RDS (Canada) report: Stephane Patry is bringing back Strikeboxing
By Zach Arnold | May 13, 2009
Jean-Paul Chartrand has a report claiming that Stephane Patry, the former promoter for TKO in Quebec and the former agent for Georges St. Pierre and David Loiseau, will be bringing back Strikeboxing as soon as the end of this Summer, likely in the United States first and then a tentative date of November in Montréal with Steve Bossé as the headliner.
Ryan Harkness reports that the Quebec athletic commission is messing around with MMA promoters not named UFC. Read his report for more details.
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thoughts on ESPN E:60 video piece on Dana White
By Zach Arnold | May 12, 2009
For all of the hype about how ‘controversial’ the segment was supposed to be, ESPN’s E:60 profile of Dana White came off as just another media piece on the UFC President. There were a few comments from critics, but it was largely a positive profile interview with White that frustratedly repeated a lot of myths and slogans.
For starters, the Zuffa Myth was in full effect here. Dana White didn’t have to say a thing, as Tom Farrey and others on camera claimed with a straight face that it was White who instituted weight classes and ‘cleaned up the sport.’ Second, White continued with his slogan that UFC “will be bigger than the NFL and soccer in 10 years.” This laughable sales pitch goes right up there in legend with Vince McMahon’s “I took wrestling out of smoke-filled rooms” sales pitch that he’s been hawking for a couple of decades.
White tried to claim that he’s made more fighters rich than people on Wall Street lately. Let’s call the MMA scene right now for what it is — if we are going to use Wall Street terms to describe what UFC is right now, right now it is a value play. They have a consistently strong core audience on PPV that is very loyal (except when given lackluster main events like Rampage vs. Jardine) and the houses do sell out in markets they’ve established. However, it is clear that UFC alone is not going to expand the MMA marketplace pie internationally. They may be able to run a show in Australia or in Europe, but they are not going to make a dent in Japan or China any time soon. As Dave Meltzer has pointed out in the past, UFC’s international blueprint basically is following the lead of WWE and copying where they make money successfully.
The story on UFC in today’s era as the one major MMA promotion running the show is that they know how to do business in North America, but it has not translated into major success internationally so far and the long-term growth prospects internationally look good, but not great.
And one more note about the MMA market — at least in media circles, I see more contraction than growth. Sites like Fight Opinion have always kept an even level of readers because we’re not mainstream by any means, so there’s less volatility. However, if you look at some of the more prolific big-name MMA sites, you clearly can see signs that traffic is down everywhere. One thing we have all learned is that the only MMA sites that are successful use a message board format. Sites that use more pro-style layouts or try to have long-form columns do not attract the same eyeballs as the message board style format. For all the heat that Bloody Elbow gets for using their SB Nation platform as more of a message board-style format, they should be given credit for figuring out a web style that works with the MMA audience and sticking with it.
On a personal level, the greatest irony of ESPN’s segment on White was his discussion about how he ran away from the mafia in Boston and packed his bags to go to Las Vegas, all while Tom Farrey discussed how the UFC swallowed up PRIDE without saying why PRIDE ended up getting swallowed up and what led to the company’s demise. ESPN also failed to mention the current lawsuits launched by both Zuffa and Sakakibara (which are scheduled to proceed this year and next year in American courts.)
Overall, I found the E:60 piece on Dana White to be not informative and, at times, painfully frustrating to watch.
Ivan Trembow notes the glaring holes in ESPN’s E:60 coverage on White. Remember, the focus here should be on Farrey and ESPN rather than Dana White, since we already know what Dana’s public schtick is.
Rob Maysey says that ignorance is not the reason for the misrepresentations being made by the media in covering UFC.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 50 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
A preview of coming attractions on ESPN’s E:60 show with Dana White
By Zach Arnold | May 11, 2009
This Tuesday at 7 PM EST, ESPN will air footage that they taped of a recent interview between Tom Farrey and UFC President Dana White. On top of that, The Albany Times-Union is reporting that Bob Reilly (New York assemblyman) will preach his gospel on ESPN’s airwaves to keep MMA out of New York state.
Jake Rossen has an article detailing five of Dana White’s best decisions he has made as the boss of UFC.
Here’s a preview of coming attractions on the E:60 video piece on White:
“I don’t know of any sports leader who’s more polarizing than Dana White,” Farrey said. “But so far he’s survived and thrived. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit. He knows how to put together the fights the fans want to see, and he makes great use of promotional techniques to build up his fighters.”
