It appears that the UFC is increasing its viewership on Fuel. Fuel TV has recorded the largest year-to-year percentage increases of total viewers in both prime time and total day in April and this year among all rated, ad-supported cable networks.
Fuel TV reported this growth via press release although it cites figures released by Nielsen Media Research. Fuel TV has ramped up its UFC programming from 213 hours in March to 340 in April. The increase was amplified by a marathon of UFC content during a Fuel TV preview.
Via Fuel TV press release:
April 2012 was up +260% in Total Viewers and +450% in M18-49 vs. April 2011
Prime time viewership grew +275% on Total Viewers and +250% among M18-49 compared to April 2011
Late night finished up +767% on Total Viewers and +1000% among M18-49 from April 2011
UFC on FUEL TV Fight Night on April 14 delivered the 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 on FUEL TV Fight Night on April 14 was the second most-watched program in network history, with 197,000 Total Viewers and the most-watched telecast in network history among the target demo of M18-49 with 142,000;
The program peaked at 298,000 Total Viewers from 5:30pm ET – 5:45pm ET.
April 2012 was the network’s second most-watched month ever, behind February 2012.
For the first four months of 2012, prime time viewership is averaging an increase of +209% over 2011, and total day is up +125% compared to 2011.
Payout Perspective:
If you were looking for a UFC network, you need only look to Fuel TV as it is increasingly becoming the spot to turn to for your UFC fix. It would be interesting to see the numbers as to the converts to Fuel from its last free preview in April. Certainly, it would help to get a wider distribution for Fuel. While it appears that Fuel is gaining acceptance as the spot for UFC, and its gaining steam on FX (based on the Prelims increasing viewership numbers). But, there’s still concern with the TUF Live franchise on FX and Saturday’s numbers on Fox.
I guess as long as Fox is happy and keeps writing those $100M checks then it’s all good, but this sounds fairly insignificant to me. Boosting numbers from infinitesimal up to very small does not sound like a major success.
Here’s why this is pertinent, in my opinion: Subscriptions to FUEL TV have gone up by approximately 6 million since the UFC deal was announced. FUEL gets $0.29 per subsciber per month so that means that, thus far, Zuffa has possibly added nearly $21 million annually. With this increased viewership percentage, FOX hopes to leverage an increase in rate per subscriber. Let’s say they get it increased to $0.40 per subscriber. Then you’d be looking at close to $30 million per year just on the increased subscribers they’ve already gotten. It’s also entirely possible that the number of homes where FUEL is avaialble could also be expanded. Food for thought. In my case, when I added FUEL through Time Warner Cable it came as part of a package with a few regionals that, combined, give the FOX family of networks a signifcant chunk of change. Extrapolate that same scenario to many of the 6 million new FUEL subscribers and you’re talking HUGE revenue increases before even selling one advertising spot.
It’s good for FOX.
It also shows that just like boxing, the UFC is a very niche audience.
Duh! Anything that just appeal to males is a “niche”. No one says otherwise. Dan himself says every chance he gets that some peoplewill never be into watching fights. But that doesnt keep the UFC from breaking into other demos and gaining acceptance by more people. Just because you are a niche sport doesnt mean you have to stay that way. Boxing used to be mainstream way back in the day. MMA is makign strides to do the same thing. UFc has a chance with its model, Boxing is content to be a dead sport that offers up a couple popular guys doing it each year.
Hey BrainSmasher,
here is Dana talking about the UFC being neck and neck with soccer world wide 😀
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/5/7/3005911/ufc-dana-white-fertitta-neck-and-neck-with-soccer-mma-news
What a DUMB idea!!!
Move 90% of the UFC’s content from Spike available in 90M homes to
Fuel available in 30M homes..
The only thing the UFC got was a lousy time slot on FX for TUF…
and 4 network cards with no promotional support on FOX!!
Fox is using the UFC to drive viewership on Fuel. If it makes money it makes sense. Only Fox and the UFC know for sure, though Weezy’s comments are interesting.
I imagine if Fuel is showing old UFC footage, and prelims that would otherwise go unaired, that’s fairly cheap programing and anything they can get out of it is gravy.
Dfdfdfd,
“The only thing the UFC got was a lousy time slot on FX for TUF…
and 4 network cards with no promotional support on FOX!!
You forgot to mention that they also got $100M per year.
AD/LD/OD
He is a promoter what do you want him to say? How does that have anythign to do with what i said? Do i need to post his comment to prove he said what i said? World Wide the sport is doing very well. I dont believe it is neck and neck with soccer but i believe it is one of the most viewers sports world wide. I would be willing to bet it gets more eyes than American Football and Baseball.
“””” “The only thing the UFC got was a lousy time slot on FX for TUF…
and 4 network cards with no promotional support on FOX!!
You forgot to mention that they also got $100M per year.”””””
UFC could have made more than $100M if they put those 4 FOX cards on PPV.
The cards only need to average 500,000 PPV buys… and its almost certain FOX cards would average more than 500,000 buy on PPV…
“””” You forgot to mention that they also got $100M per year.”””””
UFC could have made more than $100M if they put those 4 FOX cards on PPV.
The cards only need to average 500,000 PPV buys… and its almost certain FOX cards would average more than 500,000 buy on PPV…
Not quite Dfdfdf. First the UFC dont get all of the $50 ppv price you used. It gets half. Next only the first 2 cards were even PPV worthy. The Santos card would have done well on PPV. But even that super card would have only did about 500K ppv buys. The Sonnen/Bisping Evans/Davis would have been some where in the 400+ buy range. This last Fox even and the next FOX 4 would be 200K buys. Fox 4 is so bad it would really hurt the UFCs imagine to offer up something that bad on PPV. It would be the worst PPV ever by far. So you have there maybe 1.3 million buys at best and you would need 4 million buys to make 100 million. That being said these events isnt what Fox paid for and at the same time the UFC didnt want on Fox for the little boost in the contract they got. They wanted on fox to create more fans which will buy PPVs later. I am willing to guess that FOX didnt want these UFC events. But the UFC required them to sweeten the deal for signing over TUF to FX. They worked out a perfect deal with FOX, FX, and Fuel that made everyone involved happy.
Also there is much more UFC content on Fuel than there was ever on Spike and its not even close. If you dont have Fuel i would suggest changing providers if you have to. It is worth it.
Truth of the matter is that the UFC took one on the chin and is having a hard time getting up right now.
Bellator is poised to make a big move next year.