February 2012 - Page 2 of 5 - Last Word On Sports

Phantom's NHL Saturday Picks

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Grant Alexander

We have an interesting scenario this week, as for the first time this year Saturday isn’t carrying the brunt off the load schedule wise. So this week Sunday is the new Saturday. There are ten scheduled games this Sunday, including a Proline Pool, with three of the games starting at 12:30. Saturday does have eight games (three afternoon, five evening), including the typical HNIC double header, but due to the shortage it has been linked to Fridays games to make a massive, combined Pool of 15 games. A pool that big is sure to have a nice big one winner payout, but with that many games you might as well be flipping a coin, or throwing darts at a board. So for this week, lets stick to Sunday’s action.

Pittsburgh @ Buffalo

When Buffalo is at the top of their game they can hang with, and beat Pittsburgh. Unfortunately for them those games have been few and far between this year as they are currently sitting in last in the East. There is some good news for Sabres fans though as Pittsburgh should be a little tired from their rivalry matchup yesterday against the Flyers. If I’m a pool player I would probably play it safe and take Pittsburgh, but playing the odds, it’s hard to turn down a rested home team paying over 2 to 1. Buffalo at 2.10.

San Jose @ Detroit

Detroit has now won 22 straight games at home. Do I see 23? Sure, why not. Do I also like a top team paying 2.20? I do. This is another one I would probably split. Take Detroit straight up, but San Jose on the inflated odds. San Jose at 2.20.

St. Louis @ Chicago

Wow, am I that indecisive today, or is the odds maker sleeping? This is another game where I think the underdog odds are way to high. Chicago is back to form after a ten-game losing slide, but there is no way they should be favoured by that much over a tough divisional opponent that is 10 points ahead of them in the standings! St. Louis at 2.00.

Boston @ Minnesota

Minnesota actually has big odds at home in this one too. However, they played a tough game yesterday, and they don’t matchup well with the Bruins. Boston at 1.45.

New Jersey @ Montreal

Jersey has been on fire lately, and with the odds even, they’re the obvious choice here. New Jersey at 1.70.

Anaheim @ Florida

Florida is holding strong to their third spot in the East. On the other side of the league Anaheim is desperately trying to claw their way into a playoff spot in the West. Both teams are playing well right now, but I think Anaheim needs it more, so I give them the edge here despite being the slight underdog. Anaheim at 1.80.

Nashville @ Dallas

These teams have a similar record over their last ten. They also matchup pretty evenly with their home and away records. The odds are also close to even. Hmm, might as well take the better team. Nashville at 1.80.

Columbus @ New York Rangers

Take the Rangers in the pool, but don’t put money on them otherwise. The odds are so small I don’t think you’ll even get your money back! But on the other side of things, if you feel adventurous, Columbus is getting 3 to 1. New York at 1.25.

Colorado @ Winnipeg

Winnipeg is stellar at home. Why buck the trend. Winnipeg at 1.55.

Vancouver @ Edmonton

Vancouver battled Toronto last night, so they might be a little tired, but they are one of the hottest teams in the league. I do like Edmonton’s odds here, but the Canucks are just too strong. Vancouver at 1.45.

Favorites

Boston
New Jersey
New York Rangers
Winnipeg
Vancouver

Pick ‘ems

Buffalo
San Jose
St. Louis

Underdogs

Anaheim
Nashville

OWC (Odds Worth Considering)

Columbus 3.00
Edmonton 2.20

That’s it for this week. Look for more Phantom picks coming next week. And as always, good luck, and let me know how you did!

Ticat Makeover Continues – Hamilton signs Fantuz

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Carl Mostacci

The Hamilton Tiger Cats signed receiver Andy Fantuz

The Hamilton Tiger Cats caught a marlin, I mean a Fantuz. Yesterday, the team announced the signing of the biggest free agent on the CFL market in 2012, wide receiver Andy Fantuz.

Fantuz spent 2006-2010 with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders winning the Grey Cup in 2007. In 2010 he lead the league with 1380 receiving yards. He was a late cut in 2011 of the Chicago Bears in a failed attempt to make the NFL. Hampered by an injury in 2011 once returning to Saskatchewan, Fantuz played in 4 games and had 175 receiving yards.

