Presidential Address: Dana White explains recent UFC on FOX ratings

I thought the last Fox card was AWESOME. It wasnt loaded with big names but I dont care about big names. I care about good fights and they definitely delivered on that.

I understand that Dana loves his company, but putting an angry video blog on the net about why the company only did 3 million viewers is a little absurd. I think he's letting the internet chatter get to him a little bit too much. So what if they had low ratings it was an awesome event and three million that tuned in got a great show. Leave it at that

@bantam

Your right it is absurd, but I like that. If more people took time out to break down and destroy the bulls*** that the media put out they'd think twice. Great video by Dana

I agree, the fight card was fantastic--I really enjoyed it.



But I disagree with your point that Dana is overreacting. I would argue that instead, the media overreacted--particularly Mr. WWE Meltzer which seemed to start a chain of similar articles in other media outlets.



As you may know, Meltzer runs the subscription website Wrestling Observer, which tracks the business of professional wrestling--and he has added MMA to his 'expertise'. In some circles, Meltzer is considered influential--and he seems to somehow obtain PPV estimates for WWE, boxing and the UFC.



Dana White may be an idiot in so many ways--like not knowing India is in Asia--but in one area, he is a genius--and that is promotion / marketing.



Dana White has very good instincts for recognizing a hatchet job, and he keeps his finger on the pulse of the MMA world. Meltzer and others cast doubt on the miracle story of the growth and popularity of MMA.



Meltzer used as his example a single free fight card without big names which happened to occur on a slow TV night--which was slow for a number of reasons. Meltzer chose not to view interpret the ratings information accurately, and instead he saw a huge significance in the low ratings--going so far as to suggest that the UFC had hit its peak.



Dana White is not only speaking to MMA fans, but to Fox executives and advertisers. He knows it is best to nip such negative PR stories in the bud. That is why Lorenzo Fertitia also issued an opinion on the ratings earlier.



So I don't see anything strange in Dana trying to set the record straight--as he has done in the past on other issues where he could not trust the media report accurately.

How did you get 3 weaks for that? Point you make is spot on.

I'd guess that its because the points he made weren't close to spot on. It was full of inaccurate opinions, and is a glaring example of the problems that exist between MMA's fanbase and the media compared to other sports. Here are just a few realities of the situation:



-Dana sees every negative article towards his company as a "hatchet" job. He doesn't have a great opinion on which to pick and choose from.



-Dave Meltzer is an amazing source of information when it comes to combat sports numbers. He's a prowrestling guy that has been a part of the MMA world for close 15 years now, and is well respected enough to be brought in as a subject matter expert on promotion/marketing for IVY league level universities. He has been pro-Zuffa at almost every point in his career, and he is looked at as a pro-Zuffa guy by other media members. He was calling it like he saw it with facts and figures. To think realistically it was some hatchet job, and that Dana is in the right for the way he acts like a child is incompetent at best.



-There is much more than one night of UFC numbers to suggest the UFC (and MMA as a whole) have hit its peak. All you have to check is the numbers from the past two years of free TV shows, and PPV buys to realize that.



-The Fox executives don't have see a negative article to realize the UFC has underperformed in pretty much every way since the deal occurred (lower PPV numbers, lowest ratings in TUF history, lower numbers than Elite XC recieved in similar spots compared to the FOX shows). Dana and Lorenzo are trying to perform a media blitzkrieg like they normally do when negative stories come out. The problem is this time it might not be enough.

I think it is because Dana is such a **** when he feels threatened, and he lashes out, and people automatically dismiss Dana's points because of his ****ishness.



I noticed definite 'piling on' of the media when the low ratings came in--including Kevin Iole and quite a few others. It was only one fight card--yet the media articles I read were very doom and gloom--seeing the ratings as a trend after one card.

See I agree with your first point. We had a long discussion on FO about how if Dana would have approached this particular situation with less animosity, that he had a lot of valid points. The problem is the second thing that comes out of his mouts is berating the guy about losing his job.



As for your second point, the media is actually doing their job. Reporting the facts of the situation. Lower numbers than projections pointed to (the first card on Fox by all accounts was supposed to kill it, and it barely beat out Kimbo vs. Thompson). The rest of the cards have fallen afterwards (along with TUF, and house shows like the past one on Fuel).

