MMA Junkie reports that UFC on Fuel TV 2 drew an average of 197,000 viewers this past Saturday. The numbers are down from the 218,000 viewers received from the initial live Fuel show.
Despite the drop in ratings, one must point out that UFC on Fuel 1 took place in primetime stateside and featured Diego Sanchez versus Jake Ellenberger. On the other hand, due to the time difference, UFC on Fuel TV 2 took place Saturday afternoon which could have detracted from viewership. Additionally, Gustafsson-Silva is not the most appealing or name recognized main event out there.
Payout Perspective:
Although we saw a drop, FUEL reports that the show had the largest viewership in FUEL TV history for the target demo of males 18-49. Also, the main event saw a peak of 298,000 viewers. Overall, I believe that the UFC is trying to put a positive spin on the ratings. The timeslot and the fact that many still do not receive FUEL were likely reasons from the decrease from UFC on Fuel 1 to Fuel 2.
How would people not being able to recieve Fuel effect the ratings from two shown both on Fuel? I dont think they need to sping the ratings because they are good. You cant really compare two channels. But what you can do is compare the progress. For the UFC to match their first event on Fuel with a day time over seas show and peak at a higher number is impressive. I am as hardcore fan as you can get and i didnt even know it was on. I wetn to Junkie and saw prelim results. I thought to myself surely it is tape delayed and i turned it to Fuel and the main card had already started. I was on my way to work. My friends were all working. I watched most of the main card when i got to work and watched it again with my brother at 11 that night. You hear the saem stories all over the net. Few knew it was on live at that time slot. Which explains the huge boost as the show went on. If it was on at night it would have blown away UFC on Fuel 1. If this was the UFC it could be looked at as a spin. But when this is fuel making the announcement it isnt a spin when they are setting records for their network. It was clearly the best day in Fuel history and if not for catching people off guard it would have beat the first show in everything rather than falling short on overall average. Keep in mind there was a Free Preview for Fuel during the last UFC on Fuel. This wasnt a free Preview and beat that event in almost everything. With an average of 197 that means it started with about 150K and by the end of the event viewers doubled. That shows how people forgot it was on and was finding out at the last minute. If the next Fuel event is at normal time i predict 250,000 average.
BSMash,
Good catch. You may be the only person that reads the posts carefully. 🙂
Here’s more info from the UFC-Fox-Fuel joint press release:
· UFC Fight Night on FUEL TV had 326,000 Total Viewers and 203,000 M18–49 Viewers combined over the two airings of the fight;
· Most-watched day in network history (on both Total Viewers and M18-49) with an average of 71,000 Total Viewers and 44,000 M18-49, +1320% and +2100%, respectively, vs. April 2011;
UFC Fight Night was the second most-watched program in network history, live telecast, with 197,000 Total Viewers (compared to 217,000 Total Viewers for UFC Fight Night on February 15) and the most-watched telecast in network history among the target demo of M18-49 with 142,000;
· Compared to the first UFC Fight Night on February 15, the April 14 UFC Fight Night on FUEL TV was up +9% on M18-49.
· UFC Fight Night on FUEL TV peaked at 298,000 Total Viewers (5:30 PM ET – 5:45 PM ET);
There is nothing better than UFC fans trying to find excuses for horrible UFC ratings.
Not too long ago they talked about Spike sabotaging the UFC and how the ratings will increase 2 – 3 fold on Fox and FX.
Now they even talk about Strikeforce Challenger or Bellator like UFC ratings as a success.
Lokking forward to the next ratings 😀
Although they seem to be getting some traction on Fuel, these numbers are still low. Similar cards on Spike would do 4 to 5 times more in terms of average viewership. I can’t help feeling that this result is great for Fuel, but not so great for MMA.
A difference of 20k estimated viewers is too insignificant in a national sample to even say it’s a decrease. You can’t really draw conclusions from swings in the tens of thousands. When you’re talking about Fuel or Bellator cards, it’s better to look at the average or the general range they’re falling in than to try to attach meaning to every apparent fluctuation.
Diego
That may be true but the UFC has always looked for a netowrk tv deal. So with or without Fuel the UFC would have still signed with FOX. I dont believe FX would want to house all the live shows that Fuel is running. The UFC isnt going to stop going to new cities and countries. So its either Fuel or not see the event. That is the short term. In the long run the UFC is building a netowork that will one day they hope give the ratings they are used to. That day could come at any time with a new deal between Fuel and cable providers or through more people finding out about Fuel and making arrangements to get it.
The UFC isnt hurt at all. They headline with up and coming talent that has yet to get a new big contract. So the fight cards are on the cheap end and like this weekend the gate alone made them profit. So Fuel cant be looked at as a bad thing but as a bonus. Anyone who gets is is getting bonus material. Sadly people use it to judge the UFC FOX deal when that wasnt the meat of the deal.
Brain Smasher,
Come back home to SCBR!
But it’s a Silva headlining. I’m reminded of Sonnels rundown through the silvas saying he will fight them all one on one. Five on one. But he will make sure they need 911.