d, more importantly, lack a solid, convenient, and easy to use navigation bar. MMAFighting, Sherdog, and CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing are three very valuable, unbiased, and information-packed sites concerning mixed martial arts found on the Web. The MMAFighting and Sherdog sites contain the top stories in mixed martial arts, without favoring any mixed martial arts organization or company in particular, and include fighter rankings for each weight division as well as a list ranking the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The major differences between the two sites are the more professional appearance of the MMAFighting site and the easy to use forum found at the Sherdog site that allows the reader to voice his or her opinion concerning the most recent events and news in the mixed martial arts world. CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing is a nice site, but because the site covers mixed martial arts and boxing it is unable to present the reader with all the latest stories and announcements in mixed martial arts. The final two additions to my linkroll, On the Mat and Ultimate Grappling Magazine, offer interesting coverage on recent events and news in mixed martial arts and, unlike many other sites, include instructional videos and articles that allow both the up and coming fighter and the average fan to obtain advice, training tips, and strategies from the best grapplers and strikers in the world.
March 29, 2008
The Exploration of Mixed Martial Arts: Essential Sites and Resources
In order to further aid the readers of this blog I have once again decided to explore the Web in search of valid, useful mixed martial arts information. I have added ten extremely helpful and essential meta-sites (found in the linkroll), all of which meet the Webby Awards and IMSA criteria, that I hope allow my blog to serve as a repository and a resource. The International Fight League, Strikeforce, Pro Elite, King of the Cage, and Pancrase: Hybrid Wrestling sites all share similarities regarding the style of the site and the content found in the stories and promotions, differing only in the fighters, events, and stories they cover. Each site promotes and supports the events and fighters under contract in their respective organizations however the main difference between the sites are the layouts. Often times the layout of the site can determine its validity. The International Fight League, Strikeforce, and ProElie sites are a bit more professional in appearance, beneficial, and far easier to navigate through than both the King of the Cage and Pancrase: Hybrid Wrestling sites that use somewhat unprofessional fonts and backgrounds and, more importantly, lack a solid, convenient, and easy to use navigation bar. MMAFighting, Sherdog, and CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing are three very valuable, unbiased, and information-packed sites concerning mixed martial arts found on the Web. The MMAFighting and Sherdog sites contain the top stories in mixed martial arts, without favoring any mixed martial arts organization or company in particular, and include fighter rankings for each weight division as well as a list ranking the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The major differences between the two sites are the more professional appearance of the MMAFighting site and the easy to use forum found at the Sherdog site that allows the reader to voice his or her opinion concerning the most recent events and news in the mixed martial arts world. CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing is a nice site, but because the site covers mixed martial arts and boxing it is unable to present the reader with all the latest stories and announcements in mixed martial arts. The final two additions to my linkroll, On the Mat and Ultimate Grappling Magazine, offer interesting coverage on recent events and news in mixed martial arts and, unlike many other sites, include instructional videos and articles that allow both the up and coming fighter and the average fan to obtain advice, training tips, and strategies from the best grapplers and strikers in the world.
d, more importantly, lack a solid, convenient, and easy to use navigation bar. MMAFighting, Sherdog, and CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing are three very valuable, unbiased, and information-packed sites concerning mixed martial arts found on the Web. The MMAFighting and Sherdog sites contain the top stories in mixed martial arts, without favoring any mixed martial arts organization or company in particular, and include fighter rankings for each weight division as well as a list ranking the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The major differences between the two sites are the more professional appearance of the MMAFighting site and the easy to use forum found at the Sherdog site that allows the reader to voice his or her opinion concerning the most recent events and news in the mixed martial arts world. CBS Sports: MMA and Boxing is a nice site, but because the site covers mixed martial arts and boxing it is unable to present the reader with all the latest stories and announcements in mixed martial arts. The final two additions to my linkroll, On the Mat and Ultimate Grappling Magazine, offer interesting coverage on recent events and news in mixed martial arts and, unlike many other sites, include instructional videos and articles that allow both the up and coming fighter and the average fan to obtain advice, training tips, and strategies from the best grapplers and strikers in the world.
