MMA Junkie reports that Bellator 52 received its second highest ratings ever on MTV2 with an average of 269,000 viewers. The numbers show an increase of 70 percent from last week’s performance.
Via MMA Junkie:
The Bellator 52 broadcast peaked between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. ET with 345,000 viewers. Additionally, an immediate replay of the event scored 196,000 viewers, marking a combined audience of 465,000 viewers for the first two airings of Bellator 52.
Bellator 52 featured the quarterfinals of its Heavyweight tournament.
Payout Perspective:
The numbers are promising considering the show went up against a live and free UFC event on Versus, college football as well as HBO Boxing (although I believe MMA ended before boxing began). At this point, Bellator is likely hoping for consistency with its ratings. As you may recall just two weeks ago it scored an all-time MTV2 low of just 114,000 viewers. Of course, that occurred the same night as Mayweather-Ortiz. Notwithstanding this past weekend’s ratings, it seems that Bellator is not destination television. Looking at the last three shows, there’s a huge swing in viewership. Obviously, its been going up against stiff competition the past couple weeks (Mayweather and Jon Jones). So, perhaps 52 is a turning point for the organization.
The numbers might suggest that Bellator has a different fanbase than the UFC. These might not be your typical MMA fan but maybe just young MTV viewers or maybe hispanics that follow boxing. It would be interesting to see a demo breakdown of their ratings. Other MMA events seem not to effect Bellator at all and Boxing seems to have a bigger effect. The again the typical Bellator viewers may not be a sports fan at all and their ratings decline has nothing to do with MMA, Boxing, or any other sport as competition. But fans are pullled by another genre.
Then again it could be as simple as marketing. Bellator has had a huge push on Spike TV lately and fan awareness should be at an all time high. I have been following MMA hardcore since 1996. BUt until the last month or so i never knew whne their events were on. Now i know and remember to look for them. They have better ads for their product and they are getting it out there thanks to Spike. If this continues i suspect ratings will stay up for a while. Bellator needs to take advantage of it with proper management which means match mating and their current model. Build fighters people want to comeback and see. Market the talent and not the circus.
Or maybe it’s just a fraction of the Spike UFC/TUF viewers that tune into Bellator.
I am sure UFC and Spike did a lot of the groundwork for Bellator.
I would like to know if Bellator makes any money, or if they operate in the red and are merely propped up by investors, which is what I’ve always assumed. Their costs include salaries for fighters and employees (large ones for champions and tournament winners), travel for fighters and employees, and marketing and production costs. Their revenue stems from tiny gate receipts, sponsors, and what must be a small amount of TV rights fees (how much could MTV 2 realistically be paying?). It just doesn’t seem like a sustainable business model when some of the fighters (even if only a few) are making 6 figure salaries. Can anyone shed some light?