MMAPayout.com: The Business of MMA

The Odd Man Out This Week

2008-07-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

With Affliction and the UFC getting most of the online hype, EliteXC is quietly starting up the hype for their July 26th card. Above is the promo that CBS started rolling out heavily last weekend. The spots were prominent during CBS's weekend sporting events. The media window this time is much shorter, with most of the heavy lifting (i.e. brand-building) being done before the first event. The EliteXC promo is being extended out into other CBS programming as we get closer to the event.

EliteXC and Affliction running on back to back weekends show that both have some of the elements needed to compete with the UFC, but neither have the full complement of tools to fully threaten the UFC's stranglehold on MMA. EliteXC has the right media connections with deals with Showtime and CBS, but they lack a strong roster of athletes and they have a hard time monetizing their product since they don't run PPV's. Affliction has a strong roster of athletes but lack the necessary television to promote their product and drive people towards the PPV.

Where's The Trump Media Onslaught?

2008-07-17T14:00:00.000-04:00

With just a few short days before the debut Affliction card, the much heralded media icon Donald Trump's promotional efforts on behalf of Affliction look to amount to not much. Much was made of Trump's entering into a partnership with the Affliction Clothing company, with Trump being seen as an avenue to media outlets by which to market the Affliction: Banned PPV. For the most part these avenues haven't materialized.

The media blitz by The Donald on behalf Affliction hasn't amounted to much. The initial press conference listing his inclusion in the project, a short conference call, and yesterday's appearance on the Howard Stern Show are in sum the efforts he has contributed to hyping the PPV, a paltry amount by any standard.

With the rumor being that Trump was given an equity stake in the company as opposed to actually investing, Trump looks to have put about as much time as he has money into the venture.

Notes From 7/15 EliteXC Conference Call

2008-07-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Doug DeLuca addressed a variety of issues on the 7/15 EliteXC conference call. On the time overages from the last show and plans to avoid it this time:

On a serious note, look we know we went over and we were I think prepared to go a little bit over, but it did go excessively over and it's not going to happen again. I mean, the one thing that I think we -- CBS and the SHOWTIME production team and ProElite -- did when we walked away from that is that we listened to what all the fans were saying, the hardcore and the casual and the new fan. And the main complaint I believe was the pacing.

I mean, everyone thought it could have moved much quicker, everyone wanted to get down to the business and get down to the fights much quicker, and that's something that we're just very, very cognizant of going into this one.

On ticket sales for the event:

So we expect it to be a sellout. It will be a sellout. That stadium will be full. It seats 10,000 people. We'll probably have it scaled somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 but it will be full and the ticket sales are going great. I mean, they're right on track. We have a meeting about it today to get a report.

After the last two weekends ago, (right before the) holiday weekend, things were going as planned but not gangbusters and then right after the holiday weekend things picked up amazingly.

On sponsors buying ad-time on the show:

Greg Delong: Doug, was CBS able to increase the price of advertising for this show because of the success of the first one?

Doug DeLuca: I think they definitely could have. I think the name of the game again is slow and steady. We want long-term partners. Nobody's looking to make a quick hit. I don’t know for sure, but from what I've been told in the discussions I've had, the advertising went as well as it did the first time and we're going to be full slate. The advertisers all came back, and everyone was very, very happy with the first event. I don't believe prices were raised, but I don't know for sure.

DeLuca hinted at more TV possible for EliteXC:

I can't talk too much about it now, but we're probably going to announce another broadcast deal pretty soon with a cable network that will do similar to what you're saying -- where you'll see all our brands in action. Our exclusive partner in reality TV, Mark Burnett, a reality show guru, and ProElite are constantly working and developing reality shows around the sport.

He Addressed the rumor that EliteXC may buy the IFL:

Eddie Constantine: Doug, is there any truth to the rumor about the IFL acquisition?
Doug DeLuca: No, no truth to the rumor at the moment.

