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More problems between Teddy Atlas and ESPN
By Zach Arnold | February 2, 2008
Remember all the rumors last year that there was some possible interest in business happening between UFC and ESPN?
UFC tends to like to control their matchmaking and production. This latest story is just another example as to why Dana White wants full control of what happens with the UFC product.
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
No wonder Teddy Atlas wasn’t on ESPN2 tonight. They replaced him with Roy Jones Jr. If there was ever a straight shooter, especially in the boxing business, it’s Teddy Atlas. If you ever hear him talk and hear what he says, you would think that he doesn’t give a damn about anything. On the contrary, he cares too much. He doesn’t care about what people THINK of him, but he loves boxing and cares deeply for it. He got suspended by ESPN a few years ago for attacking an ESPN employee, but it looks like he onyl spoke up about matchmaking, and didn’t get physical. To the hardcore wrestling fans; Teddy Atlas would probably be boxing’s equivalent of James E. Cornette. A hot-headed dude with a temper who cares about his chosen sport/entertainment.
I have no idea how this would be comparable to a promoter specific contract with the UFC, given that ESPN works with any promoter (theoretically) that offers them a card.
The whole point of dealing with ESPN and HBO is that they want to have creative control as to what fights air on TV and which ones don’t. Do you think UFC is going to work with outlets that have these kinds of policies in place? Not a chance.
The whole point of dealing with ESPN and HBO is that they want to have creative control as to what fights air on TV and which ones don’t. Do you think UFC is going to work with outlets that have these kinds of policies in place? Not a chance.
I don’t think you understand the criticism that came from Atlas. Atlas is upset that ESPN’s head of boxing is making lousy fights because he’s in with the promoters, and thus gives them first crack instead of alternate promoters who may be offering better TV cards. Its happened before when their previous head of boxing ended up being pushed out the door in Bristol, CT for the same exact thing (Secondsout.com wrote an article about it 4-5 years ago).
In the case of the UFC/ESPN deal, it would be promotion exclusive. If past history is any indication (that being the last promoter specific deal with Sugar Ray Leonard’s now defunct group around 2004), the UFC would likely get whatever they want. They’re probably more worried about a Teddy Atlas type going on TV and telling everyone how shitty the fight is.
A few points I will make, some of them not directly related to the article, but are of the same flavor….
1. I hear a lot of hardcore fans saying that the UFC needs commentators who are not hired by Zuffa. I completely disagree with this line of thinking. I say this because I look at the available alternatives.
a) HBO Boxing Type: As much as this commentating team is professional, they bring so much negativity to a broadcast that it can be depressing listening to them. I want to watch a fight and be entertained, not be manic depressant afterwards. So even the MMA equals to these guys would be bad. Not like there is any, but you get my point.
b) EliteXC Type: These announcers are hired by Showtime. However, they are bigger cheerleaders for the “House” Fighters then Joe Rogan is. Just watching the ShoXC fights, they were overstating many of the skills. And I have yet to hear them rip apart a fight like Joe Rogan has with Tavaras’ latest, or the O’Brien/Herring fight.
c) UFC Team: Yes, Goldberg can get annoying a little bit. And they might understate a steroid case. But is there really that much missing from the telecast with them? I really don’t think so. They do a good job at getting the fans excited. They do a good job throughout the telecasts. Why fix it if it ain’t broken.
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2) Does ANYBODY really want HBO or ESPN to have control of what Zuffa puts on TV? Honestly, I do not. I would say once every 3 cards, there is 1 undercard fight that should be on the main card. Beyond this, Zuffa has done a perfectly good job at presenting the best fighters during the main telecast. Why mess with this success? HBO messes up boxing by allowing rematches at odd weights and not for titles (Pavlik/Taylor II), and various other garbage.
Hey, I will admit the UFC machine isn’t perfect. But I agree with Zuffa’s stance on this one. They know what they are doing when it comes to matchmaking to the CASUAL FAN, and how to present a card to those viewers. And the announcing team does a fair enough job that nobody else in the business could do better.
a) HBO Boxing Type: As much as this commentating team is professional, they bring so much negativity to a broadcast that it can be depressing listening to them.
They bring negativity to shitty fights because at least there is the aire that you have some objectivity there, even if its not. This is beside the point that the people they have are way, way better. C’mon, you think Goldberg is on par with Lampley and Rogan with Merchant?
b) EliteXC Type: These announcers are hired by Showtime.
Are they? Because I think they’re picked by Gary Shaw. As is, no one seemed to have huge problems when they worked PRIDE events. Now suddenly that the veneer of “MEGA SHOW” has disappeared, people see Quadros and Ranallo for what they are.
But is there really that much missing from the telecast with them?
They are told to and do what they are told. Understate a steroid case? How about ignore completely? No one else exists by UFC except when they need to build someone’s credibility. Goldberg is among the best PBP guys in MMA, but given the competition, does that mean anything? There’s only one network with its own announce team/production crew, and its HDNet, and oddly, they might do the best job of anyone.
Honestly, I do not.
