Nitro Circus, X-Games, Energy Monster Trucks, UFC, Bellator MMA, PBL, Red Bull extreme sports competing for the same audience; Ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships and getting the price right for punters Media Man Int

Nitro Circus, X-Games, Energy Monster Trucks, UFC, Bellator MMA, PBR, Red Bull extreme sports competing for the same audience; Ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships and getting the price right for punters - May - July 2018

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by Greg Tingle

How extreme can you go, and how much extreme sport can even the most passionate fan stomach?

It reminds me of what has happened to the sport er business of professional wrestling, known as sports entertainment, in the land of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).

I love sports, and being entertained, and if your reading this, we suspect you do to.

But, for many, there's also life after sport. There's your own training, and perhaps you have a range of interests and a circle of friends who have more going on than sport ala "What's the next big WWE and UFC matches booked"? You get the idea.

It's a great time in many regards to be a fan, a sports writer, a sports promoter, but just how saturated is the market, and is there a tipping point where the fan has just seen too much over the years, or the decades in our case, where you can always just wait for the next tour of Sydney, Melbourne or wherever?

Media rights are a key part of the business model for larger extreme sports outfits, as is the case in the WWE. Did you know there's a lot of qualified speculation that FOX will replace their UFC programming with that of WWE within the next year or so. Don't just take our word for it, do your Google search and look up news stories on this from all the majors such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Rolling Stone, CBS (and FOX Sports)... of course. The picture is clear. Television stations, traditional, subscriber, over the top and so on, are looking for major return on investment, and if it means switching over a mainstream sport such as UFC's version of MMA for WWE, so be it.

Don't forget you also have the merchandise sales, and then there's the VIP meet and greets, which many people feel are over priced, but as always, the market helps decide the price point.

Do you ever wish sport went back to just being sport, with no business element involved? Well, you wouldn't be alone, but if you want the big names, the internet news and subscriber service et al, you are going to have to pay for it.

So kids of all ages, be grateful that you have the choice of let's say an over abundance of extreme sports and sports entertainment (professional wrestling) choices.

Down under Australians are getting some great events and supershows out of it, and how about the October 2018 WWE supershow coming up this October in Melbourne.

We're lucky, working in sports media, as well as being part of the overall larger sports media sector, in that we get our fair share of media passes (which do have rules attached which is fair enough).

Punters, how much do you think you should be paying for tickets to extreme sports and pro wrestling events? How about pricing on the WWE Network and UFC Fight Pass? Tell us via our social media channels.

As along as there is a lucrative market for extreme sports, in whatever micro niche you look you can bet that super promoters such as UFC's Dana White, boxing's Floyd 'Money' Mayweather, WWE's Vince McMahon and Triple H, or even ECW's Paul Heyman (now WWE and top banana of Heyman Hustle), are going to be keen to bring the action to you. As Heyman is known to say, It's time to go extreme... that is, unless you need a breather, and if that's the case head to be beach for some rest and relaxation. Next thing there will be an extreme yoga - an add-on to beach yoga, unless a switched on promoter already has that up and running next to beach volleyball and all the usual beach lifestyle sports.

See you at the events and don't forget to let us know your thoughts on the Wide World of Sports extreme style.

FOX Sports and big fans of UFC (and WWE)

WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for the WWE, and has been since 1985 when Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and 'Mr Wonderful' Paul Orndorff

The X Games: X Games is bringing action sports to people all around the world with events in Aspen, Colo., Minneapolis, Minn., and beyond.

Vince McMahon is set to launch his XFL American football league under Alpha Entertainment in 2020, despite at least one other competitor on the horizon. Second time lucky?

PBR: Professional Bull Riding

Global Warning Tour. Melbourne, Australia. WWE Worldwide website

Bellator is now carried across the Paramount Network

V8 Supercars campaign. Now known as SuperCars, which is sponsored by Virgin Australia. Pictured: Mystique (X-Men: Days Of Future Past). Above creative and special effects by Human Statue Bodyart