On a possible UFC network deal:

Doug Jeffrey: Doug, if the UFC is able to get a network television deal, how does that impact MMA and your role with CBS?

Doug DeLuca: I mean, it's great for the sport. It just gives a bigger platform for more fighters and for more MMA to be seen around the country. Look at the sport of professional football -- it's on what, five different networks? You can see it in various places. ProElite is behind what's good for the sport, what's good for the fighters, and ultimately what's good for the fans. So, I think that's fine. It's competition. I welcome competition. Like in a sport or in business, competition is good. We're not going anywhere, they're not going anywhere, and, again, as long as it's good for the sport I think it's great.

Inside MMA: UFC to Buy IFL

2008-07-17T09:30:00.003-04:00

A Senior Producer at HDNet's Inside MMA tells MMAPayout.com that the IFL will be bought by the UFC.

MMAPayout.com has confirmed talks between the IFL and UFC. More details as they become available.

The Rampage Effect: Booking the LHW Division in Light of Jackson's Arrest

2008-07-17T08:00:00.006-04:00

The recent developments in the personal life of Quinton Rampage Jackson will certainly have an affect on the business plans of the UFC over the next half year. Either through a suspension or legal proceedings, Rampage is more than likely out past the end of the year. The following scenarios are put forth on that premise.

A November fight with Wanderlei Silva or a December rematch with Forrest are almost certainly out of the question. With a Chuck Liddell win (giving a Liddell vs Griffin match-up), Rampage could have been slotted into a possible rematch with Wanderlei. The re-match of Forrest vs Rampage would have a built-in audience stoked by a somewhat controversial decision. Either would have been better than average PPV draws but neither look plausible this calendar year given the circumstances.

With the deck shuffled, Joe Silva looks to have a few options with how he books the rest of the year. To borrow a poker term, most of the UFC's stack will be pushed to the middle, hoping that Chuck Liddell will overcome Rashad Evans. Chuck represents the biggest money match possible for the traditional big box office New Year's Eve card. While it won't match the one million plus buys that Chuck vs Tito II did in December 2006, it has the potential to do above the 650,000 buys that Chuck vs Wanderlei did last New Year's Eve.

In the event that Liddell loses to Evans, well, all bets are off at that point. Rashad would have an undefeated record with a win over Chuck Liddell, but it would be hard to imagine him getting the nod to headline one of the biggest events of the year. Rashad has the perfect record and the TUF pedigree that would seem to make him a star but it just hasn't happened. If Rashad were to get the shot they would more than likely move Forrest vs Rashad off the New Year's card and slot in the much anticipated GSP vs BJ Penn match as the main event with Mir vs Nog as the sub main.

Two other possibilities for that shot, Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva, are being paired up at UFC 89 and would likely be unavailable for the big year end card. Anderson Silva would be an idea, but The Spider has stated he has no intentions of staying at 205. Which brings us to.....

Wanderlei Silva. In the absence of a Forrest-Chuck fight, this would likely be the biggest 205lb fight they could make for the end of the year show. Since his re-entry into the Octagon, Wanderlei has gone just 1-1 but in those two fights he has made quite an impression on the UFC fanbase. The second round of his fight with Chuck is the stuff of legend, and he put on a star-making performance in his demolition of Keith Jardine. Wanderlei's charisma and entertaining fighting style seem to transcended any language barrier there might be for the Brazilian fighter.

The question is would Forrest and Wandy fight each other? Both operate out of the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas and train with each other on a regular basis. Given how promiscuous training is becoming, people are going to have to start fighting people they've trained with. Fighters in this day and age are like bees skipping from flower to flower (the individual camps) cross-pollinating their game. It is going to become increasingly hard for guys to avoid someone they have trained with. In the end money talks and the match that will draw the most money will win out, intra-camp politics be damned.

UFC and Affliction Talk

2008-07-16T16:00:00.002-04:00

MMAPayout.com special contributor Todd Martin sits down with Wrestling Observer Newsletter contributor Ben Miller to discuss and dissect the upcoming UFC Fight Night and Affliction cards. Listen here.