March 9, 2008
A Deal Is Made: CBS and ProElite, Inc.
In the past week mixed martial arts possibly made its greatest advance in the effort to solidify itself in the mainstream sports world. On Saturday March 1st in a fight that lived up to both the well deserved anticipation and hype, unlike many boxing matches have been able to do in the previous y
ears, Anderson "The Spider" Silva defeated Dan Henderson via a rear naked choke at 4:52 in the second round. As a result, the Pride Fighting Championships (Pride FC) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight belts were unified and Silva (seen on the left) earned the title of undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Though this fight was a groundbreaking event for many reasons, The CBS Television Network made even bigger news on February 28th when a contract was arranged between CBS, a major television network, and ProElite, Inc., "a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events." The two companies have agreed to a multi-year pact that will bring mixed martial arts to a mainstream television for the first time in the sports brief history.
According to representatives from both organizations, "CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's EliteXC fight division, as two-hour live primetime specials targeted for Saturday nights," and if these events are successful everyone involved in the sport will enjoy the benefits. As a sports fan and believer in mixed martial arts, the fastest growing and most entertaining sport in the world, I am thrilled with this contract because it represents a major advance for the sport, allowing mixed martial arts to demonstrate its popularity, dismantle the monopoly the UFC has created, give the fighters negotiation leverage with the UFC, and could possibly result in future contracts made between other mixed martial arts companies and broadcasting companies. CBS and ProElite, Inc. will provide the average sports fan with an opportunity to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the sport. These free events could have a significant impact on the number of mixed martial arts fans and convert followers of the sport to believers in the sport.
This agreement could also disrupt the domination the UFC has established over the past decade. Before CBS and ProElite, Inc. came to an agreement on the contract the uFC was by far the most successful mixed martial arts company, receiving over $222 million in pay-per-view sales in both 2006 and 2007 and coverage from the major sports news channels (ESPN, ESPN2). However, with this union EliteXC will experience great amounts of exposure that could give the company the opportunity to become a legitimate contender to the UFC. That being said, the success of EliteXC could lead to negotiation leverage for the fighters. At this point in time, fighters are unable to successfully negotiate contracts with the UFC and are forced to fight for very little pay because there is not a company that can offer the same exposure, quality, and fame as the uFC, but if these four events are successful and develop a fan base for EliteXC we could see improvements in each of these categories. Finally, the covenant could produce future agreements made between major broadcast television networks and mixed martial arts companies. Should the events aired on CBS reach out to new viewing demographics, receive good ratings, and prove that mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, more contracts could be made between other networks and mixed martial arts organizations (UFC President Dana White has expressed great interest in reaching an agreement with sports television powerhouse ESPN).
Though this is a great advance for mixed martial arts one could argue that the contract could hinder the progress of the sport. Poor ratings and/or a bad representation of the sport may discourage networks from making deals with
mixed martial arts companies in the future. If the fights do not receive the expected ratings and fail to prove that investing in mixed martial arts is an intelligent business move the results could be devastating. The broadcasting networks would be hesitant to contracts with mixed martial arts companies because f the fear of losing money which could keep the sport out of the mainstream sports world for years. Another fear is the possibility that the fights and fighters will not represent the sport well. In a scenario where the fights are boring, slow, and uneventful viewers will be unable to notice the differences between mixed martial arts, the sport often described as intense, exciting, and action packed, and boxing. There is also the possibility, though it is a rare occasion, that the fighter will not represent the sport well by intentionally breaking a rule that prevents serious injury to his opponent (for example, a kick to the head of a grounded opponent), upholding the notion of the sport as human cockfighting. Another situation that could hinder the progress of the sport would be a fighter dehumanizing his opponent after a victory or using obscene words or gestures in the cage. All of these actions could have a negative impact on a first time viewer, resulting in that individual believing many of the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the sport.
