A strange ratings list
By Zach Arnold | June 4, 2008
Right here. Let’s just say there’s quite a few missing fights on that list that drew nearly, oh, four-to-five times those ratings.
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
TV ratings for WEC Sacramento event
By Zach Arnold | June 3, 2008
Details here. Good news.
Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Another round of Kimbo Slice talk
By Zach Arnold | June 3, 2008
- The Miami Herald: Kimbo Slice outdraws playoff hockey
- AOL Fanhouse: Bas Rutten thinks the Kimbo fight should have been stopped in the second round
- The Kansas City Star: MMA meltdown
- Defamer: Kimbo and Regis Philbin slug it out for the soul of weekend television
- E! Online: Kimbo Slice puts best foot, fist forward
- ABC Action News: It’s Kimbo-mania!
- MMA Junkie: EXC on CBS peaks with 6.51 million viewers
- MMA Analyst: Against the media – EXC was technically a success
- Charles Jay: Just ‘slice’ off some of that respectability
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
MMA blogger blowback to The New York Times
By Zach Arnold | June 3, 2008
Message sent. Will it be received?
More NYT anger. Another dose here.
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Addressing the notion of Kimbo Slice as a boxer
By Zach Arnold | June 3, 2008
Josh Alper at AOL Fanhouse got the ball rolling with this post yesterday about such prospects, given that Gary Shaw has EXC champion KJ Noons under a similar situation (as a boxer & MMA fighter).
This morning, Santos Perez in The Miami Herald brings up the idea of Kimbo in boxing and thinks that it would be a good move.
Given that Gary Shaw has so much invested in the Kimbo Slice phenemenon, it would not be much of a surprise to see a cross-over transition take place soon.
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quote of the Week – Bill Simmons on Mauro Ranallo
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2008
Mauro is not getting any love from ESPN or The New York Times, which is unfortunate to say the least:
Bill Simmons: (12:34 PM ET ) Obviously I was in heaven with GuJo announcing an MMA event, I have been pining for this for years (either MMA, boxing, wrestling or the Real World/Road Rules Challenge for Gus).
Bill Simmons: (12:35 PM ET ) The prob was that they stuck him with Frank Shamrock (who was fine) but also this crazed Canadian guy who was the third guy in the booth, sounded like an SNL sketch and seemed determined to jump in and keep talking every time something exciting happened just so Gus wouldn’t be able to be the one who got excited. It was the first ever broadcast c**kblock. We need to kidnap this guy and keep him away from Gus. I mean it.
Imagine Bill Simmons and Mauro Ranallo together on a podcast…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The New York Times is watching you, MMA bloggers
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2008
MMA Predictions has released a Google Gadget that will deliver a new MMA fighter to your Google HP each morning. It’s a unique way to be exposed to certain fighters you may not be familiar with yet. Here is the link to the gadget.
The New York Times has two articles today talking about the EXC on CBS show. The first article is titled Ending in Main Event Raises Fans’ Suspicions and the second article is an opinion piece by Richard Sandomir titled Elite XC was brutal. So was the hyperbole. Sandomir rips on Gus Johnson and crew for being ‘in-house lackeys,’ which is laughable because it’s plainly obvious that he hasn’t watched Mike Goldberg work his magic on a UFC PPV telecast.
One thing I should point out in various NY Times articles on MMA recently is that they have extensively quoted major blog sites, including: MMAPayout.com, MMAJunkie.com, and MMAFrenzy.com. Speaking of MMA Payout, this right here is a must-read post.
Update: Fightlinker is not happy with the NYT.
Onto more headlines.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
You’re all 13 year olds who never have fought in MMA before…
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2008
Nick Lembo recently was interviewed by Full Contact Fighter regarding some of the questionable happenings at EXC’s show last Saturday in Newark.
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Quote of the Day – Arco Arena MMA fans
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2008
Yesterday, I remarked on how the fans at the WEC event in Sacramento came across better than the fans that went to past UFC events in the same building (Arco Arena). After the WEC event, I received this comment from someone in the California MMA scene:
I’m glad it came off that way on TV, ’cause it sure as hell seemed a hell of a lot worse to me tonight than when I was in the crowd for UFC 65. Holy $&%* were those assholes quick to boo not only at the slightest pause in action, but they also seemed to forget that cheering for one fighter does not mean that you should boo his opponent. It’s going be a long time before I go see fights at Arco again.
Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ESPN personalities rip into Elite XC
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2008
In a sports weekend that featured the Stanley Cup finals (Detroit vs. Pittsburgh) and a preview of the NBA Finals (Celtics vs. Lakers), it was Kimbo Slice’s debut on CBS that garnered top billing on today’s ESPN news-talk programming.
And it’s clear that many of ESPN’s top personalities were not impressed with Gary Shaw and are impressed with Zuffa-related MMA content.
Jim Rome on Jim Rome is Burning shredded Gary Shaw & Elite XC, calling the matchmaking and production ‘amateur’. Rome said that it was unfortunate that CBS didn’t show a real fight like Jens Pulver vs. Urijah Faber instead of Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson. Rome savaged the booking of Thompson as a guy who was ‘a tomato can’ with a deformed ear. “What, you couldn’t find an amputee?” Rome went on to defend Slice, saying that the guy was homeless and who wouldn’t take a shot at ‘all that jack and fame’ to headline MMA’s debut on network television.
