Is CBS Going to Promote Strikeforce's Fedor Emelianenko vs Brett Rogers Bout?
by Kid Nate on Oct 6, 2009 10:04 PM EDT
in News
149 comments
From Michael David Smith responding to questions in his Twitter mail bag:
MMAConvert: See any Fedor commercials during CBS NFL games this past weekend?
No. There are still four more Sundays between now and Fedor's November 7 fight with Brett Rogers on CBS, so maybe we'll see plenty of commercials promoting Fedor during CBS NFL games, but as of right now, I think CBS is missing some opportunities to hype the fight.Hard-core fans universally consider Fedor the best heavyweight in MMA, and many consider him the best fighter ever to fight in any weight class. But hard-core MMA fans are still a relatively small audience, and for this fight to get a good rating, CBS will need to appeal to casual MMA fans and people who have never watched MMA at all.
I think CBS needs to air plenty of commercials explaining to fans who Fedor is, and what makes him such a compelling figure. There's no better audience for those commercials thanNFL fans, but so far, those fans haven't heard a word about Fedor. I'd like to see that change soon.
This comment from the UG by Patrick Freitas - the ex-EliteXC marketing manager adds more:
the promotional value the TV networks bring may be the MOST IMPORTANT factor in a promotion's success. this is true whether we're talking UFC & SpikeTV, Strikeforce & CBS/Sho, and the WEC & VS.
when i was the marketing manager at EliteXC it always troubled me that CBS (aside from the event that followed March Madness) did a bare minumum job of promoting the brand & events. EliteXC's leadership was mostly to blame for its failure, but CBS also contributed by failing to actively promote the brand. and now it kinda looks like they're giving Strikeforce the same red-headed stepchild treatment. its not enough just to broadcast the live event...it has to be heavily promoted to the viewers first, especially with the UFC's monopoly standing in the sport. and 2-3 week out promos just dont cut it...Fedor v Rogers was announced a while ago, so there's been ample time to kickstart the campaign to make it a huge success.
SpikeTV promotes the UFC at every break. CBS cant do the same volume, but - aside from a regular promo schedule - there should at least be more of a concerted effort to cross promote, especially with CBS' sports, late night talk, and morning news programs. there's also available program inventory on the weekends that could be used for a countdown show. and there's also a complete lack of any viral campaign, which is inexcusable given the nature of the fanbase.
It would be entirely typical of a big corporation like CBS to underpromote this fight and then, should the ratings disappoint, turn around and conclude that Fedor or MMA isn't a draw.
Mark my words, Fedor could very well be a bust for Strikeforce and CBS and then go on to be a huge star with the UFC.
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Saw a 10 second clip in the pregame show commercials
Just had a photo of Fedor looking pudgy. Horrible but something.
by sacterre on Oct 6, 2009 8:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yup -- that’s the one i saw too. i guess it’s a start.
www.tapology.com | twitter.com/tapology
by GregS123 on Oct 6, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They typically start slow, and promote more as the event gets closer. Advertising on Saturday’s game between #1 Florida vs #4 LSU will be huge.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
also saw it during the pre-game, was weak though and I’m sure anyone that saw it didn’t think twice about what was going on…
by Reaser16 on Oct 6, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The non-hardcore fans will be foolishly thinking, Who is this pudgy Russain? And if he is so tough, then why doesn’t he fight in the UFC. That is a BIG hurdle for them. I would be willing to bet it will not out perform the Gina/Kimbo card. However, I will be watching. WAR ROGERS!!!!!
Be a man, not a child-Phil Anselmo
by ANance on Oct 6, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just wait until they start showing him KO’ing Arlovski a BILLION times on CBS.
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh
And Arlovski KO’ing Roy Nelson in EliteXC, you know, that guy that just beat Kimbo.
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It does them absolutely no good to show that fight.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol was thinking the same thing
u beat me to it
by 1WAYtiket on Oct 6, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
can they show the Rogers KO of AA also?
Be a man, not a child-Phil Anselmo
by ANance on Oct 6, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If they do that, then it will have no value to show Fedor's KO of Andre.