In good press on the MMA front, Houston Alexander (who recently pulled out of UFC 98) is garnering good press attention for helping out an unsupervised little girl. As you could imagine, Houston is getting lots of attention in his home state of Nebraska.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ESPN/MMA Live on YouTube (week of May 7th)
By Zach Arnold | May 9, 2009
The first clip is a year-in-review type piece with MMA highlights from 2008, along with a Q & A mailbag session with Kenny Florian towards the end.
The second clip is an interview session with Jake Rossen, covering the Sengoku 8 show in Yoyogi. Plus, highlights from Kyle Maynard’s MMA debut match in Alabama.
The MMA Live show now has a Twitter feed, which can be accessed at:
http://twitter.com/espn_mmalive
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Sengoku, UFC, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Video interview: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
By Zach Arnold | May 8, 2009
Topics: Brazil, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 14 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Dana White or John Hackleman, who will Chuck Liddell side with?
By Zach Arnold | May 8, 2009
One has a lot of money and wants to force his friend into retirement, offering a cozy post-retirement PR job. The other man is a long-time trainer who has been there for the ups-and-downs.
Chuck Liddell hasn’t publicly declared 100% that he is retired, and for a fighter who has one fight left on his UFC deal, he sure doesn’t seem ready to give up just yet. Sherdog is reporting that the feud between UFC boss Dana White and Liddell’s long-time trainer, John Hackleman, is heating up. Hackleman says Liddell hasn’t made a decision yet on his career, to which Dana White characterizes Hackleman’s position this way:
“Obviously, John Hackleman didn’t pay his house off yet. John Hackleman needs some money, because anybody who claims they care about Chuck Liddell even a little bit would not be making these f–king statements,” White told Sherdog.com Thursday.
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“How many great, talented guys do you see coming out of John Hackleman’s place?” White asked. “He’s no Greg Jackson. He’s no Mark DellaGrotte. He’s no American Top Team. He’s not one of the great camps. Chuck Liddell made him.”
Even more fascinating than White’s comments on Hackleman is the fact that he gave comments to Sherdog. This business makes strange bedfellows, sometimes.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 27 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Roy Jones, meet Kermit Cintron
By Zach Arnold | May 7, 2009
Granted, there’s a big difference between the two fighters as far as their backgrounds go, but at least Dana White is consistent – no boxer vs. MMA fighter match-ups.
Jones, realistically, is no longer a major marquee draw. Cintron wasn’t, either, so from a pure business standpoint there is no real reason for White to accomodate either man. (If Roy Jones means a lot of money, then where are the buyrate numbers for the March Badness show from Pensacola?)
However, it does not mean that White isn’t acting hypocritically here — remember, it was White crowing about MMA around the time of Rampage vs. Liddell when everyone and their mother was pushing the “Is Boxing Dead?” storyline. Cintron, to his credit, made a challenge to fight in the cage and White backed down from it.
Other than that, I can’t really muster up much emotion on this topic. I will say that even though it’s the wrong messenger, the irony of NY politician Bob Reilly saying Dana White isn’t a person you want to do business with is amusing.
“I don’t believe this is a person who really would be a person that you’d want to enter into business with,” Reilly says.
White isn’t willing to change to appease a lawmaker. “There’s nothing I can do about that,” he says. “Am I not going to be me?”
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 24 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
iPhones, net phones, and software
By Zach Arnold | May 6, 2009
I am testing out a plug-in that will allow this site (and other sites I run) to be viewed easily on iPhones and other net phones. So far, so good… but with posts only, not pages. A lot of my themes and site designs are page-reliant in terms of displaying information. For WordPress users, do you know of any mobile phone themes/plugins/apps that I could use or integrate into this site that would allow for a page-heavy theme to look better on a mobile phone? Please let me know.
I will try to integrate the plug-in I am currently working on (a posts-only plugin) in a couple of days, so if you enjoy reading this site you will be able to do so on your mobile phone — albeit the features that you like on the site (the automated headlines) will have to be viewed in normal web-browsing mode on your phone.
I’m somewhat new to trying to modifying themes to work on mobile phones, so if you can help me out — please do so. All of these improvements are being made to make your life easier, which in turn makes my life easier, too.
Topics: Media, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Two credibility issues brewing in the MMA media
By Zach Arnold | May 4, 2009
I was told long ago by a copy editor that criticizing anyone by name in the media is a no-no, in that it only attracts heat and does nothing for you.
Then again, I’m not exactly afraid of drawing heat if I think there are legitimate questions to ask.
Luke Thomas at Bloody Elbow has long been a champion for UFC giving MMA blogs credentials to cover their events. I have been mostly on the fence on this issue, slightly leaning towards ‘no’ in regards to UFC giving out credentials to bloggers. For me, there are several reasons as to why I don’t think the MMA media deserves credentials and a lot of it has to do with some ethical questions in regards to the behavior of certain writers. Make no mistake about it — I am not here to paint the entire media sector with a broad brush and label everyone as completely unethical and lacking in integrity.
