Daily Sports Select : Wanna become filthy rich like Dana White? Offer cheap entertainment!

Apparently, the UFC is making even more money during bad economic times. Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta say that the reason they get even more sales is that in tough times, people need entertainment to soothe their souls, and watching UFC on pay-per-view is a cheap form of entertainment :

Watch video here.

While White and Fertitta have a point, I am curious as to how ordering UFC on pay-per-view is cheaper than watching football, which is on free TV. My take is that with the stress going on around us in our day-to-day lives, people want to see a primal form of entertainment. I believe that is the deeper reason behind UFC's increased sales.

According to the same logic here are my predictions of each major sport's future market share :

Football : Growth - Violent, intense and exciting. From a strategic standpoint, is the closest sport to war, which is what we're surrounded by.

Basketball : Growth - Finesse sport, but with plenty of physical intensity. To watch a skilled baller is mesmerizing, almost magical, and appeals to the human need for entertainment.

Baseball : Status quo, possible slight decline - The game is slow and can get very boring. But it is too much of a part of the American psyche to decline greatly.

Hockey : Major decline - There's violence, but the action is hard to follow and the scores come few and far between. Even with the fights, no one will tune in if they don't care about the game.

Soccer : Growth - It seems that even Americans are slowly starting to become more interested in soccer. With the non-stop small battles that go one around the field, the near misses and the emotional explosions that happen when goals are scored, soccer is the most intense and athletically demanding team sport on the planet.

Golf : Status quo, possible slight decline - Even in rough times, the filthy rich will be filthy rich.

Tennis : see Golf.

Boxing : Growth - Like MMA, boxing is about punching people in the head. With cross promotional ventures like Affliction-Golden Boy and promoters joining forces to make mega fights, boxing will continue its resurgence.

UFC Classics for the Tough Times!
1. UFC 68
Sylvia vs. Couture
2. UFC 77
A. Silva vs. Franklin
3. UFC 84
Penn vs. Sherk
W. Silva vs. Jardine
Ortiz vs. Machida

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