It's worth a shot.
http://www.petiti />
I wanna see as many signiatures as there are views of this thread.
Just signed it and wrote this email to Main Event.
"I have been informed that you will no longer be screening the UFC PPV's due to lack of profitability. I am extremely disappointed by this for several reasons. You rarely did any advertising for the event and the last two shows were not live, they were delayed by at least 24 hours. This meant that many true fans were able to view photos and results via the internet and therefore had no interest in buying the delayed show. You also do this with the K-1 Grand Prix which im sure also minimises your buy rates for that show, but thats another topic. The UFC is rapidly gaining popularity around the world and if you bothered to promote it a bit I believe you would see an upturn in buy rates. The token screening of shows on Foxtel 12 months ago and and a few small ads did little to build the market for the event.
I have purchased every UFC that you have shown to date. I also purchase all of your kickboxing/K-1 PPV's but I never purchase any of the boxing or wrestling shows. I spend on average around $300 per year with Main Event but now it seems I will spend nothing. I am very disappointed that you have chosen not to show it any longer. UFC46 is going to be the greatest show in a long time.
Your market research department might be interested to note that myself and many others in Australia would happily purchase any shows that feature the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, namely the Pride shows from Japan and the new K-1 MMA shows to be shown in 2004. This really is a potentially huge market that currently remains virtually untapped in Australia. These shows are viewed by millions around the world and Australia has many fans.
I am writing to you to request that you reconsider your decision to cancel the UFC PPV's. I would also like to draw your attention to this online petition at
http://www.petiti "
Support the sport.
Elvis
ttt
Remember, it's not the shows (UFC, Pride etc) that is the problem here, it's Mainevent (owned in equal parts by Foxtel, Austar and Optus to do pay per views)
The Pay TV providers have decided that UFC isn't worth the money it costs them to buy the PPV rights (I imagine there is a fixed cost, plus possibly a per buy cost)
I have reliable info that Austar only sold 300 PPV's for the last UFC they had on (44 I think) Considering they have 420,000+ subscribers that's pretty poor.
The only way the shows may be able to help is to let Mainevent have the shows much cheaper so they might build a following.
Even if UFC gave the shows to Mainevent for free, for it to work to get people in, Fox/Aus/Opt would still have to spend money on advertising/promo's/marketing etc to let people know what it's all about.
We're all mad keen fans on here, they don't need to sell to us, it's the boxing/K1 (maybe even wrestling ?) crowd that we need to buy the shows and drive the numbers up.
Of course, with nothing being shown, it ain't gonna happen...
But then, what would I know ??
Tank (who'll be waiting on "the hub" the day after the next UFC, with fingers crossed)