MMA Nation Overtime: UFC vs. Strikeforce
I make the case that the UFC and Strikeforce holding an event the same night in the same city is excellent for the sport of MMA.
almost 2 years ago
Luke Thomas
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I didn’t know Tom Cruise from Collateral was an MMA reporter.
by HeroCasey on Mar 8, 2010 9:06 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
These Immortal vlogs are great
Also I agree that it is a great business tactic by the UFC and it will probably deal a significant blow to Strikeforce ticket sales.
Also, that was the best Dana White impression I have ever seen.
good save
"I fight because I can’t sing, I can’t dance, and it beats working all day. Now ask me a question that doesn’t sound so fucking stupid." – Phil Baroni
by midwestbred on Mar 8, 2010 9:18 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Sweet beard too
Hell yes homo
Paniczoo reincarnated.
by ziiiiing on Mar 8, 2010 4:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Sweet beard too
Hell yes homo
Paniczoo reincarnated.
by ziiiiing on Mar 8, 2010 4:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Double Post My Bad
Seriously that is a terrible beard.
Firefrankwren.com: It's gonna happen this offseason
not to sound like a douche, bur any statement that follows “not to sound like a douche” invariably makes you sound like a douche.
j/l btw
by kanodogg on Mar 8, 2010 9:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Keeping in line with NOT discussing what you discussed in the video
Your hair, and your beard are two different colors. Gnarly.
Also,
by Discman2 on Mar 8, 2010 9:28 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
LOL
Zero chance I ever dye my hair, though. I’d rather get beaten with a rubber hose. Hair dye on men just looks moronic.
Follow me on Twitter: @MMANation.
dude, the greys on the side of your head are awesome…. you’re like a doctor strange/mattbrown/jack shepherd mma cyborg
by cagefightonacid on Mar 8, 2010 3:32 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
It's funny how sometimes post veer off track in the comments into the funny.
Getting back to the topic at hand, I hadn’t really thought much about the “drama” aspect to having two shows in the same city on the same night, but I think there’s an excellent point there. One thing I do think about often in respect to the business tactics and strategies behind MMA promotions is the need for stiff competition. Unlike many who address the topic via MMA blogs, that doesn’t mean that the UFC should be constrained to allow competitors to rise. The UFC should be allowed to beat their competitors to a pulp within the boundaries of the law. It will either eventually yield stronger competitors or destroy the existing, feeble competition. Even if the UFC wipes out its competition within MMA, it still must compete with other similar products like boxing, pro-wrestling and other sports. In other words, the fear of a “UFC monopoly” situation is vastly overblown.
In other words, the fear of a "UFC monopoly" situation is vastly overblown.
I agree completely. Unfortunately the fear of a monopsony is very real, which may not affect us the fans, but has huge consequences for the fighters themselves.
That's an interesting thought.
I’m inclined to believe that the UFC, as powerful as it is within the realm of MMA, can’t completely wipe out all other promotions. In fact, it really doesn’t want to. Zuffa doesn’t have the ability to develop all the talent it needs, and it also can’t employ those who don’t fit into its structure. I suppose that in a theoretical since the UFC could vertically expand to the point where it could adequately accomplish these functions. Realistically, however, the result wouldn’t be desirable. The risk associated with the added bulk would be immense.
My expectation is that there will always be smaller, regional-type promotions along with more well capitalized ventures which come and go. These competitors well help maintain a floor in fighter wages. There’s also some ability for mixed martial artists to crossover to other sports and entertainment businesses. The UFC will have to compete with those potential employment opportunities as well.
by Cannon Jacques on Mar 8, 2010 6:25 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t think the UFC has any intention of wiping out all the other promotions, just those that can compete for elite mma talent. The UFC will be happy as long as no one gains enough of market shares to be able to afford the top talent. As soon as no one else can afford to cross that pay threshold the UFC will have something very similar to a monopsony, where the UFC is the sole employer of elite MMA talent. It can then by depress wages since it’s the only game in town, makes more money than it would in a competitive economy but less money than the economic harm it causes its fighters through lower salaries.
The moment there’s unrest among UFC fighters, someone, or a some group, will put together a promotion of sorts and use what talent they can gather from the UFC. That’s if MMA is still popular. It just doesn’t take all that much of an investment to put on MMA events – much less of a feat than organizing a baseball or football league. I think that pressure, whether real or potential, is enough to keep wages for elite talent up. Then, of course, an MMA star could leave the UFC altogether for pro-wrestling, acting or whatever.
by Cannon Jacques on Mar 8, 2010 8:40 PM EST up reply actions
Really? Look how much trouble Strikeforce is running into and we’re still in the developmental phase of the sport. FIve years from now, if there is no other competition for the UFC how will a new major promotion spring up? They won’t have the branding, infrastructure. TV deals, marketing inroads, fighters under contract or trapped under championship clauses, or anything else with which to compete. They will have to spend millions to build that up, the whole time an 800 lb gorilla is trying to put them out of business.
That is why I believe the UFC is coming down so hard on Strikeforce. Not because they are stealing a share of the market from them, because really they’re not, but because they pose a massive threat to their wage structure and thus a threat to their very business model, where fighters only make up 20% of all revenues.
i really believe the future of mma is gonna be the UFC controlling all the top talent with the 135’s and 145’s in their as well the WEC will be a minor league type organization and strikeforce will either go back to being a minor regional promotion or gone all together
the key thing i think will happen though will be the creation of a UFC fighters union, when the ufc gains a complete monopoly of all the talent this is a complete necessity to happen to make sure the fighters can still be paid and maintain some control of the product they help create
They don’t have to be long-term successes, and they don’t have to have the size and scope of the UFC. If some venture can shell out decent money and offer a short/flexible contract, I think there’s a good chance they can steal talent. Being able to say that you’ve got a “former UFC star” is a big hook even if you don’t have the inroads or exposure of the UFC. Maybe, the venture in question doesn’t have a long-term plan for existence. My point is that the financial hurdle to promote fights isn’t terribly high.
The worst thing for fighters would be that the demand for MMA drops off significantly. If few people care about the sport, few people will care about fighter salaries, and, of course, the overall financial pie will be smaller. I would rather drive the inefficiencies out of the system with uninhibited competition than artificially propping up competitors, because the UFC may strengthen their position in terms of compensation down the road.
Strikeforce can’t really compete with the UFC in terms of compensation now. They may be able to pay a guy here and there a lot of money. They just don’t generate enough revenue through their TV deals. Ultimately, the UFC doesn’t want Strikeforce to compete with them for viewers. I mean, they have to do that before they can compete at the compensation level. Really, the details of the MMA landscape don’t matter all that much. I can’t see the UFC losing their dominant position at this point. If there are some minor competitors, that’s fine. You just can’t have two or more equally strong promotions if the market will not bear such a scenario. Any sort of outside tinkering with the industry’s structure will only damage the overall product.
by Cannon Jacques on Mar 8, 2010 11:45 PM EST up reply actions
maybe you answered your own question.. “it would give SF an identity”. Of course that identity would be UFC’s red headed step child. I think it would be the ulitmate counter, as long as it is a FREE broadcast. Countering with a PPV in the same city would only help SF’s numbers (unless it was like a UFC 100 type of show.)
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