Dave also being so amazing failed to explain why the ratings were low only had time to say they were low and said a few things that were plain and simply ahead of himself. As far as ratings and numbers go you also need to realize that the whole market hasn't been tapped by a long shot. It is successful worldwide unlike other sports. MMA is usually held back by local athorities and protective regulations where as Hockey and Baseball and Basketball etc are held back by nobody giving a crap about them in other countries. Even within the USA MMA is being held back by authoritive figures trying to save face for their favorite pastime or regional interest. I think all that is being portrayed defensively by Dana is that there are no problems and that it is merely setbacks that are slowing them from attaining their ultimate fate. Most other sports and spokespersons of the sport are nothing but critical of MMA because their own sports are at a dissadvantage in terms of excitement and worldwide appeal. For example most of my friends in Canada have made MMA equal or greater to hockey in their favourites list. In Ireland here we have a massive favouritism for soccer and it doesn't seem like it will budge either but anyone who has seen MMA puts it immediately up there with soccer for favourites. The reason it is a hard sell here to overcome soccer is due to massive local interest put into local teams and such but when it makes it to a screen, nobody asks for it to be changed. A lot of name brand fighters like GSP, Anderson, etc have been getting injured as of late and being sidelined will effect the years interest with casual fans significantly as they don't bother to watch people they don't know.

"Dave also being so amazing failed to explain why the ratings were low only had time to say they were low and said a few things that were plain and simply ahead of himself. "



-The numbers were low. That's what he reported, and didn't do so to pull a hatchet job at all. The only way you start to see that the numbers weren't absolutely horrendous, is to spin it the way Dana did in an interview (where he brings up valid points). That's not Meltzer's job, he's not a Zuffa employee even though many people have accused him of it in the past.



"As far as ratings and numbers go you also need to realize that the whole market hasn't been tapped by a long shot."



-The problems for that opinion, is the numbers don't support it. MMA is held back by certain regulations in a lot of places, but it never hurt viewership numbers over the past 5 years. Places they have expanded too have either accepted it with open arms, or turned their backs. This isn't 2005. The world knows what MMA is, and the only place the UFC is set to expand in at the moment that brings any real jump in profit is China. They've been running events all over Europe now for over 5 years.



"It is successful worldwide unlike other sports."



-That's a not a very accurate assumption. Boxing, Soccer, and basketball, do far better numbers world wide. With boxing's climbing dramatically outside of the US since 2000. Other sports like Cricket, and rugby do better numbers outside of the US in certain countries.



"Even within the USA MMA is being held back by authoritive figures trying to save face for their favorite pastime or regional interest."



-That does very little to hurt viewership though. These places (like NY) still have MMA available on TV, and very strong mma followings.



"I think all that is being portrayed defensively by Dana is that there are no problems and that it is merely setbacks that are slowing them from attaining their ultimate fate."



Yes, that is exactly what he is trying to portray. That is what he is trying to spin the company line from. The problem is there is a fair amount of evidence now that points to his explanations not being entirely accurate. Plus there's the whole long history of him attacking many media members that did not toe the company line.



At one point Dana says you don't see writer's in the NBA talking about ratings numbers. That is either a blatant lie, or him not knowing what he's talking about. Ever since Jordan retired (the second time) the numbers have been discussed yearly by multiple media personalities if they drop or rise even in the slightest degree. And that's in a sport that has been around for over a century, and have pulled dececnt ratings for over 30 years.



"A lot of name brand fighters like GSP, Anderson, etc have been getting injured as of late and being sidelined will effect the years interest with casual fans significantly as they don't bother to watch people they don't know."



This is highlighting some of their problems. The only real "star " they have been able to build from the ground up is Jones. GSP has been in the UFC for close to a decade. Anderson hasn't drawn good numbers outside of fighting Chael. He's done better as a co-headliner. Cruz hasn't been able to draw big. Edgar hasn't been able to draw big. And for how exciting Aldo is, his biggest watched matches are still against proven commodities like Kenny Florian and Urijah Faber.



