- Joined
- Jan 11, 2010
- Messages
- 24,279
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Overall interest is through the floor and that is across the board. The PPV buys, ancillary shows like Ultimate Fighter, big Fox, FS1, all of it has been spiraling ratings.
I live in a large metropolitan area and very few people are aware of anything going on with the UFC. I've been to bars/restaurants playing a UFC PPV for less than a dozen people. The average age UFC viewer is up and it doesn't seem they have figured out how to attract new, young fans.
ESPN might make a dent in this, just from sheer volume of exposure to general sports fans. I have a hard time seeing around the insistence on $65 PPV events with the best fights all year long however. WME made a tremendous deal with ESPN, but long term they will have to address the fact that less and less people (especially young people) are interested in their product.
I live in a large metropolitan area and very few people are aware of anything going on with the UFC. I've been to bars/restaurants playing a UFC PPV for less than a dozen people. The average age UFC viewer is up and it doesn't seem they have figured out how to attract new, young fans.
ESPN might make a dent in this, just from sheer volume of exposure to general sports fans. I have a hard time seeing around the insistence on $65 PPV events with the best fights all year long however. WME made a tremendous deal with ESPN, but long term they will have to address the fact that less and less people (especially young people) are interested in their product.