The Hamilton Tiger Cats offered Fantuz a 4 year contract at $150,000 per season. Saskatchewan’s offer was similar, but many believe Fantuz chose Hamilton to be closer to his hometown of Chatham Ontario. Both towns are 2 hours apart. Chatham and Regina are roughly 2500km apart.

Once again this is an excellent move by the Hamilton Tiger Cats. They have upgraded their receiving core, one that includes prolific sophomores Aaron Kelly and Bikhari Grant, and veteran Dave Stala. Hopefully Hamilton has enough cap space and playing time to keep all of these receivers happy. If they do, they know have one of, if not the best receiving core in the CFL.

All the Cats have to do now is upgrade the defensive backs and linemen. I feel maybe Obie will be able to find players to fill these holes coming out of US colleges. If they can successfully do that, the 2012 Hamilton Tiger Cats maybe a CFL powerhouse.

What do you think?

And that’s the Last Word!

UFC on Fuel TV 1: Give Me Fuel, Give Me Fire!

Posted on February 17, 2012November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

To date I’ve been pretty critical of UFC’s recent event schedule, as I feel like supersaturation will equate to apathy towards the sport. I am happy to say that so far it appears that this cynicism has been challenged by the MMA viewing public. UFC on Fuel TV 1 turned out to be the biggest success in the history of the fledgling Fuel TV – and with six more events planned for the station throughout the year, this partnership is sure to be a profitable one.

Everything said, the net benefit of this event on Fuel does need to be taken with a grain of salt. While the average viewing audience for Fuel was up over 500% during the time the event aired, reaching a peak viewing point during the Ellenberger/Sanchez main event, Fuel TV is one of the lowest rated cable TV (specialty TV for Canadian readers) in the US.

What’s going to be interesting to watch from a marketing perspective is whether or not the UFC can do for Fuel what it did for Spike TV. Prior to its relationship with the UFC, it was in a much similar situation to Fuel – low viewership, heavy reliance on syndication and support. The UFC, with the The Ultimate Fighter as the engine, propelled Spike to one of the higher rated specialty stations in the US. The average fight night on Spike was averaging in around 500,000 to 1,000,000 viewers per event, not bad for a station of that caliber. Can same thing work for the benefit of Fuel?

The event aired this past Wednesday may not have had the same strong line-up that has been seen on the FOX cards, but I firmly believe that it had enough gusto to generate interest from the lay-person; which is the target that the UFC wants zero-in on right now. A perfect symbiotic relationship has been forged here, and it will be interesting to watch it grow.

The only pillar standing in its way is oversaturation from the parent company (FOX). If FOX/UFC pour it on too heavy on the higher rated FX and FOX networks, it could stop this Fuel from ever catching fire.

Notes from the event…

· In a hard fought, and bloody decision, Jake Ellenberger pulled out a surprising victory over Diego Sanchez. Sanchez needs to go back to being the “Nightmare”, because the “Dream” just isn’t cutting it.

· Stefan Struve did what he did and back from near defeat to chalk up a TKO victory against Dave Herman.

· Ronny Markes edged out Aaron Simpson for the split-decision win.

· TJ Dallishaw put on a striking clinic against Walel Watson, gaining two scores of 30-25 and on score of 30-26.

· Ivan Menjivar rallied from behind to land the rear-naked choke against John Albert in the first round.

… and that is the last word.

Problems Brewing In The 'Peg? Swaggerville to Stressed-ville

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Carl Mostacci

Are the Bombers Blue?

My, what a difference 6 months makes! Swaggerville has gone to Stressedville. Winnipeg Blue Bomber players Jonathan Hefney and Deon Beasley turned to Twitter to express their disappointment in General Manager Joe Mack’s effort to improve the football team.

The players used explicit language, complaining the Bombers have not signed any new team mates since free agency started on Wednesday, while other teams are stock-piling. They also are upset former Bombers Brandon LaBatte and Greg Carr signed as free agents with the Roughriders and Eskimos respectively. Both are concerned the team will not be able to make a second consecutive Grey Cup appearance if additional effort is not made to improve the roster.

