K-1 WGP Amsterdam TV ratings

[miscmisc]

10.9%

It's not disastrous because it (barely) made double digits, and because a baseball match in the same timeslot would've gotten lower ratings than that. But CX(Fuji TV) is not happy about the fact that it only barely beat TX (TV Tokyo), especially since MAX routinely gets much better ratings on TBS. The 19:00 slot for kakutougi (whether it's K-1 or MMA) doesn't work. As much of a female-oriented market as Japan is, martial arts are still mostly for male, and such an early slot doesn't work for young-ish men.

Let's review the FEG ratings this year so far:

16.4% 21:00-22:54 K-1 World MAX Japan Tournament (TBS)
13.8% 19:58-21:48 K-1 WGP Yokohama (CX)
12.1% 21:00-22:54 HERO'S (TBS)
14.0% 21:00-22:54 K-1 World MAX (TBS)
11.5% 22:15-24:00 K-1 WGP Hawaii (CX)
11.1% 21:00-22:54 Dynamite USA (TBS)
10.9% 19:00-20:54 K-1 WGP Holland (CX)

Yes, it has been steadily going downhill. They have to reverse this. The ratings tend to go up toward the end of the year, as the importance of the tournaments goes up as well. But if they get a single digit down the road, that would be bad. Very bad.

EDIT: And you see why TBS love MAX. They can pwn CX with a similar product, which is more important than anything.

[Global Honored]

I guess Semmy as champ isn't much of a TV draw in Japan. This should also prove that Sapp is not worth a dime, no matter what anymore. The card was jam packed with big names...non-Japanese. Let's see how the MAX card later this week does, with the big guns gathered from that division. BTW, HIROYA is the man...well, other than he is not quite a man yet..but still!

[( o Y o )]

This really is crap when you consider Yokohama got 13+% against the hottest drama on TV at the time. Amsterdam bombed.

I think the belts were a way they were trying to recover. Semmy stopped that in its tracks.

[tinobar]

I wonder what will happen when masato leaves max

[( o Y o )]

I don't think it will drop as badly as many fear. The few cards he has not been on still have had healthy ratings.

[tinobar]

i was thinking it would be worse than when kid left hero's

[( o Y o )]

I can`t remember any significant change then. Was it so big? He left and Saku and Aki pulled the slack to some extent...

[tinobar]

i dont know i think the last kid card was a 14% i should of said now that sudo and kid are gone

[tinobar]

yeah it looks like they were hurting after kid left
http://completevaletudoaccess.blogspot.com/search?q=hero%27s

Kaneko's participation could easily be read as an attempt to grab ratings by FEG. Japan's Video Research Ltd. reported that the Tokyo Broadcasting System telecast of the August 5th HERO'S card drew a 9.3% rating. This average rating was down from the year's earlier ratings for HERO'S events. The March card, headlined by Hideo Tokoro, drew a 11.8% rating, while the May event headlined by Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto, drew a 14.5%

the hero's with tokoro and kaneko did alot better but i cant remember ill look it up i have bad memory specially numbers

[Global Honored]

MAX is featuring BPP more, deservedly so and perhaps "about time." He seems to be right up there with Masato as the poster boy now..literally, and with his ability...he could lead the way for several years to come. MAX is in good hands, a healthy roster with entertaining and charismatic fighters, and talent.

Hari is my hope for HW divisions. I think Sefo, Mo, Musashi's time has passed..and of course Aerts, Hoost..greatness, but prime is well behind them. JLB has gotta take the lead..Remy, Semmy dont do it for most fans. Giant Koreans..gotta love em?

[El Presidente]

I think the belts were a way they were trying to recover. Semmy stopped that in its tracks.

Seems like that was the only thing he could stop that night... >:(

[Kamatari]

Some MAX events even do better numbers when Masato's not fighting. Sometimes Masato fights peak at around 17% (last year's Japan MAX and last April). Sure other factors contribute to it, but it won't die all of a sudden. They do need a new Japanese ace and soon.

