Scott Coker says both sides want to make a deal

http://mmajunkie.com/news/25670/strikeforce-ceo-scott-coker-both-sides-want-to-make-a-deal.mma?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mmajunkie+%28MMAjunkie.com+Feed%29

Quote :

Scott Coker doesn't believe Ken Hershman's exit from Showtime spells the end for Strikeforce's relationship with the premium cable channel.

The Strikeforce CEO today spoke with Showtime executives following news of Hershman's departure from the network, reportedly for a job at HBO, and said the network wants to remain in the MMA business.

"There are negotiations going on to extend the deal, and I believe both sides want to make a deal," Coker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Both sides have indicated to me that they'd like to stay in this relationship."

Coker said the much of the same executive staff will oversee the remaining events Strikeforce owes to Showtime, which comprise three major events and three of the promotion's Challenger series through February 2012.

Strikeforce's next major show is "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal," which takes place Dec. 17 in San Diego. Lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez defends his title against Jorge Masvidal. Coker said the next major event is planned for late January 2012.

Hershman's move caught Coker completely by surprise, but he praised the executive's contribution to Strikeforce.

"He gave Strikeforce a shot, but I do know they have a good team over there, and they're going to continue on doing boxing and, hopefully, MMA and Strikeforce," he said.

Speculation about the future of the promotion has ramped up in recent weeks following the comments of UFC president Dana White, who said Showtime's decision to renew its TV deal with Strikeforce had recently come due.

White later said that the decision had been put off and declined to elaborate on negotiations.

"I know that negotiations were ongoing and they were going back and forth," Coker said. "It's like any negotiation. They're trying to come to a deal that makes sense for both parties. The devil's always in the details."

Coker said it was possible that should Showtime renew, a revised TV deal could see fewer Strikeforce events on the channel.

"I think we could still [provide 16 events] because half of those are Challengers shows," he said. "I just think that's something that could be a change in how many fights, or it could not."

Strikeforce in February 2009 struck a five-year broadcast deal with Showtime that called for up to 16 yearly events including major fight cards and Challengers Series events. The February 2012 represents a cutoff where the premium cable network can continue the current deal or choose not to renew.

Of course, many observers have predicted Strikeforce's imminent demise as several of its champions have signed with the UFC including welterweight champion Nick Diaz, light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson and heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem.

There was heated speculation that lightweight champion Melendez may not fulfill his fight with Masvidal after White indicated he wanted the fighter in the UFC "ASAP," but rumors were put to rest when Showtime officially announced the Dec. 17 event earlier this week.

For now though, Strikeforce is proceeding, business as usual.

A successor to Hershman has yet to be named.

I like how they added "business as usual" near the end of the article.

HAHAHAHA, Scott Coker says.... as if it matters what Coker says

killerofchicken wrote:

HAHAHAHA, Scott Coker says.... as if it matters what Coker says

Coker has as much pull in Zuffa purchased Strikeforce as I do...none.

Ninja wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

HAHAHAHA, Scott Coker says.... as if it matters what Coker says

Coker has as much pull in Zuffa purchased Strikeforce as I do...none.

exactly, its sad.

Coker, does have say and if he didn't Lorenzo would have told him to STFU! He didn't...

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Coker, does have say and if he didn't Lorenzo would have told him to STFU! He didn't...

there isn't much for him to talk about first of all, how do you think Coker feels about his brightest stars getting yanked to go to the UFC? you think he's ok with that? He was already told to STFU and he has NO say in this "business as usual" deal

killerofchicken wrote:

Ninja wrote:

killerofchicken wrote:

HAHAHAHA, Scott Coker says.... as if it matters what Coker says

Coker has as much pull in Zuffa purchased Strikeforce as I do...none.

exactly, its sad.

Not from a business perspective

Coker has been in this business for over 10 years, he knows how it is played. He knows he is going to be a feeder league, but it isn't like he isn't used to that either. He has more power now, than when he was on his own, because he has Zuffa behind him. Showtime will probably jump back on board because they see the MMA train coming with the new Fox deal with the UFC.

Not a lot I can reasonably take from this at this moment in the timeline.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Coker has been in this business for over 10 years, he knows how it is played. He knows he is going to be a feeder league, but it isn't like he isn't used to that either. He has more power now, than when he was on his own, because he has Zuffa behind him. Showtime will probably jump back on board because they see the MMA train coming with the new Fox deal with the UFC.

quotes like this drew......

The fact that there is negotiations of any sort is surprising to me.

Maybe Showtime will keep SF as a bit of a place holder, while they try to build up another org? No way a deal would be exclusive.


But I have stated I would be shocked if this deal continues, and I'll stick by that.

I said power, not control, there is a difference...

Surprising? Jesus Christ guys, get your heads back in the game! They are still signing fighters, what does that tell you?

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Surprising? Jesus Christ guys, get your heads back in the game! They are still signing fighters, what does that tell you?

tells me that SF is trying desperately to show Showtime that they have something to offer.

Meanwhile Dana is threatening to pull a champ who is set to fight in December. And let's be real gil has one SF fight left. So the UFC will have taken 4 of the 5 SF champs in the first 3/4 year.

Remember just cause Fertitta or coker want to to keep SF going, that does not mean that Showtime wants any part of it.

And I am telling you that they would rather be on the bandwagon early than so late to the party all the chips and dips are gone...

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

And I am telling you that they would rather be on the bandwagon early than so late to the party all the chips and dips are gone...

Dude there was a bunch of chips and dip on the table. But Dana keeps eating it all. There ain't much left.

After the December show what's next for Strikeforce? There is nothing scheduled as of right now and no rumors of upcoming cards. No date for the Grand Prix finals.

I don't really care what Coker has to say.

Give me a Fertitta or a Showtime exec or no news.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Surprising? Jesus Christ guys, get your heads back in the game! They are still signing fighters, what does that tell you?

That they are trying to fill the remaining cards until the Showtime deal ends in February.

OU wrote:

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Surprising? Jesus Christ guys, get your heads back in the game! They are still signing fighters, what does that tell you?

That they are trying to fill the remaining cards until the Showtime deal ends in February.

The fact that they have lost more fighters than they have signed tells me more. The fighters they have signed were pretty much signed to give the surviving(for now) Strikeforce fighters opponents. Like Fejiao fought Romero, and Kyle fought de Lima...the new undefeated chick fighter they signed is simply to feed Cyborg. They also a few Challengers cards to fill out so they do need to sign guys to fill out those cards.

Look kiddies, unless you are putting up more than a few million dollars, you don't get MMA. I know some of you are looking at MMA in the rear view mirror, but the sport is beyond that now. The UFC/Zuffa is getting between 90-100 million a year, why I am going to make an effort to 'give you' a sport that is on an uprise for less than 10 million a show? They spend more than that on boxing and the sport is dying...

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

Look kiddies, unless you are putting up more than a few million dollars, you don't get MMA. I know some of you are looking at MMA in the rear view mirror, but the sport is beyond that now. The UFC/Zuffa is getting between 90-100 million a year, why I am going to make an effort to 'give you' a sport that is on an uprise for less than 10 million a show? They spend more than that on boxing and the sport is dying...

$10 million a show? For what would be, at best, a feeder league? for shows that avg about 200,000 viewers? do the math. That's about $50 a viewer. Drew u are clueless.

...but we knew that