Todd will also be appearing as a panelist on this week's edition of Inside MMA.

Fight Biz Quote: Joe Silva II

2008-07-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

"What's the new hook that we can get people into the dojos with?" Silva said of an attitude that has disgusted him in the past. "Now you have Tae Kwon Do schools and they (say), 'Yeah, we have grappling.' " They're looking to appeal to the consumer, and the consumer is watching UFC on TV, on Spike TV and on pay-per-view."

--Joe Silva from Florida Today, commenting on why the established martial arts community has embraced MMA.

Graffight to Sponsor Credeur

2008-07-16T14:00:00.000-04:00

It seems like the rubber is starting to meet the road over at Graffight. They are starting one of the key marketing efforts for any MMA apparel company: sponsoring fighters. Gary Ibarra gives us the lowdown:

Last week I was on the road when I received a call from a person who’s turning out to be a trusted friend in the business, Jake Hattan from Denaro Sports Marketing who called me with a really good opportunity. He told me that the shirt sponsor for Tim Credeur had canceled on him last minute and if I was interested in creating some pre-launch buzz this would be a good way to do it. He gave us a really good deal so we decided it was worth the money. Tim was a semi-finalist on this past season of T.U.F. Look for our signature Graffight Logo shirt on Tim as well as his corner men on July 19th when he takes on Cale Yarborough on Spike TV.

Best of luck to Credeur and Graffight on the upcoming Fight Night card.

Cung Le To Appear on ESPN July 16

2008-07-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

SAN JOSE , Calif. — Reigning Strikeforce World Middleweight (185 lb. limit) Champion, Cung Le, will appear live on the national cable network show, ESPNEWS’ ‘The Hot List’ on Wednesday, July 16 at 5:10 p.m. EST (2:10 p.m. PST).

During the interview, Le, who has appeared repeatedly, of late, on the wildly popular Strikeforce on NBC weekly mixed martial arts (MMA) series, will share his thoughts on the explosive growth of MMA, where he feels the sport is headed and its rumored Olympic potential.

Le has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport of MMA. His third round TKO of legendary champion, Frank Shamrock, which aired live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, March 29th, earned the Vietnamese-born fighter the Strikeforce (www.Strikeforceusa.net) world title and marked his greatest professional victory to date.

Le has been touted as Hollywood ’s next big martial arts film star. His role in the forthcoming release, Fighting, co-starring Terrence Howard, will mark Le’s debut on the silver screen. Le was also recently cast in the silver screen adaptation of the smash hit video game franchise, Tekken, slated for release next year.

Cohen Talks Affliction Entertainment - Part 2

2008-07-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

In part two of MMAPayout.com's three part interview with Michael Cohen, the Chief Operating Officer of Affliction Entertainment, talks about the UFC's counter programming, pay-per-view projections, and the company's decision to save its marketing push for the last minute.

LISTEN NOW: Michael Cohen, COO of Affliction Entertainment, Part 2

EDITOR'S NOTE: MMAPayout.com's user friendly audio reports are roughly five minutes long and designed for quick and easy listening during breaks around the office.

No Need to Panic

2008-07-16T08:00:00.006-04:00

By now most of the MMA world has probably heard about Rampage Jackson's arrest yesterday afternoon in Newport Beach, California. It was certainly a shock to many, but as troubling as his predicament may seem, I would encourage everyone not to jump to conclusions, nor to pass judgement.

When an MMA fighter finds himself in trouble with the law, the immediate reaction of just about everyone in the community is to ask "how badly will this hurt MMA?"

Truth be told, Rampage's incident won't. Not really.

If anything the instinctive reflex of the MMA community to hold its breath and brace for a media ass whooping is probably more of a problem than the "bad" publicity that stems from one of these incidents.

