Spike TV announced that it will air both Eddie Alvarez fights against Michael Chandler in Bellator in opposition to UFC 178 this Saturday. Spike TV is calling the program, “Eddie Alvarez: Free on Spike.”
Via Spike TV press release:
MMA fans can sit back enjoy Eddie Alvarez’s two most memorable bouts against Michael Chandler for free on Spike TV on Saturday, September 27 at 10:00pm ET/PT. The 90-minute “Eddie Alvarez: Free on Spike” special will kick-off with his first bout with Michael Chandler at Bellator 58, regarded by many as the “Fight of The Year” in 2011. Then, your night of free Eddie Alvarez continues with his rematch with Michael Chandler from Bellator 106 from November, 2013 where Eddie regained the title in a dramatic 5-round decision.
The program airs at the same time as the start of UFC 178 on PPV.
Payout Perspective:
With the past salary dispute between Alvarez and Bellator, the title of the program, “Eddie Alvarez: Free on Spike” might have a little irony to it.
Does this sound familiar? Previously, Spike TV has done well with airing MMA programming opposite the UFC. Spike TV used the UFC library during UFC events in the past as a result of an inexplicable rights agreement that allowed Spike TV the UFC library for a year despite its move to Fox. It makes sense from Bellator’s perspective and the title says it all. It basically tells you why pay $55 when you get guaranteed exciting fight for free on Spike TV. With the original main event (Jones-Cormier) moved to next year, SpikeTV/Bellator has a shot to grab some viewers not willing to pay to see Demetrious Johnson headlining a PPV.
Again Bellator and Spike TV drop the ball. Can they not do anything right? So let me get this right. Instead of making a show about their own fighters and building and promoting them. They are going to further promote a UFC fighter?
Not only will the show remind fans Alverez is fighting on PPV. When he wins(it’s a favorable match up for him stylistically) Spike will just be promoting them even more. So what fans passed on this fight might not pass on his next fights.
It’s just a very bad idea when that fighter isnt a superstar and isn’t going to draw huge ratings.
Good point BS, but seriously will EA even be a factor in a year or 2? Might as well milk that rock for what its worth. Dana must be pissing in his pants. Some fans wont know the difference and think they are watching the ppv for free lmao or should I say most?
I don’t know. The moves BMMA have made lately make me think Coker and the UFC are either working together or have an understanding.
SaldaQueef!
Not being offensive at all BS, but I would trust what the business folk at Time Warner are doing over your opinion. Even the article shows how Belator has had sucess doing this before.
Lol that’s because your trust is based on ignorance. You think Time Warner or any other network hasn’t made mistakes? They make them all the time. In fact they strike out more often than not. You see it each time a new show is canceled which is 90% of new shows. To act like they are always right and this possibly can’t be a stupid decision is stupid. No offense.
So what is there upside? Get a few hundred thousand viewers? How is that worth promoting another promotions fighter and passing on promoting your own fighter which would get basically the same ratings?
They are taking everyone who passed on this PPV and telling them ” this guy is pretty good. Might want to buy his next fights.” Which is in another promotion whose fights will eventually be airing on a rival network. It’s a bad decision no matter how you slice it.
Why not reruns of Rampages fights? Their PPV event? Knockout compalation? They all would draw the same fans who are stuck on Spike or looking for fights and to cheap to buy the PPV. Without the side effects.
Also I never said it wouldn’t have success. You mentioned it worked before. But they wasn’t promoting someone else’s fighter. This time it will get ratings and Alverez and the UFC will be the ones who benefit the most. The UFC couldn’t by that much publicity.
I don’t think Alvarez and the UFC will benefit. If Spike takes viewers away from the PPV, that will be an immediate blow to UFC revenues, whereas any bump in popularity for Alvarez as a result of the show will be diluted with time.
The people who choose tune in to Spike on Saturday probably already know about Alvarez, and are ambivalent about paying for the UFC PPV. The show on Spike is unlikely to make them want to get the next Alvarez PPV (several months down the road) if they aren’t already willing to pay for this one.
I’m a little surprised that Coker is playing the counter-programming game, but then the UFC did it to Strikeforce all the time.
It is ridiculous to argue that Spike’s previous counter-programming efforts actually helped the UFC by giving more exposure to UFC fighters. What it did was draw viewers away from the UFC PPV, and whatever exposure the UFC got from having it’s fighters featured on Spike was outweighed by the immediate loss in revenue.
This feels to me like more of the same.
With that said, this is a case of Spike countering a UFC PPV with Bellator fights, which I don’t think will have the same impact as countering a UFC PPV with UFC fights.
“The UFC couldn’t by that much publicity.”
Uhh, unless they aired a bunch of fights in the days leading up to the PPV – it’s not like Alvarez is the only guy on the card. Cerrone has been in a few decent scraps himself. Or maybe if they could do a Countdown show. Oh wait…
I disagree. You are essentially saying exposure doesn’t matter. Exposure is how fan bases are created. Making a show hyping EA will only endear those who watch it to him more. How do you think people become fans? Seeing guys fight!
Also no one stumbles onto a PPV. You are either getting it or you are not. No one is going to be pulled from a PPV by reruns of low level promotion fights. Those who watch it were never going to buy the event anyway.
Yes a 1-2 hour infomercial hyping a UFC fighter does help the UFC.
Of course exposure matters, but if the exposure is competing with your content then it’s not clear that it will help. I think it’s a toss up at best whether this helps the UFC and most likely it hurts.
Spike loves doing this, they did it when UFC was on Spike, they would counter UFC on Versus shows. Then when UFC left they countered everything that year, tried to trick people into thinking JDS/Cain were fighting on SPike instead of Fox.
Expect nothing less from them. UFC has countered as well with the Affliction show they did with Silva/Irvin.
Back then it was scummy and petty by the UFC but when SPike does it then its just business.