New Bellator head Scott Coker stated that Bellator is going to focus on a monthly event in addition to four major shows which will likely feature the bigger stars for Bellator.
Coker revealed the news Monday which means that the upcoming 11th season will be the last with tournament formatting…for now. Coker indicated that he may bring back the tournament if warranted. In addition to the once a month event on Spike TV, the promotion would also do four major shows. There was no clear indication whether the plan would eventually mean these shows would be PPVs although Coker stated the focus would be Spike.
(H/t: MMA Junkie/The MMA Hour)
Payout Perspective:
The reduction of actual shows from 26 to 16 is the opposite of the UFC plan. We’ll see if this works as Coker’s plan seems to be quality rather than quantity. Certainly, focusing on a show a month allows for build and focus on the monthly event. The one hurdle is keeping viewers engaged in the three or so weeks that its off the air.
Smart move for BMMA. They don’t have the fan base or talent to do weekly shows. This is why their ratings are so inconsistant. Doing monthly shows will boost their ratings and make them more consistent. It will also make them “APPEAR” competitive with the UFC’s weekly effort.
coker is a beast as President. he did great with strikeforce and a limited budget. Bellator will definately grow under his leadership.
This will be much better for Bellator. I wonder if this means they’ll stop using local talents on the prelims.