Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective:
This week we’ll be taking a look at Strikeforce’s debut on CBS Primetime held this past Saturday, November 7th outside of Chicago, Illinois at the Sears Centre. The evening featured a heavyweight clash between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, but also notable appearances from Jake Shields, Jason Miller, and Gegard Mousasi.
The Numbers
Attendance and Gate
TBA
Television Ratings
Robert Seidman of TVbytheNumbers reports on the preliminary television ratings for the event:
CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS (S) was first in adults 18-49 (1.7/05), adults 18-34 (1.7/06), men 25-54 (2.4/07), men 18-49 (2.3/07), men 18-34 (2.2/08), tied for first in adults 25-54 (1.7/05 with both NBC and ABC) and third in both households (2.3/04) and viewers (3.79m).
Compared to the 9:00-11:00PM season-to-date averages (CRIMETIME SATURDAY and 48 HOURS MYSTERY), CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS was up +31% in adults 18-49 (from 1.3/04), +113% in adults 18-34 (from 0.8/03), +100% in men 25-54 (from 1.2/03), +156% in men 18-49 (from 0.9/03), +267% in men 18-34 (from 0.6/02), even in adults 25-54, down -44% in households (from 4.1/08) and lost -2.33m viewers (from 6.12m, -38%).
Half-hour increments:
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 3.50 million (#4), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#3)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 3.53 million (#4), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#2)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.12 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#1)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 4.01 million (#3), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1)
The ratings do not reflect the last 30 minutes of the event, which are likely to be the strongest on account of the main event taking place at that time (traditionally the ratings for live sports events always build as the time slot progresses). It’s expected that the full ratings results will be available by Tuesday.
Disclosed Fighter Payouts
Illinois has not traditionally released this information.
Business Storylines
Fedor delivers devastating finish: While Fedor may not have performed like the invincible Russian terminator that CBS/Showtime and Strikeforce hyped him to be – Rogers broke his nose with the first punch of the fight – Fedor did deliver with a devastating right hand to end the bout. The ending of the fight shouldn’t be overlooked, especially from a business perspective, for the following reasons:
1.) Strikeforce, Showtime, and CBS have all invested a lot of money in Fedor and the M-1 partnership. The contingent has essentially directed their ship with Fedor at the helm, and if he had faltered it wouldn’t have been good for any of them. Fedor needed to deliver in order to fulfill on his promise and justify that investment.
2.) The abrupt and violent ending of the main event put a stamp on the card and gave it some definition in the mind of the consumer – especially for the casual fans. It helped to erase the memory of the five round wrestling match that was Shields-Miller and even the early fight performance of Fedor in which he looked quite human.
What happened to Miller vs. Davis?: The fight was seemingly cancelled at the last minute due to timing constraints. Reserve judgement until all of the facts come out, but it’s never a good situation when a fight is cancelled 5 minutes before the fighters are set to hit the cage. There may be some legal ramifications, here.
Event hampered by poor production and commentary:It may not have been CBS’s first foray into the MMA world, but the network clearly needs to work on improving the way they film the action, switch between the cameras, and how they call the events in general. The audience probably spent 10-15% of each round looking at the back of an official or a zoomed head shot that didn’t reveal any action. Anyone that switched over to watch the UFC Main Event programming afterward would have noticed an immediate and very large difference.
Fedor vs. Rogers commercial spots sold out: It was revealed earlier this week that CBS managed to sell all of the commercial slots for the primetime event. The expectation was that a heavy portion of the viewership would be comprised of the 18-34 demographic and the advertisements throughout the show largely reflected this. Here’s a list of most of the commercials seen during the 9-11 slot on the West Coast:
- Video games: GTA, DJ Hero, Band Hero, Assassin’s Creed 2, Borderlands, and EA MMA
- Movie ads The 4th kind, Paranormal Activity, 2012, G.I. Joe
- U.S. Navy
- Duralast batteries
- HDNet
- Degree deodorant
- Burger King
- Castrol
- Full Tilt Poker
- Flomax
- Viagra
Interestingly, right before the Fedor fight, there was a string of commercials that probably lasted 7-8 minutes. That segment likely provided the greatest value for advertisers as the viewing audience was at its peak and no one was willing to leave their seats prior to the main event.
Strikeforce provides decent night of entertainment: It wasn’t an amazing card, but all things considered it should be seen as a step in the right direction for MMA: Fedor ultimately delivered, no one got hurt or stepped out of line, and generally it was solid demonstration of the sport.
I’m no TV expert but I would think drawing in 4 million viewers is enough to convince the people at CBS to consider a second Strikeforce show. Any insight?
I personally just thought the co-main event was a bit stale in terms of entertainment value and flipped to another channel every now and then before tuning in again for the Fedor fight.
I’m quite surprised with how well the numbers are for this card. No Kimbo and still 4+ million leading up to the main event. Looks like Fedor may have gotten 5 million viewers for his fight which is not too bad. I figured this show would peak at best 3.5 million.
p.s. you gotta think that whatever the numbers are for the Fedor / Rogers fight that Fedor’s next appearance on CBS will be even better in ratings.
Decent? Most agreed that was a really really good card.
