Here you have it, folks. Apparently HBO and UFC could not come to an amicable agreement . . . ****ers. Not that I care that much cuz its current home on Spike works well for me. HBO says talks to broadcast UFC cards fall apart By Dan Rafael LAS VEGAS -- HBO, the premium cable network, and UFC, the leading mixed martial arts company, have been talking for more than a year about airing a handful of annual cards. However, the deal is apparently dead after HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said Friday that negotiations have ended. "After lots of discussion it became apparent that the business model doesn't make sense for either one of us," Greenburg said in a statement released to ESPN.com. "So, we agreed to go our separate ways. You never know what the future holds. We have enormous respect and admiration for the executives we dealt with at the UFC. We wish them well." Within the industry, it is no secret that Greenburg was never a fan of the deal for HBO, which has been associated with boxing coverage for more than 30 years. One of the central hang-ups to the deal was control over the production of the telecasts. UFC, under president Dana White, controls the production of its popular Spike network telecasts and pay-per-view cards. HBO was unwilling to cede control of the broadcast.
That is because I am sure that HBO wanted to basically take control of the company, the way that it does with it's boxers. Would have loved to see UFC on HBO though.
Pretty much. HBO wanted to schedule its own cards, picks the fights, and produce it themselves. Definetely not going to work.
exactly, that's why we won't see wlad fight until next year, I'm sure Dana won't fall into this trap.
HBO is right to demand a certain standard of quality matches.Leaving it to a carpetbagger like White is like handing Don King a million bucks to put on a heavyweight fight and ending up with a couple of straw weights.:-(
I suspect dana only wanted to put **** on the network, and they wouldn't go for it. see some of the stuff he puts on ppv? imagine what he'd think we should watch for free, hbo is wise to not go for it. both sides probably had very good reasons to not do this deal.
Me too, they might as well rename Spike TV to "The UFC Channel". It's available in many, many more homes and has been killing in the non-network TV ratings when they hold fights on it. Rampage vs Henderson was the most watched MMA match in history when it aired on Spike. The whole UFC deal is more about the prestige of being on HBO. If EliteXC continues to do well on Showtime, HBO will come to it senses and take a UFC deal just to remain competitive.
