The face of boxing, Manny Pacquiao, now has another opponent besides the great Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12, and that is the UFC, which today announced their new partnership with Fox and Fox Sports Network.
According to a press release from the publicist firm of Fox Sport Media Group, the UFC has now made an annual four fight deal with Fox beginning in November.
The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT.
This, of course, is the same night that the highly anticipated long overdue rubber match of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez will take place on HBO Pay Per View in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand at approximately the same exact time as the UFC fight card on Fox. On top of that, the UFC’s popular reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, will get a total upgraded makeover and will start airing in Spring 2012 on the FX network as well to hype up upcoming UFC cards and add 99 million more homes than before. FX will also air another four to six additional UFC fight cards annually as well.
For the ever growing, highly popular UFC gaining more ground on the sport of boxing, this partnership with Fox will definitely be a big blow to the Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez III pay per view card.
Essentially, you will have fight fans who are able to watch a UFC card for free on Fox who will really need to be inspired to shell out that 50 bucks for the Pacquiao vs Marquez Pay Per View card.
One way for Top Rank, Pacquiao’s promoter, to ensure strong Pay Per View results is to stack the card with the best fights possible so that fight fans will want to buy the pay per view.
Is UFC president Dana White trying to make a bold statement by placing the UFC’s first fight card on Fox the same night and same time as the biggest star of boxing? I would argue yes. Dana White is an excellent businessman, and he has been known to be quite innovative in promoting and furthering the UFC, especially when it comes to the expansion of the sport.
[RELATED: Dana White on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.]
White made the following statement today at the press conference:
“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family. The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world. I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world, and with this relationship, it will become a reality.”
What will you be watching come November 12th? Pacquiao vs Marquez III on HBO Pay Per View or the free Fox UFC card?
If Pacquiao is able to do impressive numbers despite going head to head with a free FOX UFC card, then he definitely will prove how powerful his star power truly is.
SOURCE: Bleacher Report (Manny Pacquiao Versus New FOX Network UFC Fight Card on November 12 by King J)
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