Joe Mack responded in a media conference stating his disappointment with both players choice to vent their anger in a public forum like Twitter. He wished they would have done so to him in private. Mack also stated one of the players already has apologized to him and they are looking to fine both of them for their comments.

How will this affect the Winnipeg Blue Bombers going forward? Will this be an issue that carries into the 2012 CFL season and affects the team’s on-field performance? What will their teammates think of their actions? Will both of these players be sent packing off the squad because of their comments? Do they both face additional fines from the Canadian Football League? I’m sure the answers to these questions will be revealed in due time.

Canadian Football League players have been in hot water with Twitter before. Two seasons ago, Argo lineman Rob Murphy tweeted an offensive comment insulting French Canadians while with his team on a train entering the Province of Quebec to play the Montreal Alouettes. Murphy was fined by the CFL for his comments.

This is a big issue in 2012 that not only does the CFL have to deal with, but all professional sports leagues and teams must address. I believe social media protocols and rules have to be established that all athletes are expected to follow when referring to their respective league or team, or when they are at a sanctioned team activity. Not only do these negative issues reflect poorly on the involved player(s), it also looks bad on the team too.

The issue also embarrasses the Winnipeg Blue Bomber organization. Perhaps if their Head Coach, Paul LaPolice, lead by example and treated others they way he wanted to be treated (the elementary “Golden Rule” applies to adults, too), instead of running up game scores like in the 2011 Eastern Final, the team would not have these issues. Just remember, LaPolice still can’t count.

What do you think?

…and that is the last word.

A Newbies Guide to the Kentucky Derby

Posted on February 15, 2012November 4, 2021 by Dwayne Edwards

The Kentucky Derby: the Run for the Roses! When it comes to horse racing it’s the Mack Daddy of them all, the dream of every breeder, owner, trainer, jockey and groom. It compares to the Superbowl. It’s not a seven game series, rather it’s a one-shot deal strictly for three-year-old thoroughbreds. Sure, there are races that lead up to the Derby, which are also important, but it all culminates in the first Saturday in May, where everyone involved wants to be in the winning photo with the garland of roses around their horse’s neck!

Every horse in the world has their one shot at the Kentucky Derby, but one cannot just enter and be one of the twenty that the race. There are many Derby Prep races that a horse must run in and do well because the determining factor to run is money earned in these graded stake races (Derby Preps). With horses earning 60%, 20%, and 10% for placing 1-2- 3, it’s quite obvious that a team working towards the Derby must have their running shoes on early – and often!

This day is not strictly for horses; it’s also for the fans at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, for the thousands upon thousands of tailgating fans. It’s an amazing event, 160,000 plus people cram into every corner possible, flooding the infield where the “party” is, just to be part of this annual event.

Celebrities abound throughout the clubhouse tasting only the finest of foods and enjoying the Derby’s own drink, The Mint Julep, consisting of sugar-water mint and of course, EARLY TIMES KENTUCKY WHISKEY! Glamorous outfits, exquisite fashions, beautiful women, students from nearby colleges, and of course the dazzling effects of many outrageous hats worn throughout the crowd getting pumped and excited to hear the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home”, as the horses parade on the track before the race.

Now it’s time for the horses, the real celebrities on this day. It may be their time to shine, but it’s our time to pick the winner! Last year, as with every year, there was an astronomical amount wagered on The Derby throughout the day. $11.5 million was bet on-track on the headlining race alone by the 160,000 fans. A further $21.5 million was bet throughout the balance of the card. If that doesn’t prove how colossal this event is, how about over $160 million worldwide gambled on the entire card on this one-day event.

With about three months to Derby Day, and payouts exceeding $48,000 for a $2 bet in this race last year, it’s time to start handicapping, watching replays, and studying this year’s field. It’s time for you to come up with the winner of the 138th Kentucky Derby.

Rest assured, I will be your eyes and ears and pass on any insider information I can for you.

…and that is the last word.

