With changing TV landscape, UFC president envisions a day without pay-per-view

Pay-per-view is the engine driving the UFC's explosive growth of recent years.

But as the media landscape continues to change and new broadcast platforms compete with networks, the UFC thinks there may be a time when the pay-TV takes the back seat in producing revenue for the promotion.

"Lorenzo and I talk about this all the time – I do believe there will be a day when this probably isn't pay-per-view," UFC president Dana White said of his promotion during a press conference in support of UFC on FOX 3.

At the moment, the bulk of UFC fans shell out between $44.95 and $55.95 to order a numbered UFC card through providers such as DirecTV and Dish Network. That's meant big bucks for the UFC as its grown from a company of dozens to one of hundreds around the globe. Estimates of the UFC's pay-per-view revenue reached as high as $400 million in 2010, and the promotion is believed to be worth in excess of $1 billion.

A report this past November in the "New York Times" said pay-per-view earnings were down this past year, the likely result of a string of high-profile main events that fell apart due to injury and a busier schedule that prompted customers to get choosy on which events to buy in a down economy. But the UFC keeps its pay-per-view numbers secret, so getting exact figures on the company's health is impossible.

Pay-TV, of course, isn't the only moneymaker. The start of 2012 brought a new broadcast partnership with FOX that's been estimated to be worth around $90 million a year. The deal calls for events on the network's flagship channel and affiliates FX and FUEL TV. The first FOX-televised event, which took place this past November and preceded the start of the partnership, drew an average of 5.7 million viewers while the second event drew 4.7 million. Both events were a success with advertisers.

But the UFC also needs other sources to feed the till, and it's embraced other platforms to bolster revenue from TV and pay-per-view. The promotion's online business sells fights through the UFC's website and through online partners. It has yet to replace the revenue brought by pay-per-view. That could change, however.

"A lot of people believe everything is going to go to the Internet, like now when you buy your cable, and there's basic cable and you add other stations, we're probably going to get to a point where you can pick exactly what you want," White said. "So it's very interesting to see where all this goes over the next several years."

The idea of a la carte cable service was pursued early on by the Federal Communications Commission and in subsequent years by consumer advocates, though it remains a topic of debate whether the ability to pay for individual channels would actually save TV watchers money. Major cable companies have nevertheless been resistant to the idea, and as of now, the status quo of offering bundles of channels in different sizes remains.

Meanwhile, subscriber-based content continues to gain popularity on the Internet. Many media companies are experimenting with a pay model, and networks are offering shows online for a fee. The younger demographics that flock to MMA are on the Internet more than any other age group, and as that trend continues, the UFC's online business could become a more profitable as many consumers cut their bills by cutting cable.

The web probably won't replace TV and pay-per-view, of course. But the idea of escaping monthly 100-dollar cable bills is a welcome idea for any fan.

well without reading any of that

I am all for it

I personally believe PPV boxing was responsible for the decline of boxing. In the golden years (beginning of PPV) boxing PPVs were FUCKING STACKED anyone that tells you otherwise doesn't know what the hell they are talking about. Don King used to put on PPVs with 3 title fights on a regular basis.

Then.... it happened. Everyone got greedy, realized how much money was to be made Especially after an old and considered no shot in hell George Foreman fought Evander Holyfield and 1.3 million people paid 40 dollars, drove to their cable provider, picked up a special cable box, and set it up in order to watch the fight. Then returned the box to their cable provider in order to get their deposit back. THAT IS WHAT YOU HAD TO DO TO WATCH A PPV FIGHT BACK IN THE DAY!!!

Then they realized, they could feed us Mike Tyson vs Peter McNeeley with nobody on the undercard and we would eat it up.

Look at the PPV cards for UFC last year and the PPV #'s compared to 2010 or 2009.

If you pay attention, I have been talking about the end of PPV for a while with the UFC. But ultimately, hardcores lose because we don't mind paying for a quality, intimate UFC event, and any and all models on free TV would be commercial laden, chopped up experiences where you never hear corner talk, get highlights between rounds, or significant coverage or analysis after individual fights.

Just insert random brand of alcohol commercial that appeals to some sense of masculinity, be it overt and simple ala Keith Stone, pseudo complex like the most interest man in the world, or clever and spontaneous like whatever the douches in the Capt Morgan commercial are doing to fool their girlfriend into thinking theyre not really at a sportsbar doing body shots off waitresses. And a never ending war between Mike Rowe, Tim Allen, and apparently these days Dexter Morgan all narrating pick up truck and muscle car commercials. And maybe the occasional Frankenstein Extenze commercial made up of about 6 different ones as if it is a greatest hits of early 2000s infomercials. Topped off with whatever company is using Charlie Sheen that month(IF he is still alive) and Couture pimping a fitness product that totally ruins any chance you get your security product back by awkwardly delivering an emasculating insult that doesn't fit his personality at all. He is only mean to actual women. And maybe after that, a fight between two top 40 middleweights. Then something with Ninjas will be advertised. Then another fight that isn't flyweights or bantamweights. Then something having to do with Chuck Norris. Then more non-flyweight fights. Then a commercial for expendables 6 and the other two Jason Statham movies out, the one in theaters and the direct to DVD sequel already produced and released actually before the debut of the first one. Then a Dan Hardy fight, because, he wars! Then more adverts for some reality show that reminds us History is a dead and rotting network. The show will close with the last vestiges of Pride's refugees being destroyed by the army of Jon Jonesian new new new breed fighters.

This is right around the time we lose interest, stop half stepping, with half of us getting into Dog Fighting, with the other half admitting they're really gay. Wolf, ever the fence sitter, tries both out.

It's weird...I always wanted the advancement of MMA, but sometime I wish it would go back to the good old days when MMA was very unknown.