UFC, Fox reportedly sign TV deal

[Rich Davie]

By Suchat Pederson, The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal

Aug 16, 2011

By Sergio Non, USA TODAY

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's TV home will move to Fox, according to a report.

UFC and Fox agreed to a deal for seven to eight years, starting in 2012, Sports Business Daily reports, citing unnamed sources. While the agreement calls for up to four UFC shows a year on the Fox network, most of UFC's programming currently carried by Spike TV and Versus would move to Fox's FX and Fuel cable channels, the industry trade publication says.

Zuffa declined to comment on the report.

Spike has been UFC's primary cable outlet since the 2005 debut of The Ultimate Fighter reality show.

Ratings for UFC's live programming -- Fight Night shows and preliminary cards before pay-per-views -- have remained relatively stable over the years.

TUF ratings remain in the 1.0 range despite a time shift to accommodate Spike's new Coalprogram.

But the audience for UFC's taped shows has fallen, Sports Business Daily notes:

Sources said Spike ultimately passed over concern that its UFC shoulder programming stopped growing. Shows likeUnleashed,Knockouts and Countdown averaged 1 million viewers in '05. This year, they are averaging 492,000.

Bidding for UFC's programs reportedly reached $90 million annually, Money has never been the only factor considered by Zuffa, which views free TV in North America as a vehicle for exposure and promotion for its core product, pay-per-view entertainment.

"We're never going to be in a situation where we're making money on those networks," UFC President Dana White said earlier this year. "We'll have to come out in a situation where we break even. That works."

Although Zuffa has negotiated with commercial networks before, as well as HBO, talks usually broke down over control issues. Zuffa has always insisted on keeping control of the broadcast, which is generally anthema to sports networks.

Sports Business Daily did not say whether the Fox deal was with the network's sports arm or its entertainment division.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/p...-deal/415416/1

[MMA Guru]

WTMFS?!?!? I don't want to try and find FX streams!!! Man, I hope they move to FOX Network! Either way this is great news!!!

[Rich Davie]

I'm happy about this... FX is available on my cable package, but I never what that channel.

I hope they have a FX HD channel... I guess I'll have to look into that.

[SkyDigger]

Most of us get Spike in Canada. I've never heard of Fox FX or Fuel...hopefully they keep showing the fights on Sportsnet...

[Rich Davie]

Here's some more news on this story :

UFC signs broadcast deal with FOX


Tim Fraser for Postmedia News

According to the report, as many as four UFC events will air on Fox each year, marking the first time UFC will be broadcast on one of the four major can networks.

Postmedia News Aug 16, 2011 – 4:24 PM ET | Last Updated: Aug 16, 2011 4:26 PM ET
Ultimate Fighting Championship — the mixed-martial-arts promotion — has reached a multi-year broadcast deal with Fox, according to a published report Tuesday.

Sports Business Daily (SBD) reports that UFC and Fox have agreed on a contract believed to be for seven or eight years, and worth as much as US$90-million per year. According to the report, as many as four UFC events will air on Fox each year, marking the first time UFC will be broadcast on one of the four major American networks.

UFC’s contract with Spike TV, its home to such programming as The Ultimate Fighter reality-TV show and dozens of live events since 2005, along with its deal with Versus network expires at the end of the year.

UFC president Dana White has said whenever the subject of a TV deal was brought up in recent months that the company “is talking to everybody.”

According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, that included potentially buying a controlling interest in NBC Universal’s G4 channel and rebranding it.

SBD reports that the Fox deal will include most of the programming that currently airs on Viacom-owned Spike TV and Versus network being moved to FX beginning in January. In addition, other UFC programming will air on Fox-owned Fuel.

According to the report, Spike TV “ultimately passed over concern that its UFC shoulder programming stopped growing. Shows like Unleashed, Knockouts and Countdown averaged one-million viewers in (2005). This year, they are averaging 492,000.”

SPD also reported that Spike has the rights to UFC’s library programming through 2012, including old fights and shoulder programming such as UFC Unleashed.

Saskatoon StarPhoenix

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/...deal-with-fox/

[Red Tex]

I'm happy about this... FX is available on my cable package, but I never what that channel.

I hope they have a FX HD channel... I guess I'll have to look into that.

Is this the regular FX channel that plays shows like Sons Of Anarchy and Justified?? Or is this some other Fox network channel?

[MMA Guru]

Comcast should have an FXHD channel

[Rich Davie]

Is this the regular FX channel that plays shows like Sons Of Anarchy and Justified?? Or is this some other Fox network channel?

Yeah man... I think you're correct.

[Red Tex]

Yeah man... I think you're correct.

That is great than. That's one of my favorite channels. Some of the best shows are on there.

[Rich Davie]

I just checked the Comcast guide and there is a FXHD channel... it's # 451 down here, and channel # 44 on the digital level.