WEC 48 to PPV, Reed Harris: “You’ll be satisfied”
World Extreme Cagefighting General Manager Reed Harris has a message for anyone objecting to WEC 48’s $44.99 price tag: “You’ll…
World Extreme Cagefighting General Manager Reed Harris has a message for anyone objecting to WEC 48’s $44.99 price tag: “You’ll be satisfied.”
Additionally, in an exclusive interview with MMAjunkie.com, the WEC executive today said that the move to PPV came about only because the star-studded April 24 fight card warranted it, and that outside of a “major event or two per year,” the company’s focus will remain on its free Versus shows.
While calling from his offices at the WEC, which share a Las Vegas building and ownership group with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Harris said WEC 48 was chosen as a PPV event because the fight card was so strong. The WEC on Wednesday officially announced three intriguing fights for the five-bout PPV main card, which takes place at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif.: WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber, lightweight champ Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone, and former title-holder Mike Brown vs. Manny Gamburyan.
But what about that hefty $44.99 price tag? The UFC, the undisputed worldwide leader in mixed martial arts, also charges $45 per PPV event. Harris said the company has a few reasons to keep the PPV prices the same but that the decision ultimately came from above.
“The decision as far as the pricing came from Lorenzo and Dana,” Harris said. “They felt our product is every bit as good as the UFC’s since we’re actually a part of the UFC, and they felt the value is there.”