The promoters, fighters, media, and fans alike must show more confidence in their sport and stop walking on egg shells. After all, how can the MMA community expect anyone else to believe in the sport if the community is constantly second-guessing itself.

These fighters are human, they're going to make mistakes, and they will be held accountable for their actions. However, a case of hit and run is not going to send MMA back to the dark ages; forcing deregulation or negatively impacting buy-rates and merchandise purchases.

If Mark Ratner's latest interview with the TriStateFighter.com is any indication, the UFC and MMA have a long way to go in educating lawmakers about the sport. The fact that Rampage got into trouble isn't going to do any more damage in the eyes of those that still believe MMA is a sport without officials or one that fights to the death.

Furthermore, consider that the UFC's core demographic is males aged 18-34. Ask yourself how many of them are truly bothered by this or any other run-in with the law that involves an MMA fighter.

The only negative from this incident that I truly see impacting the sport is the insecurity shown by the MMA community. The potential loss of Rampage Jackson - a superb fighter with a truly marketable personality - might also be a negative, but as I said...we should reserve judgement.

Want some additional food for thought? With arguably the best heavyweight card ever assembled set for PPV and the world's "Pound-for-Pound King" ready to air, free, on SpikeTV this Saturday night, yesterday's events could give new meaning to "no publicity is bad publicity."

MMA Image set-back? Rampage Arrested

2008-07-15T18:39:00.007-04:00

Rampage taken into custody...more info at TMZ.com....

Tmz.com is reporting:

Law enforcement sources tell us, Rampage was in a car crash near Newport Beach (that's near Laguna Beach in the O.C.) and then split the scene. Cops gave chase and eventually caught up and charged him with felony hit and run and felony evading arrest.

This is certainly a public relations disaster for any number of parties involved. The image of the sport takes a hit as one of it's biggest superstars faces criminal charges. Rampage is only a week removed from being featured on multiple national media outlets, outlets that will jump on this story while he is still fresh in the public consciousness after his fight. Rampage is also a major endorser of Affliction clothing and is under contract with the UFC. Both companies are sure to feel heat about this from the mainstream press as their cards approach this week-end. This will affect UFC to a much greater degree in that Rampage is more closely associated with their brand in the public's mind.

On a personal level, Rampage is a father of four kids I believe, and those are the ones who could be affected by this the most, business interests aside.

Kevin Iole is reporting UFC president Dana White flew to Orange County upon learning of the arrest and said he was driving to the county jail to post bail for Jackson.

Rovell on Bud Merger

2008-07-15T18:00:00.002-04:00

CNBC Sports Biz Analyst Darren Rovell adds numbers and a little context to the the discussion earlier about the Bud InBev merger:

Anheuser-Busch spent $218,210,715 on advertising during sporting events in 2007. That made up 83.8 percent of their total TV ad spending, according to Nielsen Media Research and the SportsBusiness Journal. That $218 million topped the next biggest sports spender, Chevrolet, by $45 million.

Don’t forget, all this takes place as Coors and Miller officially combined on July 1. Those two were the ninth and 11th highest spenders on sports programming in 2007, combining for $172 million in sporting event advertising on TV.

That $218 million represents a huge line item on the budget and would seem to be tempting target for cuts. If Bud is looking at "bang for your buck" as a measure, the UFC should be in good shape. They deliver the target demos (21-34) for Bud in droves, as was mentioned by bud execs at the sponsorship announcement:

UFC has developed a huge following in recent years and is wildly popular with the 21-34 year old fans we want to reach,” said Tony Ponturo, vice president, global media and sports marketing, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “The number of people attending live events, buying the pay-per-views and talking about UFC around the water cooler continues to grow. It’s just a great place for us to be.”