These problems can be attirbuted to many things: Oversaturation, bad judging, inability to connect the "change of address" to fans. However, they are real problems for Zuffa's long term goals (not to mention their continued relationship with Fox and their rumored 100 mill a year). Not just circumstancial coincidences.







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Many citizens in many countries accept or deny anything their leaders say are good or not good for their region. They are untapped until they see someone they follow give the green light. I didn't say MMA was the biggest sports just bigger than others like the ones I mentioned. I thought it was bigger than basketball, I will recheck that. Anyway stuff. Anyway in terms of it's growth it certainly is growing faster than the other sports even than the ones you mentioned. Even here in Ireland boxing is coming down and MMA up. Yes Soccer is by far the largest following though. But when we factor the timescales of the different sports MMA is doing mightily accross the globe. This whole breakout by the news stems from 1 fight deemed noteworthy and it is very circumstantial it seems. The man just needed a piece. I don't think MMA is in any kind of a plateau as it is still new enough that access to it and advertising for it globally is restricted and sensored in many parts of the world. Many of the stars of the show are gone or injured and so it will take time for people to come to a recognition of the names involved with the sport to make it more personally intrigueing. As more areas accept the sport more people will legitimize it's existance and see the stars in their local papers, tv commercials and supporting adverts. Soccer has no boundries and once MMA doesn't we will see the real nature of the beast. Boxing is holding on while MMA is infant. This guy is not seeing the whole picture if he thinks there is a peak been reached for MMA.

-Listen man, I'm not going to sit here and pick apart everything you say again. You're saying some logical things, but the problem is numbers back up basically nothing your saying. There's no numbers to back up places suddenly falling in love with MMA. There's just not man. There's no numbers showing MMA's growth after it is legalized outside of places it has already been legalized. Germany saw it, they scoffed. Half the voting population in New York City voted against legalizing it in the state. This isn't a sport that everyone is going to simply fall in love with man, and if you keep speaking on MMA globalizing you need to realize boxing has grown more around the globe in the past 5 years.



Numbers are dropping. MMA has gained a foot hold in most places in the world already. As fans of this sport, we have to realize not everybody is going simply fall in love with fighting.



There is a reason it is a "niche" sport, and it has nothing to do with places not regulating it or not enough people seeing it. It's the fact that a lot of people simply don't find to guys beating each other up entertaining.

Maybe you are right. Maybe I am just thinking differently because i am so involved with MMA it seems so big. But I also do feel that alot of MMA fans are in limbo over weather they will start watching or not because of missunderstanding on it's safety, morals and it's encroachment towards their current favourite sports. I think it's only a matter of time that people will see it as a great sport. Right now they will scuffle but I feel it will be bigger yet in a few years. I just don't agree that it has plateaud for good, just for a moment.

I'll tell you this: There's nothing wrong at all with hoping people continue see the beauty that is this great sport. Even if they just watch it for the gratuitous violence, or over the top characters.

4.22 min of dana talking and he only said "shit" one time and no f-bombs??

He probably had to agree to a no "phuck" clause to get the fox deal

I dont know about anyone else, but I have directv in west CA and it was no where to be found. I even called up the company had them search for it for over a half hour and they even said they cant find it on fox. They found all the old shows but not this one. So I think that had a lot to do with it. I cant be the only one in CA that couldnt link to the fight on Fox....

ive had the same problem, on Directv... i get FOX in channel 248 and the fight do show there, BUT some times they switch them to another FOX channel (7)....i have no idea why or what, but its a pain trying to find the fights..

Yes I think Bantam is right, I would correct judging to keep it right. To many close calls going unchallenged or checked.

Hello Dana! On your age quotes for viewing. I see more UFC than the average bear, and then Teamquest and a few other gyms.

I'm requesting you watch what you say about 50's and up, then the one you found at 63.

I'm 66 and just had Knee replacement surgery. Give me 12 more weeks and I'll show you who is interested in MMA. I was going to do camera work for you at one time, now if you don't stop under-estimating age I gonna have you rent the Staple center so I can kick your butt. 3 Million dollar fight. 2 for me 1 for you. Come on now smile. I can do it. Keep up the good work until you send me a date. D.