MMA Analytics 12.17.07: Marketing and Promotion in MMA

Posted by Leland Roling on 12.17.2007

Marketing and promotion are essential aspects of MMA that fans rarely think about, but have a lot to do with the performance of MMA in the mainstream market. Has Silva vs. Liddell received enough promotion to garner record numbers? Why are New Year's Eve matchups geared toward entertainment and not quality? We'll answer all these questions and more in this edition of MMA Analytics!

Marketing and promotion in mixed martial arts isn't something that most fans think about or really care about. As a matter of fact, there isn't one reason the hardcore fans should really care about marketing because those fans seem to know about the most obscure MMA events going on overseas. That would be me. So, why should the casual fan care about the marketing of many of MMA promotions? It's simple. The better the marketing, the more excitement you will have for a fight, the more enjoyable a fight will be. Add in the fact that the better the marketing, the more buys that are produced, and eventually the bigger growth of the sport. We'll look at two marketing schemes that have recently got some major criticism from the hardcore fanbase as well as the casual fanbase. Those two schemes being the UFC's marketing scheme and the Japanese marketing model when it comes to MMA events. Mainly, how they are different, how they are similar, and the differences in culture that affect those schemes. We will also look at the mistakes that have recently been made regarding the year end events. Let's take a look at what the UFC has been doing.

UFC Marketing is failing

The UFC has been highly criticized for its marketing and promotion of one of the greatest MMA matchups of all-time. The Wanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell matchup has been one of the most looked forward to fights for the past three, four, or even five years. The reason for this is most likely because of their styles. Chuck being a good counter puncher while Silva is an excellent striker with a tenacious pace. Both have explosive dynamite in their hands, and they both have history with each other.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, why do you think it is such a great matchup... I'm not hyped about it? Yeah, because you may not have lived through the PRIDE vs. UFC era, the Grand Prix bet between Dana White and PRIDE in which he stated Liddell would run through the GP and win, and the eventual buyout of PRIDE by the UFC. The fans who remember all of those happenings and remember the Silva-Liddell ring encounter in which both guys were in a staredown are the fans who are pumped about this fight.

Why aren't a lot of casual fans pumped? Marketing. Marketing is the single thing that can make a fight that people do not care about into a fight that people who don't even watch the sport regularly buy the pay-per-view. The most classic example of that is the Mayweather vs. Hatton fight. One of the most highly hyped boxing fights in recent memory. The marketing and promotion for this event was ridiculous. Not only did HBO have their own show that featured a camera following around the fighters 24/7, they also made characters out of all of the people surrounding each fighter and made the viewer love those characters. In fact, many people saw Mayweather's arrogance and wanted to see Hatton beat the hell out of him. Brilliant marketing and promotion of a fight that on paper... didn't really matchup well. As we eventually saw during the fight, Mayweather crushed Hatton. The numbers for the fight, however, were most likely through the roof because of the market, promotion, and the fact that they used the British vs. American angle to tap into a large British fanbase within the States.

So, where is the failure in the Silva-Liddell matchup, a matchup that is probably one of the most anticipated matchups? There is no 24/7 Liddell-Silva, no great interviews that put some bad blood between fighters, no brilliantly produced shows that are counting down to UFC 79 by featuring both fighters. We get UFC Countdown, which is not up to snuff, and we get a few All-Access shows that just center around the fighter's lifestyle and training techniques, but do not build up to the fight and create characters around the combatants. As I've read in the past, the UFC spent a considerable amount of money to market in England. Rumored estimates were around 10-20 million. It's probably a fraction of that in the United States since the UFC has a way to promote card through SpikeTV. Couldn't the UFC put some of that money toward a show like 24/7 Mayweather vs. Hatton? At least a show that will hype one of the greatest battles on paper.

Here's a thought... remember that guy... Tito Ortiz? Many fans of mixed martial arts consider him bad for the sport with his antics and smack talk. Fact is... he looks like a damn genius right now. I've said this for years. Tito Ortiz was a genius in the promotion and marketing of himself. He caused uproars, verbal battles, and hype before his fights because it worked and it got people to tune in to see if Tito would get beaten to a pulp. The more buys, the more money he made. A genius in the craft. The UFC should hire Tito Ortiz as a marketing and promotion consultant, he'd do a much better job.

