Check out this CBS Press Release:
“Ratings for the final 51 minutes of CBS’s inaugural CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS mixed martial arts broadcast (11:00-11:51 PM, ET/PT), which were unavailable Sunday, delivered an average audience of 6.12 million viewers, according to updated Nielsen live plus same day ratings for Saturday, May 31.
The audience peaked at 6.51 million viewers from 11:30-11:51 PM which featured the night’s main event — Kimbo Slice’s victory over James Thompson.
Among key men demographics, the broadcast peaked from 11:30-11:51 PM with a 4.1 rating in men 18-34, 4.0 rating in men 18-49 and 4.3 rating in men 25-54.
The addition of the final 51 minutes lifted ratings for the entire broadcast. CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS (S) (9:00-11:51 PM) delivered a 3.0/06 with 4.85 million viewers, 2.2/07 in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49, 2.3/09 in adults 18-34, 3.1/09 in men 25-54, 3.0/10 in men 18-49 and 3.2/12 in men 18-34. In the 9:00-11:00 PM time slot, CBS was first in the adults and men demographics, second in both households and viewers.
Compared to CBS’s 9:00-11:00 PM regularly scheduled programming on Saturday during the 2007-08 season, CBS was up +16% in adults 25-54 (from 1.9/05), +57% in adults 18-49 (from 1.4/04), +156% in adults 18-34 (from 0.9/03), +121% in men 25-54 (from 1.4/04), +173% in men 18-49 (from 1.1/03) and +357% in men 18-34 (from 0.7/03).
CBS also saw half-hour gains in viewers, adult and men demographics throughout the broadcast.”
While some of this may mean noting to you, what it should mean is that while Kimbo Slice has not necessarily impressed any MMA fans with his skills, he certainly has played a part in exposing many people to the sport of MMA. More exposure means more fans. MMA may soon be the biggest sport in the world.
