2 Tito Ortiz fights = 2 UFC sell outs

angryjonny · 06-07-2006, 06:08 PM

If Tito wouldn't have been on the card at UFC 59 I gurantee it wouldn't have sold out. Arlovski and Sylvia have no draw whatsoever. Forrest is another reason for the sellout but if it would have been Forrest vs. anyone else I still don't think it would have had such good numbers.

Thrash13 · 06-07-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryjonny

If Tito wouldn't have been on the card at UFC 59 I gurantee it wouldn't have sold out. Arlovski and Sylvia have no draw whatsoever. Forrest is another reason for the sellout but if it would have been Forrest vs. anyone else I still don't think it would have had such good numbers.

That's exactly right jonny.

Right now, I think Tito and Chuck are the only two UFC guys than can sell a place out on name recognition alone. I believe Rich Franklin is probably the third in line, but who knows.

Just give it some time because it won't be that way for long. The UFC has already made huge strides over the past couple years, and that will continue. The more and more stars are built, the more and more arenas will sell out.

It's just going to take a little time.

Flying Triangle Choke · 06-08-2006, 12:36 AM

speaking of bad draws, imagine how bad it's going to be in the future with any other shows that happen to have a heavyweight title fight as the headliner. "UFC 65: SYLVIA VS. MONSON"...just an example of something that would elicit a chorus of boos and snores from the casual fans.

Dek · 06-08-2006, 01:53 AM

love him or hate him tito puts on a show thats why people wanna come and see him even if its to see him get beat. the ufc missed out when they didnt sign rampage

subgenius · 06-08-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dek

love him or hate him tito puts on a show thats why people wanna come and see him even if its to see him get beat. the ufc missed out when they didnt sign rampage

I think Tito Ortiz enjoys the pro-wrestling pre-fight hype technique. I mean, look at the pre-fight hype for his Shamrock match some time back. Shamrock up at the podium saying he wanted to crush Tito's head or whatever, and Tito laughing at him, the chair throwing and mayhem that ensued. It was a classic moment.

Sometimes, considering Shamrock's and Ortiz's experience with pro-wrestling, I wonder about these two guys. I think they actually do not even really hate each other. I think that everything they do to hype their fued is well planned and well thought out in advance between them. It has made for some real excitement. Of course, once they get into the octagon, all that is out the window. They fight for real.

sitnspin · 06-08-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

Sometimes, considering Shamrock's and Ortiz's experience with pro-wrestling, I wonder about these two guys. I think they actually do not even really hate each other. I think that everything they do to hype their fued is well planned and well thought out in advance between them. It has made for some real excitement. Of course, once they get into the octagon, all that is out the window. They fight for real.

I don't agree with you very often, but I agree with you about this. Dana, Ken and Tito all know what sells tickets, and it would be counterproductive for Ken and Tito to say that they respect each other and have no personal feelings invested in this fight. It's much better for all involved if they play it up like it's very personal and there's a lot of emotions at stake.

angryjonny · 06-08-2006, 04:58 PM

I would not be surprised at all to see Ken and Tito talking like normal people backstage, maybe not before their fight specifically but any other time. I seriously doubt it is anything like it's portrayed on tv.

Bomber · 06-08-2006, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitnspin

it would be counterproductive for Ken and Tito to say that they respect each other and have no personal feelings invested in this fight.

I really believe Ken hates Tito. I've never believed in the rest of the Dana/Tito/Ken hate thing.

subgenius · 06-08-2006, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bomber

I really believe Ken hates Tito. I've never believed in the rest of the Dana/Tito/Ken hate thing.

Yeah, that can easily be true. I like the hype either way

angryjonny · 06-08-2006, 09:45 PM

I don't think Ken hates Tito at all. He's an openly Christian man and that is against Christianity to hate another man. I'm sure he doesn't like him at all but like I said before I wouldn't be surprised if backstage they are civil with eachother and not talking about beating into the living death and smashing little heads and other classic Shamrock one-liners.

subgenius · 06-08-2006, 10:14 PM

Shamrock just slammed Tito Ortiz in a ten-thousand dollar pool game! That was sweet. A real cool hustle from Ken. AND, Tito and Ken shook and hands and were actually very civil. So, I agree with you, Jonny. I think we will see more of this as time goes on.

imdahman · 06-08-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reeder08

I know UFC 61 isnt fully sold out yet but the floor seats are. Funny how Dana says the UFC didnt need Tito but considering the UFC didnt even sell out Hughes vs Gracie Id say Tito seems to draw very well no matter who he fights. Id say the publicity he draws is worth the money he asks for.