However, there are a lot of issues right now with the MMA media that really have caught my attention and I’m concerned about where things are heading. I wanted to highlight a couple of interesting situations that have been recently raised publicly that I think deserve some attention. I realize that a lot of MMA media outlets don’t like touching upon issues of credibility with others in the writing game, but I do think that it is fair game to highlight possible breaches of conduct when they take place.
At the end of this post, you will notice a few questions that I am asking here and I want to get your response to them based on the following two stories I am writing about here.
Penmanship
Approximately two weeks ago, I received an anonymous tip from someone claiming that they had found evidence that MMA Weekly writer Tom Hamlin was actually FC Fighter writer Steven Marrocco. The issue at hand here is whether or not the accusation was true or false and if it is true, did FC Fighter have any problems with this taking place?
The anonymous tipster claimed the following:
- The tipster said that if you listened to the voice on MMA Weekly video interviews of fighters and then compared it to the voice of Steven Marrocco on FC Fighter radio shows (access the archives here), it’s the same voice. Sample links: This MMA Weekly video interview and Marrocco’s last appearance on FC Fighter in February.
- On the MMA Weekly contact page, contact information for Tom Hamlin did not exist while contact information for the site’s other writers is there. For someone who has been writing updates and columns on the MMA Weekly site since May of 2007, you would think that he might be important enough to be listed…
- Articles appearing under the byline of Tom Hamlin have been appearing on the MMA Weekly site since May of 2007. If Marrocco was writing under the pen name of Tom Hamlin, it means that he has been writing for both MMA Weekly and FC Fighter for two years.
After we received the anonymous message, it was noticed that a similar message appeared on the MMA Weekly message board (containing similar evidence/claims). That message was shortly removed.
On the MMA Weekly site, articles using the bylines of both Steven Marrocco and Tom Hamlin are now appearing. Interestingly enough, a search for Steven Marrocco as the byline on MMA Weekly articles on the site’s archives shows that Marrocco’s name surfaced publicly right after UFC 97 (or when the anonymous tipster contacted us). Only one article (April 2007) previously appeared on the MMA Weekly site under the byline of Steve Marrocco.
We contacted both MMA Weekly management and also FC Fighter management for public comment on this story. We gave sufficient time to both parties to answer our inquiries and did not receive answers back from either party. This was a qualification for us to consider before even writing this post, as I did not want to blindside anyone before writing this post. Proverbially-speaking, I have no horse in this race. Ken Pishna is someone who has always been friendly to me (both in e-mail and on the site). Always treated me fairly. I personally don’t have a bad word to say about him.
Here is what we asked FC Fighter management in our inquiry:
- Were you contacted anonymously by someone who made the claim that Marrocco was Tom Hamlin?
- Did you contact MMA Weekly and ask them if this was true or false? If you did, what was the end result of this?
- If the second point happened, does FC Fighter allow its writers to work for multiple web sites or is content explicitly supposed to be exclusive?
Here is what we asked MMA Weekly management in our inquiry:
- Were you contacted anonymously by someone who made the claim that Marrocco was Tom Hamlin?
- Was the anonymous tipster’s claims true or false?
- What is MMA Weekly’s policy as far as background checks on writers and/or pen names? In other words, do you hire writers based on seeing them in person or what do you view is sufficient protocol to make sure that someone is on the up-and-up?
- Does MMA Weekly allow its writers to work for multiple publications/sites or does MMA Weekly want exclusive content only?
Who hires the writers at MMA Weekly?
If MMA Weekly got caught here on this situation (as an innocent bystander) and the claim that Marrocco and Hamlin are one-and-of-the-same, then why is Marrocco continuing to write for their site and why would articles continue to be posted under both names? Prior to the tipster’s allegations, there wasn’t content under the Marrocco byline on MMA Weekly — but did things change once FC Fighter staff found out what was happening here?
The next question to naturally ask: If Marrocco working for MMAWeekly was something that FC Fighter already knew and was no big deal, why is Marrocco’s name starting to appear after the anonymous tipster brought the issue up?
The twist — if FC Fighter was fine with Marrocco writing for both sites, then why the Tom Hamlin alias? Possible answer: FC Fighter was interested in exclusive content only. We know that FC Fighter pays their writers — therefore, if Marrocco was getting paid by both sites, was MMA Weekly sending him money under his name? Or is he getting paid by both outlets?
The story here: A writer possibly working for two web sites under two different names, and getting paid while one site potentially didn’t know that the other site was using a writer they hired. Double-dipping is the allegation from the anonymous tipster, in other words.
