MMA Fighting reports that Bellator 120’s PPV has surpassed 100,000 buys. Despite losing its main event, Bellator exceeded most expectations with the amount of buys.
Greg Savage of Sherdog first reported the buy rate. The initial buy rate floated out there was 65,000 buys according to Dave Meltzer on his Wrestling Observer podcast with Bryan Alvarez on Tuesday. According to the Sherdog article, the buy rate will be available in Viacom’s SEC filings later this year.
Bjorn Rebney told MMA Fighting:
I won’t be discussing specific PPV buy rates, but what I can say is that with one of our main events falling out just seven days before our first PPV, a six figure plus buy rate is a good starting point. But, it’s just that, a starting point. My focus is to continue working with our partners at Spike to create the type of big event experience that we created on the 17th.
Payout Perspective:
The news of a 100K plus PPV buy rate after Eddie Alvarez had to pull out is a great achievement by Bellator. It is really good considering it competed with HBO Boxing that night with Juan Manuel Marquez-Mike Alvarado.
What propelled the 100K plus buys? Rampage Jackson-King Mo? Tito Ortiz? Whatever it was, the buy rate means that Bellator will definitely plan additional PPVs in the future. Certainly, Rampage-Tito, Alvarez-Chandler or Brooks would be good choices to headline the next Bellator PPV.
The UFC is the standard for MMA PPV with few others attempting it. As MMA Fighting notes, only Affliction’s PPV in July 2008 (Fedor v. Sylvia – 100K buys) has put on a PPV with a buy rate hitting 100K. WEC also had a PPV (Aldo v. Faber) in April 2010 which did 175K PPV buys. However, the UFC owned WEC at the time.
I think the buys were due to it being their first event. I don’t expect any other PPV they do to break 60-80 range. Definately do t think this is a starting point. Basically this was years in the making. Over a year of promoting a first PPV. Other PPV’s won’t have that anticipation. Also the production and the show come off very amateurish. Scripted trash talk I the locker rooms didn’t look good and had technical issues. The comer of each fighter had to many guys in the cage and the commission kept running them out. One time the commission said “one cornerman and a cut man”. Then someone says “we don’t have a cut man”. Felt like watching King of the Cage over 10 years ago. The fake drama and scripted trash talk convinced me to never buy a BMMA event again. Wasn’t happy with my purchase.
Was dave “Ufc guesstimator” trying to lower the ppv buys of belator?a marketing strategy of trending? Hahahaha
100-200K was my “OK but probably disappointing” range. I suppose that losing the main event has to be factored in, so overall, it’s a decent start, but they’re certainly not hitting it out of the park.
All those production issues are minor and will get fixed. UFC fans (as opposed to MMA fans) will always find something to criticize when any non-UFC promotion runs a PPV, and frankly, are unlikely to be satisfied until Bellator folds.
Bellator now has a Rampage v. Tito fight cued up and either Alvarez v. Chandler or Alvarez v. Brooks, all of which they could put on PPV. Toss in a championship fight and you could do at least as well as this PPV with the next one.
I’m still not convinced that PPV is the future for Bellator, but I could see a model where they have two events per year stacked with a lot of their champions and grudge matches. However, that strategy only works in the long term if they can maintain their ratings on Spike.
lets be honest, if this was a boxing or ufc ppv it would be saying its a complete failure. they lost millions on this. 2 major mma names on the card too. People will chime in and say Viacom has millions and it doesnt matter, how the hell do you think they got millions, not investing in losing propositions. It matters!
This definitely exceeded expectations considering Alvarez dropped out. It did better than any of the other fight promotions have done in the past other than the ufc or pride.
Good for Bellator.
If they hit close to 6 figure buyrate that is very successful! PPV has been down acrossthe board as MMA Iin the United States is not nearly as hot as it was three years ago. In todays market one of UFC’s most valuable fighter Ronda Rousey only did just over 300,000. 5 years ago that was UFC’s bottom tier for buys.
Many of WWE’s “B” PPV’s are doing around 100,000 domestic buys currently. This has to be seen as a major success for Bellator. The loss of Eddie Alvarez is not that huge of a factor, as the major draw was Rampage vs Mo and Tito Ortiz’s appearance.
Say what you will about their current skills as fighters, they are still big names and that is what convinced most fans to purchase the PPV. Good for them!
Looks like Carl Froch is set to make $13.3 million and George Groves $3.3 million this weekend in UK boxing. 80,000 tickets sold to the event.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/10863829/Exclusive-Carl-Froch-set-to-earn-around-8million-and-George-Groves-2million-from-Wembley-showdown.html
Diego, this wasnt thier first event. They have ran 120 events. There was no reason to have to many people in the cage that many times and have a corner that dint even have a cut man. Thats pure mismanavement. Thats isnt ppv jitters. But the biggest issue was the fake drama and announcers tryi g to be actors and play along. It creates a product no one will ever respect. Does BMMA really want to get viewers who only watch because they think it is on the level of WWE but never gives its fighters respect or see them on the level of ufc fighters? How long can they sell fighters who are proven jokes? Rampage admited he cant beat top wrestlers and was beat by anyone good. Tito cant beat anyone good. Will people keep paying for them? Will people buy into other guys who beat them? I dont think people will. They cant even pass the torch because people know that beating them is meaningless. Basically they have build up a dead end. I think these buy rates are a home run for them. But it wont last because like other promotions before them. They sold out for the fast cash and sold the integrity of the sport in the process.
Rondo Rousey vs Gina Carano on December 30, 2014… The title “For Integrity”
I’d like to see this number confirmed by someone who is legit not anyone related to Bellator, for site to be reporting this as something that is legit is foolish at this point.
BS,
Like I said, guys like you won’t be happy until Bellator folds and nothing they do will ever be right.
They didn’t sell out for fast cash. Not everyone has deep pockets like the Ferttitas and can go $40M (or was it $20M?) in debt before turning a profit. Bellator is doing fine, and as long as they can maintain their ratings on Spike, they will be around and will do a PPV once in a long while. Get used to it.
Diego, completely agree. They did it right unlike Affliction, etc. overextending themselves. As long as they gradually build their name up and don’t go on a spending spree, they should be fine for the long haul.
EJ,
We have never had “confirmation” on any PPV numbers ever. All we have is guesses. This site reports what is available. That’s all that can be done.
Sherdog reported that the Bellator PPV buys will appear in Viacom’s SEC filings. We can confirm then. I highly doubt that anyone would risk lying to the SEC.