CBS to aire MMA fights

[MasterKiller]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/mma_experts/post/EliteXC-expected-to-air-on-CBS?urn=mma,68962

Thursday will be an historic day for mixed martial arts, when CBS and Elite XC announce a deal that will bring the sport to network television for the first time.

Details of the deal, first reported by MMAjunkie.com, are sketchy, but is believed to be a four-fight deal that will begin in April.

Kevin Ferguson, the Internet street-fighting sensation known as Kimbo Slice, is expected to headline the first fight card on CBS from either Atlantic City, N.J. or the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Elite XC president Gary Shaw declined comment on Wednesday, but he has been bullish on the company's future despite the fact it lives in the vast shadow created by the UFC.

The UFC had been attempting during the writer's guild to reach a deal with CBS to put fights on, but had been unable to finalize a contract.

Elite XC already had a relationship with Viacom, which owns CBS, because Showtime is an investor in the company and has been broadcasting its fights since February 2007.

Viacom also owns Showtime.

The cards on CBS are expected to be two-hour shows broadcast on Saturday nights. The exact time slot is unknown, though it is likely to be something like 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Eastern time zone and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pacific.

[Lucas]

is fox not network? dont they air MMA?

[GeneChing]

beat me to the punch...


CBS Adds Martial Arts to Roster (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003717448)
CBS' airing of the events is another example of the network repurposing programming that aired on its sister pay cable net Showtime.
John Consoli
FEBRUARY 28, 2008 -

Mixed martial arts is coming to CBS in prime time as part of a multi-year deal with ProElite in which the network will televise four live, two-hour MMA events per year.

The network will air the events, produced by ProElite’s EliteXC fight division, on Saturday nights. It is another move where CBS is taking programming that originally aired on its sister pay cable network Showtime. CBS recently began airing the Showtime drama Dexter. Showtime has been televising EliteXC live MMA events since last year. These events will continue to air on Showtime, in addition to CBS.

Also part of the deal, CBS Interactive and ProElite.com will collaborate on generating interactive content for both companies’ Web platforms, including CBSSports.com. The online events could include video streaming of the events and clips and highlights syndicated across the CBS Audience Network.

“Mixed martial arts is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and a wildly popular entertainment vehicle for upscale, young adult audiences,” said Kelly Kahl, senior vp, CBS prime time. “It’s original programming for Saturday night. It’s live, creating an event atmosphere and it’s something that hasn’t been seen on network television until now.”

Gary Shaw, president of EliteXC, called the agreement “a pivotal moment for the sport of mixed martial arts now that a major television network plans to broadcast live MMA events during prime time.”

[MasterKiller]

beat me to the punch...

That's what she said!

[AmanuJRY]

is fox not network? dont they air MMA?

re-runs...not live...;)

[Lucas]

"CBS and Elite XC announce a deal that will bring the sport to network television for the first time."

Makes this a bit misleading....

[GeneChing]

...viewer ratings really count.

I'm a lover not a fighter - indeed. I'm a greedy corporate tyrant and it's all about the long green more like... :rolleyes:


CBS Boss: Our MMA Deal Was a Mistake (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/01/cbs-boss-our-mma-deal-was-a-mistake/)
Michael David SmithPosted May 1st 2008 7:06PM by Michael David Smith

It was a seminal moment for mixed martial arts when CBS reached an agreement with EliteXC to put four MMA shows on network television. But it was a moment that the chairman of the board at CBS wishes hadn't happened.

Sumner Redstone, the billionaire who owns a controlling stake in CBS, said yesterday that the network's deal with EliteXC was a mistake, and that it is not "socially responsible" to air MMA on network television. "I'm a lover not a fighter," Redstone said. "I don't like the sport."

Of course, CBS routinely shows violent entertainment programming -- heads getting blown off, people being stabbed and shot, that sort of thing. Redstone has no problem with that, as long as the violence gets ratings.

And that's why if the first EliteXC show gets good ratings on CBS, I think we're going to see a statement from Redstone in which he says he was wrong, and MMA is a great sport. And if EliteXC gets bad ratings, I think we're going to see a statement from Redstone in which he says he was offended and has decided to call off the remaining three shows.

[BruceSteveRoy]

when did cbs start showing mma? anyway, kimbo, robby lawler, and a bunch of others are fighting tonight on cbs. they even have 2 female mma fights. sorry if this was already posted.

[冠木侍]

Someone mentioned this to me this morning. They asked me if I saw the fight and I thought they were talking about some PPV event. But no, CBS!

Obviously I missed it.

How was it? Opinions?

[MartialDev]

Yesterday was CBS' first showing.

