[Trix]

The UFC says prelim cards have a greater number of viewers in comparison to main events.

The reasoning behind this is: not everyone buys the UFC pay per view or knows where to find a pirate stream.

But everyone can watch free fights on the prelims.

On this basis, some have said being on the UFC prelims is the fast track to gaining more eyes and greater exposure.

Is this true? What does everyone think?

 

[kantowrestler]

The preliminary card is pretty much the proving ground and for some the first step to getting on the pay-per-view proper.

 

[Trix]

A lot of people complained about not feeling like the UFC was not promoting them.

A big part of promotion is exposure and having more eyes on you.

If the prelim card has 1 million viewers and the main card has 500,000 viewers. (Which could make sense considering not everyone would buy the PPV, while anyone with a computer an internet connection could watch the prelims for free)

Would they get more exposure on the prelim card?

People feel insulted if they're on the prelims. But there is a chance it could be a fast track to having more eyes on them and better promotion.

 

[kantowrestler]

Yeah, which is why it's probably better to try and impress on the preliminaries because it makes a case for making it no the main card with more money.

 

[Spite]

One other thing to consider here. Those figures are the official figures. There will be many more people who watch the streams illegally either live or by downloading it the next. I don't have the exact figures and this is purely a guess on my part based on reading forums over the years, but I would not be surprised if there was at least, if not more people watching without paying.

 

[kantowrestler]

Either way the preliminaries of a PPV are basically the proving grounds.

 

[lamarclark09]

I agreed. Many people prefer to watch without paying and they have found so many ways to do it. So one way or another they get that but obviously, it’s not good for those who want to be promoted in front of a bigger audience. Because I don’t think those bunch of people can ever be added to the official numbers.

 

[kantowrestler]

Well technically if someone is watching the prelims they are paying for something, whether that's ESPN+ or some cable bill or in my case, a meal at Buffalo Wild Wings.

 

[lamarclark09]

Well yes you got a point there.