Burkman/Swick is a glorified KOTC main event. I know you think differently because they were on a reality show, but you look at where they are in the 170 picture and its undeniably true. Now, you’d be upset if HBO demanded a better fight than that?
HBO messes up boxing by allowing rematches at odd weights and not for titles (Pavlik/Taylor II), and various other garbage.
You obviously don’t understand HBO’s connection with boxing. They can’t force Pavlik/Taylor II to not happen at 166. Its not their call. If they don’t televise it, Showtime or Top Rank will do it themselves.
This entire argument is hilarious. You guys are arguing that the UFC intentionally doesn’t want ESPN to control matchmaking because ESPN will allow bad fights (????). Meanwhile, the UFC is allowed by Spike to essentially televise whatever the hell it wants. That means the UFC can put on mediocre cards like the last UFN with no one at the network complaining about the talent level put on TV or the matchmaking. Uh….
I agree completely that the UFC commentating team is extremely lackluster. Not to mention old and stale. Neither are real sports broadcasters. Rogan is a pothead comedian (who contstantly screws up names…ahem). The only other sport I’ve seen Goldberg do on tv is airplane racing. yeah. The UFC product is stale and rotting.
Regardless of all this, the most important reason that Zuffa is 100% wrong in this situation, is because this stance on control has lost them deals with HBO, CBS, and now possibly ESPN. Come on now. How can you argue that Zuffa is right if all theyre doing is shooting themselves (and more importantly, the fans) in the foot?
What exactly is a “real sports broadcaster”? When sports journalists are asked to write about the sport we get Kevin Iole. What would make broadcasting any different?
What exactly is a “real sports broadcaster”? When sports journalists are asked to write about the sport we get Kevin Iole.
MMA is still in a pretty infantile stage, you know. There’s not a lot of guys out there who write about MMA. The few that exist that aren’t beyond awful are thus able to get opportunities.
What would make broadcasting any different?
You can get someone capable to learn on the job for money. They’re not willing to pay anything and so that’s why Goldberg has been there for a billion years.
Rogan might be a comedian who smokes up, but he describes the ground game better to the casual audience then anybody else in the business.
Agreed that MMA is still infantile. My point with mentioning Iole was that everybody here rips his articles apart. A professional broadcaster with limited MMA knowledge would be even worse than Goldberg and draw more of the same scorn from the hardcores that Iole gets. If the UFC is still this big in a couple of years I’d agree it’s probably time to look at new announcers.
And from what I’ve read, Goldberg is making some pretty decent money, rumours were that he was offered something like $500,000 per year by WWE and turned it down because he said Zuffa made him an offer that was good enough to compete with it.
I’m sure Goldberg makes decent money, but I also remember that his fear that it could affect his career as a sportscaster played into it heavily.
For 45:
Rogan might be a comedian who smokes up, but he describes the ground game better to the casual audience then anybody else in the business.
Who else is there in the business? There’s Bas Rutten, Frank Mir, Jeff Blatnick, and Eric Apple. Mir might actually do a better job, come to think of it.
Mir might be better at describing the ground game, but Rogan is much smoother and better at controlling the flow of commentary.
There simply aren’t many available good options. One option I haven’t heard is Jay Glazier, the one time I heard him commentate an EliteXC fight I was surprised and impressed.
Regardless, commentary is a frickin joke in most sports. Expecting the UFC to give up two serviceable options that are already tied to the brand makes zero sense.
For as much railing is there is on the HBO team, I really don’t see them as negative. In fact, I think one of the biggest strengths of Jim Lampley is to crystalize the absurd and embue it with its own momentary importance.
For instance, one of my favorite Lampley calls in a host of many, is from, of all things, Sturm-De la Hoya:
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way. It was supposed to be a perfunctory set-up for another mega-fight. It was supposed to be a set-up for one of the biggest fights of the last 20 years.
Now, it’s High Noon in Las Vegas between Oscar de la Hoya and Felix Sturm. That’s right… … …Felix Sturm.”
Or, him making Ron Paul jokes during Spinks-Taylor qualifies, too.
As well, the UFC crew don’t even call the fight. Goldberg plugs stuff and defers questions to Rogan. It’s not terrible, especially given the competition, but it’s not great.
Also, HBO has greatly cleaned up their act from a time where their influence actually hurt the sport. A couple years ago, when big network deals were forcing garbage like Vargas-Vanderpool and Mayweather-Bruseles, there was a problem. In the wake of Showtime kicking ass in 2005 with their boxing programming, HBO have gone back to basics and have been pretty damn good since.
SamScaff Says:
I agree completely that the UFC commentating team is extremely lackluster. Not to mention old and stale. Neither are real sports broadcasters. Rogan is a pothead comedian (who contstantly screws up names…ahem). The only other sport I’ve seen Goldberg do on tv is airplane racing. yeah. The UFC product is stale and rotting.
Mike Goldberg worked as a broadcaster for many events and/or teams previous to his UFC job. He has done play-by-play for the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and other NHL games on ESPN2. He has also worked as a studio host for college football games on FSN.