Dana White responded to Spike TV’s curious UFC programming. Spike TV debuted UFC Countdown 132: Faber vs. Cruz at 1:12pmET/10:12amPT on Wednesday.
Via MMA Junkie:
With an all-too-apparent lack of warm and fuzzy feelings between the UFC’s broadcast partner – a likely byproduct of heavy rumors that the promotion is flying the coop after its deal with Spike TV expires this year – White was asked for his take on a game of hardball apparently in play
Has Spike TV started a war?
“They might have,” White said. “We’ll see. It is what it is. So, I owe you one, Spike.”
Payout Perspective:
Spike TV usually airs UFC’s Countdown show in primetime so that a healthy portion of its audience has a chance to see the show. Instead, one of the many Star Wars sequel/prequels were shown during Wednesday night primetime. The Countdown show aired in the morning on the west coast and early afternoon in the east. This move coupled with the Nate Marquardt counterprogramming is a definite sign that Spike TV is making a statment to the UFC. White is seemingly restraining his comments against Spike since the UFC is in the middle of negotiating a new deal. It’s interesting that White seems to be blaming Spike’s programming choices on the WSJ article claiming that the UFC was in talks to purchase a stake in the G4 network.
It will be interesting to see how the Spike-UFC relationship will continue (or deteriorate) the rest of the year. Also, will White show restraint not to publicly lash out at Spike for its choice placement of UFC programming.
“will White show restraint not to publicly lash out at Spike for its choice placement of UFC programming?”
I sure hope so. It’s never a good thing for the sport when Dana goes on one of his tirades. Entertaining? Sure, but also damaging.
Let’s hope that the deteriorating relationship between Zuffa and Spike TV doesn’t cost us the Battle on the Bayou.