No Love for The Monster: Maple Leafs Goaltending Woes

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Ben Kerr

At the beginning of the 2011-2012 NHL season the courageous and valiant James “no middle name” Reimer vanquished all competition on his way to being crowned the NHL’s most excellent player as well as ensuring his club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, would be invited to join 15 other teams in post-season play. Atleast this is the way I remember it, given the hype of the Toronto media and their over-reaction to every beginning of a new Leaf season. When I looked this up I found the truth: He won four fucking games. 4. Four wins, one OT loss, one big injury. So if you’re rebuttal to the next 6 paragraphs is “Yeah but Reimer started the season so good, they have to play him!” Just remember: He won 4 games.

I mention this because it might seem logical that if Reimer started the season on such a roll then he should be forced back into the starting role upon his return. But with only 5 games of evidence it is hard to call what he did a roll, and it makes it hard to see why there is such a push for him to reclaim the top job again. It was a nice start but since his injury some things have changed. Mainly, Jonas Gustavsson has shown some flashes of being the goalie the Leafs have hoped he would be for three years now. The Monster, as he is known, is the reason the Leafs still hold their standing as a playoff team at this moment and the Monster is the goalie that should be getting the opportunity to lead his team to the playoffs. Yet it appears he might not. What is really weird to me is that the Leafs were in this position with Gustavsson only a few seasons ago. He was the young goalie struggling to find his way that the team kept pushing over and over again even though it was evident to everyone not invested in the situation that at that specific time, he just didn’t have it. Flash forward 2 seasons and he is now rounding into the goalie the organization presumably hoped he would be. Only now he has lost all support. Nothing adds up.

When Reimer first went down with injury Gustavsson came in to replace him. His play admittedly under-whelmed, but he was still winning. In 7 starts he managed to go 4-3. This apparently was not enough for the Leafs who felt at this time it was wise to turn to the young Ben Scrivens to see his first NHL action. Maybe Gustavsson was not playing like they hoped at the time but turning to a player who has never seen NHL action like Scrivens seemed like a bit of a stretch. The Leafs though seemed to have soured on the Monster and played Scrivens in 7 games in a 9 game stretch. He rewarded them by going 2-5. Following this, Gustavsson bailed them out by posting a 3-1 record for himself in a short starting stint. This led the leafs into an awkward December.

At that time they had a solid record of 14-9-2. Reimer returned from injury to start the month but immediately he proved that he was not himself. He would see the bulk of the starts in a month the Leafs played poorly. Gustavsson saw limited playing time and was not spectacular either, but one thing was clear, James Reimer was not playing well. This could be chalked up to his return from a head injury. These are always tricky and you never know when a player is totally back to 100%. But was it the injury? Or is Reimer just not that good? He was solid down the stretch last year, but this is a Leaf’s annual tradition. You can’t point to the beginning of this year, that was too small of a sample. There really is no evidence that Reimer is a really good goalie, we just don’t know at this point. Reimer is not a veteran goalie who is going to inevitably reclaim his starting position somewhere down the line. He is a player with less than 60 career starts. So why the constant push to get Reimer back in net? It may be because of the expectation leading into the season that the Leafs are so eager to make Reimer the starter again, but this, I believe, is foolish. The Leafs appear to be just hoping that he will turn into the player they envisioned he would be before the season started. But as my favorite writer likes to say, “You cannot confuse hope for a plan.” Many goalies have started their career out hot only to fall back to earth and play their way out of the league, we see this all the time. Right, Andrew Raycroft?

The Leafs ended December with many questions, but with the new year came a new Monster. Gustavsson owned the month of January and the Leafs should have been ecstatic. The Monster went 7-3 in January before a brutal 5-4 OT loss to the Penguins on January 31st that saw the Leafs squander a big-lead late. He got every start but one in January and didn’t give up more than 3 goals in a game for an entire month of play. But that Penguins loss was evidently enough to yank him. After that loss the Leafs have turned to Reimer, making it clear he is again the starter. What I don’t understand is why they went away from the hot goalie? When you have a hot player between the pipes you ride him. That’s just the way things work in the NHL because it doesn’t make any sense to do anything else. Even in Vancouver this season, where they have one of the leagues most consistent players in net they stuck to this principle. Roberto Luongo went down with a minor injury that probably could have seen him return a few days later. Instead he didn’t play again for 6 games, Corey Schneider his back-up was winning so they went with him. He posted a 5-1 record over 6 consecutive starts and everyone understood why. You don’t mess with a good thing.