TapouT Rolls Out Second Season On Versus

2008-07-15T16:00:00.001-04:00

New York – VERSUS, the network that celebrates real competition, will debut the second season of the hit reality series TapouT on Thursday, July 24, on VERSUS on Demand and on Wednesday, July 30, at 10 p.m. ET on VERSUS. The second season includes 10 one-hour episodes that follow Mask, Punkass and Skyskrape—the crew behind the premier mixed martial arts clothing and gear line TapouT—on their cross country travels in search of the next MMA superstar. TapouT is produced by Pilgrim Films, of American Chopper and Dirty Jobs fame.

“Since its debut a year ago, more than 40 million viewers have tuned in to see TapouT and we’re optimistic that the second season will have even greater success,” said Marc Fein, Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and Business Operations for the VERSUS. “This hugely popular original reality series, in conjunction with the monumental growth we’ve seen with our live World Extreme Cagefighting telecasts, solidifies VERSUS as one of the premier television destinations in the MMA category.”

Full Press Release

MMAPayout.com on NBCSports.com - Falzon on Affliction Debut

2008-07-15T14:00:00.003-04:00

With Affliction's debut right around the corner, MMAPayout.com's Andrew Falzon was invited to discuss the event on NBCSports.com. Originally scheduled as a part of MMA Fight Weekly, the editorial carried enough clout to be published as its own segment.

Part one of Andrew's interview with Affliction Entertainment COO Michael Cohen is available here. Check back later for part two.

Follow-up on Yesterday's MMA for Kids

2008-07-15T12:00:00.003-04:00

The bridge too far post from yesterday touched a bit on the increasing popularity of MMA training among kids. The Des Moines Register had an article yesterday on Muay Thai that had an extended discussion about the the increasing popularity of mixed martial arts among youth:

While martial arts can help build self-esteem and confidence, those are "pretty high-level" themes for children who are 6 or 7, said Marty Martinez, who coordinates Iowa State's student counseling center outreach and sports psychology programs.

Instilling such values through a martial arts program can be complicated and challenging, particularly if children are competing, he said.

"The confidence is going to be in their ability to kick and hit and punch," said Martinez, who has also been a sports psychologist with USA Track and Field for about 25 years.

"It adds another level of complexity in teaching these great concepts," he said. "You're throwing in a very demanding performance, a very demanding activity, that certainly can be physically taxing on their joints and things, and emotionally, getting hit and punched and doing that to another person."

Even one of the instructors of the MMA for kids course is at a loss as to the appropriate age to have kids train:

"I don't know what age kids are ready to grasp that it's a sport and that it's just not two guys beating each other up," he said. "Personally, I don't think it's until their teenage years that they can grasp that control ... and that this is actually serious. It really comes down to who's teaching it and what kind of values they're instilling with it."

As a whole the article was well-balanced and gave both sides of the discussion a fair airing. It is worth a read for those like myself that tend to wrestle with this subject.

Anderson Silva: The Re-Launch

2008-07-15T10:00:00.003-04:00

One of the key business goals of the upcoming Fight Night show, besides lowering Affliction PPV sales, is a relaunch of Anderson Silva. While their certainly haven't been any qualms about Anderson's work inside the octagon, there has been a less than stellar performance at the box office. Anderson has been an under-performer when you compare his PPV buy rates against those of the average UFC show, with Silva generally drawing in the 325k range as opposed to the normal show taking in anywhere from 400 to 425k. The UFC looks to be taking a two pronged approach in boosting Anderson's appeal to their core audience.

The first phase of Anderson 2.0 will come with the free UFC Fight Night 14 card on Spike, set to oppose Affliction. This will be Anderson's first appearance on free live television since his debut with the UFC vs Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5. Silva's ascent in the UFC would be quick, capturing the middleweight title in has next fight, a demolition of Rich Franklin. Re-introducing Silva to the largest possible audience via free television would seem to be the right move, but there may be a disconnect for the average fan when it comes to Silva. His exploits up to this point should have garnered a much larger profile and drawing position in the UFC, but this hasn't come to pass.

