(Props: MMA Scraps)
It’s kind of creepy to hear Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta say almost exactly the same thing when asked by Fox News how the economic meltdown will affect their business. It’s as if they’re reading off the same cue cards. Clearly, this is a conversation they’ve had before, and most likely pretty recently as they’ve tried to figure out whether a piss-poor economy means they should cash in their chips and start hording gasoline and ammunition in the Nevada desert somewhere.
When it comes to pay-per-view buys, their logic holds up. You get six or seven guys together to split the cost of a UFC pay-per-view and it’s cheaper than going to a movie. Live ticket sales might be another matter, but big shows like UFC 91 in Las Vegas will still sell out, especially when they can count on the casinos to snatch up the ridiculously-priced tickets at Octagon-side.
MMA Payout recently broke down Lorenzo Fertitta’s claim the UFC has seen a “double-digit increase” in pay-per-views buys this year. Turns out it’s true, but just barely. 10.8% growth is technically double-digits, even if most of it is a result of holding two pay-per-view events in the UK in 2008, as opposed to just one in 2007. Domestic pay-per-view growth was at a meager 3.3%, but that’s still not cause for panic.
As we’ve discussed before, for some reason pro fighting is one of the sports that typically does well during hard economic times. Ballet, on the other hand, straight up tanks when the going gets tough. That’s right. Fuck you, ballet.
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Comments
Mon, 09/29/08 - 03:32
Hey there, easy on the ballet. I am part of a growing movement to get MMA and ballet to co-promote. Can you imagine how bad ass it would be to watch the Nutcracker and then see Cro Cop's nuts get cracked. That is the height of artistic achievement!
Mon, 09/29/08 - 04:09
Beer and Pizza FTW! :D
Mon, 09/29/08 - 04:41
MMA is still a fringe activity relative to other types of entertainment (especially pro sports, let's not even mention fake ass wrestling), and it's not operating in a vacuum. The iPhone cleaned up because there was no other direct competition - but it fills a very specific niche that is easier to do with a hard good. "Entertainment" is pretty broad, and UFC has to compete with your attention span or weekend plans, not just other MMA promotions or boxing. I would be very happy with 10.8% growth if I were running the UFC, and 3.3% domestic doesn't sound thrilling but it is real growth - remember, failure really is an alternative. It shouldn't be a given that the UFC should succeed, regardless of how much we like to watch it. Also 3.3% growth is how much in hard dollars? Percentage isn't everything. Would be interesting to know.
Mon, 09/29/08 - 04:49
"Ballet, on the other hand, straight up tanks when the going gets tough. That’s right. Fuck you, ballet." I actually laughed out loud. I have to poop.
Mon, 09/29/08 - 05:39
Check out the gif below that I found on bloody elbow, its shows you the seat charts AND ticket prices: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2008/9/20/618356/ufc-91-ticket-sales http://assets.sbnation.com/imported_assets/23315/ufc-91-01.gif Shitty seats at 300$ a pop? What can you get from a half decent looking Vegas hooker at that price instead getting fucked up the ass by Danna ? A blow job? A hand job?
Mon, 09/29/08 - 06:36
Kimbo could pirouette the f*ck out of Chuck Liddell!
Mon, 09/29/08 - 09:21
Also 3.3% growth is how much in hard dollars? .... the 3.3 % represented a 100k buy differential....figure 100k buys at $45 per gives you a gross of around $4.5 million, the cable company takes 50 to 55% of that...so hard dollars would be around $2.25 million or so.......
Mon, 09/29/08 - 09:22
damm, why didnt i think of inviting freinds over.
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