Affliction Partnership with Golden Boy Confirmed

by Kid Nate on Sep 13, 2008 9:56 AM EDT in News Comment 35 comments

If you thought Megadeath harshed your MMA buzz last time wait until you have to sit through multiple boxing matches to see Fedor. MMA Weekly has the news:

Golden Boy Promotions – the boxing promotion company spearheaded by Oscar De La Hoya – and Affliction Entertainment on Saturday are set to announce a partnership between the two companies.

Golden Boy Promotions’ CEO Richard Schaefer and Affliction vice president Tom Atencio will make the announcement during the Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Golden Boy is one of the promoter’s of the boxing match set for Nov. 22 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

...

Though no word has been forthcoming from either promoter, it is expected that the partnership would include events that commingle boxing and MMA bouts on the same fight card. The move of Affliction’s event gives the two time to work out details and strategies to make such a hybrid fight card possible for the January event.

Now I'm actually kind of intrigued by experiments in mixing boxing and MMA on the same card. I think in the long run it could help with the growth of the sport. At the same time, I don't want my Fedor ppv watered down with crappy third rate boxing either and I doubt they'll be putting a showstopper on the card.

The key IMO will be whether or not Golden Boy can use its relationships with HBO to get Affliction some air time on the pay cable network. The last word from HBO executives wasn't favorable.

UPDATE by Chris Nelson

ESPN has the following info from Saturday's presser:

Golden Boy and Affliction will partner 50-50 on at least four pay-per-view shows next year that will include boxing matches and MMA fights on the same card. Smaller promoters have paired the two sports on cards, but never at the top level.

. . .

When the card was called off, Golden Boy attempted to have Arlovski-Barnett rescheduled as part of the Oct. 18 Pavlik-Hopkins HBO PPV card. However, co-promoter Top Rank and HBO rejected the overture.

"They presented us with the option and we respectfully declined," HBO PPV chief Mark Taffet told ESPN.com.

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If Fedor is the only big fight on that card, I’ll just wait for the .gif.

by Eugene Schelfaut on Sep 13, 2008 9:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dumb idea

MMA fans aren’t going to buy a card to see 2 fights. I know I wont and I buy everything.

by banter on Sep 13, 2008 9:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if you cant sell a Loaded MMA card to MMA Fans How are you gonna sell a Boxing/MMA Card to MMA fans? sounds like a desperate move from a sinking ship dana white was right affliction is fucked

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by Pitbull on Sep 13, 2008 10:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Weren’t these two companies linked up before? I wonder what changed to get them back together? This seems mildly interesting, but not industry changing.

by Cannon Jacques on Sep 13, 2008 10:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MMA Weekly says

that their previous talks collapsed when Affliction starting talking up their deal prematurely.

by Kid Nate on Sep 13, 2008 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I guess I could have read the MMA Weekly article you quoted, first.

by Cannon Jacques on Sep 13, 2008 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what changed is affliction is losing a shit load of money and they need a way to divest out / diversify their losses.

by mmalogic on Sep 13, 2008 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Quit Hating !

Why so gloom about this people? This is good news! We could see some good boxing along with Fedor dismatling an opponenet. Golden Boy has an awsome stabel of fighters, and this could make for some awsome cards.

by DumbOut on Sep 13, 2008 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Golden Boy brings a lot more to the table than just a relationship with HBO too. I’m starting to think some people just don’t have an appetite for good MMA outside of the UFC’s brand structure.

by smoogy on Sep 13, 2008 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed, I would almost rather just have one major leage, but if there is going to be others they need to offer something different like this.

by DumbOut on Sep 13, 2008 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Affliction needs to focus on MMA and not bands and boxing,

by banter on Sep 13, 2008 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree on the bands…

by DumbOut on Sep 13, 2008 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really though. This is another “non deal” deal. What does Affliction have to offer Golden Boy? Literally nothing, except that Golden Boy gets to run a couple MMA shows without spending the money to create their own promotion.

This saves Affliction some money, but they are still fucked. They still have no TV, no drawing stars, and now a format that will surely turn off MMA fans. This does not change the structural issues that caused all the problems the first time around.

