UFC & Setanta

Mossy Monk

gimmick wrote: »

Channel 5 would be a disaster. Sky does not carry that, does it?

You can tune it in. It's free too.

Charlie3dan

Finally some news on this:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ufc/2508674/UFC-100-will-air-live-on-UK-TV.html

Good news unless It goes to Channel 5

FANS of mixed martial arts in the UK have been boosted by the news UFC 100 will definitely air live on July 11.
Speculation has mounted that the event would be screened on Bravo on tape delay following Setanta's collapse last week.

But we can reveal the main card from the Mandalay Bay spectacular will be broadcast in its entirety as it happens.

We understand Virgin 1 is favourite to screen the extravaganza — which looks set to be the biggest event in MMA history.

A source told SunSport: "UFC 100 will definitely air live in the UK and we can guarantee fans it will not be on pay-per-view."

The showpiece sees Brock Lesnar clash with Frank Mir in a heavyweight title unification bout in the main event.

Welterweight star Georges St Pierre also puts his title on the line against rising Brazilian star Thiago Alves, while Britain's biggest MMA fighter Michael Bisping pits his wits against legendary American middleweight Dan Henderson.

In a further boost, our insider claimed SIX TV channels are battling it out for the rights to screen fight cards following Setanta's demise.

ESPN are said to have lodged a huge bid to become the new home of the UFC in the UK and are the frontrunners to seal a long-term contract with the promotion — probably starting with UFC 101 in August.

But they face a challenge from Five, who are keen on bringing MMA to a mainstream audience.

Although Five cannot match ESPN's financial clout, the lure of terrestrial television may help swing them the deal in favour of their subscription-based rivals.

Sky Sports are also in the running, but their failure to fully back UFC programming with a weekly talk show saw them lose out to Setanta two years ago.

Bravo are also interested in screening live fights but it is understood the UFC would prefer to team up with Virgin 1 if an agreement with ESPN or Five cannot be reached.

Insiders at Virgin 1 were reportedly amazed at the viewing figures season nine of The Ultimate Fighter produced considering the minimal advertising spend the show received.

Over 380,000 people watched the TUF 9 finale earlier this month and the UFC are said to be delighted with its success.

cowzerp

i rang to cancel setanta and got it for 5 euro a month over the next 3 months, they told me they where still in negotiations with the ufc about showing it.

Mossy Monk

Charlie3dan wrote: »

Finally some news on this:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ufc/2508674/UFC-100-will-air-live-on-UK-TV.html

Good news unless It goes to Channel 5

Channel 5 would be great news. It is freely available across the whole country on satellite and it is free but if ESPN put in a big bid like that article suggests then it wont be five.

Turbo_diesel

Know how to tune in Channel 5 on sky digital?

Derek Coleman

And if it has to be tuned in then sky plus probably wont work. I'd be happy with Virgin 1 getting it. I want my U F C.

Mossy Monk

Turbo_diesel wrote: »

Know how to tune in Channel 5 on sky digital?

all info can be found here

Hopefully they get this sorted soon enough.

Savage Tyrant

Deleted User wrote: »

Hopefully they get this sorted soon enough.

Yeah...I REALLY need to know where this is going to be shown.

Mossy Monk

Mossy Monk wrote: »

Channel 5 would be great news. It is freely available across the whole country on satellite and it is free but if ESPN put in a big bid like that article suggests then it wont be five.

I don't think you can get channel 5 on NTL though??

Turbo_diesel

Mossy Monk wrote: »

all info can be found here

Cheers for that

Devastator

cowzerp wrote: »

i rang to cancel setanta and got it for 5 euro a month over the next 3 months, they told me they where still in negotiations with the ufc about showing it.

lol....they might be out of a job soon so might be telling people anything just to keep some business :eek:

the following article seems to favor bravo as UFC's next destination

http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/news/viewarticle.php?id=2680&offset=0

News


30/06/09 - UFC 100 WILL be live in the UK

UFC 100 will definitely be shown live in the UK, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has today reassured its British fans.

The UFC lost its UK television home with the collapse of Setanta Sports earlier this month, but immediately began engaging with a number of British broadcasters eager to gain the newly-available rights.

"We're all over it," said UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik. "We've got some very exciting options on the table and I expect to be able to make an announcement by Monday.

“In the meantime I'd like to guarantee our loyal British and Irish fans that UFC 100 will be LIVE on television over here. You won't have to wait to see the biggest event in UFC History. UFC 100 will be live in the UK."

Bravo is tipped as the channel most likely to become the new home of the UFC. It previously broadcast UFC events in Britain on tape-delay, prior to the emergence of Setanta Sports.

Another possible destination is Sky Sports, which used to host Cage Rage and is said to be interested in the UFC.

Rumour also has it that Channel 5 has expressed an interest. As a domestic terrestrial broadcaster that is free to all viewers, Channel 5 has the biggest reach of any of the channels said to be in the running.

Mossy Monk

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think you can get channel 5 on NTL though??

Nope.

Mossy Monk

Mossy Monk wrote: »

Nope.

Then I don't think it would be good if Channel 5 got it because a lot of people have NTL rather then Sky so they wouldn't be able to watch any UFC if they get it.

Mossy Monk

I can only speak for my own preference. I do not have Virgin 1 or Bravo so going to either of those would be useless for me. I do have five however.

Devastator

think about it....

channel 5 is terrestrial in UK but unavailable in most of Ireland. So UFC sell UK rights to channel 5, knowing on ordinary tv that EVERYONE can receive will increase viewing figures massively for 1(maybe 2) years then switch to sky/ppv service when everyone is hooked.....when at same time doing a deal with a company broadcasting in Ireland(ie Setanta) to rake in more cash. Therefore increase popularity of the sport even more while thinking how they can profit vastly in future.


