What's next for the UFC's UK TV deal?

[simonhead]

Back in May 2013 the UFC and BT Sport jointly announced their three-year broadcast partnership deal.

Now, with the deal beginning to run down, I take a look back at the deal, how BT Sport have fared during that time and what potential options lay ahead for the UFC as the look to nail down a broadcast partnership deal for 2016 and beyond.

There are two pieces. The main piece was way too long to go onto The Sun site, so that lives on my blog here:
Changing channels: Why UFC needs a new UK TV deal

And I also put together a bite-sized 'what happens next' piece for The Sun, which you can read here:
Changing channels Where next for the UFC s UK TV deal

 

[Ghost Bro]

Really interesting read. I never watched BT Sport when a fight wasn't happening, partly because of the champions league clashes. Saw a bit of the series where Haskell learns moves, which would have been great for educating new fans..but that's about it. Very good insight as well, nice article. (Will read the second one later)

 

[Harold_Howard_The_Duck]

Thanks for sharing the analysis, interesting stuff.

 

[Robbie Hart]

Good article, stay with BT, please.............

 

[Zeph]

Simon, you seem very interested in the UFC moving to Sky Sports, but every consumer I've seen talk about it online wants it to stay with BT Sports. Mainly this revolves around the price and not wanting to have to pay for the Sky Sports package just to have the UFC, because it is a big leap in price from BT Sport.

I don't watch Football, or any other sports, and the side programming really isn't a big deal to me, it was disappointing to not get some of the European Fight Pass events, but that is a small trade off for not being forced to pay extra for the whole Sky Sports package. Side programming means very little to me in the internet age, as I can get as much as I want there and don't have to rely on broadcast TV.

 

[Caoiltedb]

Props to you Simon, excellent piece. I agree about moving to Sky Sports, it would be the best step forward if a good deal is struck. I would personally think Sky Sports would be an excellent option as the sport would get more coverage and it would be a whole lot better having some shows that are watchable with a bit of enthusiasm and fun, not just some washed up grumpy lads giving out. (Soccer AM not included)

It would also have the power and money to further broadcast of the sport in the country, especially with the boom of MMA around the UK and Ireland.

 

[Wild]

What option do you think they go with Simon? Options 1 & 2 (BT or Sky) seem like the most logical choices.

 

[simonhead]

Simon, you seem very interested in the UFC moving to Sky Sports, but every consumer I've seen talk about it online wants it to stay with BT Sports. Mainly this revolves around the price and not wanting to have to pay for the Sky Sports package just to have the UFC, because it is a big leap in price from BT Sport.

I don't watch Football, or any other sports, and the side programming really isn't a big deal to me, it was disappointing to not get some of the European Fight Pass events, but that is a small trade off for not being forced to pay for extra for the whole Sky Sports package. Side programming means very little to me in the internet age, as I can get as much as I want there and don't have to rely on broadcast TV.

From the reaction I've received about the piece there seems to be two distinct camps among the fanbase.

You've described one of them perfectly. They're all set up with BT Sport, are happy to just watch the events and don't want to pay a potentially increased price with Sky to watch them. Some among them are particularly concerned about the potential for PPV being introduced in the UK via Sky's Box Office platform.

The other camp would like to consume more UFC content than just the fights and would like more bang for their buck (well, pound) and see a move to Sky as an expansion/improvement in the quality and level of coverage. I'd assume these fans, in many cases, already subscribe to Sky and therefore are less concerned about cost and more interested in the potential for better coverage.

I appreciate both sides to the argument, to be honest. But for me personally, I want to see the sport grow and become more of a mainstream attraction in this country (UK) and to do that I feel significant change is needed.

That could be in the form of an increased commitment from BT in a second term as rights holder, promoting the events more strongly during their primetime events ( Premier League and Champions League games) and relaunching Beyond The Octagon from scratch with a new, more action-packed, engaging format and a better timeslot.

Or it could be in a new deal with Sky, who can promote the UFC, its news and events and show all the pre-fight build-up as part of its Sky Sports News channel to show the UFC to a new, sports-savvy audience on a consistent basis.

To be honest I'd be happy with either, but I do feel that the latter has the better potential for the growth of the UFC here in the UK.

