Bellator and Spike.com announced today that Bellator undercard fights will be streamed live on Spike.com. Bellator’s 5th season will continue to be broadcast on MTV2.
Via Bellator press release:
Spike.com, a leading destination for men on the web, will stream LIVE undercard fights throughout the 12-week season of Bellator Fighting Championship that begins Saturday, September 10. It was jointly announced today by Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney and Erik Flannigan, Executive Vice President, Digital Entertainment, MTV Networks Entertainment Group. This marks the first time Spike.com has streamed live mixed martial events.
Spike.com will stream Bellator’s live undercard fights each week from 7:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT, leading into MTV2’s live coverage of the 5th season of Bellator Fighting Championships at 9 p.m. ET/PT. For the first time ever, Bellator will be simulcast in HD on EPIX.
Payout Perspective:
The other shoe has dropped. After the UFC left for Fox, the speculation was would Bellator be its replacement on the channel. We now see the beginning of Spike finding its replacement. Spike executives were at Bellator’s last show and it was likely in prelude to this announcement. Certainly, the live streaming opens up the Bellator product to more viewers and allows prelim fighters the chance to be seen. It should also mean more web traffic for Spike.com. We shall see how much time it takes before Bellator makes its eventual move from MTV2 to Spike TV.
I think it was clear Bellator had the upper hand in the Spike sweepstakes. Something i ws thinking about the other day. What if Spike is looking to get part ownership of the Promotion they bring in to replace the UFC? They had no chance with the UFC. But all the while they were pushing the UFC product so the UFC cashed in on PPV. This would be a good chance knowing the effect they had on the UFC success and PPV buys. To leverage that into part ownership of Bellator and then build Bellator up for PPVs which they will get a cut of unlike the UFC deal. This would be kind of like the way HBO and Showtime do boxing. Hell Spike could show PPV events like HBO does within days of the event. Any of these small Promotions should be willing to give up 50% to get a deal like this. Would be suprised if Spike hasnt thought about this.
What do you guys think?
I think that this is a good plan but you’d have to build up some guys you’d actually want to pay to see. Ben Askren and Hector Lombard are good but I don’t know if I’d pay to watch them fight. Also, it seems like the investment in the PPV (production, preparation, logistics, etc.) would not bring the return Spike or an MMA org would desire. The PPV market is pretty stacked and any MMA PPV would have to have a low price point to attract any sort of buys. Inevitably, you’d be competing with the same viewers that would purchase a UFC PPV.
Maybe Spike goes the online route and charges viewers to watch fights online for a nominal fee to start (sort of like BAMMA). Then, if a market grows, it could think of expanding.
I think you are thinking short term. Spike took the UFC who was selling 100K max PPVs to 1 million PPVs. I think it is safe to say that after a year of building stars on Spike with 1 million viewers. Spike could easily make a run at 100,000+ PPV buys. Does spike really want to bring on a promotion and 1-2 years down the road see them making a fortune on PPV? Spike doesnt have to got into anything expense right now. Just demand part ownership for the right to be on Spike. Push the product and play it by ear. If the ratings are there then you can look at PPV. 1 PPV per quarter at first. Who wouldnt give up 50% to be on Spike? Maybe not Bellator but Fight Club OC, Shark fights, etc would imo.
Dont forget that when/if Bellator gets on Spike and builds a fan base and PPV becomes an option. Spike will lose all its big fighters and fights. Taking part ownership would protect them so they come out ahead no matter what. They lose their big draws to PPV well they make 3 million anyway. Then show the PPV on Spike a couple weeks later. You are competing with the UFC for PPVs. But you dont have to beat them. Any MMA promotion who breaks the 100K buy mark would be a legit Org long term and by far the #2 Org. Both Spike and the UFC replacement org are hoping for good ratings. If they get those ratings then PPV will be a option.