BREAKING NEWS
January 24, 2007
Mixed Martial Arts Rides Popularity Wave
Two years ago, you'd be hard pressed to find mixed martial arts on television. Now, with Spike TV at times seemingly becoming the UFC Network, it's hard to not stumble on it. Television created the current wave of popularity and like everything in television, if something is perceived as hot, the copycats come out of the woodwork.
The question for years was: If someone could get an hour of television a week, would it put the sport on the map? Last year, that question was answered affirmatively.
One thing is for sure, in a few months, it is going to become difficult to keep up with all the television. As things seem to stand, the following stations or networks are scheduled to air mixed martial arts:
Spike TV — The network that fueled the boom of MMA with the TV show "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005. There are two-hour live prime time Ultimate Fight Night shows scheduled for Jan. 25, March 13 and April 5.
HBO — While not officially announced, it is expected UFC will have anywhere from three to six specials airing in a midnight time slot.
Showtime — The new EXC (Elite Xtreme Combat) promotion debuts the first of several Saturday night specials on Feb. 10 from Southhaven, Miss.
MyNetworkTV — The International Fight League, which is a 12-team league that has dual meets along the lines of amateur wrestling, is scheduled to debut with a two-hour show in the summer.
Fox Sports Net — They will continue to run one-hour Pride and IFL shows at various times.
Versus — The former Outdoor Life Network will air three live shows, with the first coming in the summer. There will also be at least six one-hour taped shows this year.
MSNBC — The third and fourth installment of "Warrior Nation," weekly documentaries on the sport, continue the next two Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.
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Bear Market Sport of the Future
By: Pete Kendall, February 2, 2007 |
In coming months, you will be surprised at how many of your neighbors end up watching the exciting agony of a savage beating.
The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast, January 2003 |
Here is more evidence of the turn in taste to the dark side. News Corp's MyNetworkTV will air "Mixed Martial Arts" combining boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, jujitsu, and sumo in a first on broadcst tv this spring. As the WSJ says, page B3, 1/31/07, previously this sort of violence has been on pay for view. I read the blurb in the WSJ and saw the Dirt episode this week, it immediately all came together But relax, the kinder gentler version to be shown "bans head butting, eye gouging, and strikes to the spine.' Well then, bring it on!
MyNetwork may be shifting from Spanish telenovelas translated to English, which have not caught on. Moving to such outright violence suggests that the network is picking up on the public's socionomic move to preferring violence to novellas. On FX's Dirt Magazine this week, one man's knees were broken in view of several onlookers and another was threatened with mutilation amid other suggestions too vile for this publication. That acceptance of such violence, indeed the increasing popularity on broadcast television, is only a tip off of where we, and the markets, are liable to be two years from now.
--Dennis Elam, PhD, CPA teaches business classes at University of North Texas Dallas campus.
MSNBC? Yikes! See entry of March 10, 2006 for our coverage of the oncoming “explosion” in mixed martial arts. I would say the forecast at the top of this page was a little premature. It’s taken four years to really get going, but as Dennis observes, it’s coming on fast now. |
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