UFC and Spike TV have confirmed that Americans will not be able to watch the October 18 UFC 89 show on live television.
Instead, the London show will be televised on Spike TV that night, meaning East Coast viewers will see it five hours after it takes place and West Coast viewers will see it eight hours later.
Obviously, this is a business decision for UFC: They figure the show, with a so-so main event of Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben, isn't going to attract a big pay-per-view audience in the United States, so they'd rather put it on basic cable. And since Spike can get better ratings in prime time than it can on a Saturday afternoon, they show it on delay.
But while I understand the economics behind it, I don't like it. I think sporting events should be shown live, and I'd personally rather have the show on live television, even if that means the only way for it to be feasible is to have it on pay-per-view. Just as I don't like the way NBC presents the Olympics on tape delay, I don't like this. Unfortunately, UFC and Spike aren't asking my opinion.
Instead, the London show will be televised on Spike TV that night, meaning East Coast viewers will see it five hours after it takes place and West Coast viewers will see it eight hours later.
Obviously, this is a business decision for UFC: They figure the show, with a so-so main event of Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben, isn't going to attract a big pay-per-view audience in the United States, so they'd rather put it on basic cable. And since Spike can get better ratings in prime time than it can on a Saturday afternoon, they show it on delay.
But while I understand the economics behind it, I don't like it. I think sporting events should be shown live, and I'd personally rather have the show on live television, even if that means the only way for it to be feasible is to have it on pay-per-view. Just as I don't like the way NBC presents the Olympics on tape delay, I don't like this. Unfortunately, UFC and Spike aren't asking my opinion.