Spike’s Countdown to UFC 105 – featuring a look at Randy Couture, Brandon Vera, Dan Hardy, Mike Swick, Michael Bisping, and Denis Kang – debuted on Monday to an average viewership of 547,000.
While it’s the highest Countdown total since August, Couture is also the most marketable fighter the promotion has headlined over that time period. It’ll be interesting to see how UFC 105 fares in the television rating department.
Here are some factors that might impact the popularity of the event which is to be broadcast on Spike:
+ Couture’s legend has only increased since his last fight – a candidate for FOY with Nogueira.
+ Fedor vs. Rogers (and to a lesser degree UFC Main Events) has given MMA some momentum. There was so much enthusiasm for the CBS show that it may spill over onto the next few UFC events.
— Tape delayed events have traditionally fared worse than live events – even free on Spike.
— Pacquaio vs. Cotto will be held on the 14th, which will draw some viewers away – especially on the international level and from Brandon Vera (who are the Phillipines going to follow? Pac is the easy answer).
In canada its live on sportsnet East and Ontario
source:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/tvschedule/tv_sked_full.php?sked_id=mixed_martial_arts-EAST
Is it just me or do they keep changing the day they air these countdown shows for the first time? I know I gave up trying to figure out what night it was going to air the first time and usually just watch it right before the weigh-ins that air live on ch.101 on DirecTV.