Anyone every read an article hinting that the guys in charge of UFC aren't money motivated?


If I was in charge I would be thinking how to double up....not offer the package to a channel available in both countries

Mossy Monk

Devastator wrote: »

think about it....

channel 5 is terrestrial in UK but unavailable in most of Ireland. So UFC sell UK rights to channel 5, knowing on ordinary tv that EVERYONE can receive will increase viewing figures massively for 1(maybe 2) years then switch to sky/ppv service when everyone is hooked.....when at same time doing a deal with a company broadcasting in Ireland(ie Setanta) to rake in more cash. Therefore increase popularity of the sport even more while thinking how they can profit vastly in future.


Anyone every read an article hinting that the guys in charge of UFC aren't money motivated?


If I was in charge I would be thinking how to double up....not offer the package to a channel available in both countries

If they did that then great. Anyone with a satellite dish pointed at Astra 2 can get Channel 5 for free.

Fozzy

F4WOnline.com says that two channels have made offers to air UFC 100 live and that a decision will be made "shortly"

chopperbyrne

Mossy Monk wrote: »

If they did that then great. Anyone with a satellite dish pointed at Astra 2 can get Channel 5 for free.

Leaving those who have cable screwed and using streams which is just as bad as dodgy boxes.

Maldini2706

Apparently Setanta Ireland's future is about to be secured so there's still a chance we'll see it on Setanta here.

http://www.independent.ie/business/media/setanta-ireland-buyout-deal-agreed-1797260.html

Karmafaerie

UFC 100 will air live on UK TV

FANS of mixed martial arts in the UK have been boosted by the news UFC 100 will definitely air live on July 11.
Speculation has mounted that the event would be screened on Bravo on tape delay following Setanta's collapse last week.

But we can reveal the main card from the Mandalay Bay spectacular will be broadcast in its entirety as it happens.

We understand Virgin 1 is favourite to screen the extravaganza ��" which looks set to be the biggest event in MMA history.

Speaking exclusively to SunSport, the UFC's UK president, Marshall Zelaznik said: "I'd like to guarantee our loyal British and Irish fans that UFC 100 will be LIVE on television over here.

"You won't have to wait to see the biggest event in UFC history. UFC 100 will be live in the UK."

Virgin 1 it is it seems, with eiter ESPN or Ch 5 to take up the reigns.

Maldini2706

It's a pity Sky aren't prepared to give the sport the attention Setanta did. The sport would explode if they did.

chopperbyrne

Maldini2706 wrote: »

It's a pity Sky aren't prepared to give the sport the attention Setanta did. The sport would explode if they did.

Sky would probably go the PPV route. The buyrates would be much lower than they expect and then they'd not renew their deal.

It's better being on a channel that won't do PPV.

mailburner

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Sky would probably go the PPV route. The buyrates would be much lower than they expect and then they'd not renew their deal.

It's better being on a channel that won't do PPV.

exactly
sky+ufc= ppv
im praying itll be on a free channel live

davmol

Thats why setanta was a great platform for UFC.Great exposure with TUF,UFC unleashed,Ultimate talk and al for 20/30 quid a month with no extra PPV fees like sky have.UFC will see viewing figures in the UK and Ireland drop dramatically if they switch to PPV as the sport is not that mature yet to get the numbers

chopperbyrne

davmol wrote: »

Thats why setanta was a great platform for UFC.Great exposure with TUF,UFC unleashed,Ultimate talk and al for 20/30 quid a month with no extra PPV fees like sky have.UFC will see viewing figures in the UK and Ireland drop dramatically if they switch to PPV as the sport is not that mature yet to get the numbers

It's not even that.

Boxing PPVs on Sky don't do huge numbers anymore and they are only once every few months at most.

No way are people here and in the UK willing to spend that much nine or ten times a year on average on top of their subscription fee for supposedly dedicated sports channels.

cowzerp

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Boxing PPVs on Sky don't do huge numbers anymore and they are only once every few months at most..

Sky put on terrible boxing ppv's.

for instance, Khan's fights are all ppv and he's only average at the moment, no way he should be ppv.

roakey

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I can only speak for my own preference. I do not have Virgin 1 or Bravo so going to either of those would be useless for me. I do have five however.

if you have sky then you should have both bravo and virgin 1, they are normal channels not add ons, channel 5 is an add on,(wat is the code for it by the way)

i hope they give it to virgin 1, they done a great job with tuf 9.

as for sky, they would make ufc unwatchable, they prob add their own commentators and stuff, and there own analists, which would be ****, you need goldberg and rogan. dont think it wouild be the same with out them. and hen charging 25euro for a ppv, the watching figures would definatly go down

Fozzy

Maldini2706 wrote: »

Apparently Setanta Ireland's future is about to be secured so there's still a chance we'll see it on Setanta here.

http://www.independent.ie/business/media/setanta-ireland-buyout-deal-agreed-1797260.html

UFC cancelled their contract with Setanta, so there's no chance. Have you seen any UFC programming on Setanta in the last week?

Plus it would make no sense for them to make a deal with a station that broadcasts to the UK and Ireland and a separate deal with a station that only broadcasts in Ireland

Devastator

Think Sly and setanta were both close to deal few years ago but setanta got it because they agreed to give their own UFC weekly talkshow and sly wouldnt agree to this.

Maybe sly have now realised their mistakes when seeing how popular the UFC has(and is) becoming and how successful live events and the TUF series' have been.

Fozzy wrote: »

UFC cancelled their contract with Setanta, so there's no chance. Have you seen any UFC programming on Setanta in the last week?

Plus it would make no sense for them to make a deal with a station that broadcasts to the UK and Ireland and a separate deal with a station that only broadcasts in Ireland

read my post near top of last page....could make sense depending on which UK channel gets it