It baffles me they were so eager to replace Gustavsson a second time. All they have to do is compare the wins and losses. What is happening here with the Leafs though goes beyond just stats though. The Leafs are simply a better team with the Monster in net. There is no way to dispute it. I think I should mention at this point that I despise the Leafs and everything about them except for Nikolai Borchevsky. But right now I live with a Leafs fan. A passionate Leafs fan who watches every game. This season I have seen far more Leafs than I ever would have cared to, but when I do watch them I see that Gustavsson has really grown into his starting role this season and he is playing with the confidence of his teammates. Reimer on the other hand hasn’t really shown any flashes of that goalie who started the season hot and he lets in far too many weak goals. The ones you know are weak because the goalie stays on the ice an extra second while maintaining his position as if to ask himself, “How did I let that one sneak through?” My point is we have no way of knowing ultimately what kind of goalie James Blank Reimer will be. But by removing Gustavsson abruptly during a streak in which he was carrying the team is misguided. Reimer has performed inconsistently in his latest return to starting duties. The Leafs must turn back to the Monster now and hope that they have not quelled all the momentum he had before they replaced him. At the moment he is their best starting goalie and if they hope to make the post-season this year he will have to be the one to take them there.

This whole scenario reminds me somewhat of the 06-07 Canadiens season. That season Cristobal Huet was the unquestioned starter in Montreal having beaten out Jose Theodore the season before, and he looked pretty good. No one was upset with him or calling for his replacement and he had the Habs sitting in 8th place owing to a 2 games-played advantage over the competition. Then, on February 14th, he got hurt. His call-up replacement was none other than Jaroslav Halak seeing his first NHL action. He was up and down at first but soon he found his rhythm and he ended the season on a 7-2 streak. It wasn’t about the stats though. It was the way the team was playing in front of Halak, you could tell there was a difference. All in all they went 10-5 under Halak and he led them to the edge of the playoffs. With one game remaining in the season the Canadiens faced a do-or-die situation against the Leafs. If they won they would grab the 8th playoff spot, if they lost they were out. There was another wrinkle though. Huet would be healthy for this game for the first time since his injury and the coaching staff would have a decision to make. For fans who had watched the Habs play the last month and a half there was no decision to be made, Halak was the man. The coaching staff did not see it this way. On the last day of the season, Saturday, April 7th they chose Huet to start in Toronto in what would be a horrible 6-5 loss to the Leafs that saw the team fall apart and Huet fail to match Halak’s brilliance in net. The New York Islanders would take their place in the playoffs.

I don’t want to alarm any Leaf fans but they are currently sitting in 8th spot in the Eastern Conference and they do play on Saturday, April 7th, the final day of the season, against the Canadiens in Montreal. Who do you want in net?

Motor City Madness –The Red Wings go for the Record!

Posted on February 14, 2012November 4, 2021 by Grant Alexander

The Wings keep mowin’ em down in Motown, and are now only one win away from sole position of the record of most consecutive home wins in a season. Their last win at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday put them in a three-way tie for the All-Time record. The only other two teams that have hit the 20 straight home wins mark are; the 1929-30 Boston Bruins, and the 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers. Which seems perfectly fitting that Detroit had to best the Flyers in the final game to join the club.

The road to the record hasn’t been easy, as they have had to deal with adversity on and off the ice. On the ice, they have had to overcome the loss of their starting goaltender Jimmy Howard, who broke his right index finger. Luckily they had career back-up Joey MacDonald step up to the plate and capture the last three wins of the streak. And off the ice, they have had to deal with the hockey purists who think the record shouldn’t count in the same light, as Philly was the only team to win their 20 games without the benefits of overtime or shootout. Boston won 2 of their games in overtime, and Detroit on their current streak has won 1 game in overtime and 3 via the shootout. Personally I don’t think the changes in the game over the years should be seen as negative, nor should they affect the legitimacy of either streak. I guess if you really wanted to you could call it an “undefeated streak” but I don’t see the point, as we say on the street, “a wins a win”.

