| UFC on ESPN?! |
ESPN is on the verge of covering mixed martial arts - or at least the UFC - like it covers other professional sports. UFC President Dana White is headed to New York this week for a meeting with network honchos to discuss how it will all come together.
It’s likely that UFC will get airtime scraps to start, similar to how the network covers other "fringe" pro sports. Don’t expect wall-to-wall NFL-style coverage - yet.
Regardless of how the coverage flows initially, this is huge. ESPN showing highlights of UFC events on SportsCenter is a validation that MMA is a true sport and not some barbaric testosterone contest between barroom brawlers. MMA fans know that. Joe and Jane Sixpack do not.
ESPN reaches 91 million households across the country. It’s first class compared to Spike’s coach. And whether we like it or not, ESPN is synonymous with sports in America. Getting MMA covered on the network is sports’ equivalent to the Good Housekeeping seal of approval and will turn more casual sports fans into UFC fans than any other media exposure to date.
| " | ESPN reaches 91 million households across the country. |
