With Hershman out, White takes over Showtime/Strikeforce negotiations

These are the days of our lives....

LAS VEGAS -- Strikeforce isn't quite dead yet.

Following a recent shakeup at Showtime that saw former sports head Ken
Hershman leave for HBO, it seems that there is a renewed hope that the
premium cable network might be able to strike a deal with Strikeforce.

So far, there's been at least one change to the ongoing negotiations.
While they had previously been handled by Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo
Fertitta, White has taken the reigns in search of a new deal.


"I was in New York [Wednesday] and met with Showtime," White said following a UFC 137
press conference on the Brooklyn Bridge replica outside the New York
New York Hotel. "That's why I was there. So yeah, I'm it now. I took
over."

White said he was able to inject himself into the situation now that
Hershman is gone. The two have had a notoriously rocky history over the
years, with White pulling no punches over his thoughts on Hershman. Even
now that the executive has moved on, White did the same, saying dealing
with the channel has gotten a lot easier now that he's gone.

Why?

"Because he's an idiot, and the rest of the guys aren't," he said.

As of now though, there is still no deal. So for the time being, reports of other Strikeforce fighters -- Fabricio Werdum, for example -- defecting to the UFC
will come to a close. The timeframe for a decision has been extended as
the two sides attempt to keep the promotion alive past the first
quarter of 2012. But at least there is a newfound sense of optimism
involved.

"I had a great meeting with them," he said. "We'll see how it goes. I
met with all of them, the whole crew. It went very well, and we'll see
how it progresses."

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/10/27/showtime-strikeforce-negotiations-ongoing-but-now-with-dana-whi/

As far as i know..Hershman was the one with ambitions of having a big MMA org on Showtime..which makes him unlikeable to Dana. While the other guys might be content with the branded official feeder league, making them likeable.

Either way, Strikeforce is on it's way to defunct or #3...but Wolf would end up having called it...i thought Hershman leaving Showtime greatly enhanced Strikeforce chances of survival depending on if UFC wanted to keep them....i thought there was little to no chance before..not because Dana would not talk to him(or maybe Herhman didnt want to talk to Dana) but because i don't think Herhman would have wanted any more to do with Strikeforce beyond Feb 2012

I think Strikeforce should be used to build stars. A place where fighters such as Luke Rockhold can become names then move on to the UFC.

well Ill take a step back from my SF is dead stance.

but I stick by my stance that showtime was, and continues to be the driving force behind SF.

And the reason SF still has life is because Showtime still wants to be in the MMA game, and with Bellator now a Viacom property, there is nothing else out there. Some of us saw the recent M-1 show, it was not pretty, and the next viable name out there has a total of one event under it's belt.

I think showtime is only now looking at SF as a bridge, keeping SF on board until they can buy into, or build up a new org. Obviously they will want to pay significantly less then the old deal, and I'd be surprised if they did not retain the right to show whatever non zuffa MMA they desire.

freakzilla wrote:

I think Strikeforce should be used to build stars. A place where fighters such as Luke Rockhold can become names then move on to the UFC.

thats a nice idea and all, but when in negotiations with a potential broadcast partner, the fact that the best fighters will leave as soon as they gain name recognition does not inspire said broadcast partner to put cash on the table.

Probably right capt..Showtime may have no other option than to keep Strikeforce if they intend to stay in the MMA game. I never really viewed Bellator as an option as there season model would not really be compatible on showtime and ProElite, while i expect them to grow in time just does not have enough going for it right now to bring it on.

Ugh just merge the org already.

I hope they keep SF going and expect them to, since they keep signing fighters. SF will hopefully start having amatuer bouts mixed with pro fights.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

I hope they keep SF going and expect them to, since they keep signing fighters. SF will hopefully start having amatuer bouts mixed with pro fights.

Do u expect showtime to pay $10 million for an amateur bout/

Also depends on the commissions, some don't allow pro and amateur combined shows.

captain organic wrote:

freakzilla wrote:

I think Strikeforce should be used to build stars. A place where fighters such as Luke Rockhold can become names then move on to the UFC.

thats a nice idea and all, but when in negotiations with a potential broadcast partner, the fact that the best fighters will leave as soon as they gain name recognition does not inspire said broadcast partner to put cash on the table.

