Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 21, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 21, 2013 I completely disagree with you David regarding ESPN's responsibility towards the growth of MMA in this country. You say you see it advertised during football and basketball but that's literally once in a blue moon. I watch almost every Saturday late afternoon game on ESPN and I can't recall seeing a UFC advert. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I've personally never seen them push it during their peak audience programmes. Â ESPN have paid rights to show the UFC product and if you don't believe they should do their utmost to increase the UFC brand awareness then I really do find that a strange stance? It's simple, you push and advertise the product more, then your audience grows. They are both linked together. You increase awareness of the product on your station and the viewers increase, then you gain more advertising revenue for your own company. Â Â However, I do agree that in essence it is a niche sport and ultimately perhaps it will always remain the same? Maybe my expectations are too high? Â I simply see Sky Sports' coverage of WWE and just feel that there's no reason at all why the UFC can't get a similar deal? Weekly episodic shows, various replays of certain events at accessible times etc etc. Perhaps if ESPN had more than 1 main channel (outside of ESPN America and Classics) then perhaps they would be in a position to expand? Â Don't get me wrong David. As an existing viewer I'm happy with what I get, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Would ESPN doing an ident during the football, their peak time for advertising revenue, involve not showing an ad from a sponsor? That would be counter productive, wouldn't it? Would the revenue lost from not showing an ad be made up from a potential new audience? Football will always have the viewers but MMA wouldn't as its a niche, as you say. Â They are genuine questions, by the way, I don't know how it all works in terms of advertising. Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 21, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 21, 2013 Would ESPN doing an ident during the football, their peak time for advertising revenue, involve not showing an ad from a sponsor? That would be counter productive, wouldn't it? Would the revenue lost from not showing an ad be made up from a potential new audience? Football will always have the viewers but MMA wouldn't as its a niche, as you say. They are genuine questions, by the way, I don't know how it all works in terms of advertising. Just wondering.  That's a tricky question, but when I've watched say football on a Sunday on sky sports they do frequently advertise their own shows.  It's the same with any network really. Say during xfactor you find ITV advertising one of their shows later that evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bono Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 With espn losing the rights to the premier league next season that could spell the end of the channel. Ufc's deal also ends in between the football seasons. Â Bt are starting a sport channel, but I'm not sure if its just going to be showing the premier league. If they are showing other sports maybe that could be the next home for the ufc. Â Sky would be perfect, mma would get so much exposure the sport would grow loads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Would ESPN doing an ident during the football, their peak time for advertising revenue, involve not showing an ad from a sponsor? That would be counter productive, wouldn't it? Would the revenue lost from not showing an ad be made up from a potential new audience? Football will always have the viewers but MMA wouldn't as its a niche, as you say. They are genuine questions, by the way, I don't know how it all works in terms of advertising. Just wondering.  That's a tricky question, but when I've watched say football on a Sunday on sky sports they do frequently advertise their own shows.  It's the same with any network really. Say during xfactor you find ITV advertising one of their shows later that evening. Do they advertise the niche shows? Or is it the "A list" shows? ITV tend to do indents for either the a list or the b list, not really for a small show.  Although when Channel 4 did the Italian Footie, they used to advertise Italian Stripping Housewives at half time. (May not be true) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Well, today's the day for tickets. Got the Newsletter with the code. My gut is telling me I should be ok getting tickets, but that may be the fried egg sarnie I had for breakfast!? Â Shame tickets are so bloody pricey though. Looking at $200 (after fees) a ticket for a lower tier seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Dead Mike Posted January 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 MMA is still a fringe sport in the US despite what they tell you. Â Snake's bang on here. You wouldn't believe the struggle I had to find a bar in NYC that was showing the UFC when I was over there. Even RoFu (bless him) rang round some places that were advertising it online & via the UFC's 'official places to watch' & pretty much all the venues that promoted themselves as sports bars still weren't showing the fights. I was really surprised as my perception of their domestic popularity (thanks to the UFC's hype machine) was very far from the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Yes! Tickets bought! Section 4 lower tier! Now I will stop going on about this. Â Was stuck in a queue for a few minutes but eventually got through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Nice one lamby. You'll have to do a bit of a diary on here when we have the UFC 159 thread up. Obviously nothing too exhaustive which will eat into your holiday time too much but a quick post, maybe the odd picture to keep us updated while you're on your travels would be good and something different than the usual UFC event threads. Â Have a good time. Sucks you'll have to see your boy get beat down but it should be a great experience. Eddie Alvarez is the UFC's choice for co-main for that show as well, court case pending obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Nice one lamby. You'll have to do a bit of a diary on here when we have the UFC 159 thread up. Obviously nothing too exhaustive which will eat into your holiday time too much but a quick post, maybe the odd picture to keep us updated while you're on your travels would be good and something different than the usual UFC event threads. Have a good time. Sucks you'll have to see your boy get beat down but it should be a great experience. Eddie Alvarez is the UFC's choice for co-main for that show as well, court case pending obviously.  Thanks Wand,  Yeah, if I get the chance I will. Will probably be the day after as I won't have WIFI until I get back to the hotel. Unless they have WIFI in the prudential center? The arena looks amazing.  You've brought up an interesting point though. What will the undercard be like? As you say Alvarez is currently rumoured but for obvious reasons I'm hoping for a staked main card. I'm hoping that they've learned their lesson from the actual cancelled card that start the whole thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 I'd expect Jim Miller in a high up featured position on that card. Being from New Jersey it's a no-brainer. I suspect Miller vs Alvarez is their planned co-main event. If they can't get Alvarez in time, maybe Miller vs Varner.  As for the rest of the card, I don't want to get your hopes up but I think they'll try to stack it up. Maybe expect another fairly big name LHW fight to be added in case one of the headliners pulls out late in the game. Maybe you'll get Shogun vs somebody?  Look at cards from around Nov/Dec last year, guys who fought on them shows who aren't booked yet are a decent shout for 159. So the likes of Cung Le, Rich Franklin, Martin Kampmann, Ross Pearson, Roy Nelson, Shogun, Nate Diaz, Joe Lauzon. Obviously you wouldn't get all of them but they are all possibilities.  If 159 looks something, anything like this....  Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen - LHW Title Jim Miller vs Eddie Alvarez Shogun Rua vs Rich Franklin Nate Diaz vs Joe Lauzon  ...I'll defo be sneaking my way into your suitcase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members lambyUK Posted January 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Jesus Wand, you literally are a human MMA Wiki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathrey Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Isn't he just?! I'd love to see Diaz/Lauzon. Â Have fun Lamby, hopefully it should be a great card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bono Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Cannot wait for this now. I haven't looked forward to a season like this since the GSP one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members wandshogun09 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Me too. Is tonight's episode the usual 2 hour elimination fights thingy? Â Isn't he just?! I'd love to see Diaz/Lauzon. Â Yeah, I think it makes sense with them both coming off losses and it would no doubt be a hell of a fight. Would be pretty cool as well because they were housemates on TUF 5 and actually would have faced off in the finale had Lauzon got by Manny Gamburyan in the semis. Â I really want to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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