Phase 2 will come with a possible inclusion of Silva on the under card of the upcoming Chuck Liddell-Rashad Evans card in Atlanta. Most cards with Chuck headlining are going to do out-size PPV numbers, increasing PPV buys by 50% or more in most cases over the average. Placing Anderson Silva in the sub main for this card will expose him to a audience that for whatever reason tends to take a pass on purchasing events that he headlines.

Boosting Anderson's appeal for PPV would go along way towards smoothing over the hard feelings between the two parties owing to the proposed Anderson Silva - Roy Jones Jr. boxing match-up. MMAPayout.com has heard reports that Silva was forced to walk away from a high seven-figure guarantee for a potential fight with Jones, a sum he will be hard pressed to match on the entirety of his new UFC contract unless he is able to significantly boost the level of buys for his PPV main events.

Bud Merger And The Possible UFC Effects

2008-07-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

After an extended negotiation process it looks like Euro brewing giant InBev will gobble up Anheuser Busch. Amy Robinson at MMAOpinion speculates at the possible impact the move may have as it relates to Bud Light's sponsorship deal with the UFC:

The greatest concern for the UFC, as stated by many financial experts is how exactly InBev will be able to cover the $70 a share stock price, which is a huge increase from the $52 a share that Budweiser had been stuck at for a year. The general understanding is that massive cuts will have to be made by Inbev to cover the high cost. Budweiser’s massive arsenal of sports sponsorships would almost certainly be one of the first expendable areas to be on the chopping block, which would be a huge blow to the UFC.

While the possibility of cuts in sponsorship can be debated, when such mergers take place all bets are off as to how various ancillary agreements may be affected. Those among us who are pro wrestling fans will remember the AOL-Time Warner merger that essentially shuttered WCW, and forced a sell off to Vince McMahon's WWE.

The merger may even turn out to benefit the UFC. With the inclusion of InBev into the mix, the UFC may have a partner to assist them in penetrating the mainland European market. The UFC could use promotional tie-ins with such InBev brands like Beck's in Germany and Stella Artois in the UK as well as a host of other localized brands in the InBev family to raise the UFC's profile in the Old Country, similar to to their deal with Bud Light in the US.

Ratner on New York

2008-07-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

MMA has seen the dominoes of regulation tumble in a fairly smooth fashion as an increasing number of states are looking to cash in on the sport's increased popularity. Recently, states like Arizona and Tennessee have joined the fold. One noted stumbling block in the wave of regulation has been the State of New York. Recent efforts to get MMA regulated in the state by the end of this year failed when a bill to regulate the sport was unable to make it out of committee to be voted on. Marc Ratner recently spoke with Tristatefighter.com about the bill's defeat and what may be needed to be done to get the bill passed:

“The Tourism Committee – our bill did not come out of there. One of the legislators needs to be properly educated, because he said something about no referees. Some people think it is still no holds barred or no rules.”

We have been talking to the Times Union Arena in Albany to locations in Utica, Buffalo, and Syracuse. Madison Square Garden - I have talked to them once a week for the last year and half. Is it going happen? Yes, but not this year. We are going to keep lobbying and educating and it is not the same sport it was 15 years ago … that is what they have to understand.

Ratner also took the opportunity to speak on other states targeted for lobbying as well as some future sites for international expansion:

“The next few months we are going to Minneapolis, Atlanta and working on Illinois - already approved there - just have to get rules in place. We have very ambitious plans globally - maybe Macao, Dubai, Australia … all kinds of things going.

Pop Culture Maven on MMA

2008-07-14T14:00:00.003-04:00

With the tendency to sometimes lose perspective on MMA by being so deeply entrenched in the sport, it is good to hear voices from outside the sport give a window into their perceptions. Robert Thompson, Syracuse University professor of television and popular culture, is one such person of note that has spoken about MMA's potential recently.

Thompson is a media and pop culture critic that is very popular with mainstream media outlets, appearing on shows like ABC's Nightline, the network morning shows, etc. on a regular basis. It was interesting to hear him share his thoughts on MMA in this recent article:

Bob Thompson, professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, says Mixed Martial Arts has big-time potential. Not just any old big-time potential, but mainstream household-name potential.

