Dana White: I expect UFC 100 numbers for Silva vs. Sonnen II
Posted on June 26, 2012, 04:13 PM by Mike DrahotaSpeaking at yesterday's UFC 148 media conference call, UFC President Dana White declared high hopes for the card that arguably the most anticipated rematch in MMA history, Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II. White was not bashful in his declaration of expectations for the event:
"There's no doubt that we expect over 1 million buys here. We expect UFC 100 numbers."
The bar has been set quite high for the UFC by its President, who has already set the comparisons to 2009's summer blockbuster in motion. The question is, can these numbers be attained in 2012, as injuries, rescheduling, and an overall higher number of cards lend to the lower number of UFC pay-per-view buys. This debate is a tough one to predict, however, for a number of reasons.
While pay-per-view numbers have been down as of late, UFC 148 does have a high level of star power. Featuring the pound-for-pound king in Anderson Silva and his longtime, ultra-popular nemesis Chael Sonnen, the rematch of their epic UFC 117 battle from 2010 will generate heat like few MMA fights could today. There has been so much hype, promotion, and trash talk that missing the event is quite unthinkable for any relatively serious fan of MMA. Silva himself took to the microphone yesterday, speaking out against his opponent with words we have never heard fly from the champion's mouth. He appears motivated beyond belief and focused on bad intentions. The buzz surrounding this Middleweight title fight is electric right now.
On the other hand, UFC 100 featured two of the sport's biggest-ever stars, Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre, in title fights. A million pp-per-view buys is a tough goal to reach for the UFC these days, last seen in October 2010 when Lesnar lost his title to Cain Velasquez in the first round. Can the UFC reach this lofty position next week in Las Vegas? The two headlining fighters have certainly done their part to show how they hate each other, something that always lends to the interest in a particular fight. Is Dana White on point here or is one million just a number that cannot be reached this summer?
Comments
Spider vs Chael is a huge rematch. Also all the Tito fans and haters who would love nothing more then to see Tito lose his final fight will bring a huge draw as well. People in Nor Cal support local fighters all the way so there'll be a huge buy in that area for Mendez. I think that number can be reached....
Is it possible UFC is over saturating its market ??
More than possible.
If the pay per view numbers keep rising consecutively year after year then the UFC have clearly not reached their saturation. The proof is in the pudding if you look at the number of PPV exceeding 1 million. It doesn't happen often. Thats an indication right there.
There are a few more big markets to tackle but saturation is nearby. The more events you put on the less of a spectacular it becomes. If aerosmith toured every weekend then eventually you would tune in less and less.
The UFC roster is more or less saturated with added weight classes with the exception of a female division. Their number one show the ultimate fighter has had its best days and many of the biggest stars are retiring. They are doing their best to flog their brand with video games, blogs, ufc fan days. But its definetly reaching its capacity.
The UFC have done an awesome job but keeping religious fans buying PPV is a tough job along with filling stadiums.
There are not enough Brock lesnars in this sport or anderson silva's to keep it growing and growing indefiently.
Even though this fight is "100" times more hyped up and interesting (among hardcores), even featuring the best speaker in the UFC and the best fighter of all time... at this stage in the game nothing can yet match Brock's superstar level draw.
You could have the superfights of Aldo Cruz, Jones Silva and even the mythical Silva GSP but I think until the mainstream audience actually watches for the fighter and fights rather than the crossover megastar or any other widely recognised figure then UFC 100 will be the bar to pass for a long time.
That is concerning USA PPV.
This fight will probbaly be the most globally viewed MMA fight in history. For example JDS generated 60 million viewers from his homeland of Brazil, imagine how much fans will tune in from there to watch Silva beatdown one of the countries most despised men... I'm betting a lot.
WOW considering Dana hates it when he see's an article referring to the UFC downturn in PPV buys, he's actually setting up the those articles by saying this.I actually think the numbers will be 500k-800k at the most.
I think he could be right, but I don't think he will be.
This could very well be the shining example of MMA's downturn in popularity over the last two years in the US. Especially, if this fails to hit 750 k.
Dana white is hoping that every Chael and Anderson Silva trash talk interview gets a few more thousand PPV buys.
The hype is the only thing selling this fight.
Lets be realistic.....If there was no trash talk from Sonnen or Anderson few people would even care about this fight !
This is desperation by the UFC to sell PPV....
A lot of people forget that before Chael came along Anderson was headling cards with BJ Penn as a co-main event type, and even traded places with him a few times. He's never been able to really move the needle a bunch by himself. Which is odd for the GOAT.
good point !
I think he could be right, but I don't think he will be.
This could very well be the shining example of MMA's downturn in popularity over the last two years in the US. Especially, if this fails to hit 750 k.
Whoa, deja vu
So nice I clicked it twice.
maybe if it had faber vs cruz or atleast barao
They could have one fight only (Silva/Sonnen) on the card and reach UFC 100 numbers.....
I doubt UFC 100 numbers will be reached.
I would be surprised if it surpassed 800,000 PPVs.
I'll watch the fight--but it does not seem like as big a fight as Dana is hyping.
UFC 100 had Lesnar-Mir for the HW belt, GSP-Alves for the WW belt, Hendo and Bisping to settle very public scores--as well as a raft of excellent fights including a young Jon Jones, and Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago and Belcher vs. Akiyama.
UFC 100 is still a sweet card in retrospect.
UFC 148 will probably do about 6 to 7 hundred thousand PPVs.
Of course, globally, the number of viewers will be huge--but not the PPV.