Is MMA a dying sport?

[pesticid]

We lost Pride, we have a bunch of medium-to-small organizations that aren't making any money including Elite-XC, and this is why they're trying to get some short-term money from Kimbo and CBS. What Elite-XC is doing is essentially extending the youtube hype. I am not saying that Kimbo is all that bad, I am just saying that he's matched against no-hopers in order for Elite-XC to get some money from some of the very impressionate people out there.
UFC is thriving, having administered higher ppv numbers on average than both boxing and professional wrestling. That being said though, UFC seems to be the only profitable mma organization that is paying **** to their fighters. A monopoly can only last that long.

[J_CON]

We lost Pride, we have a bunch of medium-to-small organizations that aren't making any money including Elite-XC, and this is why they're trying to get some short-term money from Kimbo and CBS. What Elite-XC is doing is essentially extending the youtube hype. I am not saying that Kimbo is all that bad, I am just saying that he's matched against no-hopers in order for Elite-XC to get some money from some of the very impressionate people out there.
UFC is thriving, having administered higher ppv numbers on average than both boxing and professional wrestling. That being said though, UFC seems to be the only profitable mma organization that is paying **** to their fighters. A monopoly can only last that long.

I think its growing.

[neils7147933]

I think its growing.

Yes, this thread is ridiculous.

If going after a network was a last chance step that was easy, then why does every major sport try to get a network deal? I bet the NHL and Arena Football would like to be on CBS...

... and you do realize that Showtime and CBS are owned by the same parent company and the fact that Showtime made that investment is not something that a cable channel would do with a dying sport?

Or that WEC and UFC both have cable deals and are in the process of swapping talent to have distinct leagues? Or that IFL had a complete run on syndicated TV? Or that outside companies like Affliction and wealthy investors like Mark Cuban are starting to try to get into the business?

Why on earth would someone do that in a dying sport?

The last couple Strikeforce cards in San Jose have put out record gates for the city for sporting events. ESPN bought Sherdog. HBO started negotiating with UFC. UFC is pumping out regular PPVs to solid numbers and selling DVDs by the thousands. Yahoo is partnering with streaming their PPVs.

The fact that all these other organizations are fledgling makes whether or not they are initially profitable not a proper consideration - it's if they grow and have the potential to end up being profitable. And that fact that PRIDE must not have been all that profitable means that the sport can't be in any worse shape than it used to be... and with all else considered has the potential to be the exact opposite of "dying"

[pesticid]

I think its growing.

Because of UFC numbers?

Liddel is almost done, Tito is done, Couture is done, Hughes is done, Shamrock is done, I don't know how much shelf life Franklin has.

Their two superstars right now are Silva and St. Pierre. They made a great marketing investment in Brock, hopefully he comes through for them.

[J_CON]

Because of UFC numbers?

Liddel is almost done, Tito is done, Couture is done, Hughes is done, Shamrock is done, I don't know how much shelf life Franklin has.

Their two superstars right now are Silva and St. Pierre. They made a great marketing investment in Brock, hopefully he comes through for them.

No, because it's becoming more popular.

[pesticid]

Yes, this thread is ridiculous.

If going after a network was a last chance step that was easy, then why does every major sport try to get a network deal? I bet the NHL and Arena Football would like to be on CBS...

... and you do realize that Showtime and CBS are owned by the same parent company and the fact that Showtime made that investment is not something that a cable channel would do with a dying sport?

Or that WEC and UFC both have cable deals and are in the process of swapping talent to have distinct leagues? Or that IFL had a complete run on syndicated TV? Or that outside companies like Affliction and wealthy investors like Mark Cuban are starting to try to get into the business?

Why on earth would someone do that in a dying sport?

The last couple Strikeforce cards in San Jose have put out record gates for the city for sporting events. ESPN bought Sherdog. HBO started negotiating with UFC. UFC is pumping out regular PPVs to solid numbers and selling DVDs by the thousands. Yahoo is partnering with streaming their PPVs.

The fact that all these other organizations are fledgling makes whether or not they are initially profitable not a proper consideration - it's if they grow and have the potential to end up being profitable. And that fact that PRIDE must not have been all that profitable means that the sport can't be in any worse shape than it used to be... and with all else considered has the potential to be the exact opposite of "dying"

You make excellent points but the fact of the matter is that only UFC has been making significant money and only in the last 3,4 years maybe.

Yeah, there is a huge interest in the sport but I don't think having different organization works for the sport in the long-term.

[pesticid]

No, because it's becoming more popular.

You're speaking the truth it is becoming more popular and that's why it's so mind boggling to see only one organization having real success and basically monopolizing the market.

[neils7147933]

You make excellent points but the fact of the matter is that only UFC has been making significant money and only in the last 3,4 years maybe.

Yeah, there is a huge interest in the sport but I don't think having different organization works for the sport in the long-term.

WWE's popularity dipped once ECW and WCW were no more...

[pesticid]

WWE's popularity dipped once ECW and WCW were no more...

In the short term though.

[neils7147933]

Because of UFC numbers?

Liddel is almost done, Tito is done, Couture is done, Hughes is done, Shamrock is done, I don't know how much shelf life Franklin has.

Their two superstars right now are Silva and St. Pierre. They made a great marketing investment in Brock, hopefully he comes through for them.

UFC PPVs don't even need superstars to put out numbers that would require a "megafight" in boxing. UFC 85 should put out solid numbers and the only "superstar" on the card is Matt Hughes, and that's a stretch here in 2008... It would be interesting to see, when that PPV's buys are released, how many of the big boxing cards from the past few years have a weaker buyrate than a tape-delayed ensemble effort from UFC.

I'm still primarily a boxing fan, though when there's nothing of interest going on, like this weekend - with no major boxing events and two huge MMA events, I follow. To use the word "dying" to describe either sport is a stretch; I wonder why everyone's in such a hurry to doom-and-gloom the sports they like well enough to join an Internet Forum dedicated to it...