To the general public it will simply look like both guys have KO’d the same can (not that Arlovski is a can, but that will be the way it looks).
by Razreshat on Oct 7, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And Rogers knocking Arlovski out!
People are going to start to wonder why Arlovski not fighting.
by nottheface on Oct 6, 2009 8:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
what?? are they going to show a two minute long commercial saying here’s this Russian guy you don’t know who doesn’t look like much but you should watch cuz he’s fighting another guy you’ve never heard of who beat the guy, who beat the guy, who beat Kimbo on TUF….
makes no sense. show one KO from each and say Fedor is the #1 HW in the world…casuals will still ask themselves “if he’s #1 why isn’t he in the UFC, why isn’t he UFC Champion, why isn’t he even champion in his own organization?”…but still, just keep hyping him as #1 HW in the sport, intriguing to people…
by Reaser16 on Oct 6, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
I didn’t get into specifics.
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh…was just going off you saying
“Just wait until they start showing him KO’ing Arlovski a BILLION times on CBS. And Arlovski KO’ing Roy Nelson in EliteXC, you know, that guy that just beat Kimbo.”
by Reaser16 on Oct 6, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nelson's standup isn't all that great.
I think the Kimbo scrap showed that. That was a bad standup, though. He was working AA on the ground.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He had his belly on top of AA and he couldn’t get up!
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love the leg kick that starts off that exchange.
More guys should learn to use that.
by Razreshat on Oct 7, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seth Petruzelli is such a big star now, it’s hard to see how you could go wrong promoting the fight as “the fighter who ko’d the fighter, who ko’d the fighter, who beat Kimbo”
by Jahbulon on Oct 6, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hes rumored to be fighting in the UFC soon, isn’t he?
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except that the UFC owns the rights to that footage.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Oct 6, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought that the UFC had the rights to all the Affliction footage.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Oct 6, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Showtime produced Day Of Reckoning, they have rights to it as well. UFC has rights to the Timmy fight, LOL. =) Maybe I am not 100% correct on this, but I believe they can show the footage.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you mean followed by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8WXp3NICk
"I’m not going to stop yelling because that would mean, I lost the fight!"-Kenny Powers
shooter/cutter for AllElbows.com
by ekc on Oct 6, 2009 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psaeeE-7_Ag&feature=fvw
"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"
by blubber_guard on Oct 7, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why would casual fans get excited about seeing the same exact knock out over and over? These are going to be people who don’t really even know who Arlovski is or what that meant by just looking at the clip they are just going to wonder if that is Fedor’s only decent footage because that is all they see. CBS doesn’t need to go down the same road Affliction flopped with in just replaying the same footage over and over and over again they need to actually put together an advertising plan for the show and spend some actual money on creating an advertising campaign for Saturday Night Fights if they actually want to go somewhere with it in the long run. Running the same footage of guy the viewers don’t know hitting other guy the viewers don’t know ten million times just isn’t going to cut it they actually need to do real marketing on this.
That is one of the things that the UFC and SpikeTV do a very good job at, they know how to sell a event and market their product and brand.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You mean the guy on TUF who has no punching power? And the other guy who got dropped by the UFC??
(casual fan’s perspective)
by MMAWrestling on Oct 6, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If that. A lot of casual fans don’t have a clue who Fedor or Arlovski (or Brett Rogers for that matter) are and they definitely aren’t going to get it just by watching one clip over and over and over again.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The footage is the start. Of course they are going to have to put a story behind it. That is obvious, but the footage obviously helps.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s not just putting a blurb over a 30 second Fedor commercial they need to actually have an advertising campaign to promote the event. They have to get people’s attention and tell them why they need to care about the entire event, keying on Fedor at best just puts them in the same situation they were in with Kimbo. They need to sell their actual show and they need a honest to goodness professionally designed advertising campaign if they actually want to start doing this regularly.
The UFC advertises entire events in depth and works hard to build their brand, at best CBS will just push that one single piece of Fedor footage they have access to down everyone’s throat during a couple of football games right before the show. They need to make people actually care about Strikeforce MMA and so far we have seen nothing that even remotely resembles them doing that.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
Fans just say, wow, that one dude just clocked that other dude! Damn!