 

[simonhead]

What option do you think they go with Simon? Options 1 & 2 (BT or Sky) seem like the most logical choices.

I'd say so, yes. It would be a surprise to see the rights go anywhere other than the main sports channels here in the UK.

If we assume both are interested, then I guess it becomes a choice between continuity or expansion for the UFC.

But expansion may well come at a cost for some fans, so it's a bit of a trade-off.

Do they stick with BT and maybe tighten up the commitments in the deal to guarantee better promotion and output from BT Sport?

Or do they go with the bigger broadcaster with more scope to promote the sport, via the UFC brand, to a wider audience, albeit at a slightly increased cost to some fans?

Most fans will quite understandably look at the deal from their own personal perspective. In writing these pieces, I've tried to look at the bigger picture.

Hope it gives a balanced take, whether you ultimately agree with my assessment or not.

 

[1372]

The Sun Simon?

You can do better brother.

 

[simonhead]

The Sun Simon?

You can do better brother.

I'm doing fine, but thanks anyway

 

[1372]

I'm doing fine, but thanks anyway

Good on you mate.

But the Suns credibility is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard hey mate?

Yes Sir.

Examples not needed...Go forth and enjoy though bud.. Your a fine journalist.

 

[Ghost Bro]

To use words like the UFC, I think a move to skysports (considerably bigger platform I'd imagine) would legitimise the sport more. I'm not sure of the correct statistics, but BT Sport is still relatively fringe, skysports is a standard place people watch football in, it would be great, if there was a preview show relatively soon after the game, to expose it to more people. It's the same difference of the UFC switching to FOX from Spike.

I don't know which I'd prefer. I'm sure if the UFC tried to implement a PPV model in the UK it would be a catastrophic failure..ofcourse they'd get some money, but the majority would be hard pressed to buy an event which starts at 3:00am..at least I wouldn't buy something I might sleep through. BT Sport makes it readily available and easy to get for people already interested, Skysports would gain a lot of new fans if they play their cards right..advertise it soon after, say, a Champions League match ends, and maybe have some old FOTNs soon after (maybe at midnight, to ease people in).

I also do think however, that its up to the UFC to make it a bit more appropriate to sell to the British audience, the UFC seems (to me at least) overly American, while that is part of its charm for me, it also might be a turn off for others.The BT Sport accompaniments was a good move towards this, but should the UFC expect a channel to be the sole promoter in the country?

 

[Ghost Bro]

Good on you mate.

But the Suns credibility is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard hey mate?

Yes Sir.

Examples not needed...Go forth and enjoy though bud.. Your a fine journalist.

The Sun has a shitty reputation, especially to Liverpudlians. It still gets a lot of readers though so I'm glad Simon's there to actually attract people to MMA. Simon's job isn't really with the gossip articles et al, so if someone has to do that job, I'm glad its him.

You can do better though too Simon, to put it mildly, your articles did not remind me anything I've read from the Sun, ever. They were extremely levelheaded and although they had a lot of opinions, they were typically more based on facts. A BT Sport deal is great, but you'd do very well to find your SkySports equivalent. I mean this in a very good way, otherwise I'd normally refrain from commenting on another man's way of making a living.

 

[1372]

The Sun has a shitty reputation, especially to Liverpudlians. It still gets a lot of readers though so I'm glad Simon's there to actually attract people to MMA. Simon's job isn't really with the gossip articles et al, so if someone has to do that job, I'm glad its him.

You can do better though too Simon, to put it mildly, your articles did not remind me anything I've read from the Sun, ever. They were extremely levelheaded and although they had a lot of opinions, they were typically more based on facts. A BT Sport deal is great, but you'd do very well to find your SkySports equivalent. I mean this in a very good way, otherwise I'd normally refrain from commenting on another man's way of making a living.

Brother

This is too true...Thanks for a fantastic level headed post.

Simon can and will do better.

Guaranteed.

 

[simonhead]

Appreciate the kind comments, thanks.

I'm fully aware that I'm in a privileged position to be able to cover this great sport at its highest level in the national press. Opportunities to do that are rarer than hens' teeth in this country so it's something I both appreciate and take seriously in equal measure.

