Comments on: UFC could go for a first round knockout against Affliction (UPDATED)

By: Nate

Nate — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:08:09 +0000

I want most of all MMA to be around. Next, I want another promotion like PrideFC used to be.

Unfortunately, there is only 1 proven MMA business model: UFC.

IFL, M1, etc. tried and now Affliction will go to it. I like M1 and Affliction’s model they seem to be pushing, and I’ll be buying into it. But my buy, and hopes & wishes are only going to help so much. The problem is you need the fickle and hard core fans to be interested.

Even I am having trouble getting information about the Affliction event. The fickle fans are not even going to know about it.

MMA is still growing so much, the communication channels still are not built up for fans. Until I found out about this site, I only really followed news on sherdog and news.google.com. It sucked. And I was looking for news all the time.

Normal sports fans follow ESPN, or get updates from their local sports news channels. Most of those commentators dont discuss MMA yet.

By: Michaelthebox

Michaelthebox — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:49:08 +0000

Another thing to note is that, at this point, there isn’t a single promotion in the world that has succeeded at drawing away any significant portion of UFC’s casual fanbase. Strikeforce has become very successful by developing their own fanbase, and EliteXC is basically looking to do much the same thing. Affliction is the only organization that cannot survive without taking a huge chunk of the UFC’s fanbase. The economics simply aren’t there for them to live off the hardcores while building their own fanbase. Unless Trump is willing to lose a hundred million.

By: Michaelthebox

Michaelthebox — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:43:00 +0000

bjjdenver: the difference between Affliction and other incoming MMA organizations is that Affliction is trying to be a top-level organization straight off the bat, with the accompanying costs. All orgs have to work to get the casual fans or build their own hardcore fanbase, but the time frame Affliction has to work with is a great deal shorter due to their insane fighter investments. The UFC can’t do this level of counterprogramming with all competing promotions without losing too much money to make it worthwhile. But it takes time to spread to casual fans, and Affliction is working with a much shorter time frame. One or two counter-shows at the start of their existence may be enough to doom Affliction.

By: bjjdenver

bjjdenver — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:45:51 +0000

#36,

I am well aware that they will have to draw more than hardcore fans to succeed. However, this initial show, while featuring some big names, is designed to get the attention of mma fans, then spread to more casual fans as the promotion grows.

this is not only a huge problem for them, but for any new promotion. The UFC is basically the only org with their own fanbase large enough to sustain them.

I think the best that Affliction can hope for, is to draw us hardcore fans and a few casual fans that may recognize some names and be curious. Of course, I’m sure they are hoping that fans will gather to watch their card, thus exposing their product to some of the more casual fans.

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:14:17 +0000

” How does that work with Chuck fighting for the UFC and Randy at the time?”

At the time it didn’t matter

By: Cliff H

Cliff H — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:57:54 +0000

Affliction has a great card!!!! It is all ex-champs from the UFC or guys that could be champs. Any of these guys could beat Nogueira on any giving night. UFC needs to have a card like this. The last PPV UFC card sucked!!! There wasn’t even a title fight. When is Nogueira going to fight someone????????

By: Cliff Heard

Cliff Heard — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:40:19 +0000

Affiction makes Chuck L and Randy C shirts. How does that work with Chuck fighting for the UFC and Randy at the time?

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:31:59 +0000

I don’t understand why Affliction didn’t use their resources to re-work their hideous clothing line and start heavily pushing fight gear. Instead it seems like they stepped aside and just gave the “unofficial gar/clothing” line of the UFC over to TapOut.

Turn “Heroes and Demons” into a classy logo and start making board shorts and gloves if you’re going to refurbish your company. Not getting into figthing that nobody can seem to do right besides Zuffa.

I know everyone laugh at their cheesy clothes (including me) but people forget pretty fast and people would have complete forgotten about screaming dragon Halloween shirts soon enough with a little make over and expanded line. They were really onto something and now they have a product nobody believes in.

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:12:01 +0000

somebody said something like:

“every battle is decided before it is actually fought”

if the ufc chooses to fight affliction, the battle is already over.

ufc has a nuclear arsenal at their disposal. affliction’s main weapon seems to be a willingness to lose money.

stick to the t-shirt business guys, and maybe smoke a lil less weed.

thanks to affliction for the great card, but they have set a pace i doubt they can sustain.

unless affliction has a “hole card” like a forthcoming network tv deal, they have almost no chance to build a profitable promotion.

i wouldn’t even be surprised if this first card is cancelled.

what’s kind of funny is that i’d bet, in the long run, UFC will sell more UFC t-shirts than affliction. affliction is niche and trendy. you’ll see UFC stuff in Wal Mart and Target, which dwarfs higher end outlets like Nordstrom.

By: jgrose23

jgrose23 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:04:17 +0000

Just a question I’ve been thinking about. Where does Affliction go after this PPV?? It seems they are “blowing their load” really quickly (pardon the phrasing). It seems they are spending A LOT of money on fighter salary for this event. Won’t the fighters (even guys not on this card) be expecting the same type of money from here on out from Affliction??
Plus, what/who do they have for a second show?? Do they put Fedor on every card?? This show seems very short-sighted.