MAX is featuring BPP more, deservedly so and perhaps "about time." He seems to be right up there with Masato as the poster boy now..literally, and with his ability...he could lead the way for several years to come. MAX is in good hands, a healthy roster with entertaining and charismatic fighters, and talent.
He's the most popular foreign figure in MAX. Even if he wasn't marketed, he would still command respect through his dominance. Unlike Schilt he doesn't come off as boring either. And he's got the looks. :s

[Lord Gaul]

I don't think it will drop as badly as many fear. The few cards he has not been on still have had healthy ratings.
Yeah the Japan GP was a 16 rating and there was no Masato on that card. The Max will be fine without Masato.

[meathead]

MAX receives higher ratings than the Grand Prix/Heavyweight crowd not only because of Masato/Kid but the fact that the top eight fighters in MAX are really good. One reason Masato looks like he's peaked out is because the competition has greatly improved. MAX today is like the Golden Era of K-1 in the mid-90's with top drawer fighters like Hug, Hoost, Greco, Aerts, Mirko, Branco,Barnardo,Filho,Feitoza,Stan the Man, and need I list anymore? It was fun to watch because these guys put on extremely high level (and may I add) entertaining fights (is Semmy reading this ?). On top of this MAX has more local Japanese talent than the Grand Prix ever did so that also adds to the ratings.
The current heavyweight group can be carried by Badr Hari only so much. They need new blood to overcome this bullshit freak show that its turned into. No doubt that splitting the heavyweight group into two was an attempt to put some more excitement into the event. With ratings down top flight sponsors will be hesitant to pay a premium for commercial time be it from Fuji/TBS or wherever. Then the time slots shift to after midnight with certain events not even being broadcast live anymore. Its a vicious cycle, and K-1 knows this. I'm sure they are trying to fix it, but its easier said than done because much of it comes down to the quality of the fighters in the ring.

[( o Y o )]

Nice post! ^^

(is Semmy reading this ?)

I don't think so, but his trainer lurks and occasionally posts here, as has Bas Boon.

[Dado]

Its a vicious cycle, and K-1 knows this. I'm sure they are trying to fix it, but its easier said than done because much of it comes down to the quality of the fighters in the ring.

Well the Amsterdam GP introduced some great fighters, although they did the work by qualifying to get there. I hope Tanikawa noticed this and starts adding fighters like Magomed, Samedov, Saki, Graham, Pettas and Slowinski to Japanese events more often.

And less of this hyping up fighters such as Mighty Mo. That guy is so overrated, and he takes a lot of the credibility out K-1 when he fights anyone decent who exposes his one dimensional style.

I wont even mention that guy....

[miscmisc]

This really is crap when you consider Yokohama got 13+% against the hottest drama on TV at the time. Amsterdam bombed.

In Amsterdam GP's defense, it was a Sunday night, and there was "Furinkazan" from 20:00 on NHK. The NHK Taiga Drama series in that timeslot tend to suck a lot of ratings from the other channels on every Sunday night.

Still, "I'm not impressed by your performance" is pretty much my feeling too.

[miscmisc]

And those pathetic K-1 fans on the internet were laughing their asses off when PRIDE was cut off TV, but the disappearance of PRIDE did NOT work in favor of FEG in terms of ratings and the public's general attitude toward kakutougi.

[( o Y o )]

but the disappearance of PRIDE did NOT work in favor of FEG in terms of ratings and the public's general attitude toward kakutougi.

Tanikawa addressed that once or twice I think, and admitted as much somewhere. I remember him also a little nervous around DYNAMITE and he said in one press conference he was wondering in the lack of an kakutougi competition would kill all interest in such shows on NYE

[Cracked_Knuckle]

is it just meybe coz the event was an overseas one? Does Korea GP and Vegas GP and the old Oceana GP rate well?