MMA Nation - UFC On Fox 1 Media Call Coveragehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/33343/mma-icon.png2011-11-09T16:09:00-08:00http://mma.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23139512011-11-09T16:09:00-08:002011-11-09T16:09:00-08:00AUDIO: UFC On Fox 1 Media Call
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<p>Above is the audio (in video form, naturally) for today's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/84361/ufc-on-fox-1-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">UFC on Fox 1</a> media call with FOX Sports Media Group Chairman <b>David Hill</b>, FOX Sports Co-President <b>Eric Shanks</b>, Fuel TV's General Manager <b>George Greenberg</b>, UFC President <b>Dana White</b> and CEO <b>Lorenzo Fertitta</b>.</p>
<hr>
<center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://mma.sbnation.com/section/ufc-on-fox-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">Complete Coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. dos Santos</a></b></center>
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<p>Today's call was less about talking to indigenous MMA media, although many appeared on the call. Instead, this was about reaching media outlets that cater to not only a general audience, but ones that talk to opinion leaders and influencers.</p>
<p>For more information and analysis, follow MMA Nation (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/sbnlukethomas">@MMANation</a>) or Luke Thomas (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/sbnlukethomas">@SBNLukeThomas</a>) on Twitter</p>
<p>Here is our coverage of the media conference call thus far:</p>
<p><a href="http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2550076/ufc-to-provide-up-to-25-of-fuel-tvs-content/in/2313951">UFC To Provide Up To 25 Percent Of FUEL TV's Content</a></p>
<p><a href="http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2549915/ufc-on-fox-media-call-notes/in/2313951">UFC On Fox Media Call Notes</a></p>
<p><a href="http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2549852/ufc-on-fox-1-media-call-dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-david-hill/in/2313951">UFC On Fox 1 Media Call With Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, David Hill And More</a></p>
https://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2550395/audio-ufc-on-fox-1-media-call-dana-white-mma-newsLuke Thomas2011-11-09T12:44:43-08:002011-11-09T12:44:43-08:00UFC To Provide Up To 25 Percent Of FUEL TV's Content
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<img alt="via <a href="http://www.hd-report.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/fuel-tv.jpg">www.hd-report.com</a>" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VebiMKxs-AoDKBLqWFrd0_iPOwQ=/0x33:200x166/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/882196/fuel-tv.jpg" />
<figcaption>via <a href="http://www.hd-report.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/fuel-tv.jpg">www.hd-report.com</a></figcaption>
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<p>FUEL TV will dedicate up to 25% of its 2012 programming to UFC content including live international non-pay-per-view events, the preliminary fights of domestic PPVs that currently air on Facebook, international reality shows,weigh-in specials, Countdown and Primetime shows.</p> <p>FUEL TV will dedicate up to 25% of its 2012 programming to UFC content, said general manager George Greenberg today.</p>
<p>The content will be headed up by live international non-pay-per-view events, the preliminary fights of domestic pay-per-views that currently air on Facebook, international reality shows, weigh-in specials, <i>Countdown</i> and <i>Primetime</i> shows and other shoulder programming.</p>
<p>Greenberg made the statements on a media call with UFC Lorenzo Fertitta and President Dana White, FOX Sports Media Group Chairman David Hill and FOX Sports Co-President Eric Shanks joined by <i>MMA Nation's</i> Luke Thomas.</p>
<hr>
<center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://mma.sbnation.com/section/ufc-on-fox-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">Complete Coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. dos Santos</a></b></center>
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<p>In addition, FX will air the domestic version of<i style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "> The Ultimate Fighter</i><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">, monthly two-hour </span><i style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Fight Night </i><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Specials and </span><i style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Ultimate Fighter Finales, </i><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">and two preliminary fights from domestic pay-per-view events. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Where once the UFC's Facebook page aired preliminary fights, those bouts will now move to FUEL. In addition, those preliminary fight card bouts that would previously air live on Spike (generally only two bouts in a one-hour format) would then move to FX.<br></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "></span><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Live fight events on FUEL will run 3 hours, those on FX will last two hours. It was suggested on today's call by Fox's Shanks the 'sweet spot' for UFC events on over-the-air Fox would be one and a half hours.<br></span></p>
<div>FUEL is a smallish cable station, available in approximately 26 million homes. FX has a reach of 100 million or so, comparable to Spike TV. Stay tuned to MMA Nation for more on the UFC's broadcast partnership with Fox. </div>
https://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2550076/ufc-to-provide-up-to-25-of-fuel-tvs-contentNate Wilcox2011-11-09T11:46:57-08:002011-11-09T11:46:57-08:00UFC On Fox Media Call Notes
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<p>Today the UFC and Fox Sports held a joint press call to discuss this Saturday's UFC on Fox 1 event. Today's call was attended by FOX Sports Media Group Chairman <b>David Hill</b>, FOX Sports Co-President <b>Eric Shanks</b> and FUELTV General Manager <b>George Greenberg</b>, UFC President <b>Dana White</b> and CEO <b>Lorenzo Fertitta</b>. We will update this StoryStream with audio momentarily.</p>
<p>Below is a partial transcript of what was discussed:</p>
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<center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://mma.sbnation.com/section/ufc-on-fox-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">Complete Coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. dos Santos</a></b></center>
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<p>FOX Sports Media Group Chairman <b>David Hill</b></p>
