MMA Junkie reports that the UFC 144 Prelims on FX scored 1.5 million viewers. Saturday night’s two hour broadcast was the best rating for the program in its short time on the network.
Previously, UFC 143 garnered 1.4 million viewers and UFC 142 received 880,000 viewers. As far as competition for viewers on Saturday night, the prelims went up against NBA All-Star Saturday which is losing its luster despite good ratings.
Payout Perspective:
Encouraging numbers for the prelims on FX. It seems like people are adjusting to the move and the two hour coverage. According to MMA Weekly, the UFC Prelims averaged 1.41 million viewers over the 25 episodes for the 1 hour prelim show on Spike TV. So, the future looks bright for the prelims on FX.
That’s a solid performance. The numbers keep improving, though seem to be flattening out. I think if they can get those numbers to 2M, that would be a big success. I wonder what number Fox has in mind as a threshold of success.
That’s already pretty good that they’ve hit Spike numbers for a two hour broadcast as opposed to one. I’m still curious if the second hour is higher and how that compares to Spike.
It’s a lot better than FX’s Saturday college football ratings, so they should be happy.
Good point JamesG. Jason, any way you can get the hourly ratings breakdown?
MV,
I will try to track them down.
375,000 buys for the card in Japan, per Meltzer. Second highest buys ever for a UFC PPV event held outside of North America.
Meltzer’s initial estimates for UFC 144 were something like 250-400,000 buys. The guy just makes up shit and acts like an insider so people will subscribe to his shitty newsletter.
Amazing that people take his word for it. UFC is probably doing bigger numbers than this.
Of course after I post this someone will say “in the Randy Couture lawsuit his numbers turned out to be true”. Funny thing is nobody can post any proof of this…
RD,
No one claims that Meltzer’s numbers are accurate, just that they are the most accurate we have. If you have better estimates please share them.
Sorry but, “…the UFC is probably doing bigger numbers than this” is not a better estimate.
“No one claims that Meltzer’s numbers are accurate, just that they are the most accurate we have.”
How about you prove your statement.
“His numbers aren’t accurate but they are accurate” doesn’t sound like good proof either. Meltzer seems like a con who has managed to convince people he has super secret information that he doesn’t really have. An estimate of 250,000-400,000 is a pretty wide estimate. Anybody can do that, especially when Meltzer gets to confirm his own estimates.
“Sorry but, “…the UFC is probably doing bigger numbers than this” is not a better estimate.”
My proof is that the UFC is now on FOX, FX, and FUEL and getting more per year than they were before Spike. You don’t get that deal with declining numbers.
Ratings going up on television should translate into better PPVs is also a pretty good estimate.