Early reports have 121 slightly over 1 mil buys

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/10/28/1780310/early-reports-have-ufc-121-breaking-1-million-pay-per-view-buys

Obviously not a certain fact yet, but a decent bit lower than I expected. I was thinking about 1.4

Yeah I heard some people saying 1.8.

Crazy let down. I thought it would be #1 or top 3, maybe 5, ever.

I wonder how much buys they could get if they fully stacked a card.

say

Cain vs JDS
Silva vs GSP
Evans vs Rua
Diaz vs Sanchez

I said it shortly after UFC 100... MMA on PPV has peaked. 1.5 will never be hit again and we might as well get used to dwindling or stagnant numbers from here to the end of time.

LTFG wrote:

I said it shortly after UFC 100... MMA on PPV has peaked. 1.5 will never be hit again and we might as well get used to dwindling or stagnant numbers from here to the end of time.

I think in a few years every UFC PPV will do 1 million views or more.

I disagree LTFG. We are in a progressive holding pattern, but as boxing, baseball, and other traditional sports continue to decline, while MMA gets more exposure, I think we will see a slow ascent of regular PPV numbers until they figure out yearly mega-cards. As of now, New Years, Superbowl weekend and the 4th of July weekend seem to be the "big cards". But it will eventually get to the point of general acceptance by the average TV viewer and start garnering more PPV numbers. In the next 5 years, I can see the UFC hitting a 3 million PPV buy rate for a mega-card. Plus that doesn't include forms of revenue such as DVD/Blu-ray sales, ancillary merchandise (toys, mags, etc.), and sponsorships.

Andrew is a Zuffa pr agent.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

I disagree LTFG. We are in a progressive holding pattern, but as boxing, baseball, and other traditional sports continue to decline, while MMA gets more exposure, I think we will see a slow ascent of regular PPV numbers until they figure out yearly mega-cards. As of now, New Years, Superbowl weekend and the 4th of July weekend seem to be the "big cards". But it will eventually get to the point of general acceptance by the average TV viewer and start garnering more PPV numbers. In the next 5 years, I can see the UFC hitting a 3 million PPV buy rate for a mega-card. Plus that doesn't include forms of revenue such as DVD/Blu-ray sales, ancillary merchandise (toys, mags, etc.), and sponsorships.

Meh, I think it's hit the ceiling as it will likely never garner mainstream acceptance and the PPV numbers will do precisely what they've done for the better part of this year. We will see 1 mil or so for every bigt time card involving the most hyped name in the sport during that time, and the rest will do 450-750 with the occasional 800-900. The TV show that was supposed to help aid its growth has jumped the shark and Dana doesn't appear to have a real solid plan in place to do anything else to bring new and fresh eyes to the sport. Boxing with it's rich history has only hit 2 mil once, and it does have mainstream acceptance. In order for MMA to ever hit those kind of numbers they will have to go through a major image overhaul along with adding and keeping fans with a willingness to shell out $50 a month. Individual sales are dropping due to more and more people heading to bars or grouping up with a bunch of guys to do PPV's. Talking to a pretty large group of solid fans (New and old) over the last year, many are telling me the sport is losing its luster and they aren't following as close and are willing to only pay if the card has big time names and match-ups. The pulse of the people has spoken... For now.

I hear you, but I also think the sport has really only started to make a dent in the market. Showtime and HBO both figure prominently for boxing, as does ESPN. When ESPN gets rid of all the old farts sitting around, discussing baseball stats from the 1938 New York Yankees and pushing that antiquated sport out of the way, I think you will see a major shift in demographics. You also fail to note that as the fan base gets older, they will stick to the sport like the baseball guys, but we will continue to gain fans as today's 12 year old kids become tomorrow's most sought after demographic. It all adds up to bigger numbers in the future.

BTW, I watch PPVs with friends and family. DW has said for years that PPV is based on a bunch guys sitting around, throwing in some money for the fights and what have not. So I don't see anywhere this can go but up.

Lol you talk like you seriously think one day MMA will be anywhere near as big as baseball

1.2

Way lower than I expected, like two Rich Franklins lower.

Wolf, that is the funniest way I have ever heard it put! Too funny.

Bobbitt, I don't think that, I know it. Regular season baseball games on ESPN couldn't beat UFC on Versus 2, so why wouldn't I think they could beat baseball? They already are, the problem is that baseball as a legit sport for TV is ingrained in everyone, because it has always been there, but they can't even beat us or the WWE for viewership, unless Boston, NYY, or the St. Louis Cardinals are playing one another. What about attendence? The bottom half of the league in attendance had less than 31,000 people per game in 60K-80K seat stadiums. An average viewership of .776 on ESPN throughout the season, that means less than 1% of actively watching TVs households are watching that shit it is also around 1 million people give or take ten thousand. 1.2 million PPV buys means, this is an industry standard, means 6 million people are viewing with a majority being the coveted 18-34 male demographic. That does not include bars, restaraunts, etc which add another 750K-1 million viewers. So you tell me, is baseball winning?

uh oh wolf looking like i get to make 15 threads about how you were wrong

I never said that was a lock, but go ahead, make 15 threads. See how that makes you look.

Wolf said it would do 1.8+ that evens out picking Cain.

LA wrote:

Wolf said it would do 1.8+ that evens out picking Cain.

Doesnt even it out at all LOL. Picking Cain was a Wolf claim to fame.

I said it wouldn't surprise me, not that it would. Not the same as the hordes of endless idiots who thought Lesnar's wrestling and ability was good because they were subconsciously influenced by the shape of his torso and jawline.

Anyway I don't see why yall are butthurt how this went down with as much as you talked Vanilla Sapp up.