WEC News: DirectTV And PPV In Near Future
by Kelvin Hunt on Dec 8, 2009 9:50 AM EST
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That's the word according to WEC GM Reed Harris as he appeared on MMAWeekly's radio show last night. Reed said that the WEC plans to continue their expansion with a show in Ohio during the Arnold Classic, which is normally a spot that the UFC fills. He also touched on WEC's negotiations with DirectTV and plans for a WEC PPV event in 2010:
"The last thing I heard a couple weeks ago is they were both talking and they had both come back to the table to discuss it, and I had heard that maybe we would be back on by Dec. 19, so that's what I'm hoping for," Harris commented.
December 19th is the date of WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff and that even till take place in Las Vegas. So for you that lost out on WEC since they were dropped from DirectTV earlier in the year, you could possibly be back in business later this month! Which is great news, because the WEC needs all the ratings help it can get.
Harris comments on the WEC's move to PPV in 2010:
"I'll give you a definite answer on that, yes," Harris answered when asked about integrating the pay model.
"I think we're shooting for mid-year at this point, but it could be sooner, it just depends on what happens in January. It depends on how our fights go and our ratings and all that stuff.""There're a lot of factors we look at. We definitely know if we're going to do a pay-per-view it's got to be compelling fights that people are willing to pay for, and it's got to be that must see fight. That's what we're trying to create."
I know the company needs to make a profit and PPV is one of the best ways to do so, but I'm not sure they'll be able to pull it off. Especially if they plan on setting their PPV prices in the same ballpark as the UFC which currently stands at $44.95. Now, if they place their PPV price around $29.95, then that would be more plausible. Not because the WEC is a lesser product, simply because they don't have the name brand recognition that the UFC has and folk are not going to shell out that amount of money twice in one month.
HT: MMAWeekly
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I doubt WEC will sell many PPVs at all. $29.95 seems reasonable but even with Urijah vs. Aldo, I don’t know that many would pay to see a WEC card.
Man
you live like 10 minutes from me…lol…thanks for posting on the site.
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it would be tough
it’d have to be something I’d really want to see…and it would to be about $29.95…and there would have to not be another PPV I’d want to see during that same month….which probably=me not getting it…lol.
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They would have to stack a PPV card in a fashion that would stretch the roster in a manner most unhealthy. With that said, if they get 1 or more championship bouts and involve Faber and Torres in some capacity (wether fighting for belts or otherwise) then they would have a marketable product to sell – especially if Miguel Torres gets on MMA live as often as possible and they market the shit out of it on UFC cards. Also, they should send Mac Danzig over to the WEC – he could be in an opening fight – that’s some free name-recoginition right there thanks to TUF.
Bloody hell.
If Zuffa are smart they’ll make sure Edgar fights for the LW title first before sending him to the WEC, as crazy as it might sound — headlining a card against BJ or Sanchez would increase his starpower ALOT even in a losing effort and that would help immensely in strengthening the brand name.
Bloody hell.
But
if he gets destroyed by them…that wouldn’t be a good look either…not saying he would…just saying…
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Well...
Going to PPV with an audiance on avg. 350,000 it is safe to say not all 350,000 are buying the PPV. I think if half that number bought the PPV Zuffa would be thrilled. I think when they do a PPV it will be around 70 to 80 thousand. Honestly what they should do is a $10 internet stream.
Well...you have to look at this also
If the average audience is 350K….half might watch it…but half wouldn’t be buying it IMO….you’d have 3-4 kats getting together to chip in to buy it more than likely…so you pegged it right that they might do 70-80K with a PPV…it might be even lower than that…I think they’d have to be thrilled with 50K to be honest….I think the price is going to be a big factor in it…
50K buys at 29.95 would be fight at 1.5 million dollars….they’d get roughly half of that or less from the PPV providers…so…around 600-700K for a PPV event?
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