MMA Junkie reports Fuel TV will have a free preview week which coincides with Fuel TV’s first UFC event this week. The network hopes that the additional exposure will equate to more subscriptions.
This week’s free preview will give 43 million homes the opportunity to see Fuel TV programming. This includes this week’s UFC on Fuel 1 event Wednesday. Fuel TV execs hope that the preview will increase awareness of the network. Since the UFC-Fuel relationship began on New Year’s day, execs for the network have been pleased with the numbers.
Via MMA Junkie:
“Percentage-wise in primetime, we’re actually killing it,” said George Greenberg, FUEL TV’s executive vice president and general manager. “Our target audience of men 18-49 since January, it’s up over 80 percent. Our primetime viewers are up almost 230 percent.”
From the outset of the new deal, FX and FUEL TV have been targeted as the major beneficiaries of UFC programming. FUEL TV is set to offer 2000 hours of programming this year including six live events and pre- and post-event shows, and Greenberg said his hope is to have more.
Payout Perspective:
The hope is that major TV carriers will pick up Fuel as a network when the network is set to renegotiate this fall. As Dana White points out in the article, its the hope that the Fuel TV ratings, fueled (pun intended) by UFC programming, will attract carriers to pick up the network. Although the Fuel ratings are lower than Spike TV, it looks like the UFC-Fuel relationship has impacted the network in a positive way. This week’s preview should help garner more interest in the channel.
You’d have to think that people who have the option to pay a little bit extra for FUEL TV would do so if UFC programming was that important too them (i.e. hardcore fans that already know if they have FUEL or not, and have made their choice). I doubt this will result in much of a pump in ratings/”premium sports package” subscribers.
Im not sure of the cost of the package but im sure it is a great deal for any fan. They are constantly showing entire PPV events on their reloaded show. The last couple days they have showed the entire UFC 136 PPV. Think how many fans of MMA who havent seen it. Think how many people rush out and buy the DVD. That is a lot of value alone. Not to mention the live fights, UFC news shows, and many other programs. It is a great deal. To be ho9nest the UFC could put this Fuel event on PPV and do 200-300,000 buys at $50. You can get it with a entire month of programs for like 15 bucks.
Absolutely no way UFC on FUEL 1 would sell on PPV.
I disagree. UFC 130 had Jackson vs Hamill and it sold 325K buys. 132 Cruz vs Faber both guys not build using the UFC brand but a low rated WEC on Verses. Yet it told 350,000. Sanchez has fought in front of larger rated shows on Verses than some of Fabers events there. He has fought on larger PPVs. So he has a following. Add to this that the UFC has a fan base of 200-300k people who will buy any card they put on. This is a fact. This card doesnt have to “sell” because the UFC brand will sell 200K buys alone. Which is what my estimation was. Or are you saying for the first time in UFC’s 140 PPV history they wouldnt get any buys? The UFC could put on a black card and not release any fights and it would sell 200K buys.
I will be watching everything tonight (even though I have to DVR 1st episode of Survivor). I doubt I would buy this as a PPV as I have become a little more selective, but as a free card it would be slightly above the old Versus cards and close to the old Spike cards in quality. I think Fuel TV is awesome. I liked the UFC magazine show last night at 10:30 as it gives one more insight into he fighters. Just finished watching Ultimate KO 9, and the post fight show is awesome, especially if you didn’t buy a PPV. UFC tonight is a little formulaic, but I think they could expand that to 2x a week easily, or at least one hour per week.
BTW, Verizon just cancelled 2 channels (Funimation and Bridges) but has not responded to my request for Fuel in HD yet.