MMA Payout has learned from a Nielsen source that last night’s regular season finale of TUF 20 scored 508,000 viewers. The adult 18-49 was steady with 336,000 viewers for the 12th and final episode of the season.
The 336,000 viewers in the adult 18-49 demo was the season average. The season average (overnight viewership ratings) for TUF 20 drew to 515,000 viewers.
Episode 1: 536,000
Episode 2: 574,000
Episode 3: 433,000
Episode 4: 577,000
Episode 5: 509,000
Episode 6: 500,000
Episode 7: 494,000
Episode 8: 578,000
Episode 9: 381,000
Episode 10: 534,000
Episode 11: 532,000
Episode 12: 508,000
In the finale, Carla Esparza (the No. 1 ranked woman in the house) defeated Jessica Penne via Unanimous Decision. In the other semifinal, Rose Namajunas defeated Randa Markos via submission. It will be Esparza-Namajunas on Friday night.
Notably, the CM Punk interview which occurred after the episode on Fox Sports Live drew 182,000 viewers. According to a Nielsen source, the viewership for FSL was up 147% in the adult 18-49 demo with 136,000 viewers versus the 55,000 average.
Payout Perspective:
Disappointing for the end of the season for TUF which featured the two semifinal fights. Despite some good fights, the ratings did not reflect the quality. Sounds fairly familiar to the last couple seasons. TUF 20 last night was really the lead-in to the Phil (“CM Punk”) Brooks interview. Fox Sports Live sported very good ratings due to the interview which reflects the fact that Brooks has produced that “curiosity” buzz and it looks like the UFC may have done well with its calculated risk.
tops E says
Hahahahahahahahaha
Saldathief says
A bad stock. Bahahahaha
Logical says
Fans are no longer willing to invest their time into something that is being treated as a gimmick or not relevant in the overall scheme of things.
TUF used to showcase real up-and-comers back in the first couple of seasons, those fighters would end up becoming relevant in the UFC… nowadays being a TUF champion means sh*t and the big majority of the competitors you will never hear from again. TUF hasn’t been a vehicle for developing talent for a really long time, it has also been the cause for coaches to sit out for way too long.
As far as the female fighters are concerned, can you really get invested when the UFC averages only 1 female fight per event and sometimes none? You know they don’t take it seriously and treat it as a gimmick.
d says
Sal wears adult diapers.
Diego says
They need to get off of FS1. It’s just not a good enough platform. But since they are the top rated show on that channel, it’s unlikely that Fox will move them.
d says
Good point Diego. It’s the channel, not the show. They aren’t going anywhere though.
Diego says
Agree. I think being on Spike would give them a 300-500k bump (that’s a SWAG). But I also think as one of the highest rated shows on FS1 (and FS2 on occasion) they are staying put.
tops E says
http://www.mmamania.com/2014/12/11/7379707/nate-diaz-reaction-cm-punk-ufc-f-ck-that-situation-not-welcome-wwe
Saldathief says
Yes thats it! U guys solved the entire tuf death spiral. Its the networs fault. Bahahahahahahaahaha. News flash if tuf was on spike this entire time it would still be in the shitter just like every other ufc event or show. People are bored with the ufc and now it looks like a lot of fighters are disgusted too.
d says
Saldaqueef is too busy doing gay favors for Bob Arum to see reality.
Saldathief says
Bahaha floyd pac! Possibly may! Ufc in major law suit bahahahahaha. Whats your reality??? Here is a reality num nuts. Boxing doubles ufc in 14 and does even better in 15. Eat shit D ha ha
d says
Saldaqueef does math about as well as a blind guy sees. Despite the fact that the ufc has had by far their worst year ppv wise in the past 8 years because of the unusual number of injuries, they still aren’t too far behind boxing who had more ppvs than they’ve had in years. Haha. Boxing can’t even sell big fights with Mayweather anymore unless this fight with Pac goes through saldasmell. If you weren’t a total fucking retard, you would realize how much of a moron you are posting all of these idiotic and dead wrong statements.