The salaries are just not going to work. According to Dave Arlovski will be making even more on this second fight under his contract. There is no way the money works out to anything other than a disaster.

by Michael Rome on Sep 13, 2008 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Affliction has been trying to get even the top fighters to sign new contracts worth less money…

Not a pay cut just “fight on new contracts” for now ;) LOL

And now they are asking fans to buy less quality MMA than the first show…

This is the wrong direction for an org that wants to stay in business…

Over promising and under delivering to your people and customers never works…

by mmalogic on Sep 13, 2008 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So this is Affliction calling it quits without really calling it quits? I feel they are using Golden Boy so they can say they are still a MMA promoter. I wonder what kind of cut Affliction is receiving from the events.

by steveoc24 on Sep 13, 2008 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The major problem with these non-Zuffa organizations, at this point, is that many of the people watching MMA closely don’t believe they’ll be around for long. Affliction has some really good fighters, but for the reasons Rome outlined, aren’t viable as a promotion. EliteXC has taken their product in a direction that hardcore fans, by and large, don’t like while burning through a ton of money with little return. I believe people want a storyline (i.e. title pictures). You can’t build much of a storyline when your demise is perceived to be imminent.

Actually, I hear very few criticisms regarding Strikeforce. They’re more regional, but still have a national presence. Unlike these other non-Zuffa offerings, they seem to be in good financial shape.

by Cannon Jacques on Sep 13, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What can golden boy do, that Gary Shaw, Doug Deluca, Showtime and CBS couldnt?

HBO’s sports programming is booked well into most of 09.

This was a stupid deal for affliction…

They should have made a deal with CBS to become the main sponsor with stock in the company in return for these fighter contracts fulfilled on their shows.

Affliction gets to stay in the MMA business somewhat, gives them at least some “advertising” value for their losses and CBS gets some real talent.

by mmalogic on Sep 13, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its not hating, its a matter of taste

I’m a MMA fan…I want a full MMA card and I’m not going to pay $50 to $60 for a couple MMA fights.

by banter on Sep 13, 2008 11:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

If I wanted to watch boxing, I’d watch boxing.

by pud333 on Sep 13, 2008 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

delaying the inevitable

Thats what it really comes down to if there MMA cards were not selling good to MMA Fans why in the world would a card with way less mma sell. all this does is buy them alittle time and delay the inevitable which will come no matter what. So instead of being gone in january like Mr.D White said I guess it will be next July !!!!

by Shocbomb on Sep 13, 2008 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SInce becoming an MMA fan, I can’t watch boxing anymore. It just isn’t exciting enough…

-AH

by Fight Genius on Sep 13, 2008 11:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Stupid idea

I tune in to a baseball game to watch baseball. I turn on FOX on Sunday’s to see football and only football. When I want to see MMA, I order it. And when I want to see boxing (very seldom, these days), I order a boxing fight. This is an awful idea that reeks of desperation..

by Blackout612 on Sep 13, 2008 12:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I hear you

But I enjoy all forms of combat sports as do alot of my friends, so I think it’s exciting.

by DumbOut on Sep 13, 2008 2:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting idea...

I actually believe this is a good move for Affliction and Golden Boy. It looks like Golden Boy may want to diversify into MMA, the fastest growing combat sport out right now. Affliction gets a proven name in the dominate combat sport, boxing. I feel some of you are missing a big fact; they aren’t trying to sell to MMA fans, but boxing fans. Let’s face it, there’s more boxing fans than MMA fans. Having a card with boxing and MMA adds another dimension. I’m interested to see if they can make this work.

by Akorn on Sep 13, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point. Some boxing fans dont give MMA a chance, and this could be the perfect inroad to those fans who wouldnt buy a strictly MMA card.

by DumbOut on Sep 13, 2008 2:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is an interesting idea, and it needed to be tested.

That said, I am with the naysayers on this one.

Will I pay to see Casamayor/Marquez type fight with AA/Barnett and Lindland/Belfort and several boxing matches. Highly doubtful.

Would I pay to see Oscar/Pacman, AA/Barnett, several mma fights and another boxing match? Highly probable.

