Report: NBC and Strikeforce to partner up
That’s the word according to MMA Junkie:
NBC and Strikeforce will soon announce a deal that will give the quickly growing mixed-martial-arts organization a weekly presence on major network television.
Sources close to the deal tell MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that a formal announcement of the partnership is expected within the next week. However, Strikeforce executives didn’t return phone calls from MMAjunkie.com requesting comment.
As part of the NBC deal, fight footage from past Strikeforce events will likely be shown in “highlights” shows, not unlike the Pride Fighting Championships shows that currently air on Fox Sports Net. The first Strikeforce show is expected to air in mid-April.
The report goes on to say that these shows will most likely take place after “Saturday Night Live” runs on NBC, so they will be in a very late spot, unlike the prime time spot that EliteXC will have on CBS. It should be interesting to see how the highlights show does and if it leads to any live shows on NBC in the future. If I’m Strikeforce, I’m making sure the first fight I show is Gilbert Melendez vs. Clay Guida for the Strikeforce lightweight title. That one is a barn burner and a fight that could turn a lot of people on to mixed martial arts.
Adam Morgan is
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I must be living in a closet but when did Clay Guida leave the UFC? I remember watching him fight Huerta and thought he looked tough until Huerta caught him in something.
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Dkit-
He didn’t leave the UFC. Melendez/Guida happened before Guida went to the UFC.
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Dkit, he didn’t leave the UFC. Right before Guida went to the UFC, he was in Strikeforce.
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Man, I can see why NBC and the UFC never ‘got off the ground’….
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interesting development. i guess the replays will be used as a test to see if live shows are worth it? i wonder how the ratings for the ufc replay shows (like wired) compare to their live event ratings.
p.s. that mr t snickers ad has been making me laugh all day. finally someone with hair to rival koscheck.
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Ugh, please will some network make a deal with the UFC so that the network representation of MMA isn’t so weak?
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I see the UFC doing a deal with Fox…and getting excellent ratings.
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I personally dont get it- after snl?? To me that is a sure fire way of shooting yourself in the foot—ok so first the fights aren’t live- strike 1- second, the timeslot- strike 2 and third well hell who needs a third- old fights that late will sink this ship quickly. sometimes jumping on the bandwagon isnt the best option.
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Beautiful hula hoop sub defence.
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this was the same spot that the XFL got, after SNL. And we all know how THAT one turned out…
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Doesn’t watching Saturday Night Live turn anyone else on to the idea of violence? I know when i watch it I just wanna hit somebody.
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If UFC were under someone sane (ie, NOT dana white) I could see a network deal. Given White’s ADD style negotiating, we have a better chance of Mexican Lucha-libre wrestling on US network TV.
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“f UFC were under someone sane (ie, NOT dana white) I could see a network deal. Given White’s ADD style negotiating, we have a better chance of Mexican Lucha-libre wrestling on US network TV.”
Why would the UFC want to sign a shitty deal just to be on network TV. On one hand you have the UFC who just signed a deal with Spike that paid them over 100 million. On the other you have Strikeforce that is PAYING NBC 2 million for a horrible time slot. Please explain the logic of signing a deal that doesn’t make “cents” for Zuffa??
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