After seeing what Showtime has offered us in the Boxing department I don't see why SF as a feeder league would fail? Besides the Super Six tournament I have seen some shitty little boxing matches on Showtime. Having guys like Rockhold defend a belt a few times and then moving on doesn't seem like a bad idea. They could have a format like Bellator and have a 4 person tournament to build up young talent. Winner takes on the Champ, winner of that moves on to the UFC after X amount of wins. If the champ gets picked up by UFC, they can always send a guy down with a known name to enter another tournament to have a new crowned champion. I think there is alot they can do to make SF stay around and get people interested. Factor in TUF and this makes me think totally different. WHO KNOWS?

Beast what the fuck are you talking about ???? Showtime has been spanking HBO's ass in the boxing department for the last couple years.

Without really knowing much about the showtime boxing scene, am I correct in saying the smaller rinky dink shows are designed to build up fighters so that they can hopefully later be a part of bigger shows?

http://mmajunkie.com/news/26404/strikeforce-ceo-on-showtime-renewal-im-optimistic-at-this-point.mma
Despite persistent rumors, Strikeforce hasn't completed a broadcast deal to remain on Showtime.

But Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker today hinted at some progress with the
premium-cable channel and suggested an announcement could be coming.

"That's something we'll just have to wait and see," Coker said. "But I
think things are going well, and I think we'll have something to
announce soon."

Coker today made the commitments as part of a medial call ahead of a
Dec. 17 "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal" event in San Diego. It's
Strikeforce's final event of 2011, and a Jan. 7 event is slated to kick
off 2012 in Las Vegas. However, the current two-year
Strikeforce-Showtime deal expires in February, so barring a renewal,
they could be the final ones on Showtime.

While a renewal once appeared unlikely – especially given Zuffa (the UFC
and Strikeforce's parent company) and Showtime's sometimes-contentious
relationship – Showtime has undergone changes at the executive level,
and UFC president Dana White recently got involved in the negotiations.

Coker said he has reason to believe the six-year-old promotion could continue with Showtime next year.

"I'm optimistic at this point," he said.


Not that anything Coker says means anything at all these days, but I posted it anyways.

Showtime prob waits to see the ratings for Gilbert.

A bad showing could kill a deal, or at least sets the price per show lower.

Did we ever get ratings for the last challengers?

captain organic wrote:

Showtime prob waits to see the ratings for Gilbert.

A bad showing could kill a deal, or at least sets the price per show lower.

Did we ever get ratings for the last challengers?

Series Low for last Challengers: Strikeforce Challengers 20: Britt vs Sayers - 143,000

