Here’s the thing: there is little value—at least to me—in offering criticism without constructive ways to fix the problem.
That’s not a retraction for yesterday’s “take it or leave it” offering, but rather an acknowledgement that just pointing to the problem (or part of the problem) without suggesting ways to remedy things is no different than saying how the current collection of UFC cards aren’t up to snuff and failing to come up with viable ways to correct the situation.
So that’s what I want to do today. I want to come up with ways to fix this problem, because even though I’m not part of the unpleased masses, I do understand that there are people who are legitimately unhappy with the current offerings from the UFC and want to see if there is something we agree upon as an answer.
There is a lot of programming out there right now, and even as someone with a voracious appetite for UFC content (and MMA in general), the cost is climbing and requires me to watch on three different platforms: Fight Pass, television, and pay-per-view.
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Talking to my buddy Deuce on Monday morning, he mentioned wanting to order UFC 170 to see Ronda Rousey fight Sara McMann, but that he couldn’t justify the $60 expenditure. It makes sense and I’m sure he’s not alone.
His suggestion was a yearly PPV price—you pay $500 at the start of the year and that gets you all the UFC pay-per-view events over the next 12 months. Using last year’s 13 PPV events that equates to roughly $38.50 per event, a downgrade from current individual prices but chances are the UFC would do greater numbers overall to make up the difference.
While the UFC hasn’t gone as far as introducing a yearly plan, they have attempted to package PPV shows together to offer fans a discount in the past, usually in a “Buy 4, Get 1 Free” situation. I’m not sure how it has worked, and truthfully, I can understand fans being hesitant to commit to an event that is four months away given how frequently injuries have impacted fight cards over the last few years.
Personally, I think the answer to the UFC’s angry fan crisis presented itself earlier this month with the introduction of the WWE Network.
I know there are plenty of MMA purists out there that don’t want to have the sport mentioned in the same breath as the sports entertainment equivalent of the UFC, but the fact of the matter is that Vince McMahon and company got it right with their new digital platform, and I think the UFC could easily follow suit if they were so inclined.
For $9.99 per month, wrestling fans can enjoy unlimited access to WWE programming and their archives, as well as monthly pay-per-view events. Even if you’re an extremely casual wrestling fan, there is no denying this is a tremendous deal, given the discount on the usual pay-per-view price tag you’re receiving.
It’s a blueprint the UFC should adopt for Fight Pass in my opinion.
Speaking for myself, I would happily pay $50 to $75 per month to be able to have complete access to all UFC events and programming through Fight Pass. That means Fight Pass cards, televised events, and pay-per-views, plus the archives and original programming like The Exchange with Megan Olivi.
In a month with one PPV, one televised event, and one Fight Pass show, I’m saving the $10 monthly subscription fee to Fight Pass, and only gain greater savings in those few months where there are multiple shows on one or more of the platforms.
As the guy that argued the “don’t like it, don’t watch” side of things yesterday, I can easily see why the UFC wouldn’t want to go this route—losing money on anything doesn’t seem like something high up on Zuffa’s list of things to do, and missing out on additional PPV dollars during those months where there are two shows is rough.
But buy rates are in decline and there are plenty of people out there saying they’d rather save the 10 bucks and miss a few events than subscribe to Fight Pass. Giving them a package deal that includes PPV shows creates a situation where buy rates could actually climb, since consumers are no longer being required to do a monthly cost-benefit analysis.
It’s like Netflix—I don’t necessarily need to watch the various random shows and movies I consume on a weekly basis, but I’m paying for the service, so I might as well make the most of it. The same would apply to a more expensive, but more encompassing Fight Pass structure, right?
If you’ve already shelled out $50 or $75 for March, you’re going to watch UFC 171, the show in Brazil headlined by Dan Henderson and “Shogun” Rua, and probably this weekend’s main card too. At the very least, you’re going back to skim through the fights to see what you’ve missed; the same goes for last weekend’s early morning offering from Macau.
Because you have it, you’ll make use of it and if there is good value, there is a strong likelihood that large numbers of fight fans would feel the same way.
The rub (there’s always a rub) is finding the right price point.
The UFC isn’t going to give this stuff away like the WWE is on their network, but fans aren’t going to want to pay too much either, which is why I think the $50-$75 range works—fans get a savings, but the UFC still puts money in the bank.
So what do you think? Does this sound like an amicable resolution? Is this something you’d be interested in?
Let’s hear it, fight fans—share your thoughts below!