Five Oz. of Pain Feature: The UFC on ESPN

Multichannel News’ recent report that the UFC is in talks with ESPN to televise programming in addition to their recent extension with Spike TV comes as no surprise to this writer. Loyal readers of FiveOuncesOfPain.com will recall a column I wrote several months ago chronicling what a possible relationship between ESPN and the UFC might look like.

Based on the topic of the article and the timing of the new reports, I decided to make some edits and re-post the article for the benefit of new viewers to the site.

Whether you’re reading this article for the tenth time or the first, enjoy…

There’s a term within the sports broadcasting industry called “the ESPN treatment.”

The term is a reference to the red carpet treatment the so-called “Worldwide Leader in Sports” devotes to sports conglomerates it has business dealings with.

For example, when the NBA’s television contract was up several years ago there was a push from within the league to sign a deal with ESPN. Believe it or not, the deal was not solely consummated because of money but also due to a prestige aspect that comes along with being affiliated with ESPN.

The prestige element is something that can’t be translated into dollar and cents.

There’s also the belief that when a sports entity jumps into bed with ESPN that the network devotes more attention to it. As such, the ESPN treatment is a treatment that most major sports leagues covet, with some going so far as to offering “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” an ownership stake in their brand.

After all, ESPN can make or break a sport.

Don’t believe me?

Just look at what has happened to the NHL. Does it still even exist? Without formal ties to the network, ESPN devotes token coverage to hockey, at best. When the NHL does garner attention from ESPN it feels like hockey is only being covered just so Barry Melrose can have a job.

In contrast to the NHL, look at how much more attention ESPN and ESPN.com are devoting to NASCAR these days now that the two juggernauts are doing business again. NASCAR isn’t growing as fast as it had been, and their television ratings were down last year, but watch what happens after NASCAR receives the “ESPN treatment.” Don’t be surprised when NASCAR’s ratings easily best last year’s effort.

In addition to NASCAR, the Arena Football League is another example of a sports entity that has recently signed on with ESPN.

The AFL is an interesting story into itself, having been covered in recent years by NBC in a cashless deal. ESPN will begin broadcasting the indoor football league within the next several weeks, and as a part of the deal, ESPN will take an ownership stake in the league. In return, the AFL will have its games televised in the prestigious Monday Night Football slot which in the past had been reserved for NFL games only.

The legitimacy that comes with being affiliated not only with ESPN, but the MNF franchise, is the type of thing alluded to earlier that can’t be measured monetarily. As a part of the “ESPN treatment,” the AFL will have both pre-game and post-game shows broadcast on ESPN — something NBC never bothered to do.

The AFL made a great deal for itself but there’s no bigger winner than NASCAR.

NASCAR was already getting a lot of coverage but as we touched on earlier, it’s receiving more than ever. In addition to getting a daily show called NASCAR Now, we’re seeing extended NASCAR coverage on SportsCenter, ESPNews, ESPN Radio, and in ESPN the Magazine.

The next sport that could become recipient of the ESPN treatment could be mixed martial arts, and more specifically, the Ultimate Fighting Championships.

Disney, the parent company of ESPN, has forbidden coverage of the UFC and mixed martial arts in the past but its popularity has grown too large to ignore. UFC president Dana White also remains on a quest to legitimize the sport.

Together, White, Frank Fertitta, and Lorenzo Fertitta have implemented various initiatives to bring mixed martial arts to the mainstream; from reality television, to the hiring of former Nevada State Athletic Commission head Marc Ratner, to a long-rumored deal with HBO.

The next logical step in the progression is to be covered like a major sport on the web, in print, and on television. It just so happens that ESPN ranks next in line when it comes to media conglomerates that the UFC must gain acceptance from.

White has been very vocal about meeting with ESPN in an attempt to garner coverage of the UFC on the network’s many platforms. The UFC’s growth in the male 18-36 demographic, which is the most coveted by advertisers, is especially too large to continue to overlook. ESPN executives realize they are losing out on tons of advertising dollars by standing MMA up at the altar. As such, don’t be surprised in the coming months when you see Stuart Scott narrating highlights of Randy Couture’s comeback fight against Tim Sylvia from UFC 68 or John Anderson voicing over clips of Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra battling for the UFC welterweight title from UFC 69.

It’s clear that the UFC on ESPN is inevitable, but the question remains, just how far will ESPN go when it comes to its affiliation with MMA? Highlights are great but ESPN has a stable of channels, a web site, a radio network, and a magazine that crave constant sports-related content.

According to Multichannel News, an extension that could be worth nearly $100 million was recently just agreed to between the UFC and Spike TV. However, the television industry trade publication is also reporting that despite the deal, talks regarding the distribution of additional UFC-related programming are taking place between the UFC and ESPN.

