Directv and VS make nice! UFC intervention?

As a MMA fan, about 8 months ago I was faced with a big decision. Time Warner decided to drop HD-Net from their programming schedule, and any die hard fan of MMA knows that HD-Net offers a treasure's trove of MMA programming. It was a no-brainer in regards to what my only alternative was

... Enter Directv.

I shelled out a good chunk of money to make the switch and ensure I got my weekly dose of Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten on Inside MMA along with Sengoku, Dream, M-1, and many other smaller promotion's shows. I was a relieved happy camper. Between Spike, HD-Net and VS I was able to pretty much watch MMA at any given time!

Enter...Murphy's Law.

Out of the blue Directv and VS fail to reach a contractual renewal agreement, and VS is dropped from regular programming. So much for WEC cards, and my big switch in cable providers ended up being pretty God-damned counter productive. Not to be deterred, I called Directv to voice my displeasure with this set of circumstances. Why all this prejudice regarding programming that features great MMA products. In the case of VS, NHL fans also felt the plight of the channel's absence from Directv programming. Throw in the fact that I love hunting shows, and I was fit to be tied. However, I was contractually bound to Directv and in the grand scheme of things, HD-Net would be harder to live with out than VS. I mean I love the WEC, but HD-Net with the Japanese cards, Inside MMA, and other smaller scale shows was still the better choice. There was no cable providing option that would offer me both. I missed Cowboy vs. Henderson, Cruz vs. Bowles, Benevidez vs. Torres, etc... Fans began really talking up the WEC shows, and I was beginning to wonder about my decision.

Enter...The UFC comes to VS

When I heard the Jon Jones and Brandon Vera main event fight night card was being shown on VS, I really began to seriously second guess my decision. As a hardcore MMA fan, I always pull for the smaller promotions and those that try to rise to share even a sliver of the stage with Zuffa. I am opposed to Zuffa's counter programming campaigns to ruin Affliction and now Strikeforce. However, there is no denying the force of the UFC and the quality of their product. When I found out I would now be missing UFC cards shown on VS, I felt literally punched in the solo plexus by these cable giants. I began to make plans to go watch the UFC card at a friends house.

Enter...Great news!

I am sitting here right now in front of the TV watching, of all things, Indy racing on .............VS. Oh, and I'm sitting on my couch in my house, and Directv is still my cable service provider. I didn't see this coming, but I have to tell you, it has made my day. The Treaty of Paris has nothing on this reconciliation in this fan's eyes!

I don't know much pertaining to the parameters of this new deal and negotiations. However, I don't believe that it's a coincidence that an agreement was reached the week before the UFC's promotional debut on VS. The ratings for this UFC show is projected to garner the largest ratings that the VS network has experienced . With staggering PPV and live gate profit, not to mention building the Spike Network pretty much single handedly, the UFC has become a major player in all network programming. There is no denying the demand for UFC programming. The WEC is a great product, and also Zuffa owned, but in realms of demand and popularity it isn't coming close to the UFC's numbers. These great quality WEC cards that I have missed out on with fight of the year candidates could not remedy the impasse. It took Zuffa's UFC bargaining chip to make the agreement work. Directv had to know that they were going to lose a lot of contracts with UFC programming on VS, and it's my belief that they are meeting VS demands more so than VS is meeting there's. I can't say that with a degree of certainty, but VS is without question on the up and up.

One thing I am wondering about is the Spike reaction to Zuffa airing a UFC event on VS. I'm thinking Spike executives can not be happy sharing their king pin program with another network. Perhaps the company's are inter-related? I'm not sure. I just know when money or "potential money" is missed out on in the business world, there is usually some sort of reaction or lashing out. Time will tell.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be a slight spike in my cable bill due to the re-addition of VS, and that's fine. In the meantime, I'll hold my breath and pray that Directv doesn't drop HD-Net now to make room for VS in their budget!