UFC 249 Would Have Presented Fans With A Dilemma
Or Would Fans Have Watched In A Group Or Not?
Welcome to the latest C’mon Now newsletter. This is the place where I’ll share my thoughts on all the goings-on in MMA. Those thoughts could range from media criticism to advice for folks looking to get into MMA writing to why certain fighters or managers are not good for the sport.
Today I ponder the question of whether fans would have gathered to watch UFC 249 or not.
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I was planning on writing this blog before UFC 249 got cancelled. Seeing as we don’t know what will happen regarding future UFC events, I think it’s still a relevant post. So, here you go.
Two people hit me up with two very different opinions about UFC cards during the coronavirus pandemic. One person defended the staging of the pay-per-view card saying it will provide entertainment and could keep people in their homes and isolated for the eight hours or so the broadcast will last. The second opinion was that the PPV would cause fans to pool their funds and watching the event in a group, which is often the case with UFC PPV cards.
If I had to guess which one of these was the more likely scenario, I would say the latter.
The reason I lean in that direction is that is how many folks already view UFC events and with nearly 17 million people applying for unemployment over the past three weeks, which equates to more than one in 10 people seeking unemployment relief, pooling funds might be necessary. Cash concerns might cause fight fans to take the risk of gathering in a group to watch an event.
I really don’t know what else to say about this other than I hope I am wrong. I’m also fairly sure the UFC won’t do anything to discourage fans from gathering in groups to watch a fight card while the number of infections and deaths continue to climb.
I would implore fans who are thinking of gathering in groups to not do so. If money is a concern, skip the event, it’s not worth getting sick over and possibly infecting others. A few hours of entertainment is not worth that.
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Boxhead Ensemble - “Western Wishes Outro”
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Bisbee ‘17
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David Simon: “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets”
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