Adam Swift at MMAPayout.com posted some interesting information regarding the UFC’s entry into the network television market alongside their prime competition in the American market in ProElite. Referencing some of the answers Dana White gave during an interview with The Score in Canada, White stated that a network deal will be “very soon” and later hinted at potentially being as soon as six months down the road.

Swift reports in the article that he has learned that FOX is believed to be the leading network in the race to create a partnership with the UFC. The site also reported that ESPN was in the running as well to produce shows on their network.

This brings me to a concern that the sport of mixed martial arts could eventually run into and somewhat ties in with a recent interview from Michael David Smith at AOL Fanhouse with Tony Reali of ESPN. Quoted from FightOpinion.com:

I’m really interested to see how MMA does this year on network TV. My gut tells me we have to get MMA. If somebody asked you 10 years ago would ESPN put poker on you’d have said no. There’s a resistance right now from an older generation, not just at ESPN but my grandfather was a huge boxing fan, I don’t know if he’d be taking to MMA.

I know how Tony and Michael feel, which is that it’s too brutal to put on television. We’ve talked about putting Rampage Jackson on PTI and what happens in the end is they can’t get past the brutality of it. I don’t know that it’s really more brutal than boxing, there are long-term injuries in boxing. I think it’s compelling. When you watch it you can see what the appeal is, and I think it will be a ratings success on network TV.

Tony Reali hosts “Around The Horn” on ESPN, if you can’t put the quote with a face. The intriguing parts of this quote are that the mindset in the sports industry and the idea that the young generation of sports fans out there may be changing. Reali obviously understands that MMA is beginning to get huge in terms of potential. It’s a facelift of boxing for people who want more than the standard striking aspect of a fight. He also makes the point that boxing may not be as brutal as MMA, and that those points are made by people who oppose the sport (Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser). Maybe MMA is beginning to get through to the thick headed mindset of old school boxing fans and people believing it really is more dangerous.

If that’s the case and the rumors regarding the UFC coming to FOX end up being true, we could potentially see a network television blowup for mixed martial arts. NBC is currently airing re-run matchups from past Strikeforce events with slick production and fighter profiles. CBS will be airing EliteXC with likely some better production, and FOX could push to air some UFC events. It’s only a matter of time before ABC may get in on the action. The big 4 would ultimately be airing MMA on a monthly basis, and it could eventually reach bi-weekly numbers.

My concern here revolves around the rise of MMA in the mainstream. While the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NASCAR all feature game after game, event after event of action that never gets old to those die-hard fans of their respective sport, will MMA have the same effect in attracting that type of casual fanbase due to their large exposure in a network television era?

It’s tough to say, but if fans are attracted to the sport and educate themselves about the actual fight game involved in mixed martial arts, I would say yes only because of the way that I was pulled in by the sport. There are still countless critics of the sport that compare it to “cockfighting” and stating it’s too brutal for a casual fan of all things sports to be watching on network television. I beg to differ that those people wouldn’t be watching.

In fact, I believe firmly that those casual fans out there not familiar with the sport may very well tune in to see those huge knockouts, but inevitably become enriched in the “ground game” and the intricate details that make a fighter complete. There is a huge roadblock in the perception of mixed martial arts, and hopefully the promotions that get the chance to push MMA to the top will make use of educating those new fans coming on board.

The biggest problem to overcome will be what most of the promotions will be seeking: mainstream media. While sports media will cover the events and fighters, the critics will continue to blast mixed martial arts will arguments revolving around brutality. Adding more promotions to the network mix will inevitably bring the onslaught of those critics, and hopefully the networks involved won’t back down. The sport can produce numbers and add new fans to the sport given the chance. Let’s hope the mainstream media doesn’t sink us before that can happen.