Where Will A Fox Deal Take The UFC?

Let's presume the reports are true and that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has signed a deal with the Fox networks to air four events a year on Fox's broadcast channel and the remainder of their programming on FX and Fuel TV. 

What's that likely to mean for the UFC? Here's a few things we already know:

1. The UFC will have a bigger platform to promote their stars and pay-per-views
   It goes without saying that the Fox broadcast network draws more viewers than Spike TV -- 4.68 million to ~1 million -- but it's worth adding that the FX channel is in more homes and does better numbers than Spike TV too. The combination of cable and broadcast as part of the Fox package made them a more attractive partner than Spike. Only NBC/Versus and CBS/Showtime offered comparable reach and flexibility.
    
2. The UFC will be under increased pressure to deliver big ratings
   Fox's reach and ratings are a double edged sword for the UFC. They'll have a chance to reach more people sure, but they'll also be under big pressure to deliver much bigger audiences than they've delivered all but a few times in their television history. 
   
   
3. The UFC will have to choose between pay-per-view and TV ratings
   If the UFC is going to succeed on broadcast television, they'll have to give Fox some big fights. The kind of fights that get the media and fans talking. The kind of fights people plan TV watching parties around. The kind of fights that anchor lucrative pay-per-view broadcasts. The UFC basically prints money with their thriving PPV business, but if they want to succeed with Fox, they're going to have to spare a Georges St. Pierre or Brock Lesnar fight or two for the network. 
   
   
4. The UFC's programming will need a shot in the arm
   The UFC got pretty stale on Spike TV. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The Ultimate Fighter has desperately needed reinvention for several seasons now and the declining ratings make it obvious. UFC Unleashed, etc suffered from Spike basically putting them in heavy rotation and have become the video equivalent of wallpaper. Zuffa will need to deliver a better product to do the kind of numbers Fox will need to see. 

See that fork up ahead? The UFC's going to have to decide if they want to remain an extremely lucrative PPV niche sport or if they want to really go mainstream. Mainstream sports make their money off TV licensing deals, not PPV buys. It will be very interesting to see if the UFC brass are willing to forego short-term profits for a longer-term play for much bigger audiences.

Shocking news of the UFC's groundbreaking multi-year television deal with nationally syndicated network FOX burst through the pipeline Tuesday morning, and now only awaits an official on-the-record confirmation.

Conveniently, FOX Sports has an announcement to make. But not just any announcement. According to Sports Business Journal reporter John Ourand, FOX Sports has scheduled a press conference for Thursday afternoon, at which network executives will make "one of the biggest announcements in Fox Sports history."

The press conference is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT in Los Angeles, California. FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) Chairman and CEO David Hill is scheduled to attend, alongside FSMG Co-Presidents and COO's Randy Freer and Eric Shanks, and FX President John Landgraf.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, it appears that the quartet intend to announce the network's reported broadcast deal with the UFC worth an estimated $90 million over seven-to-eight years. UFC president Dana White has long sought to expand his product to network television but has remained committed to the idea that a deal could only be done if the terms were right for the organization. On Thursday his wish may finally come to fruition.

Despite Dana White's insistence that the UFC's landmark deal with Fox has yet to be completed, latest reports indicate that an agreement has already been reached. HeavyMMA.com confirmed the announcement with a representative from Fox who wished to remain anonymous.

The deal instantly serves as a game-changer in the world of mixed martial arts. According to initial reports from the Sports Business Journal, the partnership could be worth upwards of $90 million per year and cover an estimated seven-to-eight years. Final terms of the agreement have not yet been released.

The announcement marks the first time in UFC history that the company has broken through with consistent airtime on a broadcast network. The promotion will reportedly schedule up to four mega-events per year to be televised nationally on FOX, as well as shift all UFC content -- such as "The Ultimate Fighter" -- from Spike TV and Versus to FOX-owned networks FX and Fuel.

In the wake of what would be a enormous announcement for the MMA community, UFC president Dana White has tempered public expectations for the time being. According to reports from MMAJunkie.com, White has thus far denied the finalization of a deal with Fox.

Per reports from the Sports Business Journal, the agreement would result in as many as four nationally broadcast MMA events a year on Fox.

Likewise, most of the UFC-related programming that currently airs on Versus and Spike TV would transfer to FX starting in January of 2012, including flagship series "The Ultimate Fighter." Fox-owned network Fuel will also receive UFC content, but will not be rebranded as a purely UFC channel, as rumblings have suggested.