[BruceSteveRoy]

the kimbo fight was kind of bad. the ref stopped it way too early. the first couple fights were ended in the first round. i thought there was going to be 2 women fights but there was one and it was really good. and the robbie lawler fight was pretty good. he fought scott smith and they really brought a good fight. it was also called early bc smith took a finger to the eye. and the ref said he had up to 5 minutes to recover. then the dr asked him are you ok? or can you see? and he said not right now but i will be ok in five minutes. so the dr. called the fight.

i think bc it was on cbs the refs were overly cautious and called fights unnecessarily.

[Tainan Mantis]

I came to this board today thinking there would be all this discussion on the first fight my TV can pick up, commercial TV that is, and there is nothing here, no posts or comments.

Did anyone but me see it?
Anyway, I liked it. The chick fight had some very impressive skill.

Some quick fights all around. I have known about Kimbo since he I came across a backyard brawl of his 2 years ago.

I liked the fights, but then I read this post about how it was all a joke.

Is it true? The whole thing is a fixed joke or was this reporter a paid lackey of the John McCain Boxing commision(He mentioned McCain's ****fighting quote without attributing the quote).

So...

Here is Dan Wetzel's article, don't know how he is qualified to talk, but if I was one of the fighters I would have a hankering to hunt him down.


http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dw-kimbo060108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[GeneChing]

But I've been hearing rather lackluster reviews.


Program Averages 4.3 Million Viewers (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/sports/othersports/02sportsbriefs-PROGRAMAVERA_BRF.html?ref=sports)
By RICHARD SANDOMIR
Published: June 2, 2008

CBS’s broadcast of the Elite XC mixed martial arts program Saturday night — the first on a broadcast network in prime time — generated a preliminary national rating of a 2.7, or an average of 4.3 million viewers. The viewership fell from the 5.9 million CBS generated this season for the crime series that usually run Saturday nights on the network. But the national rating covered the 9 to 11 p.m. Eastern time period and did not include the main event, won by Kimbo Slice over James Thompson. In Nielsen Media’s 54 metered markets, the rating peaked at a 4.7 from 11:30 to 11:45, when Slice fought.

The 9-11 p.m. portion finished first against CBS’s competition in young male and young adult demographics. Still, the 4.3 million viewers who watched the much-hyped Elite XC program fell short of the 5.9 million who watched the Rampage Jackson-Dan Henderson U.F.C. lightweight title fight on the Spike cable channel in September.

[Jaima]

I watched it, and I was not impressed. I would compare it to Watching AA baseball.
The Kimbo fight was rigged. They put him up against a guy that they knew he could beat and if you ask me kimbo almost lost. He is not a premier fighter and to be honest may be getting to old too. Save your money Kimbo your stock is falling fast.

[ghostexorcist]

is fox not network? dont they air MMA?

Yah, at 1 am when most people are asleep.

[Lucas]

Bah! I'll sleep when I'm dead!

:D

[sanjuro_ronin]

Bah! I'll sleep when I'm dead!

:D

Death, natures way of telling you to slow down.

[冠木侍]

I wanted to get a good idea if Kimbo's ground game was any good....

I've seen his stand up and I know he can brawl.

[David Jamieson]

missed it.

[1bad65]

I wanted to get a good idea if Kimbo's ground game was any good.....

The answer was obvious, wasn't it? ;)

[SoCo KungFu]

Saw it. Some things I liked some didn't.

First off I didn't like all the theatrics. If I wanted to see that I'd watch WWE. It was comical when that one joker was dancing all the way to the cage only to lose the fight.

Second, I don't know why but the ring announcer's voice just really annoyed me. I like the other guy...."Leeeettt's Get Ready to RUUUMMMMBBBLLLEEE!"

Third, yeah the doc sucked. Give the guy his 5 minutes.

Now I did like certain things.

Granted the fighters might not have been the caliber as those in UFC. But really the match-ups did make in general for a more entertaining card. I like a good fight. Its not entertaining to see one guy get dominated every time.

I enjoyed the Lawler/Smith fight. Wish it didn't end the way it did. It was looking like Smith was gaining momentum too.

Not impressed with Kimbo. But I never expected much. He hits hard, but he's a one trick pony. He doesn't have the skills needed to compete with the upper class of competition and he's too old now really I would think to get his game together. Unfortunately he seems to be their money ticket at the moment.

I am glad they got some chicks doing MMA. I think it will be great for the advancement of the sport. I train with a couple in BJJ and they can roll. It's good to see that avenue open up for women. That and the fight was very entertaining. They banged more than a lot of guys do in the cage. That and Gina Carano will be my third wife. After I divorce Joss Stone and annul Megan Fox. :D I like a girl that likes it rough.