Buzzerbeater: The overall ratings picture will not become clear until sometime early this week. I’d wait to pass judgement one way or another until then.
All things considered, however – the draws, the promotion of the fight, etc. – it should be deemed a success.
Joseph: It’s all relative. I think there’s a bias out there that’s going to inflate anything that’s not the UFC, just because people are so hungry to see some competition in this industry.
Would this have been considered a “really, really good” UFC card? Probably not, and the reasons for that are many and a little more complex than I care to get into.
The fights were good considering the organizational context in which they were presented, but the production was awful.
I’m not sure I’d be willing to commit to anything else other than to say it was a decent/solid night of entertainment; above what we’d seen previously on CBS, but something that Strikeforce can definitely improve upon.
They used a wider angled camera for all of the filming. It had me feeling uneasy. It’s a very concise sport as far as how the action takes place. The only time you would need that wider angle is when they are in there corners at the begining of each round.
The biggest complaint of the handful i have was the match making. This is what makes or breaks a promotion as far as long term success and growth potential, IMO. You have to be very green in the MMA experience department to set up Shields vs Miller on your first Network show as a lead in for the main event and set it up for 5 rounds. The fight played out the only way it could have and anyone who follows the sport(technical aspect of it) would know. Shields only has BJJ and its impossible to submit Miller if you cant punish him in anyway to set it up. Miller has no power to wrestle or be any threat to land a big shot to stop Shields. It was a garenteed 25 minute wrestling match.
If this was 3 rounds it would have been a big deal. If Miller had climbed his way up the SF ladder you could argue SF had no choice as he was next for the belt. BUt to bring him in and hand pick him over everyone out there. That shows a clear lack of understanding of how styles make fights.
Of course it looks like life outside of the “Pride Bubble” has bit Fedor like everyone who fought in Pride. He looked very soft in the mid section and cardio looked to be a factor. This Fedor would not beat Brock and i think he would probably lose to Santos and Cain too. But im sure we will never see it as SF is creating their own bubble. Already trying to set up a Rodgers rematch then overrated Werdum waiting inline. Sounds like easy paydays to me.
All in all it was a pretty good event. I watch without the sound turned up so i didnt have to listen to the train wreck Frank Shamrock is and the scripted puns and inexperience of the other commentators.
Yeah, I’d say 4 million viewers on a Saturday night is going to give Strikeforce life on CBS, especially given the concentration of young people watching — #1 in 18-49 in the 10:00 hour for CBS on a Saturday night is a definite win. I agree with the production criticism and something needs to change with the announcers. Mauro Ranallo seems the odd man out, but I’ve always liked him for whatever reason.
BrainSmasher: I disagree on that Fedor comments. Fedor was “soft in midsection” exactly same as he always is and how he always will be. Genetics, you know?
Also, his cardio was pretty impressive, when taken in account the fact, that he got his nose broken and busted up 10 seconds into the fight and for the rest of the fight, he must breath through his mouth, which is a HUGE cardio factor. But he made it trhough (and Rogers was gassed more than him at the end of the first…)
I’d say that decent is an understatement. This was a huge night for MMA. About the production quality. I actually thought that it was excellently presented. Kelsey, you are right, if you switched back to UFC free programming, you would notice a difference between camera angles, etc, but some of the shots that CBS got especially with Mousasi and Sokodjou, were shot so as the view could see the head movement to avoid punches… looked like a video game. I think it was better than UFC screenshots. Maybe not better, but definitely different.
Re: Gegard Mousasi v. Hendo??? what do you think?
Re: commentators….. I think Frank Mir (unavailable) and Bas Rutten are the best color commentators. Just because we dont hear goldberg and rogan doesn’t mean that they are not doing a good job.
I am very excited about the potential showed. Let’s see who Coker sets up next.>?!?!?!
Caidel on November 9th, 2009 9:04 AM
“BrainSmasher: I disagree on that Fedor comments. Fedor was “soft in midsection” exactly same as he always is and how he always will be. Genetics, you know?”
No he wasnt always the same. Go look at his Pride USA fight weight in. He was always in the mid 230’s in Pride Japan. Pride in Vegas he looked very lean but much lighter. Like he couldnt keep the size on him. The scales backed this up when he weighted in with Blue Jeans and a belt and was only like 223. Now Fedor is back in the 230’s and more belly fat and noticeably smaller arms.
BTW, im not saying Fedor isnt always pudgy. Im saying he was even more so. Of course Fedor never had abs. But he was not in his normal shape.
http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop/600/_images/pictures/20091106050805_IMG_6372.JPG
http://photos.mmaweekly.com/gallery/PRIDE/Pride_32/weigh-ins/25_FedorEmelianenkoPrideUSA.jpg
Mousasi’s not ready for hendo
He looked thin for 205, I think he needs to put on another 5-8 lbs of lean mass.
I need to see Gegard fight someone else. I was not impressed with his fight with Sudoku. Sudoku dont move. He in incapable of hitting moving targets and his overall game is very limited. Gegard stood right in front of him like an idiot. So with that i expect Sudoku to look better than he should have otherwise. But Gegard is going to have to fight smarter and be less sloppy in all areas of his game. He gets by now because he is a little quicker than his oppoennts but that wont always be the case.