Dude... do you know what you just did there?

You said that UFC 61 is not fully sold out
You said UFC 60 didn't sell out

Yet you're saying that Tito draws people. That doesn't make sense! He's fighting, and the show isn't sold out - that proves absolutely nothing in terms of his ability to put people into the seats.

This is the same stuff Loose Change pulls, grr...

subgenius · 06-09-2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imdahman

Dude... do you know what you just did there?

You said that UFC 61 is not fully sold out
You said UFC 60 didn't sell out

Yet you're saying that Tito draws people. That doesn't make sense! He's fighting, and the show isn't sold out - that proves absolutely nothing in terms of his ability to put people into the seats.

This is the same stuff Loose Change pulls, grr...

A friend of mine that lives in LA and went to the Hughes-Gracie event said that there was a rumor flying around that the UFC was outside giving tickets away to fill every seat in the house. It seemed to me to be like a gimmick at first, but it does make sense. People that never saw an event like this got to see it first hand -- good marketing. And, the PPV looked like it had a packed house. I am still trying to confirm that rumor.

UFC-61? It is too soon to say it has not sold out yet. We cannot know that until the show starts and concludes. A lot of people will wait until the last minute to buy tickets. Or, like in a lot of arena events, they may well just wait outside waiting for the free tickets. Of course, those free tickets are the rafter, nose-bleed seats and not front row. But, still... I have done this at some local minor league hockey and minor league baseball games.

angryjonny · 06-09-2006, 02:13 PM

UFC 60 was not a packed house. They didn't even come close to filling the seats and the paid ticket numbers were extremely low. I wonder if the $1000 seats had anything to do with that?

subgenius · 06-09-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryjonny

UFC 60 was not a packed house. They didn't even come close to filling the seats and the paid ticket numbers were extremely low. I wonder if the $1000 seats had anything to do with that?

I was not there, but can only judge by what I see on the video tape. That place does look packed. My pal was close to the announcers. He did not make a note of the rafter seats or back sections. BTW, he had free tickets that a friend gave to him. I am assuming that they were $1,000 tickets. I will have to ask my friend about that.

I wish that I could have been there personally to see these things for myself. I hate working with second-hand information. But, my pal is dependable and not a liar (that I ever knew of). I have known him for like 21 years.

GSPALLTHEWAY · 06-09-2006, 04:19 PM

yea! how can they charge that much... i remember when they came to mohegan all the seats in the back sold out and the front was wide open even till the fight day...
how about lowering the prices!! it would lead to more excitment to the sport, and their tix sales are far from their biggest seller

sitnspin · 06-09-2006, 04:48 PM

I think it's insane how much tickets are for UFC events. If they legalized MMA in Ontario and the UFC could hold an event here in Toronto, I still couldn't justify spending a hundred bucks a ticket, let alone four or five hundred. Or a THOUSAND! A thousand dollars -- are you kidding me?!? If I had a thousand dollars to blow on a single evening's entertainment, I'd go play poker with it and at least have a shot at turning a profit.

subgenius · 06-09-2006, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitnspin

I think it's insane how much tickets are for UFC events. If they legalized MMA in Ontario and the UFC could hold an event here in Toronto, I still couldn't justify spending a hundred bucks a ticket, let alone four or five hundred. Or a THOUSAND! A thousand dollars -- are you kidding me?!? If I had a thousand dollars to blow on a single evening's entertainment, I'd go play poker with it and at least have a shot at turning a profit.

I agree. If I had a grand to toss around like that, and was thinking about a UFC even, then I would buy the $40 PPV and throw a huge PPV party with the other $960.

sitnspin · 06-09-2006, 05:17 PM

And you'd get a much better view of the action, beer wouldn't be $6 a cup, and the only idiots you'd have to sit beside and tolerate would be the ones you invited over. :P

CountryboyVA · 06-12-2006, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitnspin

And you'd get a much better view of the action, beer wouldn't be $6 a cup, and the only idiots you'd have to sit beside and tolerate would be the ones you invited over. :P

Exactly what I and my friends do, though we don’t spend 960 on even that.

I’m also wondering what the PPV #’s look like for UFC60 and other Hughes fights. A lot of people talk about him not having much draw but I’m wondering if that’s more based on location of the fights. I know around where I live Hughes and Rich are huge I don’t know of any fans in person that don’t like them. I know if we could only get a couple PPV each year it would only be when Matt and Rich were fighting and I’m betting it’s that way throughout the south, southeast and Central/Midwest parts of the country. A guy that comes out to a Hank Williams Jr. Song probably is not going to overly appeal to folks living in big cities like Vegas and LA.