New Year's Eve in Japan approaches

New Year's Eve is approaching quickly, and many of the fight cards are being released to the general public. Matchups are also still being determined and added to the few events that are happening in the New Year's spotlight. As the names continue to be released, fans continue to complain about the quality. Fact is, there is an unbelievably simple explanation for the types of matchups that have been set for the NYE events in Japan.
Entertainment reigns in Japan on NYE.

Entertainment is what fuels the TV rating wars in Japan over NYE. Shedog.com had an article by Tim Leidecker outlining some of the numbers during recent years. In one particular year, K-1 and PRIDE both garnered 34% of the television viewing base, nearly 50 million viewers. What drives these numbers? Freak show matchups, entertainment only bouts, and names in Japan that are legendary. Case in point: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Hong Man Choi.

To end the unbelievable hatred for Fedor and this matchup, look at the matchup in the sense that it is purely on the menu to sell people on viewing the event. A freakishly tall Korean who outweighs his opponent by nearly 100 pounds. A legendary fighter from Russia who easily crushed opponents at will. David vs. Goliath, a matchup that the Japanese public eat up with a spoon. And the fans in the United States actually wonder why this is happening? Give me a break, and read up on these types of events.

Fedor isn't running, to the UFC's dismay. Fedor isn't going to be fighting cans for the rest of his days. Fedor, like everyone else in the sport, is making some money and cashing in on the phenomenon that is New Year's Eve in Japan. Fedor has plenty of fighters out there that want a stab at him again. Josh Barnett wants to finally fight the legend, Ricardo Arona wants another shot at the champ, and Randy Couture mentioned during the HDNet Fights broadcast that his contract is done in October 2008. Couture and Barnett are easily top 5 in the weight division. Inevitably, Fedor will fight both Couture and Barnett, and in my opinion, he will prove that he is the best in the world. That's another article and another debate.

As for the marketing and promotion of a Japanese NYE event, it's all about the entertainment. Casual fans and general viewership reign supreme on NYE. It isn't unlikely that the general public tune into a K-1 event on NYE to watch the spectacular knockouts, the David vs. Goliath fights, the great theatrical entrances, and the legendary battles of old school fighters. K-1 this year features Sakuraba vs. Funaki, Zuluzinho vs. Minowa, and appearances by Manhoef's explosive fists, "Kid" Yamamoto's power, and a tournament featuring under 18 phenom, Hiroya. The knockouts, the legends, the David vs. Goliath matchups, the popular, and the phenom young superstars will all be featured. That's a card that pulls weight on NYE in Japan.

As for the hardcore fans, Yarennoka, which will be on PPV in Japan, but will also air on HDNet, will feature battles between Japanese lightweight legends that many of us actually care about. Tatsuya Kawajiri, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Gilbert Melendez, Hidehiko Hasegawa, Hayato Sakurai, Shinya Aoki, and Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti are all slated to clash on this card. One of the best cards of the year for the hardcore fans to enjoy. Look forward to it.

Next time you criticize these cards in Japan over the New Year, remember that New Year's Eve is one of the highest television viewerships in Japan. They build cards around entertainment and spectacle and not around what we believe is a great card. Yarennoka went off the page a bit, but it's not on network TV like K-1's card will be. There is also a deal that is rumored to be adding Fedor vs. Choi to the K-1 broadcast at the end of the night as well, which will bring more viewership to the event. All of this revolves around the ratings, and it will most likely succeed.

Final thoughts

As I've laid out here, there are two very different marketing concepts for both the UFC and Japan during this end of the year bash. The UFC has chosen to up the ante by putting a boring Chuck Liddell on some shows for interviews, and have the always boring All-Access format for Wanderlei Silva. Instead of putting some money in to a hype machine like a 24/7 show or getting these fighters out there to amp this fight up a bit, the UFC has failed miserably. Even as a hardcore fan, I feel a bit unexcited about this fight as I once was when it was announced.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Japanese run MMA promotions aren't producing these great matchups like the UFC has set for UFC 79. Yarennoka has a solid lightweight card for the hardcore fans. Luckily, we will be able to enjoy that card on New Year's Eve. For the Japanese fans, K-1 will be featued and contain all those fights that the viewing public may want to see. David vs. Goliath, huge knockouts, legendary matchups, and the popular fighters from around Japan. Two very different marketing and promotion schemes for the end of the year events. What do you think? Is the UFC doing a poor job this year of promoting a fight that should have tremendous hype? Do you really feel Fedor is running because he accepted a fight with Choi on NYE? If so, comment on this story and I'll weigh in.

Leland Roling is the editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com