Early UFC 139 Estimated Buyrate: 270,000

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/11/24/2584175/early-ufc-139-buyrate-estimate-270000-mma-news

As usual, the guru Dave Meltzer is the first person to throw out a number in regards to the UFC 139 buyrate. And while no one was really expecting a huge number and this is just an early indicator of the final tally - this isn't good. Here's what he had to say in this week's Wrestling Observer (subscription required):

Very early estimates indicate the PPV numbers are going to fall very slightly less than UFC 138, so a first estimate would be around 270,000, although more accurate numbers won’t be available for two weeks.

The key thing here is the last bit - this is not the final number. But let's be honest. The number isn't likely to double in the next two weeks, so this event will be another in a long line of disappointing PPV buyrates that stretches back all the way to UFC 130. With the exception of UFC 135 (which did about 475k), every card has done under 350k. And the last three have all been under 280k, if this number holds steady.

There are many things that can be used to justify the low buyrates - injuries to major stars like Georges St. Pierre and Brock Lesnar, the Fox deal taking away a PPV windfall fight, etc. With only two PPV's left in 2011, the UFC is guaranteed to be way down in PPV revenue and buys compared to 2010, even if they drew a gigantic number for UFC 141. Sure, UFC on Fox was a huge success and a big positive for the sport. But in terms of PPV, which Dana says will continue to be the core of their business model -is there cause for concern yet?

The UFC's problem is they have over saturated the market. Who wants to buy a PPV every month?

Soonermark890 wrote:The UFC's problem is they have over saturated the market. Who wants to buy a PPV every month?

Every month and watered down versions. Too many injuries are killing them. Also sometimes they do 2 a month.

freakzilla wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:The UFC's problem is they have over saturated the market. Who wants to buy a PPV every month?

Every month and watered down versions. Too many injuries are killing them. Also sometimes they do 2 a month.

Dana needs to pull his head out of his ass. People became UFC fans because it was a good deal. You got to see a bunch of great fights for a decent price. In the past if you looked at boxing vs UFC cards it was a no brainer which PPV was better. But now? I am not so sure.

Dana thinks he can put no names or emerging stars in the main event spots. It doesn't work that way. A couple of ppv's ago the co-main event was Mitrione vs Kongo wtf?

freakzilla wrote:Dana thinks he can put no names or emerging stars in the main event spots. It doesn't work that way. A couple of ppv's ago the co-main event was Mitrione vs Kongo wtf?

If its me I stack cards. Do it every 2-3 months and sell 750,000 to a million every time instead of 250,000. Your profits would be much higher that way. But what the hell do we know we are just the "stupid" fans not buying it right?

Lol, the thing is sometimes they have 4 events in 6 weeks like recently. What's the point of doing 2 ppv's and 2 free cards back to back? It dilutes the product badly.

what kind of #s do they expect with those names headlining??

The "fresh and new" factor has worn off with MMA. Everybody knows what MMA and UFC is, and have made up their minds about it. Whether they like it or don't. It's peeked.

Now it'll come down to staying power and if they can keep it's fanbase.

Problem with UFC and White is he thinks the brand is bigger than the names. Not the case. Individual sports are STAR driven. Brand loyalty only works with team sports where you are loyal to your team.

Lesnar gave them their highest PPV ratings, not the UFC brand. Bum Slice gave TUF high ratings, not TUF.

And MMA is hard to build stars and keep the luster with them. They were hyping Lesnar and then Cain up as the Baddest Men on the planet, and both get destroyed in a single round.

You cant have PPV's every month and expect the buy rates to stay strong. Over saturated is the right term. Same thing happened in wrestling when WWE had PPV's every month.

It's a pity because the card was easily one of the best I've seen. And Rua vs. Hendo was a legendary fight.