[GeneChing]

What is the difference between MMA and circus?


Is Kimbo Helping MMA? (http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/sports/May-June-08/Is-Kimbo-Helping-MMA.html)
June 03, 2008 1:58 PM
by Denis Cummings

Kimbo Slice was expected to take mixed martial arts into the mainstream, but after his unconvincing win in MMA’s network television debut, many are wondering if he'll do more harm than good.

Kimbo Slice, a street fighting Internet star, headlined Saturday’s five-fight EliteXC: Primetime, the first MMA event to be broadcast on network television.

Matched against James Thompson—a tomato can with a cauliflower ear—Kimbo was expected to score a quick knockout. However, he spent much of the fight on his back and needed a controversial third round TKO —called when Thompson’s ear ruptured—to win.

The show was a ratings success for CBS, attracting the coveted 18–34 male demographic. CBS will likely air another MMA event in the late summer.

MMA has developed a devoted following, primarily due to the Ultimate Fighting Championship competition. Important UFC fights, however, are available only on pay-per-view and the sport has some difficulty attracting new fans.

Many MMA fans and insiders hoped that EliteXC would expose MMA to a larger audience and bring the one-time underground sport into the mainstream. Instead, they saw an over-the-top, WWE-type spectacle with poor-quality fights.

“This is not MMA,” writes Brian Argabright of the Del Rio News-Herald. “This is a circus and Kimbo is the main event.”

Others are more optimistic about the event, arguing that the large audience exposure will help the sport grow. “As frustrating as this was for many who love the sport, I don’t buy the argument that the card was a big negative for MMA,” writes Yahoo’s Dan Wenzel. “Yes its credibility was hurt with old media and some skeptics, but many potential fans were exposed to it for the first time.”

[sanjuro_ronin]

Is Kimbo the "face" of MMA that you want people to know ??

[NJM]

Kimbo Slice:

Holy ****.

Talk about a work, that was like WWE.

They might has well have been jumping off the cage poles like they were ropes.

I mean, ****.

[1bad65]

Is Kimbo the "face" of MMA that you want people to know ??

No.

And alot of MMA forums are having this discussion as well.

[GeneChing]

There's a ton of articles on the newsfeeds. Here are two I found that were amusing.


Much ado about prime-time MMA (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jun/05/much-ado-about-prime-time-mma/)
By Jeff Haney
Thu, Jun 5, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Mixed martial arts made its prime-time network TV debut without the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but with plenty of bluster and ballyhoo.

The CBS broadcast of a fight card from Newark, N.J., led off with an iconic image of the Statue of Liberty(!) followed in the opening moments by one reference apiece to the “warriors” and the “new breed of gladiator” who would be fighting in the cage that evening.

The announcers were just getting warmed up.

They also informed viewers that CBS was yanking mixed martial arts “out of the shadows” with Saturday night’s broadcast and placing the sport in its rightful spot under “the bright lights of prime time.”

They emphasized that “this is real,” and each competitor is not just a fighter but also a “real, live true warrior.”

The program featuring a series of bouts promoted by the EliteXC fighting organization, a UFC rival, was not only a “milestone moment” in sports history, but it also marked the “dawn of a new era.”

They invoked the spirit of Bruce Lee, suggesting that like a prophetic seer, Lee “predicted” the coming of this momentous occasion more than three decades ago.

And this all occurred within the first five minutes of the broadcast. Yikes.

Then there were the repeated shots of a bevy of scantily clad dancing girls outside the fighting cage. Yes, this was CBS, but perhaps not what you would expect from William S. Paley’s erstwhile Tiffany Network — unless Tiffany was the stage name of one of the go-go girls.

It’s impossible to blame the EliteXC guys for playing their hand aggressively, though. Throughout the broadcast, the announcing team of Gus Johnson, Mauro Ranallo and Frank Shamrock hammered on a series of keywords — “MMA!” “CBS!” “Prime time!” — as if to announce the organization’s arrival on the big time. They were simultaneously appealing to casual fans who might not seek out the UFC, which presents itself as the industry’s leader, on cable or on pay-per-view.

Certainly mixed martial arts is riding a wave of mainstream popularity, thanks to the prime-time slot as well as the Hollywood movie “Redbelt,” which has garnered good reviews despite the counterintuitive pairing of MMA and Mamet. (“Coffee’s for submission experts only.”)

The best part of the CBS broadcast was probably an explanatory segment in which Shamrock demonstrated various MMA moves, rules and regulations. Despite a simplistic-sounding summary of “ground and pound” — get your opponent to the ground and pound him out! — it was a good introduction to viewers stumbling across the sport for the first time.

