Comments on: WEC 47 Ratings: 373,000 viewers

By: Brain Smasher

Brain Smasher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:55:49 +0000

Affliction had some of the biggest names in MMA at the heavier weights. Also people are not used to paying for Wec so the percieved quality is not there for most. More importantly Affliction spent millions marketing their show. Hundereds of thousands of dollars on Billboard in time square. Hundreds of thousands to sponsor a racecar. Posters in clothing stores across america. Not to mention the media attention such a show attracted. The WEC is running a fight card that is just a couple hundred thousand. THe gate along ussually pays all the expenses of a card. That 500K from 20K buys is all, mostly, profit in the world of PPV where everyone else in MMA has lost money. I would call that a success. Im sure the WEC wil try to grow from there. But they dont expect and know they will not reach 100K. If they do get 100K buys. Then Strikeforce is offically done as they would have no chance to be the #2 promotion in the US. The WEC would be making to much money as their expense is very low and another large chunk of the market gone.

By: mmaguru

mmaguru — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:24:25 +0000

Hi Brian,
20K would yield approx. $500,000. Not bad I suppose, but I think they would hope for at least double that. They should be able to at least reach Affliction #’s as those are the hardcores so 90K is not out of the question.

By: Brain Smasher

Brain Smasher — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:31:37 +0000

I dont think the UFC/WEC/Zuffa had any delusions of WEC having 100K PPV buys. Every Pride event with the exception of the 2 US shows were getting around 20K buys. Affliction couldnt break 100K. With the WEC budget they dont need anywhere close to 100K to be a success. 20K would be a success and a great starting point.

By: mmaguru

mmaguru — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:44:34 +0000

On another site forum, a poster did the numbers and said it was 1/3 of what it should be even without DirectTV subscriber base. I think this spells pretty much doom for any hope the PPV will do over 100K buys.