Feb 17, 2012 - The UFC's debut event on FUEL TV, UFC on FUEL, averaged 217,000 viewers over the length of the three-hour broadcast, setting a new live-event ratings record for the fledgling network.
Wednesday's numbers mark a 46-percent increase from FUEL TV's previous ratings record of 148,000 viewers, earned by January's UFC on FX 1 preliminary card. UFC on Fox 2's live preliminary card averaged 144,000 viewers.
The massive leap in ratings can likely be attributed to several factors, but most notable among them is fact that the event took place during a FUEL TV free-preview week for numerous cable subscribers.
Ratings peaked as 315,000 viewers tuned in to witness 26-year-old Jake Ellenberger force his name into title contention with a wild unanimous decision victory over Diego Sanchez. Beyond the headlining bout, four vicious stoppages lined the network broadcast, including Jonathan Brookins knockout win over Vagner Rocha which initially aired on Facebook.
"We fully expected the UFC was going to deliver FUEL TV extraordinary ratings, and now we're seeing it," said network Executive Vice President and General Manager George Greenberg. "We are beyond ecstatic about the audience and the impact the UFC is having on our network's growth thus far. The sky's the limit on where this network can go from here."
Meanwhile, Spike TV continued their counter-programming crusade to successful results, drawing 694,000 viewers for a replay of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale and 661,000 for a Diego Sanchez-themed episode of UFC Unleashed.
Spike TV is currently available in roughly 99 million homes around the United States, while FUEL TV's total rests closer to 35 million. Though recent trends have seen that number continue to climb since the Fox-family network switched to a UFC-centric programming schedule.
"If you want to compare (FUEL TV) to a platform like Spike three times our size, I can't help that," Greenberg recently said. "But I can tell you, If you look at the FOX ratings and last FX ratings for the fight, and you look at what it's done to this place percentage-wise, we are absolutely killing it."
12 comments
Comments
No Surprise
Low views on a network with little to no other recognizable programming. As far as I know Fuel TV is only on Direct TV (Satellite). The primary viewing audience for the UFC are many gamers and heavy internet users, so we all use cable bundles with internet. I know literally 30 people in person who all wanted to watch the fights and not one had Direct TV or the channel.
by SmaryJerry on Feb 17, 2012 3:37 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Great deal
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by bobby123 on Feb 19, 2012 3:56 AM EST up reply actions
Craptastic
No, it’s on Comcast in low def.
by rearnakedchickenchoke on Feb 17, 2012 3:48 PM EST reply actions
spike
is laughing at these numbers
by whytetittie on Feb 17, 2012 4:02 PM EST reply actions
LOL
Seriously, they are. I don’t know who’s wise idea it was to put the UFC on Fuel, but it wasn’t a very smart one.
"They made a Tito bobblehead but that shit wouldn’t bobble, it would just fall down to one side and stay there."
-Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
by BlueJay_ on Feb 17, 2012 5:00 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed
At least the Fuel fights did a little better than Bellator lol how sick would it be if all the fights that were on Fuel were on Fx and Fox instead, then this deal would seem more legit
by Rob2507 on Feb 17, 2012 5:13 PM EST up reply actions
...
It was a pretty descent night of fights. I wonder how it compares on Rogers sports net which shows all the fx and fuel fights and is available to pretty much all sports fans as it is in the sports package on every company. That would be a better way to compare ratings with other shows since everyone has it and it has has other fx and fuel fights
by Newdeal on Feb 17, 2012 5:01 PM EST reply actions
Fuel is on Comcast in certain areas
Fuel is on Xfinity/Comcast in the section of Philly that I live in which is Manayunk, but it’s not on in Center City. A lot of people don’t know even know what Fuel TV is. UFC shouldn’t put these fights on Fuel tv until more markets get it
by Phil Sparagna on Feb 17, 2012 5:51 PM EST reply actions
Putting shows on the network that people want to see enough to call their cable company to try to get the channel is the way to get more people the channel.
Holding off putting on fights until more people get the channel would defeat the purpose.
by Mcmax3000 on Feb 18, 2012 8:22 PM EST up reply actions
I'm shocked they got even that
I’m not paying for that channel just to watch some card
by Bigs- on Feb 17, 2012 6:03 PM EST reply actions
You're getting a lot more than just some card...
I upgraded to Fuel on Dishnetwork and found they have tons of UFC content on there. It’s almost like it’s a UFC channel just like HDNET is “Your home for MMA!” Fuel has The Best of Pride, UFC Champions Circle, UFC Tonight, UFC Reloaded & prelims. I’m paying about $7 more a month for the upgraded package and I’m happy. It’s filling up my DVR.
by Glamisredy on Feb 18, 2012 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
only a matter of time
FUEL TV network negotiations are coming up in a few months or that’s what i read in another article, eventually the UFC will have this network in as many households as Spike…they did it once, they can do it again
by BmoreGoHarder on Feb 18, 2012 10:10 AM EST reply actions
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