Examining the Cost of Being a UFC Fan

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/10/12/2485058/examining-the-cost-of-being-a-ufc-fan

Following a sport that sees the majority of events placed on pay-per-view can be pretty expensive. That's probably no secret to anyone reading this site. We drop money month after month to watch events, especially if you're not one of the people that feels that being a fan entitles you to steal events via illegal streams.

But I've never been struck with the inspiration to sit down and do the math on exactly how much it costs to keep up with the promotion. Luckily, Ben Fowlkes at MMA Fighting did it for me:

If you had stayed home all by your lonesome and paid for every single event without any friends or even sympathetic, MMA-loving acquaintances to pitch in, you'd have spent $800 just on UFC events in 2011. Of course, that doesn't count the cost of monthly cable (which you need in order to watch those Spike TV or Versus events, not to mention the prelims before each pay-per-view) or monthly internet access (which you need in order to watch the Facebook prelims and, you know, read this article).

But let's be realistic. Very few people are laying down the dough for each and every pay-per-view all by themselves. For the sake of argument, let's say you had three friends who were just as fanatical about seeing every single pay-per-view. Let's say the four of you split each one equally. Then you're looking at $12.50 a pay-per-view, and $200 on the year (not counting snacks, drinks, and carpet cleaner for when your friends inevitably get drunk and spill some snacks on your floor)

There is much more in the piece. Including going on to mention the cost in terms of time also. It's really incredible (sad?) to realize just how much time a hardcore fan like those who frequent this site (and those who run it) invest into the sport.

Day after day, dollar after dollar, it all adds up before you even have time to let it sink in.

I don't pay that much because I belong to a certain club for VIP MMA/UFC fans. Ninja's just have it like that.

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

I don't pay that much because I belong to a certain club for VIP MMA/UFC fans. Ninja's just have it like that.

I figure my expenses run about $500 a year. I throw a few UFC parties a year and people usually throw me some cash for the food and drink. But by going to watch them free at certain places in town and spending $4 for Tea and tip, I can keep it cheap. Shit I spent $600 on football in jerseys and stickers and such...

i don't have satellite or cable TV and i usually have to work on sundays, so staying up till about 6am to watch a card live is rarely an option.

i tend to download a torrent or a binary on the sunday or the monday if it was a card that tickled my fancy.

cheekynffc wrote:

i don't have satellite or cable TV and i usually have to work on sundays, so staying up till about 6am to watch a card live is rarely an option.

i tend to download a torrent or a binary on the sunday or the monday if it was a card that tickled my fancy.

You don't have Sky + HD ???

Ali wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

i don't have satellite or cable TV and i usually have to work on sundays, so staying up till about 6am to watch a card live is rarely an option.

i tend to download a torrent or a binary on the sunday or the monday if it was a card that tickled my fancy.

You don't have Sky + HD ???

nope,

i'm a single, working chap, not an expense i can justify i'm afraid,

cheekynffc wrote:

Ali wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

i don't have satellite or cable TV and i usually have to work on sundays, so staying up till about 6am to watch a card live is rarely an option.

i tend to download a torrent or a binary on the sunday or the monday if it was a card that tickled my fancy.

You don't have Sky + HD ???

nope,

i'm a single, working chap, not an expense i can justify i'm afraid,

You must make sacrifices in life, just miss a couple meals

BTW do you know any good torrent sites for boxing ? I barely get to see fights from America anymore

Ali wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

Ali wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

i don't have satellite or cable TV and i usually have to work on sundays, so staying up till about 6am to watch a card live is rarely an option.

i tend to download a torrent or a binary on the sunday or the monday if it was a card that tickled my fancy.

You don't have Sky + HD ???

nope,

i'm a single, working chap, not an expense i can justify i'm afraid,

You must make sacrifices in life, just miss a couple meals

BTW do you know any good torrent sites for boxing ? I barely get to see fights from America anymore

hahaha, not having sky + is the sacrifice ali, i need my meals.

i generally just use torrentz for downloading, it'll give you a selection of different websites from which to download what you want. i used to use newzbin and subscribed to giganews so i could use their encryption software which was an excellent service. i don't download anywhere near as much stuff as i used to though so it stopped being value for money. very fast downloads and the binaries are generally excellent quality though so i'd highly recommend it if you download a lot.

big fights are usually up by sunday afternoon on torrentz, they don't always have the lower profile fights you might have wanted to see but you should find most of what you want.

Thanks cheeky.

[Product(ppv/cable/internet/etc.)+travel+food]/year=$900-$1000 on my end.