Unfortunately, the hyperbole returned quickly as we were instructed to stay tuned for the “network premiere of the Street Fighter 4 trailer,” which to me looked a lot like a commercial for a video game.

A bout pitting Brett Rogers against Jon Murphy wasn’t just a heavyweight fight, but “an opportunity for Rogers to seize the American dream.”

Before Rogers could seize it properly, he had to get past Murphy, who is known as “The Man of Faith” and is not only “superintelligent,” but also “super faithful.” OK.

In other highlights from the card, Phil Baroni lost to Joey Villasenor despite Baroni’s prefight vow, duly shown on the broadcast, that he would be “separating his (rear end) from consciousness,” and Gina Carano beat Kaitlin Young in a crowd-pleasing women’s fight.

Of course, this “historic broadcast” ushering in a “new era” of American sports led up to the main event won by Kimbo Slice, the “street-fighting star of the Internet” who has been the “focus of a media avalanche.”

At one point, Kimbo was compared favorably to Oscar De La Hoya and Tiger Woods. Unless I missed some sort of cue, this was not the parody portion of the program.

A few days later CBS officials hyped the show as a ratings success, reporting that the audience peaked at 6.51 million viewers during Slice’s victory against James Thompson in the headliner, and that the network cleaned up in the demographics of men and young viewers.

So it appears we’re likely to see more of EliteXC. In prime time. On CBS. And why not? After all, the Kimbo Slice phenomenon “has touched a raw nerve in America and around the world!” And, undoubtedly, throughout the known universe.



Mixed Martial Arts drawing some blood in ratings fight (http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other_sports/ultimate_fighting/view.bg?&articleid=1098830&format=&page=1&listingType=Ufc#articleFull)
By Bob Molinaro / The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.
Thursday, June 5, 2008 - Added 6h ago

The prime-time debut of Mixed Martial Arts last weekend was billed as "CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights," but buried beneath the tame, antiseptic title was a subliminal promise that read, "There Will Be Blood."

There was.

In the featured match, a well-muscled curiosity with the pseudonym of Kimbo Slice was declared the winner after he landed a hard right to the head of a tomato can from England by the name of John Thompson, bursting Thompson’s cauliflower ear in a crimson explosion.

This was preceded by a bout between a couple of young women, in which the losing combatant’s face was quickly turned into raw hamburger, as she suffered at least two deep facial cuts and a mouse under one eye the size of a meatball.

Slice - real name Kevin Ferguson - is a manufactured niche celebrity, a 34-year-old former homeless man from Miami who was discovered when his backyard fights appeared on YouTube. It turns out that he’s not really that good at cage fighting and that, in general, CBS’ production consisted of strictly minor league MMA talent.

Who knew? I didn’t. Do I look like a guy who belongs to an ultimate fighting fantasy league?

But MMA, which incorporates elements of boxing, wrestling, kick boxing and street brawling (it allows choke holds, but draws the line at eye and ear gouging) is not nearly as unfamiliar to the 18-to-34 male demographic that discovered it on cable outlets such as Versus and Spike - the TV equivalent of off-shore barges. Recently, ESPN.com jumped on the bandwagon by introducing a 30-minute show, "MMA Live."

Saturday’s CBS broadcast was dead on arrival in my television room, but I’m the first to admit that I don’t represent the audience MMA is after. The fights pulled in a 2.7 rating compared with a 2.6 for Saturday night’s Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals on NBC.

Memo to the NHL: see how well Kimbo Slice moves on a pair of skates.

The ratings are an indication that cage fighting fans aren’t waiting for a newspaper columnist to lecture them on the barbarism of this sport - and I use the term loosely. Even if they bothered to read the newspaper. Which they don’t.

It’s a different world out there, one that doesn’t always make sense to those of us who drive Buicks and believe that the only blood sport that belongs on TV is the presidential campaign.

CBS will air three more Saturday night fights later this year, which has people wondering if the exposure can create greater mainstream acceptance for MMA.

I’d say no, but I remember too well how ridiculous it once seemed to me that anyone would watch people play poker.

It’s still ridiculous, yet poker is a TV mainstay.

As for Kimbo Slice, I predict that he’s not in the MMA racket for long. I think he’s gone as soon as he can parlay his fame into a spot on "Dancing With the Stars."

Finally, a piece of advice for CBS: For the next installment of the MMA series, do a better job of appealing to a wider, more mature demographic. Start by having Regis Philbin host the fights. follow the link on this one to read the rest...

[冠木侍]

The answer was obvious, wasn't it? ;)

Yeah, I guess even though I missed, I should have just used simple logic. ;)

But I don't feel like searching right now...is there any footage online that anyone can link us to? Thanks.