Jamie Varner Isn't Happy With the WEC's Marketing:
"…That’s one thing I don’t like about the WEC, they put all their marquee dollars into Urijah Faber, so when Urijah lost his world title to Mike Brown, it’s like who is Mike Brown? And then I’m fighting the main event for this fight coming up, and you would have no idea that I’m the main event in Sacramento, cause all we’re doing is pumping up Urijah Faber. And the fight in San Diego, all they’re doing is pumping up Urijah Faber."
"I love Urijah, and I’m grateful I get to be piggy-backed with a guy I look up to. I look up to Urijah Faber. I think he’s a great success story in the sport and he’s one of the most positive guys I’ve ever met. He’s really changed my life, just talking to him and being his friend for the past two years, he’s really changed me. But as far as business goes, I don’t think it was good business for the WEC, they need to spread the wealth, they need to build up the lightweight division. They need to build up the guys like Jose Aldo and Mike Brown. They need to build up everybody like Brian Bowles, Miguel Torres, and Joey Benavidez, all those guys in the 145 pound division - Scott Jorgensen. But instead, all they’re doing is focusing on Urijah and I don’t agree with that."
over 2 years ago
Anton Tabuena
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well he is... kinda..
he’s upset that their main event bout isn’t being promoted…
by Anton Tabuena on Jan 6, 2010 12:58 AM EST up reply actions
well, this IS how you promote the main event bout.
First you get people to care… once they care, then you can sell them Jaime fucking Varner. Repeat steps one and two enough then you can replace Urijah with a “Varner”.
Simple really.
When I say “get them to care” I mean get them to watch…. and then when they watch you sell Varner and Benderson.
Do this enough then you can promote Varner and Benderson from the outset and people will care.
Right now nobody would care.
yeah,
and I kinda get both sides, even what Versus/WEC is doing, since it is Faber’s hometown, and he’s a huge draw in Sacramento… but if they play their cards right, and if the LW title fight turns out to be very entertaining, then they can market Benson/Jamie better in the future.
Sucks that this card isn’t getting a lot of marketing though.. It’s actually one of the most stacked WEC cards, especially compared to the last one.
by Anton Tabuena on Jan 6, 2010 6:26 AM EST up reply actions
Valid point...
6 months ago, but the WEC certianly looks like they’re now focusing on the whole, rather than their marquee guys. If Varner defends, I’m sure he’ll see some love too.
"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate
agreed. plus this guy has been on the shelf for how long, and he’s complaining that he’s not getting enough of a marketing push?
he needs to let his fights speak for themselves, and then the popularity/drawing power will follow. unfortunately, a few of his recent performances have been remembered more for controversy than his own dominance. if he can beat henderson in convincing fashion, without coming off like a reject from vh1’s tool academy, then the fans should rally around him.
look at aldo. he wasn’t pissing and moaning about a lack of advertising. he was out there finishing fights in dramatic fashion, and earning his newfound recognition.
You can market a winner, you can market a loser, but it’s tough to market a guy who’s perceived to be a wiener.
When a fighter wins by technicality, it’s smarter to play it off as a tough break for both fighters than to go to the media and tell how bad your boo boo owie is.
by casey manrique on Jan 6, 2010 10:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with Varner, the WEC needs to promote more than just Cerrone, Faber, and Torres. Torres and Faber both get more attention from the WEC brass than the guys who beat them and it’s not like they were flukey wins for Bowles and Brown, either.
It can probably be chalked up to the marketability of Urijah and Torres over the others and the fact they both had respectable reigns, but the WEC really should spread the love, especially with such rich and exciting divisions.
Check out my articles at www.fightlockdown.com
I don’t really like Jamie Varner, but he’s got a damn good point. I think the WEC has reached a point where it has become a world-renowned promotion for the lighter weight classes. People all know Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres, so mentioning their name just once would suffice for heavy popularity.
They should instead focus advertising the accomplishments of the guys who deserve the attention, but don’t get it. Guys like Ben Henderson, or Scott Jorgenson, or Takeya Mizugaki, or Josh Grispi. I actually met Brian Bowles at WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber II, and honestly had no idea who he was; neither did anybody who was sitting around me. Now I feel like an idiot for being totally ignorant of the guy who just knocked out Miguel Torres.
The WEC advertising staff is to blame.
Because Jamie Varner has a marketing degree.
He should worry less about his air-time and more about his opponent. Leave the marketing to people who know what they’re doing.
Other than the fact that their worst selling PPV over the last 2-3 years is almost triple anyone elses best selling PPV?
Hey Huggies
I think Varner knows the marketing guys are doing nothing for him. But he needs to destroy his next opponent, or at least break his arm and defecate in the cage.
Urijah has the highest ratings of all the WEC events. WEC is gettin you exposure through him dude.
He’s the biggest start they have. WEC is going to use Urijah to get butts in the seat and eyes watching. All those people will finally who you are.
by snakecharmer1340 on Jan 6, 2010 5:26 AM EST reply actions
Faber had an aging name to beat in Pulver who gave him credibility. There’s no one like that for Varner that he can beat. Since that’s the only way the WEC has made any stars, ain’t gonna happen. Besides: why spend millions to create confusion among fans about who the champion is with someone who is barely top 20?
Urijah is going to sell tickets and get ratings Varner. Chill out. You can't.
Don’t kid yourself dude.
by snakecharmer1340 on Jan 6, 2010 7:52 AM EST reply actions
My bad...
Just got a warning for fighter bashing in this thread, just wanted to apologize to the fine folks here at BE. It was a poor attempt at humour on my part.
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