2011 TV Ratings

1/7/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 13 Woodley vs. Bears Show 0.6 223,000
1/22/2011 UFC: Fight for Troops 2 Dunham vs. Guillard Spike 1.3 1.85M
1/29/2011 Strikeforce: Diaz vs Cyborg Diaz vs. Cyborg Show 1.9 561,000
2/18/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 14 Healy vs. Beerbohm Show 0.57 200,000
2/12/2011 Strikeforce/M1 Global: HW GP Fedor vs. Silva Show 2.13 741,000
3/3/2011 UFC on Versus Sanchez vs. Kampmann VS 0.67 681,000
3/5/2011 Bellator 35 WW Quarters MTV2 0.2 200,000
3/5/2011 Strikeforce: Columbus Feijao vs. Henderson Show 1.18 412,000
3/12/2011 Bellator 36 LW Quarters MTV2 0.2 230,000
3/19/2011 Bellator 37 FW Quarters MTV2 0.2 173,000
3/25/2011 M-1 Challenge 24 Damkovsky vs. Figueroa Show 0.52 189,000
3/26/2011 Bellator 38 LHW Quarters MTV2 0.2 150,000
3/26/2011 UFC UFN 24 Nogueira vs. Davis Spike 1.5 2.2M
4/1/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 15 Wilcox vs. Damm Show 0.69 214,000
4/2/2011 Bellator 39 Alvarez vs. Curran MTV2 0.2 174,000
4/9/2011 Bellator 40 Askren vs. Thompson MTV2 0.2 218,000
4/9/2011 Strikeforce: San Diego Diaz vs. Daley Show 1.29 528,000
4/16/2011 Bellator 41 Warren vs. Galvao MTV2 0.1 132,000
4/23/2011 Bellator 42 LHW Semis MTV2 0.2 199,000
5/7/2011 Bellator 43 Hieron vs. Hawn MTV2 0.2 182,000
5/14/2011 Bellator 44 Freire vs. Chandler MTV2 0.4 325,000
5/21/2011 Bellator 45 Hale vs. M’Pumbu MTV2 0.3 264,000
6/4/2011 TUF 13 Finale Guida vs. Pettis Spike 1.32 1.8M
6/18/2011 Strikeforce HW GP: Dallas Overeem vs. Werdum Show 1.7 624,000
6/24/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 16 Fodor vs. Terry Show 0.7 210,000
6/25/2011 Bellator 46 Curran vs. Palomino MTV2 0.2 185,000
6/26/2011 UFC on Versus Kongo vs. Barry VS 0.7 744,000
7/22/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 17 Voelker vs. Bowling III Show 0.72 232,000
7/23/2011 Bellator 47 Curran vs. Mann MTV2 0.3 277,000
7/30/2011 Strikeforce/M-1 Global Fedor vs. Henderson Show 1.7 571,000
8/12/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 18 Gurgel vs. Duarte Show 0.6 181,000
8/14/2011 UFC on Versus Hardy vs. Lytle VS 0.77 766,000
8/20/2011 Bellator 48 Curran vs. Sandro MTV2 0.2 226,000
9/10/2011 Bellator 49 Saunders vs. Cisneros MTV2 0.2 235,000
9/10/2011 Strikeforce HW GP Barnett vs. Kharitonov Show 0.82 274,000
9/17/2011 Bellator 50 Hess vs. Baker MTV2 0.1 114,000
9/17/2011 UFC UFN 25 Shields vs. Ellengerger Spike 1.2 1.8M
9/23/2011 Strikeforce Challengers: 19 Larkin vs. Rossborough Show 0.72 203,000
9/24/2011 Bellator 51 Warren vs. Vila MTV2 0.16 158,000
10/1/2011 UFC on Versus Cruz vs. Johnson VS 0.71 789,000
10/1/2011 Bellator 52 Grove vs. Hayes MTV2 0.3 269,000
10/8/2011 Bellator 53 Saunders vs. Santos MTV2 0.1 103,000
10/15/2011 Bellator 54 Shlemenko vs. Rogers MTV2 0.2 185,000
11/12/2011 UFC on FOX Velasquez vs. Dos Santos FOX 3.1 5.7M

aight so Strikeforce ratings have plummeted since the buyout, months have gone by without a major card, and we have not really seen the effects of the loss of so many top fighters(next 2 main events feature a Bellator wash out and a UFC wash out,, and oh yeah Gil prob jumps with a win here).



If Showtime does re-up the deal will be substantially less. Only thing keeping negotiations alive imo, is Showtimes desire to stay in MMA, and the total lack of a decent alternative. Zuffa maybe trying to keep the showtime deal as a place keeper, but I really see it as the other way around, showtime will keep SF around only until they can find a decent replacement.

And do not expect any exclusivity clauses like we saw with Spike. Showtime execs would die with laughter if a 1 yr library rights clause was thrown on the table. And I'll be surprised if Showtime does not retain the right to broadcast other promotions.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/12/6/2616046/strikeforce-showtime-extension-contract-scott-coker
While he said that there was nothing to announce in terms of a new
deal, he did seem to suggest that things were progressing well and his
tone suggested that the promotion had a future on the network.
He also said that they hope to conclude the heavyweight Grand Prix in March if Daniel Cormier has fully recovered from his broken hand.

In expanding upon the Showtime situation, Coker said:

In the history of Strikeforce since the relationship with Showtime
was developed, we put on, I think some of the best fights in the history
of MMA.

...

We've done our part to grow the sport, and that's going to continue.
There's still a lot of great fighters on the roster. And we're going to
keep building these fighters. We're going to continue putting on great
fights. To me, that's not going to change. So everybody can tune into
Showtime and watch in 2012, and we're going to put on some amazing,
amazing fights.

Probably more important for Zuffa then holding the TV slot, is having an arena to house all these fighters. Losing even 50% of the SF guys to Bellator would be a big bump for the Viacom bunch.

But again, with plummeting ratings, and the loss of all the top talent, SF must be taking a major paycut. And we saw the attendance for the grand prix semi's, their most stacked card of all time. Will Zuffa keep Sf around even if it loses $$$$?


As far as what Coker is saying, I'll take it all with a grain of salt.