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fans see one guy clock another guy all the time, hell they can see guys get knocked out on Americas funniest home videos, it means nothing anymore. Heck the AA knock out didn’t even look all that impressive and without the in-depth context of how important that was it won’t mean much.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Eh...
You didn’t need to know who Scott Smith vs Pete Sell to enjoy that.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But it would help if you knew who they were if you were trying to get them to tune in to watch Scott Smith or Pete Sell’s next fight.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t but then I know who both guys are, if I saw that in a commercial and didn’t know who they were and didn’t follow MMA I would just think it was a couple of guys hitting each other. Just seeing guys punch each other in the head doesn’t really explain why seeing two guys punch each other in the head is a must see tv event.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A real brainwashing is now required, cause the task is huge and time is now running out.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Oct 6, 2009 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And that is possible if they will actually do it but right now it looks like we will be lucky to just get occasional 15 second blurbs and the footage of the AA ko for a couple of weeks.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like how everyone makes comments like the event is this weekend. We are still a month away, and CBS started to show more and more commercials as the event got closer.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The fact of the matter is that they need to start blitzing it now and get all the hype they can build for the next month not run an occasional blurb most people don’t notice a month out and wait till the last minute to try and push this thing. Hyping fights isn’t the same as advertising next weeks episode of CSI you have to actually get out there early and start the buzz for the event in a big way now, particularly if you are wanting to make a big splash on network tv. If you can get the hype built up a month out then you may be able to get secondary sources to pick up on it and push it for you too (like ESPN or talk shows).
They are only a month out and all they have done is run a blurb or two during a NFL pregame show, that is the problem. If the event was this weekend then it would already be too late even if they ran 500 ad slots for the rest of the week. This has to be something they get out in front of not something that half ass at the last minute or they are risking having it turn out like the non-Kimbo CBS event. They only have 4 weekends (and one of them is going to be eaten up by Halloween) to push this thing and try to get people to notice. They don’t need casual recognition they really need to start a buzz about the event and that takes time and effort.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re right Supremacy, we should all be COMPLETELY confident in Strikeforce’s ability to promote a show, what the hell were we thinking?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 6, 2009 11:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
So Strikeforce has nothing to do with it huh?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 7, 2009 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We are talking about CBS promoting.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Doesn’t UFC own all the Affliction footage?
by reciprocal on Oct 7, 2009 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, not the event that was produced by Showtime.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
they watched kimbo.
"I’m not going to stop yelling because that would mean, I lost the fight!"-Kenny Powers
shooter/cutter for AllElbows.com
by ekc on Oct 6, 2009 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kimbo got a mega-push before the first CBS event, it went well beyond just a couple of tv commercials. I don’t see ESPN lining up stories on Fedor or them putting Fedor on late night talk shows.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah...
Kimbo was always a relatively easy sell. That’s why Gary Shaw just kept fueling the Kimbo train like did. He had the internet/Youtube stardom behind him compounded with the obvious “tough guy from a tough part of town” image. People knew who he was. Fedor is a great fighter, but the sell’s not so easy to the general public.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fedor just doesn’t look or act like a fighter, I’ve seen more threatening looking guys serving pizza at Chuck E. Cheese. Part of what makes him so unique also makes him a harder sell (not to mention the fact that he doesn’t speak any English).
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fedor just doesn’t look or act like a fighter
What are you talking about?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 6, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It would be nice if they aired some more, but remember that CBS is paying the NFL 622.5 million dollars a year to air the games. That number probably doesn’t include what they have to pay to produce the games.
How much money are they going to turn away from the people trying to sell the grooler in order to try to get people to watch a show that people are going to pay less to advertise on?
Obviously none doesn’t seem like the smart answer, because they need to do something to get some eyes on Fedor, but I wouldn’t expect a total full court press during football games, they’d be throwing away too much money.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 8:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Times are tough and CBS is going to cling to all the advertising dollars they can draw but they do have some opportunities with what they can do to push this show. So far they aren’t doing much of anything here.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yea, I think they have to do something, and something is better than nothing, but I really don’t expect anything near what they had during March Madness during football season. At least not until the week before.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yea they may do a mini-blitz the week before and that will probably be it. It seems to be as much from them not caring/understanding the need to push it as it does them not wanting to spend the money to push it.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
^This is important.