"MMA could become as big as NASCAR,” Thompson said.

Many media outlets are proclaiming MMA as the fastest-growing sport in the nation, and the amount of attention in the past few years has exploded. In the last year, MMA fighters have landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine (twice.)

The demographics for MMA break down like you think they might — men, ages 18-40.

"MMA has to start building a broader fan base,” Thompson said. "The hardcore fans are already there.”

"We're wrong to assume that there is one kind of fan for the MMA or NASCAR or any other sport,” Thompson said. "There are numbers to show that more men like MMA, but that's the way it is in just about all sports. There are certain stereotypes, especially in MMA, about what kinds of people like what, but there are all kinds of fans out there.”

Spike Officially Announces UFC 84 Rebroadcast on 7/26

2008-07-14T13:20:00.001-04:00

Much has been made of the UFC's aggressive posture towards competition, particularly Affliction and EliteXC, and it's decision to counter-program the companies' next two events, however, Spike TV has been equally aggressive in its press releases concerning EliteXC on CBS.

From a press release announcing the re-broadcast of UFC 84 in opposition of EliteXC's second CBS broadcast:

New York, NY, July 14, 2008 – The real elite mixed martial arts fighters in the world will be on display on Spike TV Saturday, July 26 (9:00pm-11:30 ET/PT) as the network presents a special presentation of "UFC 84: Penn vs Sherk." (Emphasis added)

Following the 5/31 debut of EliteXC on CBS, Spike was very aggressive in asserting its claim to the top rated MMA broadcasts on television.

A Bridge Too Far Into The Mainstream?

2008-07-14T12:00:00.001-04:00

Operation Market Garden was the ultimately unsuccessful Allied attempt to break through German lines and seize several bridges, with the main objective the bridge over the Lower Rhine River, during World War II. British Lieutenant General Frederick A.M. Browning, deputy commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, expressed concern, telling Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery before the operation, "I think we may be going a bridge too far."

The moral of the above quote is that sometimes in reaching too far, one over-extends and opens themselves up to a failure that is somewhat self inflicted. I feel much the same mistake is potentially being made with MMA as it relates to moves by some to launch the sport into the deepest recesses of the mainstream. The moves are being made so fast and furious that there appears to have been little thought given as to whether or not these plans are "a bridge too far," that may lead to a backlash.

The main area I think this pertains to is the recent moves by promoters, merchandisers, and instructors of MMA to target pre-teens as a market for mixed martial arts. While it is important to continue to find new markets for MMA's growth, targeting this group will serve neither the sport nor the larger society as a whole well. Please know at the outset that these sentiments come out of a love for mixed martial arts, not a Phil Mushnick-type rant based out of ignorance and hate for the sport.

While MMA certainly appeals to a younger demographic, there should be some internal restraints on how far down the MMA community should reach with these efforts. Paolo Bandini made an excellent illustration of this in his blog for The Guardian:

......is indicative of the way in which the UFC has consolidated itself as a mainstream sport over the past two years. The crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center may contain few families, but the city has been packed all weekend with kids nagging their parents for UFC merchandise.

The sight of three girls no older than 10 showing off T-shirts featuring one man kneeing another in the head to their proud fathers is likely to stay with me, yet White can justifiably argue that on many levels his athletes make great role models...

The show itself is not everyone's cup of tea, and for all that organizers can rightfully be proud of the fact that a broken arm remains the UFC's worst ever injury, mixed martial arts remains an intensely violent sport. "I wouldn't let my kids watch it," says Evelyn, a mother who surprised her husband with tickets for his 40th birthday and for all the technical skill of the fighters, there is no denying that many in the sport's strongest demographic - males aged 18-34 - enjoy the adrenaline rush generated by such apparent brutality.