People pick and choose their preferred outlets, and they pick and choose which writers, journalists and pundits to follow. If people like and appreciate what I do, that's great.

 

[DoTheKick]

I'm a Liverpool fan so try to stay away from anything Sun related but I would like to see sky sports get it.

Sky sports news has to be one of the highest watched channels on the UK, but as with many things with sky they don't report on anything they don't show , not even Carl Frampton winning his world title.

As bad as this is it still doesn't stop people watching, sky getting the deal would without a shadow of a doubt grow the sport 10 fold in the UK however a year or 2 down the line I'd expect them to start charging for ppv's.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[RedDragonUK]

I absolutely do not want Sky to get the UFC, they gave it no respect when they had it last, they will take the piss and make PPV matches and the sport isn't big enough for that here. It will kill any momentum Bravo and BT have grown .

Now I understand you're a good company man, Sky and the Sun both owned by Murdoch but for the sport to continue momentum and stay growing, BT must continue as it is. They tried UK announcers, it sucked, they try to emulate Boxing strategies and it doesn't really fit so they kept the US formats and I'm happy with that. It isn't broken so don't try and fix it, there's no language barrier.

Last thing any of us want is sky sports box office come up on our screens.

I was just reminded that Sky tried to kill MMA in the 90's and didn't want it in the UK at all. So yeah not a fan of that idea. Football will always be number one for them.

 

[mysticmac]

Does PPV work for anything in the UK? I was under the impression it is rarely successful in that market.

 

[Zeph]

Does PPV work for anything in the UK? I was under the impression it is rarely successful in that market.

A couple of big boxing matches a year, if it is shown at social hours and has a British boxer, can do well. I can't imagine anyone paying ppv prices for a 3am broadcast.

 

[MadFatChickKilla]

Let's hope sky doesn't get it.

I mean they have done a great job with F1 haven't they lol

But I will not follow it to sky no way, sky will never have my money.

UFC would do better having the UK get it on fight pass than selling the rights to sky for them to broadcast it, they care about football and that's it!

 

[simonhead]

Now I understand you're a good company man, Sky and the Sun both owned by Murdoch...

I've had a few messages with this sentiment - some significantly less polite than yours - so let me address your point with some truth.

Yes, Rupert Murdoch certainly owns part of Sky and NewsCorp, but they're run as separate entities, as I discovered when I got the gig at The Sun.

True story, when I was offered my current job I thought I might be able to wangle a Sky subscription as part of my salary package because I, like many people, assumed the two companies were intertwined. I was wrong!

I actually don't have a Sky subscription (I currently have the Big Bang package with an XL TV upgrade on Virgin Media, whose service is outstanding, by the way) and will, like the fans who don't currently have Sky, have to up my TV spend to get the Sky Sports channels added to my package if the UFC opts to go with them later this year (borrowing my dad's second Sky Go login for my tablet won't really cut it).

Also, some people seem to assume that because I work for a national newspaper I get told what opinions to have in my writing, or that my opinions must reflect someone else's agenda. That's never actually happened to me at any point in my 15+ year journalism career and I'd have a big problem with it if it ever did. I'm free to write about the UFC in whatever way I deem appropriate. And that's how it should be.

I understand people can be deeply cynical of the media, but all I can tell you from my own personal standpoint is when I write something containing opinion, it'll always be made very clear whose opinion it is. That is, if it's from a source, it'll be quoted as such, and if it's my own opinion, then it'll be labelled up as such.

What you've read in these pieces is based on my knowledge and experience of the TV rights landscape in the UK and my knowledge of the handling of the UFC rights at BT Sport (I managed their digital UFC and MotoGP output for 2 years).

By all means disagree with the opinions in my writing. Think I'm a fool if you must (I'm sure many do!). But please do understand that what you're disagreeing with are my opinions, nobody else's

 

[Robbie Hart]

Does PPV work for anything in the UK? I was under the impression it is rarely successful in that market.

Not unless you are doing copious amounts of illicit stimulants.

 

[mysticmac]

Not unless you are doing copious amounts of illicit stimulants.

Well, how big is that market?

 

[Robbie Hart]

Well, how big is that market?

Don't know, can't find any "participants" but they most likely aren't partaking to watch UFC fights......