I think they should promote Strikeforce some during the NFL games, but that’s expensive real estate we’re talking about. I’ve always heard that FOX and CBS attempt to recoup the cost of NFL games by promoting their programming. In other words, the cost of the games is greater than the immediate ad revenue. Revenue has to be generated secondarily through bolstering viewership in regard to the rest of their lineups.
Obviously, it would make sense to promote the Fedor vs. Rogers show, but they would have to anticipate it paying off in the end. I doubt it would be worth pushing aside say spots for regular programming to plug Strikeforce. I’m guessing they’ll do a little something during the games, but it will be only a week, maybe two weeks out. That’s just my guess.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s why the promo that they showed this past weekend was in the Pre Game show of the NFL games.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
off topic but CBS has the worst of the 4 pre-game shows…
by Reaser16 on Oct 6, 2009 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Off topic or not it’s true.
Just BE.
by mattman73 on Oct 6, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know how bad they are because I haven’t watched their pre-game show in years and I am willing to bet a lot of other people just don’t watch them either. Even if the games I want to see are on CBS I don’t watch their pre-game show.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ESPN is infinitely worse. I hate every single person on their panels so much. Their opinions are flat and contrived. The analysis is straight re-re. And the mere sound of their voices makes tiny baby orphans cry.
I specializes in grammar fail.
by a tommy point on Oct 7, 2009 3:10 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yup, ESPN is garbage also…especially these days, on all their football coverage, when I was a kid though I used to love NFL Primetime (old highlights show before and after Sunday Night Football when ESPN had those games)…but ever since they lost the nightly highlights show to NFL Network ESPN has sucked, Berman used to be awesome back then also, now he’s terrible…
still better than CBS though, CBS since they returned to covering NFL has had a terrible pre-game show, and post-game show has been a joke for years. Always comes to the studio, someone starts to say something, JB cuts them off and says “we’re out of time” and just thats it, 5 seconds, it’s happen like 20 times the past 3 years…
FOX is entertaining but what I do is wake up at 6am, watch NFL Network, then put on ESPN at 8am on my other TV, then at 9pm put FOX pre-game on the main TV, NFL Network’s on the other TV and ESPN on the third TV and CBS on the computer (supercast), watch all 4 but sound on FOX and NFL Network…then it’s game time…
really though, NFL Network is the best for everything, rarely watch ESPN besides live sporting events now, just keep my TV on NFL Network all day. (only people that seem to “hate” NFL Network are the ones who don’t have it or don’t know enough about to football to understand the greatness of shows like playbook, around the league and obviously NFL Total Access everyday which has actual knowledgeable people talking about football)…
by Reaser16 on Oct 7, 2009 3:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
FOX is entertaining but what I do is wake up at 6am, watch NFL Network, then put on ESPN at 8am on my other TV, then at 9pm put FOX pre-game on the main TV, NFL Network’s on the other TV and ESPN on the third TV and CBS on the computer (supercast), watch all 4 but sound on FOX and NFL Network…then it’s game time…
Do you live in an Applebee’s or something?
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Robert Downey Sr. on Oct 7, 2009 3:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
nope, all i “do” is watch sports…figured put my money towards directv, every sports ppv package, every channel and 3 TV’s (only 2 are HD tho) and two computers so I don’t miss anything…
by Reaser16 on Oct 7, 2009 4:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only two people I like in all of ESPN are Peter Gammons and Kirk Herbstreit
And Erin Andrews is purtty…
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Robert Downey Sr. on Oct 7, 2009 3:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's still expensive.
I don’t see them getting too far out on a limb, but a little is certainly better than nothing.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yea, that’s the key.
The only spots that have a chance of magically turning into SF ads are the one’s that are currently on for Survivor, CSI, NCIS, whatever else they are promoting themselves, and those shows are already giving results to CBS.