Don’t be shocked when announcement is made about ESPN televising mixed martial arts live for the first time is made.

The idea of working with ESPN is so attractive to both parties that talks are reportedly taking place even after it was reported that the UFC and Spike TV reached terms on an extension. During the original contract with Spike, White said on several occasions that their contract didn’t prevent them from televising UFC programming on other outfits.

While a $100 million is hard to walk away from, the UFC might have been able to bolster their brand by making ESPN their flagship network. With more programming promised to Spike than ever before, the most we might see of the UFC on ESPN in the immediate future are a few live specials here and there.

That is, unless Zuffa elects to resurrect Pride. But I digress, because that’s a separate article into itself.

But what if the UFC hadn’t reached a new agreement with Spike and instead switched their programming focus to ESPN? One can only dream of what the lineup would look like and for the purposes of entertainment, I’m here to help indulge.

Here’s my vision of what the UFC’s programming schedule on ESPN would look like…

* UFC Nation – I have to admit that I’ve never watched more than 60 seconds of Inside the UFC. I’m married with a kid so I’m usually in bed by midnight and I’m technically challenged so I don’t do “TiVo.” Regardless of whether it’s a good show or not, things will have to change.

As the UFC finds itself forming relationships with more credible companies in the sports industry they are going to have to sacrifice the ability to cover their own events. Gone will be the days of having paid employees of Zuffa preaching to millions of MMA fans. Credibility is important to the HBOs and ESPNs of the world and having independent coverage of the UFC will be mandatory. Instead of Inside the UFC with Joe Rogan, you’re going to see more shows like UFC Nation hosted by the likes of Brian Kenney.

* UFC Fight Night – The UFC Fight Night franchise is by no means a juggernaut, but it draws a respectable rating and usually outdraws most of the live sporting events that ESPN currently covers. ESPN already has experience in televising a similar event in The Contender specials that air every so often, so a transition over from Spike would be seamless for Fight Night fans.

* The “New” Ultimate Fighter – I watched the last season of The Contender on ESPN and I have to admit, it’s a better show than The Ultimate Fighter. Apparently I’m not the only person who feels that TUF has become somewhat stale, as its ratings have been in decline the past several seasons. White attributes the ratings decrease due to increased distribution of UFC programming but network executives don’t like to hear excuses. They want ratings and the UFC should be doing everything they can to ensure the TUF franchise remains strong.

My biggest issue with TUF is that it’s the same show we’ve been watching for several years now. Even reality shows like Survivor and The Real World/Road Rules Challenge have mastered the art of reinvention. Both shows know to vary their format from season-to-season in order to maintain longevity. The UFC could learn a lot from a Mark Burnett and John Murray.

But the UFC doesn’t need to spend money to hire Burnett as a consultant. After all, he’s working on an MMA reality show of his own. Instead, all they need to do is implement the below changes that I’m recommending:

Let the fighters live and train at home. I’m a big fan of the TapouT MMA reality show on Versus because I think they do a better job showing you the full range of sacrifices a fighter needs to make in order to be successful.

I don’t want to see fighters running around in a mansion in thongs out of sheer boredom. Show me a fighter waking up at 7 a.m. to train after he just got home from work at 1 a.m.

Show me a fighter who is in dire straights and needs a knockout bonus in order to pay his rent.

Show me a fighter’s family and whether or not they are accepting of his lifestyle.

Let’s see a fighter trying to get his medicals together so that he can fight.

Hell, show me a fighter out at a bar or club trying to live like a rockstar. That’s a lot more entertaining than seeing Jeremy Jackson trying to get a fat chick’s phone number at the YMCA and then jumping a fence for a late-night rendezvous gone horribly wrong.

To make a long story short, just stop showing us the same things we’ve seen in the five previous seasons of TUF.

Cut the field to eight and bolster talent level. I’m not a fan of reality shows like American Idol in large part because it comes across too amateurish. It’s supposedly a competition to find out who the best singer is that doesn’t already have a recording contract. However, are all 22 finalists truly the best 22 unsigned singers in the country? If so, heaven help us.

The thing that I like about TUF is that the fighters involved aren’t amateurs. They are all legitimate fighters with most having pro backgrounds. That being said, I could do without the Jason Thackers and Wayne Weems of the world. No more wildcards, the UFC needs to make sure the field is comprised solely of the top fighters not signed to a major promotion. There should be no favorites to win the show due to the fact that the field is so stacked. Beef up the field by offering fighters money for doing the show so that the future Denis Kangs of the world choose TUF as opposed to fighting for another promotion.

In order to make sure it’s the best of the best, cut the field from 16 down to eight. A more concentrated field means fewer first-run episodes but I think that will help the long run. With two seasons per year, perhaps TUF is becoming overexposed?

