resent MMA because why is this shit happening when MLB, NBA, and NHL are shut down?

Exactly!
Good luck promoting JG vs Tony on 10 days notice. What a shit show.

 

[kflo]

Dana is trying to be this maverick where rest of the sports world is shutting down but the big bad ufc is going on. The reality is the ufc isn’t on the level of the major organizations of the world. The NY Knicks alone is worth more than the UFC*. Steve Balmer who owns the Clipper is also worth 50 plus billion and just bought the Forum for 400 million in cash. The UFC is not on the level and will never be that level, that is why they pay their fighters peanuts. They need to keep these events going so they can function.

what's the point of mentioning steve balmer's net worth?

why do people always feel the need to knock mma or the ufc by comparing to other sports?

 

[Captain Herb]

Exactly!
Good luck promoting JG vs Tony on 10 days notice. What a shit show.

 

[dangerousD]

He has zero competition right now and can see this as chance to cash in.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Well summed up

 

[burningspear]

To be fair if he doesn’t get his guys fights they don’t eat. Football players make their money whether they play half or a full season, not to mention right how’s the off season anyway. Dana probably has tons of guys who safe gonna be in major need of money real fast

What? Everyone is on lockdown? Most can't earn. What sort of social security do you have? The government can't let you starve?

 

[donkeyjr]

Ppl who think the ppv sells is going to break record because of the pandemic... They won't even break 600k ppv buy unless its Conor.

 

[grimballer]

Just shows how much of an egomaniac Dana is.

Btw this is potential pr nightmare for ufc.

if anybody gets sick or a sick fighter infects other fighters or ufc personnel Dana will be responsible n could be removed from his duties.

 

[Doughie99]

B/c there are currently like NO live sports going on right now. If Dana can show UFC events every weekend......even if they are free, he's going to get people, who normally don't watch the UFC, to tune in. It's a huge opportunity for him to grab some new "fans" and viewers who might become paying customers in the future.

It's like giving away a free 1-2 months of your product hoping people will enjoy it and pay for it later. And, as I mentioned he has ZERO competition right now. Heck, gamblers are betting on simulated games and eSports b/c there is no live gambling and gamblers gotta get their fix too!!

Put it this way.....sit at home and watch Tiger King for the 4th time or tune into some live sports liek the UFC?

This is pretty much basically it I think.

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

90% of ufc fighters make minimum wage level money.

they can file for unemployment and get the same money

They do, but with the UFC's bullshit claim that they are "independent contractors", I don't think they even qualify for that.

 

[juanM3]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-on-plan-to-start-2020-season-as-early-as-may

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/sport/dana-white-private-island-ufc-coronavirus-spt-intl/index.html

Not surprisingly other sports are trying to figure out some way to play. Of course a fight requires a few people in close proximity, but probably less people in the area than other sports.

I don't know why people act like this is so egregious. Every company is trying to do something to keep their business going.

 

[Barteh]

He's a fight promoter. It's his job. What is so hard to understand about that?

 

[Franklin U.]

It's the only show in town( sports) and we still have another week and a half of millions going out of their minds . If this does come to fruition ( I , now , think it might just), hes banking on a few variables and the pay off will make sense which means going further ( more events) will be likely. I'm still shocked that this going to happen.

 

[LHWBelt]

I understand that he will make money from the UFC 249 ppv and any subsequent numbered UFC events on PPV, but why is he so desperate to all this from an economic standpoint. I doubt the PPVs will get enough ESPN plus subscriptions to make the effort, hassle and money spent on securing a private island to host fights worth it.

There isn't going to be any live gate money so what economic purpose do holding fight cards have? Is ESPN planning to compensate the UFC for just getting live sports back on their network?

It depends. In the long run if they keep being the only event on they'll be making money. For just UFC 249? I'm sure they're taking an L but so is every other sports org right now. It also keeps their fighters active, fulfills their contracts with them, and fulfills their contract with ESPN. Like I said if they do this thing for a few months they'll be in the green or barely in the red and when all this crap dies down they'll have kept the sport going and be set up for a big year in 2021.

 

[LiQuiD42]

I understand that he will make money from the UFC 249 ppv and any subsequent numbered UFC events on PPV, but why is he so desperate to all this from an economic standpoint. I doubt the PPVs will get enough ESPN plus subscriptions to make the effort, hassle and money spent on securing a private island to host fights worth it.

There isn't going to be any live gate money so what economic purpose do holding fight cards have? Is ESPN planning to compensate the UFC for just getting live sports back on their network?

The UFC has a lot of people that rely on it for a paycheck. The UFC will only hemorrhage money to them if they aren't making something in return. Not talking about the fighters I am talking staff. If they don't pay those people they will eventually lose them.

 

[empsim]

Its his job?

 

[EXOICHO]

Totally, and the idea that your average sports fan is going to buy a $70 PPV because there is nothing else on is just dumb, it's not going to happen. More likely they're going to resent MMA because why is this shit happening when MLB, NBA, and NHL are shut down?

I know tons of NBA fans who are gonna watch ferg/gaethje because its literally the only thing on

we're not 90 years old though so we wont be buying hte ppv but its still a lot of good attention for UFC. not everyone is gonna cry that they shouldnt be fighting.

 

[vgff]

I understand that he will make money from the UFC 249 ppv and any subsequent numbered UFC events on PPV, but why is he so desperate to all this from an economic standpoint. I doubt the PPVs will get enough ESPN plus subscriptions to make the effort, hassle and money spent on securing a private island to host fights worth it.

There isn't going to be any live gate money so what economic purpose do holding fight cards have? Is ESPN planning to compensate the UFC for just getting live sports back on their network?

ESPN pays the UFC the equivalent of 500k buys for every PPV, which they've done from the start of the ESPN deal.
the live gate is a relatively small part of UFC revenue.
they're gonna have every upcoming event on this island until things go back to normal, it's not a one-off