Elite got a lot of viewers, but (especially when you consider ad sales) those shows can not be considered a success compared to some other programming on CBS.
All of this will show exactly how serious CBS is getting behind this. They have to have learned by now (and so should everyone else) that the card isn’t going to promote itself.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are opportunities to promote in-game as well. FOX does it all the time. How many times have we heard Troy or Joe Buck say, “be sure to catch Family Guy sundays at 9 right here on FOX?” It’s a simple little 5 second drop that at least gets the name out there. We have no idea whether or not it pays dividends, but as you are saying, something is better than nothing.
It would be simple for them to say, “Watch Fedor Emelianenko, the world’s most exciting fighter, square off against the dangerous Brett Rodgers when Strikeforce comes to CBS Nov 7.” That quote is not my opinion, just an example.
It’s really not that hard to do, if (and it’s a big if) CBS wants to wholeheartedly promote and get behind this thing.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 6, 2009 10:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Hopefully CBS does more then the 10 second “happy holidays” bit they did with kimbo and his mom when he was fighting for elite xc.
by billthemarine on Oct 6, 2009 8:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Nauseating hand shake.
It looks like Fedor is going for a manly clasp but Rogers gives him the limp fish. I hate those.
by casey manrique on Oct 6, 2009 8:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
They need to get a clip of Fedor saying
if he dies… he dies.
I dislike Matt Hughes.
by MonkeyCHops on Oct 6, 2009 8:44 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Drago, FTW
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Robert Downey Sr. on Oct 7, 2009 3:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My Texans only play on CBS, I haven’t missed a game and I still haven’t seen anything on this. Been wondering the same thing. Mayhems title fight is another selling point but nothing. I really really really hope we see a barrage in the coming weeks. I remember seing Kimbo EXC ads 2 months in advance I think.
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 6, 2009 9:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I caught a little of their game Sunday.
Gus Johnson was losing his shit during it, so at least he’s not just ratcheting up the craziness for MMA.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gus Johnson loses his shit during every sporting event, he can make the worst NFL game that weekend seem like the SuperBowl…he really is a great football and college basketball announcer….as for boxing and mma, not so much
by Reaser16 on Oct 6, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This, a thousand times. LOVE me some Gus, but it breaks my heart that a lot of MMA fans hate him because of the Kimbo-Seth call. He’s phenominal outside of MMA.
"That feeling after you win and they raise your hand... it's like you have this energy that releases from your body, and it's like you mingle with the cosmos, and you feel omnipotent"
by woomikee on Oct 7, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He does the Knicks games also, same thing there too
by superap on Oct 6, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He’s been calling our games since I can remember. Then EXC debuted on CBS and I was like…Gus? lol After those few EXC shows he called I heard a lot of “GROUND..AND POUND” out of him during the football games. I’m like lolwut?
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 6, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I generally get all the Texans' games.
I’m a fan of that other Texas team that’s making me crazy at the moment; I don’t necessarily watch all the Houston games.
by Cannon Jacques on Oct 6, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The team with the new sweet ass Stadium and ginormous HD screen? Yeah, I’m jelous. lol We have a ton of Cowboy fans over here in Houston. Bud Adams really did a number on us so we had to go somewhere else for our football fix. San Antonio really needs a team too.
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 6, 2009 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ugh, San Antonio sports teams...
If San Antonio had an NFL team, they’d just keep running the ball for 3 yard gains and kick tons of field goals.
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Robert Downey Sr. on Oct 7, 2009 3:30 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Aw, hey now =(
"That feeling after you win and they raise your hand... it's like you have this energy that releases from your body, and it's like you mingle with the cosmos, and you feel omnipotent"
by woomikee on Oct 7, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ok, yeah… that makes sense…
o_O
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 7, 2009 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m curious to see how they promote Fedor as the #1 HW fighter of all time when CBS/Strikeforce has no footage of him. I know the UFC owns Fedor’s footage from Pride and but I’m not sure about his footage from Affliction.
by steveoc24 on Oct 6, 2009 9:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I believe Showtime owns the Arlovski beat down.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought
Fedor had some weird agreement with PRIDE that he actually owned promotional rights to the fights and materials involving him. I’m not sure if that’s accurate or not however.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There’s still some issues with that.