The mother in the last quote is an example of the dichotomy that MMA faces, a public that can and will embrace the sport but at the same time clearly delineates who the proper audience is and should be for the sport. The mainstream will gradually embrace the sport, but it would seem they will blanch at moves by those in the MMA community to market towards too young of an audience.

The targeting of this market has made itself apparent in a multitude of ways. One such area is in merchandising. The guys at TapouT are certainly good businessmen and have found a message and look that resonates with their customer base. That said, do we really want a legion of children that adhere to the mantra of Tapout of being American, arrogant, and inyaface? We may be about to find out as TapouT is looking into various marketing ideas targeted specifically at kids. While one can certainly question the parenting that would buy these products, some derision has to be placed at Tapout's feet as well for actively seeking out that market.

TapouT isn't the only group that is looking to exploit this youth market. One of the highlights of the UFC's recent merchandising efforts was a licensing deal with action figure maker Jakks. While lip service was paid to the items being collectibles, Dana White didn't really deny that he would be marketing his company's product to children:

With the WWE leaving Jakks soon, the UFC was in prime position to cut a nice deal to replace the wrestling company. I think the better thing for the company in the long term would have been to forgo the deal. One can argue that the UFC is only treading in territory that WWE opened up, but WWE has a credibility problem that isn't harmed by marketing to kids, i.e. they have no credibility with mainstream that can be affected by such moves. The general public already thinks of WWE as carnival barkers so there is a certain freedom they have to be amoral. The UFC is still in a phase where their public perception is still being formed and subject to change. Aiming their product at pre-teen kids isn't going to help them in this respect.

The last area that seems to be over-reaching is in the area of instruction of mixed martial arts to kids. This area is the one with the largest gray area when it comes to appropriateness for kids. Thankfully some folks like the people at Cincinnati MMA are taking a more measured approach to introducing the sport to the youth:

They are emphasizing the individual elements of the sport as well as a thorough values based program that stresses restraint and control of the skills they are learning. The instructor clearly indicates that he doesn't want his students at that age anywhere near the cage. Unfortunately some folks aren't as reticent about putting 10 yr olds in a cage:

In closing, I'll expand on a quote from one of the folks mentioned above. Often Dana White likes to give the analogy of how he hates golf, can't stand it, not his cup of tea but he thinks that folks should be able to have access and watch it, just like they should have access to MMA. I say the flip side of the coin is that while everyone should have access to mixed martial arts, should it be consumed by all demographics, including kids?

As much as I love the sport, I have to say that specifically targeting kids feels like a bridge too far.

Hauser on the Ali Act's Effect on Boxing

2008-07-14T10:00:00.002-04:00

There has been ample discussion of the Muhammad Ali Act, its potential application to MMA as well as its actual effect on the sport of boxing, in the last week. MMAPayout.com contacted Thomas Hauser, one of boxing's most respected writers, to get his opinion on the Ali Act's effect on boxing.

"The Muhammad Ali Act has had limited effect because no one is enforcing it," Hauser told MMAPayout.com. "I am against MMA. But if it exists, I think it should be regulated pursuant to the act."

Hauser referenced an article on the subject of the act's enforcement, or lack thereof, that he penned last fall for ESPN.com.

Cohen Talks Affliction Entertainment - Part 1

2008-07-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

MMA still isn't legal in New York, but that hasn't stopped real estate tycoon turned media mogul Donald Trump from jumping into the action. Last month Trump was announced as an equity partner in Affliction Entertainment and the MMA industry has been buzzing about his involvement ever since.

On the eve of Banned, I recently sat down with Michael Cohen, Chief Operating Officer of Affliction Entertainment and Executive Vice President & Special Counsel to Donald Trump, in his office on the top floor of Trump Tower.

In part one of a three part series, Cohen discusses the payroll for the company's debut event as well as how Trump became involved with the company.

Click here to listen to or download the interview.

TapouT Talks with Fox News

2008-07-13T12:00:00.001-04:00