Some thoughts on what the Fox broadcast partnership means.

I need to check out all of the threads on here about this to see what has been covered. My initial thoughts on what this means for Strikeforce is that it almost guarantees they retain the brand. Both Fox and the UFC would prefer it if their partnership actually controlled the competition on other networks. They'll likely use Strikeforce to prevent other competition from getting on TV elsewhere and using former UFC fighters. There is always someone new with money waiting to cash in and now that the UFC is mainstream, it might push others to make that plunge. I wouldn't be surprised if Strikeforce and Spike entered into an agreement. That would be the most beneficial for Zuffa, Fox, Spike and Strikeforce I'd think because it would keep Bellator off the network that MMA fans know. I think it would be wise to retain the secondary brand for a variety of reasons.

This is also the first step toward the UFC moving away from PPV entirely at some point. It will ideally come to a point someday where advertisers on free TV is what the UFC makes money off of. This is how other sports generate their income. The up and down PPV model(look at 2011's numbers, way down) is how they are currently structured but you had better bet your ass this deal here significantly strengthens the UFC long term as this diversifies the UFC's revenue in a big way. Fox said they "wished" they only paid 90 million. This is a big deal. I wonder how this deal will effect their credit rating? This deal offers the first significant change in the structuring of the UFC's business model in years.

I have a hard time seeing the negatives of this deal unless for whatever reason the UFC just isn't popular suddenly(not likely to happen). PPV sales will no doubt increase due to the exposure across the Fox family. Fighter pay goes up. I think fighters will be energized by this and put on some great performances.

Done to death?

Im sure Zuffa/Fox would love to retain spike by sticking Sf on there. But would the now spurned Spike want a "feeder org" whose title holders are siphoned off whenever a little bit of hype gets behind them? im thinking the SF showtime reup does not happen for just that reason.

Bellator seems like a lock for spike.

SF is dead org walking imo.

I'm totally with u on the hope of PPV coming to an end. How many times a year can we be expected to shell out $50 a card? Im already tapped while the UFC looks to expand. But given that the first foray on fox is a one hour special, this is at best the first step. Really hope the ratings blow up for that first show, really get momentum for more and bigger shows on the big network.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Done to death?

nah way too much involved for this topic to be dead already.

Just a slow day I guess.

captain organic wrote:

Im sure Zuffa/Fox would love to retain spike by sticking Sf on there. But would the now spurned Spike want a "feeder org" whose title holders are siphoned off whenever a little bit of hype gets behind them? im thinking the SF showtime reup does not happen for just that reason.

Bellator seems like a lock for spike.

SF is dead org walking imo.

I'm totally with u on the hope of PPV coming to an end. How many times a year can we be expected to shell out $50 a card? Im already tapped while the UFC looks to expand. But given that the first foray on fox is a one hour special, this is at best the first step. Really hope the ratings blow up for that first show, really get momentum for more and bigger shows on the big network.

just a matter of time IMO

Strikeforce will absolutely survive. There is no reason to fold the org when it has the best brand out there right now of any org with the UFC off the table and when in the past the UFC has bought organizations to keep competition off other networks. Zuffa should if they have any sense keep SF open as a feeder and secondary major league for guys the UFC cuts but still have talent or value. Strikeforce as a feeder org affiliated with the UFC is probably still a better option than Bellator for ratings.

This deal almost assures the UFC keeps Strikeforce. Place holder. Manage your own competition. Corner the market. Has the UFC made 40 million off them yet? Can they make more off Strikeforce?


I like Strikeforce and hope they make it to Spike or another network. The UFC talked to "everybody" recently.

I wonder how this Fox deal effects Strikeforce. I am sure Fox has language in their deal that protects them from Zuffa using SF in specific ways Fox might not agree with. Anything been posted on how this effects Strikeforce?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Strikeforce will absolutely survive. There is no reason to fold the org when it has the best brand out there right now of any org with the UFC off the table and when in the past the UFC has bought organizations to keep competition off other networks. Zuffa should if they have any sense keep SF open as a feeder and secondary major league for guys the UFC cuts but still have talent or value. Strikeforce as a feeder org affiliated with the UFC is probably still a better option than Bellator for ratings.

I dunno, to keep the talent level as it is now, they need a good tv deal, and what station wants to help build up fighters so that Fox keep reap the rewards when the fighter is established as big time?

Bellator is doing surprisingly well on a station that never hosted MMA b4. Stick them into the empty slot on spike and that is a win win. And they do not need to abandon MTV either.

I think Bellator had this in mind when they signed with MTV to begin with, im sure the head honchos of Viacom considered this possibility as well. The much less expensive back up plan was put in place just months b4 the talks with the UFC broke down. Coincidence?