“Pride worldwide, LLC” was able to get youtube to take down a bunch of Fedor fights that Affliction was using to hype Banned.
by Phildo on Oct 6, 2009 9:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah – I was definitely not 100% sure on that (I guess they aren’t either). But, I thought I remembered this being an issue that arose when Zuffa bought PRIDE way back when. The rumour at the time was that they’d discovered that some bigger name fighters, Fedor in particular, owned the promotional rights to their fights and footage.
I guess we’ll see if they’re (SF/M-1) ballsy enough to push the issue – but I bet they’ll show the AA fight and any other Japanese/M-1 “co-promoted” footage they can…if they show anything! lol
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It might also be a situation where M-1 owns some rights internationally but not in the US too.Footage rights (just like everything else) seems to get very convoluted where M-1 is concerned.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Affliction and Fedor can show the footage Internationally, outside of the USA.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have no idea how the rights were agreed upon b/w PRIDE and Fedor, etc. – but why would a Japanese based company that had little interest in the US market (until they were dead weight with the yakuza scandal) give international rights to footage but carve-out the US rights?
I mean, I can see the business reason, i.e. they wanted to preserve those rights if they thought they’d branch out to the US later, but based on the way the company was run – I’m not sure I’d just immediately assume that US rights were carved out.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pride had a deal with FSN in the US(why SpikeTV hasn’t been running Pride clip shows yet like they do with UFC fights) and Pride was trying to expand this way to make up for their problems in Japan, at the end the US market was a focus. Two of their last big shows were in Vegas.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah – I was aware of the US expansion at the end of PRIDE’s run and their obvious inclination to striking it rich in the US when they lost their tv deal…as I said, I’m not sure how the contracts were worded or negotiated, but they only got into trying to make head-way in the US for their last year or so of existence and I’m sure there were contracts in place with Fedor and other guys before this.
Just because they started promoting PRIDE in the US, doesn’t mean that they didn’t have deals in place prior to that with the fighters…i.e. the FSN shows might have required PRIDE to pay Fedor to show his fights since this was part of his “international territory”.
Again, I’m not privy to the timing or specifics of the agreements, but it seems a little odd to just assume that international rights would exclude the U.S. if PRIDE was a Japanese company.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Regardless
SF and M-1 seem so disorganized and inept and CBS so disinterested, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t know what to do with the footage if they had the rights to it.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I mean, they had Gina – one of the most popular/known names in MMA and did absolutely f-all to promote her last fight. A fight with a very dangerous opponent, that ended up taking a lot of the shine off of Gina’s promotional heft.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Never...
If Gina fought again, she would still be a draw, just like that Kimbo guy. Plus Gina is WAAAY more credible as a top fighter.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Think the UFC owns the Affliction footage too, with the exception of the event Showtime produced. That is why Strikeforce can run the Arlovski footage but they never run anything else.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, for their purposes, thats all they need. I mean the Timmy KO would have been nice but they can do without it. =)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
hell they should advertise during tuf if kimbo fights again. they could do it, it’s a regional thing. :)
by bdw on Oct 6, 2009 9:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
“CBS and then go on to be a huge star with the UFC.”
I think you mean then go to dream or sengoku …. fedor is staying clear of the ufc
by cagefightonacid on Oct 6, 2009 9:35 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
After SF
UFC is the only big payday left. I don’t think DREAM or SRC has the ability to pay the way they used to in Japan.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very, very interested in how Fedor does on CBS, compared to how Kimbo did. (of course, Gina was also on those too…)
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Oct 6, 2009 9:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Gina was a bigger draw than Kimbo, I believe, or comparable.
=)
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 6, 2009 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope they fly her out to make an appearance that night.
Actually… I hope a lot of things.
I hope they ramp up the promotion for this.
I hope they promote Mayhem as well. HE HAS A FANBASE!
I hope Gina makes an appearance.
I hope Mayhem wins.
I hope Fedor wins.
I hope Mousasi wins.
I hope Lashley signs and gives a great showing.
I hope they get rid of the ramp and pyro.
I hope they step up the music.
I hope they promote their next show with Diaz vs Hieron headlining.
I really hope they get rid of the meat dummies. People will just think its Halloween related.
I hope Frank Shammy gets swine flu and has to skip the show. Militech> (actually just about anyone) Shamrock.
That’s a lot of I hopes. Damn…
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 6, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
lolwut?
I didn’t even know Gina fought on those cards until about 8 months ago. She wasn’t 1/4 of the draw Kimbo was for those events.
It wasn’t Gina getting KTFO’d by a dude with pink hair that killed EXC.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 6, 2009 11:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Gina was a bigger draw than Kimbo, I believe, or comparable.
=)
Now let’s pretend Gina was in the UFC and Kimbo was with Strikeforce, Supremacy’s comment would read like this:
Kimbo was a bigger draw than Gina, I believe, or comparable.
=)
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 6, 2009 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
From Rome:
Gina is a draw, you can see it in the ratings breakdown. Her fight brought in about a million new viewers, and then viewership stayed relatively flat until the main event.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That does nothing to refute what ufc4 said. You spin Zuffa down and no-Zuffa up.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Oct 7, 2009 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m sorry, I don’t see where in that quote it says anything about Gina being a bigger draw than Kimbo. I wasn’t disputing the fact that Gina is a draw, obviously she is.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 7, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have to admit...
I’m looking forward to free MMA… on CBS… with Fedor VS Rogers as main event. People will be saying, that black guy was doing so well, then they went to the ground and he lost? Wut?
by cyph on Oct 6, 2009 9:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Or this dude looked so heavy but when he got hit it was like he stepped on a land mine.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Oct 6, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That actually is one of the things that could work in their favor with casual fans, they don’t know just what a huge mismatch this is and even if they were told it was a mismatch they would probably think it was in the huge black guys favor instead of the guy who looks like he works at the local gas station.
by who me on Oct 6, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m curious to know whether they could use footage from TV shows where UFC fighters have talked Fedor up. I know GSP went on some non-Zuffa show and said he thought Fedor was the best fighter in the world. Maybe they could get that.
by JRN on Oct 6, 2009 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That would be a pretty good idea having all these UFC fighters or recognizable people who have said on tape that “Fedor is the best”…adds to the interest/credibility of SF’s claim if all these people say it too.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you wanted the UFC to own everything Strikeforce related after a very short legal proceeding, yeah it would be a good idea.
The UFC owns the rights to their fighters, including, but not limited to, promotional videos and likeness.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 6, 2009 11:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
So if a UFC fighter went on the Tonight Show, Zuffa would own the footage and not NBC?
by JRN on Oct 7, 2009 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lol
No, but Strikeforce would have to get permission from NBC and said UFC fighter/the UFC to use his appearance on the show in any promotional tools.
The Soup gets away with this because they have obtained the rights to replay portions of shows from all the broadcasters and production companies.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 7, 2009 9:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t want anyone to be confused, I’m always a fan of free MMA. I hold no ill will towards Strikeforce and think they actually put a somewhat decent product out there.
That being said, they really shouldn’t put themselves in a position to give the UFC any power over them whatsoever. I just this entire endeavor ending very badly for Strikeforce.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 7, 2009 10:00 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
^PLEASE DELETE^
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 7, 2009 10:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t want anyone to be confused, I’m always a fan of free MMA. I hold no ill will towards Strikeforce and think they actually put a somewhat decent product out there.
That being said, they really shouldn’t put themselves in a position to give the UFC any power over them whatsoever. I just see this entire endeavor ending very badly for Strikeforce.
Don't argue for the sake of arguing....
by Screwface on Oct 7, 2009 10:01 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Mmmm…I’m not so sure on that.
Pretty sure SF would have to go get permission (read: pay) whatever show they appeared on for the footage (I.e. Inside Mma, BDSSP, ESPN) and not necessarily the UFC.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 7, 2009 9:20 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
It’s way too early to say anything. We go through this every show…fight advertisement is completely meaningless until the week of the show, or in the case of this one, the last 2 weeks. A viral campaign about Fedor would be nice, but probably wouldn’t add much.
At some point if Fedor bombs yet again people have to stop deluding themselves about what he means as a draw.
by Michael Rome on Oct 6, 2009 10:57 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
I think the issue is that people believe there is tons of potential to market Fedor and have seen several organizations who have failed to capture that lightning in a bottle.
At this point I really think the UFC is the only promotion capable of doing this and they have a proven track record of being able to do it.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Oct 6, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
At this point I really think the UFC is the only promotion capable of doing this and they have a proven track record of being able to do it.
this
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Oct 6, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is especially true because the UFC appears to own all the rights to the tools necessary to do the job right.
And by appears, I mean that if the UFC didn’t , then don’t you think Affliction would have been using Fedor Pride video all along?
If Fedor ever comes over to the UFC they will make him into a huge sensation.
by Razreshat on Oct 7, 2009 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s way too early to say anything. We go through this every show…fight advertisement is completely meaningless until the week of the show, or in the case of this one, the last 2 weeks.
Exactly.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 7, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Strikeforce is a cheap show that CBS can throw on a night where they don’t usually get many viewers. They will not give up valuable ad money to roll the dice to make a show that they are already making money on do well.
Sorry, but the truth, she hurts.
Keep firing Assholes!
The Leafs are back!
by Ubernoober on Oct 7, 2009 1:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
CBS should advertise like crazy during Saturday night’s Florida LSU game. But Fedor will have to completely dismantle Brett Rogers to win any more fans. He’s a relative unknown in the states (other than those self-proclaimed “hardcore fans”) If he was smart he would be fighting in the UFC, and fighting some REAL talent.
by coachbarbour on Oct 7, 2009 9:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Strikefoce’s dilemma is that for every positive they possess (national tv, the consensus #1 HW in the world), there is a negative (a low priority for said national tv station, lack of funds, said HW is relatively unknown with little to no film to market him with).
So what should Strikeforce do?
1) They have to get ads on the air, as many as possible. The problem is how much does CBS want to commit their available in-house ad time to a once a season sporting event? It is likely that their interest in mma is do the fact that they think it is cheap, but hopefully they see the benefit of early promotion to get the ball rolling.
2) Get co-promotion going. How many of the CBS college football or NFL crew are into mma? I don’t know, but those that are give them the green light to talk up Fedor as much as they want during broadcasts. The other broadcasters can throw one line pitches out ("November 7th the baddest man on the planet is coming to CBS’) but nothing draws viewers like a trusted referral.
In addition use the Letterman and Ferguson show. Try to book Fedor, Rogers, or Mayhem to either of them. If not as a guest at least as part of a bit. And more importantly, see if they can be booked with a guest that has a knowledge of mma and who Fedor is. Nothing will sell better than seeing a Vinnie Jones or a Dwayne Johnson on Letterman acting all excited that “Oh My Gawd” Fedor is here. Maybe you can get Herschel Walker to go on with them.
3) You have no footage to market Fedor, so play up the mystique. I would run a series of promos featuring recognizable figures talking about the honor of finally seeing the best fighter in the world in America. Imagine ads with NFL players like Jared Allen or Kellen Winslow jr , who, as an added benifit would also be relatively affordable, discussing what it’s like to see Fedor fight. You do spots with NFL stars, some actors, maybe even Shaq if you can get him cheap, I would also do spots of Tim Sylvia and Andrie Arlovski talking about how they’ve never faced a tougher opponent. Imagine seeing 3 or 4 such spots one Sunday afternoon. You going to tell me you wouldn’t want to see who Fedor was going to kick ass on after that.
Those are just my suggestions. We’ll find out November 8th if CBS and Strikeforce know what they’re doing.
by nottheface on Oct 7, 2009 1:43 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Some very good ideas there.
SHOGUN WILL SLAY THE DRAGON!!!
SHOGUN TO BE THE NEW LHW CHAMP!!!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Oct 7, 2009 6:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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