This contract not only places a great amount of pressure on CBS and proElite, Inc., but also the employees of the two companies, the fighters and their agents, and all mixed martial arts supporters. Four good shows could takke the sport to the next level, allowing everyone involved in the sport to reap the benefits and four bad shows could hinder the progress of the sport and possibly destroy the momentum and popularity the sport has acquired in the past few years.
ears, Anderson "The Spider" Silva defeated Dan Henderson via a rear naked choke at 4:52 in the second round. As a result, the Pride Fighting Championships (Pride FC) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight belts were unified and Silva (seen on the left) earned the title of undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Though this fight was a groundbreaking event for many reasons, The CBS Television Network made even bigger news on February 28th when a contract was arranged between CBS, a major television network, and ProElite, Inc., "a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events." The two companies have agreed to a multi-year pact that will bring mixed martial arts to a mainstream television for the first time in the sports brief history.According to representatives from both organizations, "CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's EliteXC fight division, as two-hour live primetime specials targeted for Saturday nights," and if these events are successful everyone involved in the sport will enjoy the benefits. As a sports fan and believer in mixed martial arts, the fastest growing and most entertaining sport in the world, I am thrilled with this contract because it represents a major advance for the sport, allowing mixed martial arts to demonstrate its popularity, dismantle the monopoly the UFC has created, give the fighters negotiation leverage with the UFC, and could possibly result in future contracts made between other mixed martial arts companies and broadcasting companies. CBS and ProElite, Inc. will provide the average sports fan with an opportunity to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the sport. These free events could have a significant impact on the number of mixed martial arts fans and convert followers of the sport to believers in the sport.
This agreement could also disrupt the domination the UFC has established over the past decade. Before CBS and ProElite, Inc. came to an agreement on the contract the uFC was by far the most successful mixed martial arts company, receiving over $222 million in pay-per-view sales in both 2006 and 2007 and coverage from the major sports news channels (ESPN, ESPN2). However, with this union EliteXC will experience great amounts of exposure that could give the company the opportunity to become a legitimate contender to the UFC. That being said, the success of EliteXC could lead to negotiation leverage for the fighters. At this point in time, fighters are unable to successfully negotiate contracts with the UFC and are forced to fight for very little pay because there is not a company that can offer the same exposure, quality, and fame as the uFC, but if these four events are successful and develop a fan base for EliteXC we could see improvements in each of these categories. Finally, the covenant could produce future agreements made between major broadcast television networks and mixed martial arts companies. Should the events aired on CBS reach out to new viewing demographics, receive good ratings, and prove that mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, more contracts could be made between other networks and mixed martial arts organizations (UFC President Dana White has expressed great interest in reaching an agreement with sports television powerhouse ESPN).
Though this is a great advance for mixed martial arts one could argue that the contract could hinder the progress of the sport. Poor ratings and/or a bad representation of the sport may discourage networks from making deals with
mixed martial arts companies in the future. If the fights do not receive the expected ratings and fail to prove that investing in mixed martial arts is an intelligent business move the results could be devastating. The broadcasting networks would be hesitant to contracts with mixed martial arts companies because f the fear of losing money which could keep the sport out of the mainstream sports world for years. Another fear is the possibility that the fights and fighters will not represent the sport well. In a scenario where the fights are boring, slow, and uneventful viewers will be unable to notice the differences between mixed martial arts, the sport often described as intense, exciting, and action packed, and boxing. There is also the possibility, though it is a rare occasion, that the fighter will not represent the sport well by intentionally breaking a rule that prevents serious injury to his opponent (for example, a kick to the head of a grounded opponent), upholding the notion of the sport as human cockfighting. Another situation that could hinder the progress of the sport would be a fighter dehumanizing his opponent after a victory or using obscene words or gestures in the cage. All of these actions could have a negative impact on a first time viewer, resulting in that individual believing many of the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the sport.This contract not only places a great amount of pressure on CBS and proElite, Inc., but also the employees of the two companies, the fighters and their agents, and all mixed martial arts supporters. Four good shows could takke the sport to the next level, allowing everyone involved in the sport to reap the benefits and four bad shows could hinder the progress of the sport and possibly destroy the momentum and popularity the sport has acquired in the past few years.
March 2, 2008
Valid and Useful: Mixed Martial Arts Resources
After writing two posts on mixed martial arts I have determined that it is extremely difficult to find valid, useful information on the sport when browsing the Web. Therefore, in order to aid my readers I have compiled a list of essential meta-sites (found in the linkroll), all of which meet the Webby Awards and IMSA criteria, that allow my blog to not only serve as a repository, but also serve as a resource. The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships sites (both are under the same ownership) present the reader with updates on recent events, outcomes of fights, and many informative stories from respected mixed martial arts writers. Although these sites are useful, they are a bit difficult to navigate through in comparison to the World Extreme Cagefighting site. The World Extreme Cagefighting site is similar in style and content to both sites, but is far easier to explore and more "user friendly". The Elite Xtreme Combat site appears to be simple and to the point, but having to scroll a good amount down the page to access the most recent stories can be frustrating. These four sites all share similarities regarding style, structure, and content, the only major difference being the fighters they write about, but the problem with all these sites is the bias they possess. All four figh
t companies have signed different fighters to contracts and naturally the sites promote their fighters in a positive way to help develop a fan base. The biases found in these sites make MMA News valuable because the fighters are evaluated on an even playing field which allows the reader to develop his or her own opinion, without the influence of any biases in favor of a particular company. Although MMA News is insightful and entertaining it is not nearly as professional and powerful as ESPN: Mixed Martial Arts. ESPN, with the help of Sherdog.com, has created a forum that gives the reader interesting fighter evaluations, updates on upcoming events, and informative stories without favoring a particular company. The problem ESPN faces is that, because it covers many companies and fighters, it is unable to focus its attention on the fighters that may not be as well known. Also included in the linkroll are several sites regarding sports management and mixed martial arts agents. Both BDAsports management and Sports-Management.com offer news and support for those interested in the field of sports management however, BDAsports management will be offering a blog and is much more visually appealing, using a unique background and professional font size and color, and possesses an impressive archive of previous articles. The Official MMA Agents Blogg deals more specifically with mixed martial arts agents and allows the reader to interact with highly regarded mixed martial arts agents like Ken Pavia (pictured above). Finally, I have included LAW.COM a site that offers legal news and information, but may be a bit complex for younger readers.
t companies have signed different fighters to contracts and naturally the sites promote their fighters in a positive way to help develop a fan base. The biases found in these sites make MMA News valuable because the fighters are evaluated on an even playing field which allows the reader to develop his or her own opinion, without the influence of any biases in favor of a particular company. Although MMA News is insightful and entertaining it is not nearly as professional and powerful as ESPN: Mixed Martial Arts. ESPN, with the help of Sherdog.com, has created a forum that gives the reader interesting fighter evaluations, updates on upcoming events, and informative stories without favoring a particular company. The problem ESPN faces is that, because it covers many companies and fighters, it is unable to focus its attention on the fighters that may not be as well known. Also included in the linkroll are several sites regarding sports management and mixed martial arts agents. Both BDAsports management and Sports-Management.com offer news and support for those interested in the field of sports management however, BDAsports management will be offering a blog and is much more visually appealing, using a unique background and professional font size and color, and possesses an impressive archive of previous articles. The Official MMA Agents Blogg deals more specifically with mixed martial arts agents and allows the reader to interact with highly regarded mixed martial arts agents like Ken Pavia (pictured above). Finally, I have included LAW.COM a site that offers legal news and information, but may be a bit complex for younger readers.
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