Motivations and Media and Merchandise Consumption in MMA

The phenomenal growth of the sport of MMA over the last five years is now just starting to catch the eye of the broader sports community, including sports academia. There have been a few papers written on the topic of MMA over the last few years – including the well-read Johns Hopkins brain injury study – but none have gone into as much detail regarding the marketing side of the sport as a paper released in the latest issue of Sports Marketing Quarterly.

I’ve done my best to explain how the study works and what it means to MMA below.

Motivations and Media and Merchandise Consumption at a Professional Mixed Martial Arts Event
Damon P. S. Andrew, Seungmo Kim, Nick O’Neal, T. Christopher Greenwell, and Jeffrey D. James

Abstract

The purpose of the study is essentially to:

“explore predictors of merchandise consumption as well as media consumption to provide MMA managers with valuable consumer motivation data on which to focus strategic planning initiatives for merchandise sales.”

A few studies have been done before that look at the different factors that motivate individuals to consume MMA media and merchandise, but they were done with smaller scale MMA shows that weren’t truly representative of the larger MMA-going population. Thus, the research team has made some changes from previous studies involving different “factors” to study and find correlations between.

Study sample

• 162 participants (105 males & 57 females)
• 88 in 18-34 (54.1%)
• Equal representation from different ticket price points (54 reserve, 37 front, and 71 top)
• Average income: $68,000 (20% earned over $100,000)
• Education varied: 45% had HS, 32% had some college, 18% had undergrad or graduate degree

Questionnaire

“A 43-item questionnaire measuring demographics, motives, and merchandise and media consumption was developed for this study. The questionnaire incorporated a seven-point Likert scale to which consumers reported their level of motivation to attend a mixed martial arts event and their merchandise and media consumption (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree).”

Motivational factors considered

Drama/eustress, escape, aesthetics, vicarious achievement, socializing, and sport knowledge were selected for this study because prior studies supported the inclusion of these factors (Funk et al., 2002; Sloan, 1989; Trail & James, 2001; Wann, 1995). Furthermore, the motives of violence and adoration/hero worship were added from Kim et al.’s (2008) study of MMA spectator motives. In an attempt to better understand the unique motives for attending an MMA event, the factors of sport knowledge and crowd experience were included. 

Motivational factors according to importance

Event attendance

1. Aesthetics
2. Drama
3. Escape
4. Vicarious Achievement
5. Crowd Experience

Media consumption

1. Drama
2. Aesthetics
3. Knowledge
4. Violence (male only)

Merchandise consumption

1. Crowd Experience
2. Vicarious Achievement
3. Knowledge

Implications for MMA

The study provides a great amount of new insight regarding MMA’s relationship with its fan base, but also supports many hypotheses that MMA industry professionals have had for quite some time. 

I think the biggest thing I took away from the study was the absence of violence as an important motivational factor for any type of consumption. However, the importance of drama in media consumption, vicarious achievement in fighter attachment, and the differences between professional and amateur fan bases should also not be ignored.

1.) Violence has long been MMA’s white-hot risk: the element of the sport many fear could limit its growth in the future. Critics claim that it is the brute violence of the sport that attracts the masses, and this alleged perpetuation of violence will exacerbate problems related to violence in society. However, most in MMA would beg to differ, and now they’ve finally got some empirical evidence to back up their claims. Things like aesthetics (the beauty of the sport), drama (story lines), and vicarious achievement (cheering for a fighter like GSP) are greater motivators for consumption than violence.

This study is far from fool proof – the authors freely admit that the motivational factor of violence in MMA needs to be further investigated – but it finally adds some credibility to those of us arguing for the legitimacy of the sport. It’s about more than hitting somebody – much more.

2.) The idea that drama is important to media consumption shouldn’t come as any surprise. What is sport, if not an analog to our daily lives? The way to capture drama and evoke emotion – to better associate the consumer with the product – is through story telling, which is essential in all sports. That’s why ESPN is successful, HBO’s 24/7s is such an effective tool, and fights like Evans-Rampage will always do well regardless of whether a title is at stake.

Hence, you’ve now got fighters like Dan Hardy and Chael Sonnen going out of their way to build up fights by talking a lot of smack. Expect that trend to continue as fighters look to differentiate themselves and prove they can sell enough PPVs to make it worth the UFC’s while. I mean, really, would either Hardy or Sonnen have been considered for a title shot if the UFC didn’t think they could talk the public into believing they had a shot?

However, I’ll caution that it’s important to maintain a balance to everything; this sport cannot afford to lose credibility with a continuous stream of contrived pro wrestling soap operas (e.g., Wes Simms has taken things too far).

3.) In an article some months ago, MMAPayout.com talked about how fighting ability was the single most important attribute in the determination of whether a fighter could reach a level of popularity commensurate with that of a “star.” The idea not only being that nothing else matters if the fighter can’t fight, but also that fans often like to see their favorite fighter obliterate an opponent (e.g., Anderson Silva’s KO of Forrest Griffin). The study confirmed that hypothesis:

Based on the findings from the present study, media consumption of professional events can be enhanced by scheduling matches whereby dominant fighters are able to assert their dominance on competitors with less skill. Such dominating performances often serve to build the reputation of the superior fighter, who may later become a point of attachment for devoted fans (Robinson & Trail, 2003).

4.) Lastly, fans often scoff at the idea of the UFC comping so many tickets – rightfully so, to a degree, because the act signals limited product demand – but there’s so much to the idea of comping than just filling the building. A full house is advantageous for the television product, sponsors, and the size and intensity of the crowd is a very real and important part of what contributes to an overall fan experience.

Go out and talk to the people that were in Columbus or Montreal for those debut PPVs and they’ll tell you that 20,000+ rabid fans screamingn at the top of their lungs for Rich Franklin or Georges St-Pierre is one of the most powerful moments in MMA they’ve ever been associated with. Likewise, talk to any of the people that had an opportunity to experience an old Pride event in front of 45,000 people.

The crowd experience is vital to the overall product experience of a live event.

Acknowledgement: The research team that includes Damon Andrew (Troy U.), Seungmo Kim (UTK), Nick O’Neal (VP at KOTC), Chris Greenwell (Louisville), and Jeff James (FSU) have done a marvellous job with the study. Not only was this paper not the first work that some of these men put together, but it wasn’t the last, if I understand correctly. Something to look forward to.