So hopefully you’ve accepted their first 20, because tonight is the night they go for 21. Their opponent will be the Dallas Stars. Dallas isn’t a pushover by any means, but Detroit is catching them at a good time. They have a losing record over their last 10, they are only .500 on the road, and they are currently sitting in 11th place in the West. So lets say Detroit does win this game tonight and sets a new record, how far can they take this thing? Well, they do have 15 home games remaining this season (as the streak is not allowed to be carried over to other seasons), which gives them plenty of opportunity to possibly put up a number that would be virtually untouchable. If they somehow managed to win out the season, they would have accumulated 35 straight wins out of a total of 41 home games. The record for most home wins in a season is only 36 (two teams tied, Detroit, Philly), and they sure as heck weren’t consecutive. Detroit will have its hands full though, as their schedule won’t be doing them any favours over the next few games. After Dallas they have Nashville and San Jose at home, a road game against the Blackhawks, followed by Vancouver and Colorado at home. The good thing is, the team is very focused, and near sighted. They don’t care about streaks and records. They just care about winning one game at a time and collecting those two points in the standings.

So what do you think? Will there be a little love in the air for the boys in red tonight? Could they possibly get a little pre-game luck from one of their eight-legged friends?
How far can this Detroit team go?
Well one thing is for sure, there will definitely be a sea of red in the Joe tonight that wants nothing more this Valentines Day than win number 21.

Rivalry Week Review

Posted on February 14, 2012November 4, 2021 by taketheleap

: Austin Rivers forever etched his name on the UNC-Duke rivalry by hitting a game-winning, buzzer-beating three at Chapel Hill. (courtesy, ESPN)

Here are your Points of Interest from this past week:

With their emphatic 78-58 slaughtering of #8 Florida on Tuesday night, the undisputed #1 team in the country is Kentucky. The Wildcats are simply heads and tails above the rest of the field right now. Their second game of the week against unranked Vanderbilt…
The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes held off a feisty Purdue squad in a great game, 87-84, Tuesday night. In a back and forth forty minutes, in which no team led by more than four, Ohio State pulled away late to hold off the upset by the Boilermakers.
The Bluejays of Creighton, formerly ranked #17, dropped to Evansville on Tuesday night, 65-57. The Jays, having lost two in a row, played Wichita State on Saturday, winning xx-xx. Despite the win, the Jays drop in the Ap Poll to #xx.
The Baylor bears (#6) hosted the #10 Kansas Jayhawks on Wednesday nights, in one of two Top Ten meetings this week.
The other game featured #10 Duke at #6 North Carolina, Wednesday night in Chapel Hill. Always a classic game, North Carolina led by 11 with less than 2:30 to play. After consecutive threes and some key layups, with Duke down by two, freshmen Austin Rivers forever etched his name in this storied rivalry by hitting a buzzer-beating three over Tyler Zeller, to propel the Blue Devils to an 85-84 win.
The Orangemen of Syracuse (#2), hosted their conference rivals, #11 Georgetown, Wednesday night and knocked them off in overtime, 64-61.
#7 Kansas dismantled #6 Baylor on their own floor, routing the Bears 68-54 on Wednesday night. The win moves Kansas up to #4 and drops Baylor to #9.
After winning seven in a row, #15 Florida State drops to unranked Boston College, Wednesday night. Although their win on Saturday against Miami kept the Seminole atop the ACC standings, their loss drops them to #20 in the AP Poll.
The #9 Murray State Racers, the last unbeaten team in the NCAA, fell to Tennessee State on Thursday night, 72-68. The Racers fall to #16.
North Carolina bounced back from their heart-breaking loss to Duke by beating up on #19 Virginia Saturday afternoon. The Tar Heels dominated the second half, finishing with a 70-52 victory.
Conference rivals #3 Ohio State and #11 Michigan State also met Saturday afternoon, with the Spartans coming out on top, 58-48. The win moves MSU up to #7 and drops Ohio State to #6.
After beating Kansas on Wednesday, Baylor‘s reward was a trip down to #4 Missouri. The Tigers dominated the second half, pulling out a 72-57 win. Missouri moves up to #3 with the win.
#17 Creighton fell to the unranked Wichita State Shockers on Saturday, 89-68. The dominating performance moves Wichita State into #24 and drops the Bluejays from the Poll.
UNLV is for real. The #14 Running Rebels knocked off #13 San Diego State Saturday afternoon, 65-63. They move up to #11 and are one of my dark horses to make a deep run in March Madness.