Rome’s take was fascinating because it mirrored the sentiments of a lot of hardcore MMA fans.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 14 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Big media reacts to EXC on CBS ratings news
By Zach Arnold | June 1, 2008
Before we get to more broadsheet reaction to Kimbo Slice, I want to point out a pretty big article at Barron’s tonight. The article is titled A Money Manager’s Ultimate Fight Game and it goes into great detail about Wallid Ismail’s lawsuit claims against Elite XC, along with details about a European hedge-fund manager who is allegedly profiting off of EXC’s recent moves.
- The LA Times: MMA show with Kimbo Slice scores big in Los Angeles
- The Baltimore Sun: EXC’s Saturday Night Fights – pros and cons
- The Rocky Mountain News: The pro-fighting game today is ignorant and vile, unlike the past
- The Newark Star-Ledger: Kimbo’s fame takes a hit
- USA Today: CBS’s black eye
- USA Today: Despite victory, Kimbo Slice has long battle to prove legitimacy
- USA Today: Foray into MMA gives CBS optimism (strongest EXC ratings were in The Sun Belt)
- The Tennessean: Nashville viewers show support for MMA
- The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: Kimbo Slice won, but was it a win for MMA on CBS?
- The Globe and Mail (Canada): CBS’s Kimbo Slice night lives up to the hopes and fears
- Sherdog: Second EXC event on CBS likely for late Summer/early Fall
- Broadcasting & Cable: The horror of Colossus’s exploding cauliflower ear
- Fox Sports: Kimbo Slice obviously still needs some work
- TV Squad: CBS and the EXC experiment – it kind of sucked
- The Dayton Daily News (OH): Timing of Kimbo’s TKO has some crying fix of show
- The Washington Times: You can rest now, Kimbo
- Variety: CBS punches Saturday ratings – MMA strikes blow for network
- Harrison Goodman (Washington Times): Highlight of dreadful show is James Thompson’s exploding ear
- The Philadelphia Daily News: Nationally-televised MMA card far from a knockout
- The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY): Kimbo has disappointing performance, but rest of the matches were fast-paced and entertaining
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WEC 6/1 Arco Arena (Sacramento)
By Zach Arnold | June 1, 2008
Post all comments about the show here.
It’s becoming clear that as bad as the reputation is online for New Jersey MMA fans, the reputation for Sacramento’s MMA fans seems to be well-lived once again… albeit the fact that the WEC crowd tonight was better than past UFC crowds in the town.
30-27 on two scorecards for Rob McCullough winning? Brutal. Overall, a show that started out slow and finished out very strong. The elephant in the room was acknowledged by PBP man Todd Harris in regards to a lot of people watching MMA for the first time this weekend.
Media reaction
- The New York Post: Faber defends WEC title in thriller
- Sherdog: He’s a standup guy – Faber beats Pulver to keep WEC title
- Bloody Elbow: I went to a WEC event tonight, but it really felt like a UFC show
- The Long Beach Press-Telegram: Featherweights put on a show that lives up to the billing
- The Sacramento Bee: A raucous Arco Arena crowd helps set the tone during WEC’s Sunday night event (crowd of 12,682)
- CBS Sports: Faber survives Pulver, defends title in WEC war
Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Round two of reaction to EXC & Kimbo on CBS
By Zach Arnold | June 1, 2008
If there is one other trend (besides relatively neutral or positive broadsheet media coverage of the EXC show on CBS) to watch for here regarding reaction to last night’s show, it’s that a lot of sports blogs and media outlets that normally would never talk about a UFC event are certainly talking today about MMA. Intriguingly enough, it seems that more casual fans or first-time viewers came away with a somewhat positive take on the show, whereas the more seasoned fight writers and fans are coming away from the event angry.
The one point that I will make about last night’s show that will anger a lot of people… I’m not going to defend the EXC show last night necessarily in terms of good technical fighting or production values or for questionable outcomes. What I will say, however, is that in order for the MMA business to grow, you’re going to have to appeal to a larger audience. Larger sports audiences, whether it is Japan or America, want to be entertained. They aren’t necessarily interested in having a heavy emotional attachment to the business like those of us who cover it full-time do. As one person inside the Japanese MMA business told me during PRIDE’s run on Fuji TV and K-1’s run on TBS, Grandma Tanaka isn’t watching MMA because it’s a good technical sport. She’s watching because there’s a lot of cute guys and because some younger family members are also watching to be entertained and have a good time.
- Deadspin: Stop the fight! Stop the fight! The legend of Kimbo Slice takes 38 consecutive blows to the head
- Luke Thomas: Elite XC has a major problem re: Kimbo Slice
- The Sweet Science: Kimbo Slice fights way out of losing
- AOL Fanhouse: Gus Johnson solidifies reputation by questioning stoppage of Kimbo Slice fight
- On Milwaukee: Gus Johnson calling action for Elite XC is like Matt Vasgersian calling action for the XFL
- The Big Lead: Dana White just called to give me an expletive-filled tirade about what a joke Elite XC is
- Awful Announcing: MMA’s network debut doesn’t disappoint – I thought it was flat-out awesome
- The Scores Report: Kimbo Slice got his ass beat and then he beat some ass
- Eat Skeet: Big Kimbo the people’s champ
- Larry Brown Sports: Gina Carano – the face of female MMA
- Fighters Only Magazine: EXC on CBS – a troubled debut
- Kevin Iole: MMA’s network debut mocks true sport (“while it was mostly C-level talent on display”…)
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 37 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |