Post by dkennedy on Feb 2, 2007 6:18:25 GMT -5
UFC Goes HD
February 1, 2007
TV Week Magazine
High Definition Fighting is About to Enter the Octagon
The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization will offer all of its pay-per-view events in HD starting this Saturday with the "UFC 67" special.
UFC President Dana White said fans have been clamoring for fights to be shown in the format.
"We get e-mails every day from fans going, 'Why aren't you in HD?' and now we're finally here," Mr. White said.
Sports franchises have been early and enthusiastic adaptors of HD, yet UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment have lagged behind in offering the format due to their distribution contracts with cable networks and pay per view outlets that lack HD channels.
In addition to its PPV distribution, UFC also distributes fights and a reality series to SpikeTV, which has yet to announce plans for an HD channel. Mr. White said the UFC has actually shot fights in HD since 2002 to build up a library of content in the format.
"We've been shooting everything in HD," he said. "Just about everybody is on board now. That's why we're ready to make the move. We've been waiting for the rest of the world to be ready."
UFC's HD fights will be distributed on iNDemand, DirecTV, DISH Network and Bell ExpressVu. The HD versions will cost more than the standard-def broadcasts. The SD suggested retail price is $39.95, while the HD price is $49.95.
The WWE has recently experimented with shooting fights in HD, but has yet to announce plans to distribute in the format. USA Network, which airs "WWE Raw," does plan to launch a high-def channel this fall as part of DirecTV's HD push, but has yet to commit to including an HD version of WWE in the launch.
February 1, 2007
TV Week Magazine
High Definition Fighting is About to Enter the Octagon
The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization will offer all of its pay-per-view events in HD starting this Saturday with the "UFC 67" special.
UFC President Dana White said fans have been clamoring for fights to be shown in the format.
"We get e-mails every day from fans going, 'Why aren't you in HD?' and now we're finally here," Mr. White said.
Sports franchises have been early and enthusiastic adaptors of HD, yet UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment have lagged behind in offering the format due to their distribution contracts with cable networks and pay per view outlets that lack HD channels.
In addition to its PPV distribution, UFC also distributes fights and a reality series to SpikeTV, which has yet to announce plans for an HD channel. Mr. White said the UFC has actually shot fights in HD since 2002 to build up a library of content in the format.
"We've been shooting everything in HD," he said. "Just about everybody is on board now. That's why we're ready to make the move. We've been waiting for the rest of the world to be ready."
UFC's HD fights will be distributed on iNDemand, DirecTV, DISH Network and Bell ExpressVu. The HD versions will cost more than the standard-def broadcasts. The SD suggested retail price is $39.95, while the HD price is $49.95.
The WWE has recently experimented with shooting fights in HD, but has yet to announce plans to distribute in the format. USA Network, which airs "WWE Raw," does plan to launch a high-def channel this fall as part of DirecTV's HD push, but has yet to commit to including an HD version of WWE in the launch.