WAMMA bam, thank you ma’am
A second controversy that is erupting within the last couple of weeks has been the growing role of Sam Caplan as WAMMA boss (along with the growing role of bloggers within the WAMMA hierarchy). Caplan has been receiving heavy fire as of late because he was in Japan reportedly working on a co-promotional event involving WAMMA members. Additionally, Caplan and Five Ounces of Pain broke the news of Randy Couture’s divorce with Kim Couture. Caplan had stated that when he took over the position of being the boss in WAMMA, he would step away temporarily from his site.
Here is how Bloody Elbow characterized problems with Caplan’s recent behavior:
Do you see the problem here? A guy, in the middle of putting together a huge event involving multiple UFC competitors, is fanning the flames on the marital problems of one of the UFC’s biggest stars? And a Strikeforce fighter with whom WAMMA has a relationship? And no one is talking about WHY he’s writing this?
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My problem is really with the fact that Caplan stated he was taking a leave of absence from the site when he got on board as COO of WAMMA less than two weeks ago. The fact that he’s reporting gossip from unnamed sources about whether or not the Coutures are living together is secondary.
The role of MMA bloggers in a sanctioning body (WAMMA) is certainly a worthwhile issue to discuss. It does pose the following questions that should be asked:
- Are people who consider themselves MMA bloggers really journalists? Are they really truly writers?
- How many people writing on the MMA scene actually consider it their primary source of income?
- Should the answer to the second question be a determining factor in regards to who gets credentialed or not credentialed by fight promotions?
- What kind of value would you place on the work that MMA writers do in comparison to the kind of broadsheet press that UFC desires to reach out to?
When you have isses regarding writers (un)questionably engaging in unethical behavior, it becomes that much harder to take the calls seriously that MMA web sites and media outlets should get credentialed at all by UFC. Conversely, there also should be a spotlight on the behavior of media outlets who do get credentialed by UFC and those outlets should have their behavior and standards measured by a fair litmus test.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 98 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Manny Pacquiao destroys Ricky Hatton
By Zach Arnold | May 2, 2009
KO in R2. So much for Teddy Atlas and his prediction of Hatton winning. I think he may have been the only one in the sports media who made such a prediction.
Chris Mannix at Sports Illustrated has live commentary.
Update (5/4): Several reports in the British press state that Ricky Hatton is being encouraged to retire from boxing by his closest friends and family members. He will address his future in boxing later today.
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 72 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Day: WEC matchmaker loves Youtube
By Zach Arnold | May 1, 2009
Research & Development in 2009:
“Four years ago I had so many videotapes that I was running out of room to store them,” he said. “But now, since the advent of YouTube, I’ve moved my VCR out and I just spend a whole lot of time on YouTube. It’s indispensable. It’s incredible. Before I had to try really, really hard to find tapes and go through fighters’ reels. Now with YouTube it’s cut way down on the amount of work you have to do to see fighters. A guy gets a fight, puts it on YouTube, sends an e-mail with a link and that’s it.”
Later in the interview, Michael David Smith notes the matchmaker’s attitude (my opinion) of “don’t call us, we’ll call you” in terms of booking fighters.
Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | 16 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ESPN Video: Manny Pacquiao interview on upcoming fight with Ricky Hatton
By Zach Arnold | April 30, 2009
Place your bets — over/under 800,000 PPV buys this weekend for the fight? Plus: Reported dissension in the Hatton camp.
And when can ESPN start putting all of their MMA-related content on the Youtube channel?
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Year: Jared Shaw on growing up
By Zach Arnold | April 30, 2009
“On a personal level, I think I took on a lot of blame that (shouldn’t necessarily) have been pointed in my direction. I certainly had my faults like anybody else. There was a lot to deal with, being 28 years old at the time, it’s a lot just to understand as you grow up,” he said.
Speaking about the incident during the Kimbo/Petruzelli fight, Shaw compares the situation to what UFC president Dana White did recently when Anderson Silva fought Thales Leites to a five-round draw at UFC 97.
“Dana (White) and I don’t see eye to eye, but what he did last week was definitely on par with me standing up. I certainly didn’t go in a corner and shout at anyone, but I can understand the man,” said Shaw. “I can understand where your bread and butter is in your company, and you have a fighter who is not fighting the other way, and you have a fighter who is so superior, you want that fighter to take his head off. Especially cause you’re putting your company’s face on him.”
Jared Shaw was 28 years old… a year or two ago.
The idea that this man is using moral equivalency to place Kimbo Slice and Anderson Silva on the same level is amusing.
He wants back in the MMA business. Cock roaches!
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |