UFC PPV Model Isn’t Going Anywhere, Former Exec Don Gold Says


The UFC PPV (pay-per-view) model is here to stay, according to one of the company’s former executives.

Entertainment rep Don Gold spent much of the UFC’s early years trying to convince video stores and anyone who would listen that mixed martial arts was a legitimate sport.

His efforts were integral to making the Ultimate Fighting Championships the successful brand that it is today. And while much has changed since he went from Blockbuster Video to Blockbuster Video pleading his case, the UFC PPV model probably won’t any time soon.

In comments reported by MMA Junkie, Gold said that “pay-per-view has become so important for the fans.”

He continued.

“They recognize if it’s on pay-per-view, it’s a big event. It always comes back to, what’s the fight? Some fights don’t work on pay-per-view. Obviously, (UFC 194) should only be on pay-per-view, because it’s such a social event,” he said.

Gold added that the UFC PPV model was the “right vehicle” when there are “stories” to tell.

That said, he didn’t think digital was going away either, and the current company president, Dana White, would agree with him on that.

In fact, White has gone on record as saying that all content will eventually be on the Internet. But Gold can’t see that happening with UFC as long as they can get between $50 and $60 for a pay-per-view.

“I can’t speak for the UFC, because I’m not privy to what their plans are for the next 10 years, but if you look at where the music business was when you were growing up, and you remember going into a store and buying plastic, packaged entertainment, now, you wouldn’t even think of it,” Gold said.

He also acknowledged that Netflix and Amazon had pushed many into streaming, but he also heard a lot of the same sky-is-falling logic when VHS and DVD arrived — people saying that no one would go to the movies any more.

“Well, people are still going to movies, more than ever, because it’s an experience,” he added.

In that sense, Gold is right, especially if you look at the performance of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, his comparison isn’t as hopeful to the UFC PPV model as you might expect.

That’s because home video and streaming have made an undeniable dent on moviegoing activities over the years.

One need only look at the actual ticket sales for some of the biggest films of the last few decades to see that grosses are up but attendance is down.

Case-in-point comparison: the No. 1 film of 1981 grossed $212 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo, but it sold 77.2 million tickets.

Compare that to the No. 1 domestic film of 2014, American Sniper, which scored a $350 million gross but sold far fewer tickets (43 million).

Image via Box Office Mojo
Image via Box Office Mojo

Image via Box Office Mojo
[Image via Box Office Mojo]
Another potential problem with Gold’s argument — that UFC PPV events are “social” and that they encourage friends to come over and enjoy the fight together — what’s to stop that from happening if UFC moved to a $9.99 per month model like WWE Network or an $8.99 like Showtime or a $14.99 like HBO NOW?

Moving special events away from the UFC PPV model would do nothing to shut down the social component among friends.

That said, it does make little sense for the UFC to abandon ship at this point. They’re coming off two record-breaking cards in UFC 193 and UFC 194.

Then again, not every card is going to be stacked with a Ronda Rousey or Conor McGregor main event.

But what do you think, readers? Should the UFC PPV model be abandoned for a more consumer-friendly model? Sound off in the comments section.

[Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images]

Share this article: UFC PPV Model Isn’t Going Anywhere, Former Exec Don Gold Says
More from Inquisitr