Wolfgangsta wrote:

This deal almost assures the UFC keeps Strikeforce. Place holder. Manage your own competition. Corner the market. Has the UFC made 40 million off them yet? Can they make more off Strikeforce?


I like Strikeforce and hope they make it to Spike or another network. The UFC talked to "everybody" recently.

I wonder how this Fox deal effects Strikeforce. I am sure Fox has language in their deal that protects them from Zuffa using SF in specific ways Fox might not agree with. Anything been posted on how this effects Strikeforce?

We've seen what happens when a station hosts the zuffa little league. Eventually the little org-that-couldn't folds and then they are left holding nothing.

Yet these stations are lining up to pick up Zuffa's new little league? A little league that has already lost 2 of it's champions to the big club? Im doubting this.

Strikeforce survival depends solely on Showtime.

on one side, Strikeforce is an established brand name and Showtime might want to keep it. However, i think Showtime's control over the product they have on their station has dwindled and we have seen Zuffa remove 2 of their biggest draws from Showtime and it won't stop there. It's one thing to have a percieved feeder league but to have an established feeder league which Strikeforce has rapidly become since being bought out is something i don't think Showtime wants.

I doubt Showtime wants to be Zuffa's B deal. Won't be surprised if they start anew when Strikeforce deal runs out with another organization.

You could be right but it in no way assures that Strikeforce is going to stay afloat on Showtime.

as far as Zuffa and the $40 mil.

Dana has been quoted as saying he wanted no part of SF. so I think there is some in house conflicts on the subject. And Im not sure Dana is all that interested in making sure that investment is maximized. Cutting the legs out from under the GP, creating a riff with the golden glory guys, snagging Diaz, these all seem to point to shrinking SF and not building it up.

But they did squash their main competitor. And they will pick up a bunch of real good fighters.

and maybe that helped with the negotiations with Fox, knowing that in the next couple years(at least) there is no major competitor.

Everyone here seems to ignore the place holder factor. If you don't think there would be interest from various parties in a UFC owned brand that was already the second biggest brand in the US when every network under the sun apparently made offers to the UFC I don't know what to tell you. Strikeforce has signed tons of recent prospects. They have the still very much under construction women's divisions. Zuffa will not fold, but rather change Strikeforce. They need a new WEC. Long term it is better to develop women's MMA as there is a distinct market for it, and now that the UFC is big time, a more diverse group of demographics to target. The UFC needs more fighters. Strikeforce has a bigger brand name than Bellator by far.

I get Zuffa's desire for the place holder.

But u seem to ignore the viewpoint of the broadcast company.

Why would broadcast company x want to build up fighters so that they can then in turn ship them off to a competing station?

Why would whomever want the new WEC when the old WEC was not able to stand the test of time?

Yes there is the brand, and I agree SF is still the 2nd biggest name out there, but these TV stations saw how quick SF rose to prominence, and they now see SF getting gutted.

Spike and CBS/Showtime can throw $$$ at whomever and that org will grow.

Whom ever invests in Strikeforce is going to understand the role it plays inside the Zuffa umbrella moving forward. A feeder league which has high valued prospects, hosts super fights and veteran fights and women's fights, clearly affiliated with the UFC. If Zuffa clearly defines Strikeforce's role and markets it correctly, this will still sell just fine. They could also still use Strikeforce as a waypoint to work with the rest of the sport as a whole. Give Japanese fighters American inroads. Etc. There always is a secondary Non UFC brand out there and Zuffa should do everything in their power to ensure they maintain control of that market. It is even harder for a Bellator to get going if they are competing with Strikeforce for TV deals, viewers and fighters in the same niche.


A secondary brand has too much value to not promote in this situation.

I guess. But Im thinking the MMA established broadcasters look elsewhere. Bellator on spike seems like a no brainer.

And I just can't see showtime, a CBS subsidiary, hosting a feeder org for Fox.

So I dunno where they go.

But we will see how it plays out, bragging rights on the line.

It is a very interesting situation.

Strikeforce is something Spike could afford. Casuals would see UFC commercials, fighters in attendance and other content and would just think they were watching the UFC anyway. If I were Spike I'd trust Zuffa over Bellator or any upstart. I'd trust Coker and Strikeforce over any other upstart. I'd definitely trust Zuffa, Coker and Strikeforce together over Bellator or anything else. Strikeforce isn't available now though, so Bellator makes sense. If Bellator does go to Spike then Strikeforce goes somewhere else, like the NBC Sports group.

There are rumors the UFC will keep SF, rework it, turn it into a feeder Org and showcase of WMMA, obviously just rumors.

That^ sounds like something I've heard before.., still have my doubts, same time it'd be no different then the WEC being on Versus pre merger. Also a UFC feeder could be the second best Org in MMA easily.


And yes it could stop Orgs from moving to various networks..