MMA Junkie reports that Tuesday’s UFC on Fuel 3 event scored an average of 173,000 viewers. The ratings show a steady decline in ratings from the past 2 live Fuel events.
Via MMA Junkie:
February’s UFC on FUEL TV 1 event holds the all-time UFC-FUEL TV ratings record with 217,000 viewers, and April’s UFC on FUEL TV 2 show ranks second with 197,000. However, UFC on FUEL TV 3 topped all four of the cable channel’s previous preliminary-card broadcasts for UFC on FOX and UFC on FX events from earlier this year.
Payout Perspective:
An impressive main event, but unimpressive ratings. This may be due in part to the Tuesday night viewing audience and the fact it went up against the NBA and NHL playoffs. Another problem may be that the event started early on the west coast. With prelims on Facebook starting in the late afternoon Pacific time, it forecloses on an audience. Conversely, having the fight on too late may hurt east coast viewers and the actual attendance at the fight since it was in Fairvax, VA.
Despite the ratings, it was a good test to see the type of audience it could receive on a Tuesday night. This may come into play with future programming choices. I still see Tuesday night as a viable option for live programming during the week as more often than not it would not compete with other events.
*Crickets*
The UFC’s fox deal is all about exposing their product to a new audience through FOX but it seems that the viewers have become tired of run of the mill fights and will only watch the top fighters the UFC brand alone will not sell a fight but the UFC really does not want to run top fights on network tv because it will take away from their main business which is pay per view. How can they keep FOX happy and still make money who knows but running a card every week brought this on people are burned put on MMA.
Wow, thats bad numbers. Alot of people, probley have no clue if they have the channel. Strikeforce out draws them on showtime and they have half the viewers of fuel.