The UFC can add an extra episode to the run of shows each season by doing a better job of keeping the cast a secret. Have a “Casting Special” the week before the elimination fights start in which the field of eight is officially announced. In addition to announcing the field, show interviews from the fighters as well as the process of selecting the cast. If you’ve ever watched The Real World on MTV, you probably have a good idea of what I’m talking about.

Televise the matches live. If the fighters are no longer in the house, it changes the complexion of the show greatly. Fighters will now have to travel to Las Vegas in order to fight. If they aren’t all going to be living under one roof then perhaps it’s time to start televising the matches live each week.

The live element to the matches ensures there is no threat of a spoiler and will likely help boost the ratings a little bit.

Under the live match format, the second half of the show would be live while the first half of the show would be a taped documentary to promote the fighters that will be competing that will also chronicle their preparations leading up to the fight. Imagine De La Hoya vs. Mayweather 24-7 meets Thursday night fights.

There will be some logistical issues in documenting the fighter’s lives leading up to the fight but it’s nothing that a few extra camera crews can’t solve.

Send camera crew one to cover fighter A and camera crew two to cover fighter B as they prepare for their bout. Have camera crew three follow fighter C and camera crew four follow fighter D. Once fighters are eliminated, reassign those camera crews to the fighters who haven’t fought yet.

The UFC should also renovate the UFC training center so that it can accommodate a small live audience. Instead of only having fighters and trainers watch the bouts, the general public and the fighter’s families can now see the matches. Having a live crowd would do wonders for continuity of the show and it’s not like they don’t have the money for the renovations.

If the UFC wants to get creative they can turn the semifinals into special two hour shows with a bonus match broadcast in addition to the regular TUF tournament match. This would serve as a great way to offer additional hours of programming while also getting young fighters already on the roster some extra exposure.

* The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America – The UFC has hopes of expanding into Mexico so instead of doing a Spanish-language version of The Ultimate Fighter, why not branch out and do a Spanish-only version that is unique to ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s all-Spanish sports station? This would guarantee that the UFC will be able to create multiple drawing cards for when they finally start holding cards in Mexico.

* Thursday Night Fights – ESPN II currently televises boxing matches from around the country every Friday night. Why can’t the same be done for MMA? Broadcasting UFC fights every week would be too much dilution of the brand but who says the UFC has to be the only MMA promotion that’s televised on ESPN? Zuffa wouldn’t be cool with the idea of ESPN televising the IFL, EliteXC, or PRIDE, but would they mind if smaller promotions such as the WEC (which they own), King of the Cage, Combat in the Cage, or Cage Fury Fighting Championships got some occasional attention? I don’t think so. The potential on-air talent involved with such an endeavor is another interesting topic of discussion. I’m not sure if Brian Kenney is a fan of MMA but he does a great job as a studio host for Friday Night Fights. Kenney will need to be joined by a few analysts and I have some good suggestions. I’d love to see Bas Rutten back on TV and I also think Matt Serra would be great in an analyst’s role. Serra has a thick accent but he’s knowledgeable, articulate and likeable (unless you’re Matt Hughes or Rich Franklin). The UFC wants to capitalize on the popularity Serra gained on TUF 4 but they might be better served trying to do so with him inside of a studio instead of a cage.

* UFC Weigh-in Show – I watch ESPNews every so often and the channel isn’t overflowing with intriguing programming. In fact, the network that bills itself as covering sports news 24 hours a day, 7 days a week has resorted to repeating a lot of coverage on tape. Suffice it to say, there’s plenty of room to begin televising the weigh-ins the day prior to a major fight card. In addition to the weigh-ins themselves, ESPNews could “beef up” the telecasts by airing one-on-one interviews with the main principals involved with the fight card.

* UFC Classic – Under this make believe deal between ESPN and the UFC, UFC Unleashed will be revamped and renamed UFC Classic. We’ll continue to get to see some of the best matches in UFC history, just under the ESPN Classic banner.

* UFC Radio – In addition to broadcasting a multitude of television channels, ESPN also owns and operates a radio network that airs 24/7 on many local affiliates across the country. ESPN Radio already devotes hours of coverage to specialty shows for auto racing, golf, and fantasy sports so a show devoted solely to the UFC is definitely a possibility. There are many podcasts and webcasts devoted to MMA but there’s still only one true MMA radio show (on the Sports Byline Network) making radio yet another space where the UFC can enter into and dominate.

This will all sound like a dream scenario to many diehard UFC fans but just because I’m playing around in fantasy land doesn’t mean the UFC on ESPN won’t eventually be reality.

Sam Caplan is a Philadelphia-based sports talk show host and freelance sportswriter. He can be reached via e-mail at SCaplan8@comcast.net. Sam’s also has a blog and can be reached via MySpace.