Unfortunately, there just aren’t as many compelling boxers out there, that make me want to pay to see them box.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 13, 2008 2:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What Could have Been???

this has been done before on smaller markets mixing the card up with boxing and MMA matches but it was just odd…plus say affliction boost sales on there next card would they still be a successful MMA organization if half the card isn’t even MMA? i don’t think there even in MMA competition anymore if half the card turns out to be boxing plus MMA fights are three 5 minutes rounds…which is fairly short compared to a 12 round 3 minute boxing match say you have another 30 second knock out by fedor..you just payed 50 bucks to watch boxing when you tuned in for a MMA Show hmm why do i got a feeling Dana White Laughed his ass off when he heard this announcement getting Couture back inside the Cage really fucked Affliction there only shot to break in on ratings and get a following was the Super Mega Fight of Fedor vs Couture now that is dead there fucked..plus UFC is gonna sue there ass so i hear for having Couture appear at there first show inside there ring when he was still a licensed UFC fighter..which means more Money Lost i doubt they can compete with lawyers Affliction had the Bank roll but i think there missing the Mastermind Tom Atencio aka the Tshirt guy obviously doesn’t have the Business Sense to Run this Ship either count your losses or get a New Captain cause your sinking by the day

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by Pitbull on Sep 13, 2008 3:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ladies and Gentleman “the Hex” has arrived…

“the news will change the mma industry globally forever”

“this not a cancellation this is a rescheduling”

“we haven’t asked anyone to take a poay cut, I don’t know where these rumors are coming from”

These guys make Gary Shaw look good.

by mmalogic on Sep 13, 2008 4:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m surprised it took this long for a hex reference to show up.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Sep 13, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you smell that?

This reeks of desperation. Does Affliction really think they’ll grow their MMA brand by diluting it? If I’m not mistaken, the purpose of building a brand is to make it a recognizable product. So what is Affliction? Is it a T-shirt company? An MMA promotion? A boxing promotion? Affliction is hugely dependent on hardcore MMA fans, and I’m telling you, there is no way people will shell out $50 for just a couple of fights with a bunch of mediocre boxing bouts.

by pud333 on Sep 13, 2008 6:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thats the one thing I don’t get why would a mma fan buy a PPV to alot less mma and boxing matches which they don’t want to see anyways. If a card full of MMA was not selling to MMA fans why the hell would this ?? There is no way I am going to pay $50 now to see 2 to 3 mma fights and have to watch boxing which I can’t sit threw to begin with.

by Shocbomb on Sep 13, 2008 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And just when you thought the mma vs. boxing debates were gone…

DUN DUN DUNN!!!

by Tonley on Sep 13, 2008 6:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This also from the ESPN article:

As part of its deal with Golden Boy, Affliction will produce a line of event T-shirts for Golden Boy fights to sell at retail locations and at the fight. The first fight it will make shirts for is the Dec. 6 match between Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. In addition, Affliction will become the official apparel licensee for Ring Magazine, which Golden Boy bought last year. It unveiled several sample T-shirts featuring old covers of Ring magazine, including ones of Sugar Ray Robinson.

This, actually, does make sense to me. It may allow Affliction to get some of the money back, they lost promoting MMA, doing what they do best. Golden Boy can make some money off the clothing line as well. I’m skeptical about how well the merging of boxing and MMA will work, but the two companies should gain some revenue through apparel. I don’t think HBO is down with this, and that’s not a good sign for the viability of this partnership.

by Cannon Jacques on Sep 13, 2008 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I called Dana white and asked him if I should watch this. He told me “Fuck this shit the T-shirt guy is a fucking idiot.” Then he told me to save my money because" We got Patrick Cote headlining the next PPV". So i just went out and bought my UFC figurines and UFC officially licensed hoodie, and prayed that EXC and Affliction would just go away.

" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "

by aaronb on Sep 14, 2008 3:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dont see this working, most MMA fans arent going to order a PPV for just a few fights. Only thing this may accomplish is bringing some boxing fans over to MMA, that is if they can even get boxing fans to order. And by the way, its spelled Megadeth not Megadeath.

by metaldome on Sep 15, 2008 11:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs