Dana White Against the Media, Part 666
by Nate Wilcox on Jan 1, 2010 4:43 PM EST
in MMA News
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PrintAriel Helwani has an interview with White that clarifies what got under his skin about Jake Rossen and the rest of "the Internet":
The reason? It's because the "real media" that Dana cares so much about actually takes their lead from us, the dorks on the Internet who actually know the sport.
Here's the article that set Dana off, from the LA Times:
Last summer, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship prepared for its 100th event, its owners were poised to celebrate that the combat sport of choice was no longer boxing but mixed martial arts.
Things have changed a bit.
Today, fight fans are whetting their appetites for the most anticipated bout in years. And it's boxing that has the buzz because of the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight scheduled for March.
And the UFC? It's been hit with a slew of injuries to key fighters and other negatives that have watered down its recent events.
...
Typically, UFC's New Year's Day and Super Bowl weekend cards are big events, but both cards for 2010 look weaker than usual.
It's nice to see that Dana is belatedly realizing that in the 21st Century any outlet with an audience should be taken seriously. If the President of the United States has time to sit down with bloggers, maybe Dana White should rethink his no access policy.
In the Helwani interview, Dana White disputes the contention that the UFC is losing momentum but it's indisputable that it has lost momentum. He says "we're not losing momentum, we had a freak string of injuries." This is a "the dog ate my homework" line of argument and in the real world, just like in the 6th grade no one cares. You either deliver or you don't. Right now the UFC isn't delivering on the two biggest cards of the year, New Year's and the Superbowl weekend.
When "Internet writers" say that the UFC is losing momentum, it's because they have. They were on a relentless upward curve that peaked with UFC 100 and 101. But since the failure to sign Fedor Emelianenko in early August, the UFC has been holding steady, but not growing at a meteoric rate. That's what it means to lose momentum.
The UFC should be able to regain momentum in 2010, but there's no arguing that the second half of the year didn't continue to growth at the same frenzied rate of the first half.
See also:
-
Dana White: Promote Me or Get Out of My Way -- Michael Rome
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The Phantom Menace: The Alleged 'Anti-UFC' Bias of Sherdog.com -- Luke Thomas
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keep shootin that dope, loyalists
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Jan 1, 2010 5:26 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I don’t recall ever siding with Dana in this debate, I agree he’s being a dick, I just don’t think we need to hear about it every fucking day.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 5:46 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Err
ufc4 has been against Dana in this whole recent string of criticism.
Blackout612- "Wuts teh UFC?"
Ubernoober- "It like two guy who just stand and swing for fence and try to knock each other shit out it awesome"
Right
I mean, it’s pretty obvious that overall I’m a Dana nuthugger, but on this point I think he’s completely off base. To think that the UFC should be completely immune to criticism is ridiculous. Do I agree with the Sherdog article he keeps referencing? No, but I think he handled it the wrong way, just like he did the whole Loretta Hunt fiasco. But I also don’t need to be beaten over the head with it everyday to realize his mistake, anyone with half a brain can figure out this isn’t the best way to deal with the issue. For the most part blogs and other MMA media are good for the sport, sometimes they write things that aren’t helpful to the sport or the UFC but you can’t expect everything to be 100% positive, if it was then it would be pretty boring and also very transparent. If he doesn’t like what they write he shouldn’t read it, his getting mad and throwing around F-bombs isn’t gonna make it go away.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 7:05 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
ha
im just dickin wit ya brah. emotions are high around here lately and i figured youd be game to fuck wit. i shoulda made it more joke-like
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Jan 1, 2010 11:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
That’s the problem: a innocuous article gets a few things wrong and he goes off. If he would be quiet it would have passed. Instead, he and his surrogates run an insurrection against the clueless internet dorks. Why? I’m starting to think that he intentionally wants to keep this alive. He’s smart, is good for the UFC and the sport, and he’s a dick. None of those have to be mutually exclusive.
i dont beleive the ufc is losing momentum, pl, It is just injuries, thats all, what do u want them to do, make them fight injured?
No one’s blaming them for the injuries, it’s just the fact of the matter. Injured fighters means slowing of big events. They’ll heal.
Dana trying to whitewash it is the problem.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jan 1, 2010 4:13 PM EST up reply actions
i don’t think white-wash is the right term… not trying to be a dick
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 4:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I just wish he would admit that there’s been a slight stall.
Saying there’s no loss of momentum, but injured fighters, is weird, because injured fighters caused the slow-down.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jan 1, 2010 4:32 PM EST up reply actions
What stall?
The UFC had a banner year in 2009, shattering all of their prior PPV records. The final quarter of the year hasn’t been as good as the third quarter, but expecting them to maintain the kind of numbers they put up in the summer is crazy talk.
by Steve4192 on Jan 1, 2010 4:39 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
What stall?
The final quarter of the year hasn’t been as good as the third quarter,
That stall
by capital L on Jan 1, 2010 4:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And the thing with this sport is that it can be back "on" again really rapidly.
Regardless, some people seem quite caught up in some sort of moralized view of the sport, wherein the UFC requires our unceasing praise, else one is a traitor.
yup
Ricky Hatton came closer to beating Manny Pacquiao than Marquez did to beating Floyd.
-SC
by The Lethal Haze on Jan 1, 2010 6:36 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed – I really think this is just really bad luck, hardly anything permanent.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Jan 1, 2010 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
How is that a stall?
Most companies measure their business on a year to year basis (ie comparing 4th quarter 2008 to 4th quarter 2009), not a month to month basis. You can’t compare their December numbers to their July numbers and declare that there has been a stall. July-August-September was the biggest quarter in the history of the company. Claiming that anything decline from those numbers represents a stall in their business is ludicrous.
If we are to compare the last quarter of 2009 with 2008, 2007, and 2006, it is more than a stall: it’s a retreat. Let’s compare the total number of ppv buys for the last 3 cards of each year:
2009: 1,496,000
2008: 2,225,000
2007: 1,350,000
2006: 1,850,000
Now obviously if Brock hadn’t fallen I’ll and Rampage hadn’t caught the acting bug we would probably betalking about the 1 million more buys the UFC had this year and the great BJ Penn vs Diego Sanchez/Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort co-main event tomorrow night. But, unfortunately, it happened and now they have overcome this, hopefully, temporary setback.
by John Nash on Jan 1, 2010 5:04 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
I would need to see the actual revenue versus profit percentages to make any accurate decisions. With PPV dollars only accounting for 50% of the UFC revenue these numbers mean absolutely nothing.
And I guess we're never gonna get that
because the UFC is privately held. Should everyone stop talking about their financial success, failures, dominance, etc? There would be at least 25% less content on this site then… and a whole lot less comments.
Ricky Hatton came closer to beating Manny Pacquiao than Marquez did to beating Floyd.
-SC
by The Lethal Haze on Jan 1, 2010 6:38 PM EST up reply actions
Actually according to mmapayout and Zuffa’s most recent S&P report the gate and ppv account for 75% of their revenues, but they are beginning to diversify.
by John Nash on Jan 1, 2010 7:18 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Here’s the thing, the time of year that the UFC puts the card on really doesn’t matter for PPV buys. So they traditionally put on big cards on Superbowl and New Years….this past year they had their highest selling card ever in July. I don’t care if it’s Valentines Day or the middle of August, if UFC loads up a card with stars it’s going to sell big. They don’t need a special weekend.
Obviously the balance has shifted this year, with the first half being so strong and the latter half being riddled with injuries….but do you really think that Brock’s return won’t sell a ton of PPVs? Or GSP?
You twist the numbers to make it look bad, but the fact is UFC had 6,265,000 ppvs in 2008, and 7,955,000 in 2009. The fact that they didn’t all come in the last 3 months of the year doesn’t make the 27% increase over 2008 not an increase.
You got to read the whole thread
What you have written is my point: that the UFC has fallen into a slump because of a string of bad luck. It was meant as a reply those that are saying that the UFC hasn’t slown down at all and that the last few cards didn’t due any worse than previous years. But they’r ewrong. Obviously things have slown from the go-go summer and did due as bad or worse than previous years in their fourth quarter., I’m sure they’ll go right back to printing money as soon as Brock and GSP are back, but for right now, they’ve hit a little snag.
I thought you guys were talking about the stall this dead horse used to live in.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 7:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
i guess i see what you’re saying… but i mean, a stall? the stall sure hasn’t affected my buying. the last fight card was pretty awesome i thought. buuuuuut, i know what you’re saying…
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 7:25 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly, if Brock and GSP were healthy this wouldn’t even be an issue. It’s not an excuse like “the dog ate my homework”, it’s a fact.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 4:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
I don't believe you are completely comfortable with the concept or definition of the term "momentum."
It’s not a value judgement
just when i started to really like this site, they go and post something negatvie again about the ufc,. Man i wish there was a site that loved mma, and gave it praise, and really tried to make this sport take off.
by #1 piggy on Jan 1, 2010 4:12 PM EST reply actions 7 recs
I like you as a poster
when I append “/sarcasm” to the end of each of your posts.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Jan 1, 2010 4:27 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
Honestly I’ve been wondering recently if some of the really reactionary comments were just sarcasm that I wasn’t detecting—it’s difficult to tell in text-form after all.
That oliverstoned guy has got me stumped.
by John Nash on Jan 1, 2010 4:34 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I say we just act as if they are.
If we are right, we get good humor (not ice cream, sorry Fedor). If we are wrong, we aren’t feeding the trolls. It’s win-win-win!
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
by pdl on Jan 1, 2010 4:55 PM EST up reply actions
not this again
the reality is that there HAVE been a irregular amount of injuries… in the ‘dog ate my homework’ excuse, the kid is lying, dogs don’t eat homework… hopefully this will be the last article for this week about dana’s lovable attitude toward the media.
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 4:17 PM EST via mobile reply actions
ariel helwani is really good. he keeps improving.
www.tapology.com | twitter @tapology
by GregS123 on Jan 1, 2010 4:19 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
this is true! he’s podcast is the best, only reason lukes comes in second is because you have to download them in 3-15 min segments
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 4:22 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think hes losing momentum.
I dislike Matt Hughes. Shogun beat him like a dirty horse.
by MonkeyCHops on Jan 1, 2010 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
yes
yes i agree aslo , he is one reporter that really loves the sport, and want to see it grow
Someone name me one MMA reporter (or even blogger) that hate the sport and want to see it fail.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
by spectaa on Jan 1, 2010 4:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don’t think I’m ready to believe this story until Brent Brookhouse writes his version.
by DirtyML on Jan 1, 2010 4:23 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I’m looking forward to your article explaining why Dana White has such a feel-good relationship with the web-based media.
I’m looking forward to the piece that explains why Dana needs to have a feel-good relationship with bloggers and web media whose only audience are already fans of the sport.
Because they often lead the stories that end up getting reported in the more traditional media sources?
I mean, that was his whole objection to the coverage in the first place right? What page are you on?
I haven’t seen Brent’s “Dana White is a big meanie head” article yet, is that one due tomorrow?
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 4:24 PM EST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
all of the reporter who dont think the sport will be huge , in the future,,Alot of bloggers and reporters are diasagreeing with dana, out of spite
I must say
it’s an honor to have Dana’s grandma on BE
by Scott Haber on Jan 1, 2010 4:28 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Wow, lighten up. It’s an article. If you don’t want to read it then don’t. I’ve lost a lot of respect towards a lot of commentors here. Most of you are really turning into “Negative Nancys”.
Be a man, not a child-Phil Anselmo
by ANance on Jan 1, 2010 4:29 PM EST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
So it’s not ok for the commenters to be negative, but it is ok for 90% of the articles to be, makes sense.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 5:21 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 3 recs
i don’t want this site to turn into a ‘negative nancy’….. i can’t believe we’ve begun to use grandma sayings
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 7:18 PM EST up reply actions
almost everyone hates dana, but if it wasnt for him, and a few others , we wouldnt be here having these lovely conversations
Still waiting for you to name some of the reporters who want MMA to fail
You sure change subjects quickly.
by Scott Haber on Jan 1, 2010 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Which of course means Dana is never wrong about anything and having the audacity of questioning him means you want MMA in any form to die off the planet.
who really acts like that besides a few trolls?
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 7:20 PM EST up reply actions
I just realized you guys don't like the sport and want to see it fail
I am also going to stop reading Nikki Finke because she obviously hated movies and wants to see them fail. Otherwise why would she write so many stories about the mistakes the industry is making, right? Her job is not to provide in-depth analysis, but to tell me why the Hollywood will be bigger in 2020 than it ever has been.
by John Nash on Jan 1, 2010 4:33 PM EST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
It is amazing how one little staged video blog rant can touch off such a hard hitting, in-depth investigative series. With the exception of the Fedor sweepstakes this summer, Dana’s Rossen rant is getting more coverage than any other story of 2009.
You guys are like a dog with a bone.
Presumably, this is more or less what Dana White intended to generate
At least that’s my take. He’s a blustery guy, but he generally seems aware of what he’s up to.
by capital L on Jan 1, 2010 4:42 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
This is part funny, part pathetic.
Dana knows that all he has to do is be critical of the bloggers and they will come a running, foaming at the mouth.
Some folks I have had a lot of respect for are acting like ten year-olds.
Cofield and Ariel do a decent job, but most of the bloggers are spazing out. I especially loved Rome’s insistance that Dana was physically intimidating Steven.
by Lynchman on Jan 1, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The same people who slam Dana for his “hyperbole” and questioning his position as a promoter because of his behavior… what are they upset with?
For Dana slamming them (the internet media) for using hyperbole and negative press to get hits and page views and questioning their position as “media” because of their behavior.
Random ass thought
A few years from now when Papa Shango pulls out his magic juju again and the anticipated main event of King Mo vs. Bones Jones for the UFC LHW title along with some of the other good matchups fall through, can we count on Dana calling up Sherdog and calling Greg Savage a douchebag to drum up more coverage?
I think he got Mo and Mo-usasi mixed up.
by ufc4 on Jan 1, 2010 5:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
come on…. mo can’t catch up with jones at his age
by cagefightonacid on Jan 1, 2010 7:21 PM EST up reply actions
Dana White and 666 is kind of harsh to use in the same sentence, don’t you think Nate?
by The Bronzeville Bully on Jan 1, 2010 5:00 PM EST reply actions
I just realized, Dana is a genius
Nothing generates interest like controversy
So why not have a harmless self manufactured controversy to call attention to your event.
Anytime a card is lacking in casual fan interest, just get angry at someone call them and A%^$*%^, people will get outraged and talk about you non-stop.
The brilliant part is, he can do it whenever he wants and it still gets the same reaction.
It will work until people stop caring about his tirades.
by IRodC on Jan 1, 2010 5:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Tell me if I'm wrong but
While we’re talking about dana, we don’t talk about the card itself. Medias cover the polemic, and not the card, and that’s exactly why Dana was pissed at in the first place.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
Dana's a hypocrite
Paraphrasing Dana: Believe me, when you guys eff up I will be there to tell you that you effed up.
But the “media” can’t criticize him or the UFC? I like Dana but he’s wearing thin. Look, this card isn’t the greatest but I’m excited for it, I’m ordering it and recording it because I have to get up for work at 3:30 am. For him to gloss over the fact that it’s not a great card is fine because he’s a promoter and that’s his job. For him to keep going on about this and say things like he said above is ludicrous and he’s coming off like BJ Penn after a GSP fight. Stop your whining and crying Dana. Stop complaining that everybody is out to get you. You are a businessman and the face of the sport. You may not be in it to make friends or anything but your representation as the face of the business is starting to make the sport look a little bad.
"I will do nothing lightly. When I walk, I will walk heavily. When I fight, I will fight with conviction. When I speak, I will speak strongly. When I love, I will love with everything"
we've said it time and again
but helwani delivers in every interview, he asks great questions, and seems to have an awesome rapport even with someone like dana.
Plus, he pointed something pretty important out… like him or not, dana is very accessible to everyone and always has an answer for peoples questions. Thats one of Dana’s better aspects.
So since UFC 107 did way better than predicted is it safe to say the lost momentum has now been reversed?
Or how many events in a row do we have to string together to determine the lost momentum factor?
I can’t wait for next year when all these injured UFC Champs return on consecutive events and we get to read all the articles on how much momentum the UFC has once again.
I personally think looking at such a small sample set by picking a handful of events out and screaming lost momentum is a bit unfair. Especially in the sense that the depiction of the lost momentum don’t seem to be fair assessment of all the variables at play here. To me a more fair approach would have been to also include how the UFC managed to deal with all the variables.
Just BE.
I don’t agree with White’s attack on internet media, yet their proclamations that the UFC is in decline or trouble are way too early. We’re looking at a very short term here – one which has been troubled by events outside of their control (injuries etc.). When they did manage to put together a solid card untroubled by these events (107) it did very well. This fact makes me believe that had the cards remained relatively untouched by these events that the numbers would be good. Its not surprising that injuries and changes are going to lead to a dip in sales. All in all, it was a monster year for the UFC. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be eating crow at this time next year.
The fact remains that no other organization has the stable of fighters and depth that the UFC does. They are going to remain the top promotion into the future. If people are going to lose interest in the ufc, that doesn’t bode well for any North American based organization or MMA fans in general.
UFC is in decline or trouble are way too early.
My god…
Who honestly thinks that the UFC is in decline? All people are saying is that injuries has led to UFC 108 to become a less desirable card than before and that some don’t see the UFC being the biggest league/sport/whatever in the next 10 years.
The way some people are acting you would’ve thought that BE said that Strikeforce was going to buy Zuffa.
by Tonley on Jan 1, 2010 5:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Dana may say stupid shit but at least hs sticks to it. Im sure many would have back tracked by now. I thnk there is a method to the madness that reporters should help in a manner that fits building the sport, but to think that you can have one side witout theother is foolish on Danas part.
Yeah i believe the media should help in some manner to build the sport (try to give weak cards some footing by talking about lesser known fighters such as daily) but in that same breath they should also voice displeasures just as much (the 10 point muxt system, reffing etc).
Hit eneter too quick
with all that said the media don’t HAVE to do it would just be good for the sport.
How I see it:
1) Dana White is an asshole, perhaps top-10 in sports.
2) Dana White is smart, hence the UFC’s success
3) Dana White needs to shut the fuck up once in a while, as to not hinder the UFC’s success
4) Dana White has more money than me, so what the fuck do I know
5) I have a full head of hair and no man-titties, so Dana White can kiss my hairy ass
…
6) Happy New Year!
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Jan 1, 2010 5:31 PM EST reply actions 8 recs
Rec'd my southern brethren lol
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
He's telling the truth
I felt him up and they were nothing to write home about.
by John Nash on Jan 1, 2010 7:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
well i did starve myself after you said my butt was getting big
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Jan 1, 2010 11:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think its hilarious that the "media" loves to criticize Dana
for the things he says, and overlook the weak shit that other “journalists” write because it is an opinion. The funniest thing is that while Dana may use more aggressive/foul language, so its seen as worse by you guys… I think “journalists” and “bloggers” lose sight of their biases and mask it with this mythical “responsibility to be objective” when in a lot of cases that just isn’t the case.
I'm like PacMan fightin you silly kids... throw ya Hatton the ring, and get knocked outlike Ricky did.
lol.
by Loot on Jan 1, 2010 6:40 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Honestly, who does it benefit to have an article declaring _ card is going to suck? I can’t recall ever opening up ESPN.com and seeing “This weekend’s Lion’s game will probably be crap, is NFL losing momentum???” but that’s basically the jist of a lot of these posts this past week.
Do you have to blindly follow UFC/SF/whoever and never break rank? Of course not. But when blogs are churning out what amounts to glorified forum posts saying that they think UFC’s next event is going to suck, who does that benefit? I sure as hell don’t care to read that shit…we get it, there’s no stars on UFC 108. Why not educate us on the lesser known guys there? Do some journalism and write about the story that’s there.
People are basically taking a few bad injuries and stringing that into some doom and gloom story about how UFC has peaked and is going to decline now. It’s silly, and you don’t see it in any other sport. If the Lakers lose Kobe to injury and drop a string of games, do media outlets start writing that the Lakers are in a decline? No, because it’s obvious that when the injury ends the team will be back at strength. But there seems to be this need to sensationalize it, and I’m not sure if it’s deliberately misstating the facts to make them seem scarier, or someone being just THAT deluded.
BE is one of my favorite MMA news sites, stop trying to change that with this self serving garbage. Nobody cares if you’ve got beef with the head of UFC. Report some news, that’s what we’re here to read.
by Jason H. on Jan 1, 2010 10:19 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
actually we’re here for news, opinion and discussion… but one out of three means youre a great baseball player
We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.
by Anthony Pace on Jan 2, 2010 12:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
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