<p>- "I don't think there's going to be any backlash at all. It's moved from a niche to the mainstream, not just here but around the world. I'm not expecting any backlash."</p>
<p>- "We'll be advising America not to try this at home."</p>
<p>- "We fully believe as TV evolves, that is has to be a multi-platform thing...there's no guidebook for what we're doing. We're ad libbing our way through. It looks like a pretty good tapestry to me."</p>
<p>- "Never say a word about ratings. We're looking for good ratings."</p>
<p>- "We'll look at all demos, male vs. female, total households. In terms of tv and sports, this is a watershed. It's never happened before. It's the first time a UFC heavyweight championship has been on TV. You never rattle the cage of the ratings gods."</p>
<p>- "Fuel will undergo a metamorphosis, but it will stay as Fuel TV."</p>
<p>FOX Sports Co-President <b>Eric Shanks</b></p>
<p>- "We need to introduce the world to the UFC on Fuel as well...that Fuel is going to be one of the homes of the UFC as well. This is to raise awareness."</p>
<p>- "The outside world has been making a much bigger deal than we have. Fox has never done UFC fights before. There's no way we can come in and describe the fight with talent better than they have. What Fox can bring to the table is setting the tone right for a broadcast audience."</p>
<p>- "We believe the sweet spot for broadcasts is an hour and a half."</p>
<p>- "The day that we signed the deal I didn't know this, but every person at Fox is a UFC fan. People were high fiving me in the hall way. That place hasn't been more pumped than when we actually signed the deal."</p>
<p>FUELTV General Manager <b>George Greenberg</b></p>
<p>- "We'll have more than 2,000 hour of UFC programming each year."</p>
<p>- "FX format will be two hours, Fuel will be three."</p>
<p>- "Believe me, to have 25% of our content being UFC we get to more selective with other action sports content. Target moves from 12 to 34, to 18 to 34"</p>
<p>UFC President <b>Dana White</b></p>
<p>- "it's very important to be on all these various platforms...in 10 years we've never even been on a sports network and now we're on the biggest network on them all."</p>
<p>- "If you're a UFC fan, you can't NOT have Fuel."</p>
<p>- "Yes, we are ready for primetime. We're going to show it on Saturday night."</p>
<p>- "It's going to be about the heavyweight championship of the world. We can do all the bells and whistles around this thing, but it's about the heavyweight championship of the world."</p>
<p>- "There's going to be story telling, explaining on who we are, what this is, what these athletes are about. Lots of explanations, more than you would see on a typical UFC event."</p>
<p>- "These guys are the best at what they do in sports. We'd be crazy not to want their input into our production."</p>
<p>- "When this deal starts in January, every live fight will be on a Fox platform."</p>
<p>- "This is just another fight for these two [<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122504/cain-velasquez">Cain Velasquez</a>, Junior dos Santos]. I'm not worried about putting on any added pressure."</p>
<p>CEO <b>Lorenzo Fertitta</b></p>
<p>- "Event will be seamless to the people in the arena. To expand from 1 hour to 2 or 3 will be easy to add."</p>
<p>- "We toyed around with idea [two shows on same day]. We were trying to make it all work. The production team said they could it. We thought having one event lead into another it would create buzz. We are no longer looking to do it. We challenged ourselves, but there's nothing in the plan to do that right now."</p>
https://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2549915/ufc-on-fox-media-call-notesLuke Thomas2011-11-09T10:43:04-08:002011-11-09T10:43:04-08:00UFC On Fox 1 Media Call With Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, David Hill And More
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<p>Join MMA Nation today at 2 p.m. ET as we bring you live updates from today's UFC on Fox 1 media call with Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta and Fox Sports executives.</p> <p>Join <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mmanation.com/">MMA Nation</a> today at 2 p.m. ET as we bring you live updates of today's media conference call for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/84361/ufc-on-fox-1-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">UFC on Fox 1</a>. Today's will be attended by FOX Sports Media Group Chairman <b>David Hill</b>, FOX Sports Co-President <b>Eric Shanks</b> and FUELTV General Manager <b>George Greenberg</b>, UFC President <b>Dana White</b> and CEO <b>Lorenzo Fertitta</b>.</p>
<p>We will update the StoryStream with audio following the call.</p>
<hr>
<center><b><a target="_blank" href="http://mma.sbnation.com/section/ufc-on-fox-velasquez-vs-dos-santos">Complete Coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. dos Santos</a></b></center>
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<p><br>For more results and analysis, follow MMA Nation (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/mmanation">@MMANation</a>) and Senior Editor Luke Thomas (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/sbnlukethomas">@SBNLukeThomas</a>) on Twitter.</p>
<p>The UFC on Fox 1 fight card is as follows:<br> <b></b></p>
<p><b>Main card (Fox) </b></p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122504/cain-velasquez">Cain Velasquez</a> vs. Junior dos Santos</p>
<p><b>Preliminary card (Facebook, Fox.com)</b></p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1153/ufc-on-fox-1-clay-guida-vs-ben-henderson">Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1077/ufc-on-fox-1-dustin-poirier-vs-pablo-garza">Pablo Garza vs. Dustin Poirier</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1148/ufc-on-fox-1-ricardo-lamas-vs-cub-swanson">Ricardo Lamas vs. Cub Swanson</a><br>Clay Harvsion vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129163/damarques-johnson">DaMarques Johnson</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1154/ufc-on-fox-1-darren-uyenoyama-vs-norifumi-yamamoto">Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Darren Uyenoyama</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1262/ufc-on-fox-1-robert-peralta-vs-mackens-semerzier">Robert Peralta vs. Mackens Semerzier</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1275/ufc-on-fox-1-alex-caceres-vs-cole-escovedo">Alex Caceres vs. Cole Escovedo</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1263/ufc-on-fox-1-paul-bradley-vs-mike-pierce">Paul Bradley vs. Mike Pierce</a><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/1264/ufc-on-fox-1-matt-lucas-vs-aaron-rosa">Matt Lucas vs. Aaron Rosa</a></p>
https://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/9/2549852/ufc-on-fox-1-media-call-dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-david-hillLuke Thomas