UFC 139 - 270,000
UFC 137 - 280,000
UFC 136 - 250,000
UFC 135 - 450,000
UFC 134 - 265,000
UFC 133 - 310,000
UFC 132 - 375,000
UFC 131 - 335,000
UFC 130 - 325,000
UFC 129 - 900,000
UFC 128 - 445,000
UFC 127 - 260,000
UFC 126 - 725,000
UFC 125 - 270,000

Shaun wrote:UFC 139 - 270,000
UFC 137 - 280,000
UFC 136 - 250,000
UFC 135 - 450,000
UFC 134 - 265,000
UFC 133 - 310,000
UFC 132 - 375,000
UFC 131 - 335,000
UFC 130 - 325,000
UFC 129 - 900,000
UFC 128 - 445,000
UFC 127 - 260,000
UFC 126 - 725,000
UFC 125 - 270,000

UFC 129 was only that high because GSP was on it. His PPV's always do high numbers.

Soonermark890 wrote:

freakzilla wrote:Dana thinks he can put no names or emerging stars in the main event spots. It doesn't work that way. A couple of ppv's ago the co-main event was Mitrione vs Kongo wtf?

If its me I stack cards. Do it every 2-3 months and sell 750,000 to a million every time instead of 250,000. Your profits would be much higher that way. But what the hell do we know we are just the "stupid" fans not buying it right?

I'm an MMA newbie and a long-time boxing fan and I'm confused by a couple of things: 1-number of PPVs. I think Mark is right. How about 1 every 3 months and stack the damn card with a ton of good matchups. Add in another PPV here or there and end up with 5 a year max. 2-The pay!!!!

Someone explain this to me. UFC 139 DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $1,524,000.

It is reported that the live gate was $1,268,000.

270,000 buys and it cost what, $50. 13,500,000

I don't know how the PPV revenue gets split between the cable providers and the UFC, but it is clear that the fighters are not getting paid enough.

If it were a boxing match that would generate that number of PPV buys and generate that live gate, then the fighters would be getting paid more.

The UFC has had a stranglehold on the sports development in the U.S since it's first events as a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu infomercial (that's what the real reason for creating the UFC was). The guys have nowhere else to go, which allows Zuffa to low-ball the fighters. Why you see guys with a classified section on their trunks, it helps offset the low paydays.

UFC 129 had 900,000 buys. No idea of the live gate. But that is a ton of fucking money!!!!

Fighter salaries totaled less than 2,000,000 if the numbers I found online are correct.
Dana White is ripping the fighters off.

Yup, going to be hard to attrack new cross over stars for as little as UFC pays them.

captainanddew wrote:UFC 129 had 900,000 buys. No idea of the live gate. But that is a ton of fucking money!!!!

Fighter salaries totaled less than 2,000,000 if the numbers I found online are correct.
Dana White is ripping the fighters off.

GSP gets $3 for every PPV he sells. He got his base salary plus a win bonus plus $2.7million for UFC 129. That doesn't include his sponsors.

freakzilla wrote:

captainanddew wrote:UFC 129 had 900,000 buys. No idea of the live gate. But that is a ton of fucking money!!!!

Fighter salaries totaled less than 2,000,000 if the numbers I found online are correct.
Dana White is ripping the fighters off.

GSP gets $3 for every PPV he sells. He got his base salary plus a win bonus plus $2.7million for UFC 129. That doesn't include his sponsors.

you do realize Mayweather vs Marquez, marquez was guaranteed 2 million and Mayweather 10 million. It sold over a million. It generated 52,000,000 in sales.

The UFC fighters are getting absolutely screwed if GSP got 2,282,500(report I saw said his payout for ppv buys was tierred, and increased up to 3.00 for buys above a certain number and total ppv payment to GSP was around 1,882,500) on a card with 900,000 in buys, unless all the other fighter salaries listed are incorrect, then the fighters are getting screwed !

Cotto vs Margarito has 4 televised fights on the card. I am guessing that it will have a bigger live gate than UFC 129, but it won't generate 900,000 buys. I'd guess 600-700,000 buys will likely be the number. The total revenue will probably be less than UFC 129. But the 4 televised fights will be paid quite a bit more than UFC 129. It makes no sense.