This past week has been a significant one in the sports world.
In the realm of football, the recently announced lockout threatens to tear apart not only the 2011 season, but also the NFL itself!
In mixed martial arts, the UFC has finally purchased Strikeforce, its main rival.
So why are these two being mentioned in the same article?
Because, believe it or not, they have implications on one another.
It is very likely that the NFL lockout will stop the upcoming football season from happening. Therefore, the major networks will be faced with a large void in programming and in advertising revenue since. If nothing good is on to fill the time slots, advertisers will not pay top dollar for those spots anymore.
When faced with such a dilemma, the networks will not have many choices. Unlike the writer’s strike that threatened to devastate television, the networks can’t just air reruns or non-scripted shows like American Gladiators.
In this situation, the networks will have to replace a legitimate sport with a legitimate sport. The networks thus have only two options if they want to survive the lockout.
First, they can air the UFL—the perennial “minor league” football organization. This is the safe bet. The audience is already comfortable with the sport of football and even familiar with some of the old faces in the UFL that once played for their favorite NFL teams.
While the level of play and devotion to the UFL teams may not be outstanding, it is better than dead air on Sundays and will at least garner decent ratings.
However, it is entirely possible that the network executives have been paying attention to a sports organization that has been growing leaps and bounds across the world while the NFL has stagnated—at least globally.
This organization is none other than the UFC.
While this seems outlandish at first, giving the UFC a TV deal makes perfect sense.
Whichever network gives them a deal will subsequently have the undivided attention of the coveted male 18-34 demographic. This will enable the said network to revitalize and rejuvenate their image. They can market themselves as a sort of high class, professional Spike TV while chiding the other networks as networks for old men.
The UFC has just purchased its primary competitor and now has nearly unrivaled market share within the United States. Its brand recognition and marketing is second to none and the major networks must take note of this.
The only issue is that the UFC may not work too well on a Sunday afternoon time slot. However, the ratings and ad revenue the UFC would bring in on a Friday or Saturday night may potentially be worth it.
An additional scenario that may be possible is a major network offering both the UFL and the UFC a deal. This way, the network would get the best of both worlds. It captivates a new, devoted audience and would keep the football crowds on Sunday.
Whatever happens, it is undeniable that the sports world is reaching a crossroads. Either MMA and the UFC will continue their unabated growth and bury the “ball sports” or MMA will prove to be a fad and the old guard of sports will reign supreme. We will find out soon enough.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
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