This week’s upcoming Games of Interest:

#15 Wisconsin at #7 Michigan State; Thursday night, 7PM EST.
#16 Murray State hosts #21 St. Mary’s; Saturday, 6PM EST.
#6 Ohio State hosts #17 Michigan; Saturday, 9PM EST.

One Rivalry Week down, one to go (the last week of Feb/first week of March). The pretenders fall to the wayside, while the contenders rise to the top.

… and that’s the last word.

Overload: Is the UFC Saturating the Market?

Posted on February 14, 2012November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

I love MMA. I love the UFC and what they have done for the sport of MMA, especially over the last few years. They have taken MMA from the laughing stock of the sports world to being legitimate and mainstream. This being said, over the last few months I have begun to find myself a little less energized at the prospect of an event, and almost somewhat relieved when a weekend (such as this one just passed) comes and there is nothing scheduled. With an event for fifteen out of the last twenty weeks, this fan is starting to feel a certain sense of UFC overload. The real question that stems from this is: Is the UFC over-saturing the market?

Let’s look back to 2009. The UFC was really starting its break into the mainstream. The hardcore fans had stuck with the sport through its transition from the TUF years, and new fans had joined the MMA/UFC collective through natural osmosis. In response to the growing fan base, the UFC brass decided that one pay-per-view event a month was warranted, to not only satiate the hunger from the growing fan base, but also to help continue to build the sport. Event cards were stacked with premium fights (i.e. St. Pierre v. Penn II, Lesnar v. Mir II). Every so often we would be treated to a free event on Spike, just to help the sport maintain some momentum amongst the masses. There was anticipation before every event.

Fast forward to 2012, and with a month-and-a-half in the bag we’ve been treated to an event almost every weekend thus far. Sounds great, right? Not-so-much…

The formula is this: draw in regular lay-people to the pay-per-view events with a better than below-average line-up for FOX/Fuel/FX events. However, with approximately three events every month of the year, can the cards really stay that fresh?

Let’s get something straight – the UFC is not the NFL. Having almost one event a weekend is too much; especially when on more than half of those events you’re asking people to put out fifty-dollars to watch. The sport doesn’t have that level of popularity or presence yet that it can afford to frustrate and alienate fans with too many events – or give them too many lacklustre events. A less than exciting event similar to “Evans v. Davis” (from a few weeks ago) can slip by every so often with forgiveness – but, too many of these events in a row, and those new fans that you’re trying to draw in to the PPVs will dismiss you altogether. All you’ll have a left is a mass of people saying: “UFC? Yeah, I watched that for a little while… it was pretty boring, think I’ll pass”.

The UFCs response has been to integrate more weight-classes; a good idea in principle, but the problem is the lack of familiarity with each weight class. It took close to a decade to build up the lightweight to heavyweight divisions and the personalities within each of those weight classes – adding in featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight will take at least as long. It’s still a hard sell to fans to get them to buy in to headliners with Aldo, there’s apathy towards Cruz, and who even knows what the plan is for flyweight (I think I heard a rumour of a tournament).

So far in 2012 the results have been positive. Most of the more recent events have been great, and there has been buzz growing. The goal is a sustained a level of interest, and not a flash in the pan – can the UFC maintain this momentum? I am not going to mention the WWE, but I think some of the parallels between the two organizations are evident (and where’s the WWE now?)

Only time will tell if there is defection and/or an over-saturated lack of interest in the sport. I just hope that in five years I am not writing about the “Rise and Fall of the UFC”.