Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer talks about the impending battle for MMA video game supremacy between EA Sports and THQ:
EA MMA is still sticking to its guns of no women in the game even though Gina Carano would probably be the most marketable person they would have if they signed her. The problem is decisions on personnel were made by hardcore purists. The game is right now scheduled for an August release. What will become interesting is that the THQ license for UFC expires next year and EA MMA will not sell close to UFC numbers, and EA hates to be second place in any genre. Even though Dana White has dissed EA in the past because people running the company at one point told White they had no interest in MMA, those in the industry believe EA, if the new game doesn’t do well, will make a big offer for the UFC license.
Payout Perspective:
The sheer number of resources – not to mention the vast experience – that EA would bring to a UFC game is certainly very enticing. Not only does EA bring the video game expertise, but from a marketing perspective (advertising, sponsorship, and distribution, etc.) it could add a lot of value to a UFC video game.
It’s interesting that the topic of the UFC possibly having to backpedal on its prior statements is becoming a more frequent occurence lately. Dana White and the UFC have done a masterful job at utilizing pointed public relations strategies to grow the UFC brand, but as MMA and the UFC continue to grow, it’s necessary for that approach to change and adapt.
Simply put: it’s counter-productive and short-sighted to lash out at every one that disagrees with Dana White or the UFC. It’s not just that the UFC may have to deal with people like Tito Ortiz or Dan Henderson down the road again, but word spreads quickly throughout the business community. The UFC doesn’t want to gain a reputation for being “difficult to deal with.”
There may come a time when the UFC wants to deal with Nike or Sony or GMC, but those companies may pass because it really doesn’t matter to them whether they deal with the UFC (and frankly “their executives are just too difficult to deal with”).
Just to put things into perspective: the UFC’s $400 million in revenue this year is a typical week for Nike. Sure, the UFC may have plans of growing into a much larger entity with the next few years, but it cannot possibly get there alone.
The attitude that somehow the world needs the UFC more than the UFC needs it is absolutely false, and this “with us or against us” mentality isn’t conducive to good business.
Great point about the UFC needing blue chip sponsors more than they are needed. I’ve always thought many of Dana White’s comments a little short sighted. However, so far he has shown to backpedal on his statements with ease when dealing with Affliction, Tito Ortiz, lifting bans on previously banned clothing lines, his stance on Fedor Emelianenko, etc. I do agree that all this shifting of the UFC’s attitude towards
sponsors would make big companies like Nike and Gatorade hesitant to deal with the UFC, as they do not need and would not want to be involved with a sports entity whose management may praise them one day, and then bash them in the press when negotiations (that are absolutely supposed to be completely private) go sour, and then discuss these problems in a public forum.
PS I love the comparison of a year’s worth of Zuffa revenue vs. a week of Nike revenue. Really puts things in perspective.
“The attitude that somehow the world needs the UFC more than the UFC needs it is absolutely false, and this “with us or against us” mentality isn’t conducive to good business.”
Could not disagree with you more, simply put if the world wants MMA they have to come to the UFC not the other way around. If the UFC didn’t stick to there guns repeatedly they’d never be in the power position that they are in now and would have taken a bad tv deal that would have made them bankrupt.
Simply put the us vs. them mentality works, if Nike or any other company wants to deal with mma they’re going to have to work with the UFC not dictate to them. That’s part of the appeal of the company the fact that the long term future growth and what’s best for the UFC is Dana’s top priority is the reason for their success and the last thing they need to do if change something that’s put them in the position they are in now without any help from anybody.
If EA wants the license they are not only going to have to drop anything having to do with any other mma org but they are going to have to come in on their hands and knees and blow the UFC away.
Loyalty is a big thing with the company and it’s done wonders for them, their partnership with Spike and now Versus works for all involved. Because Dana learned early on that the only partners they need are the one’s who will be loyal to them in the longterm and not just look out for their own interest. So that goes for anyone else trying to deal with the UFC, they won’t bend over and let people who have no clue about the sport run it into the ground they put too much work into it for that to happen.
I think the way Dana agndles thing is fine. He is playing to a young male demographic. Young people. many people for that matter love the idea of the rich guy whole does what he wants, says what he wants, and answers to no one. Thats what image Dana puts out there. Thats why he has become a celebrity himself. This approach is why Mark Cuban is just about the only NBA owner that people know by name.
The key here is i think there is two different Dana Whites. I dont think you one secodn that Dana is hard to deal with.I think in meetings and in person he is just like every other businessman. But when he speaks to the press or to the public through social network sites. He is back to “Promoter Dana”. Fact is Dana White as much as he talks “crap” about this that and the other has never really had any of it to comeback and bit him. The only exception is Fedor. Fedor used Dana’s comments as the reason he didnt sign. We ALL know that was a lie and Fedor was looking for any reason at all to avoid competition. He never met Dana White to begin with. All problems with Tito were worked out. It seems QJ and White are back joking with each other and QJ is ready to fight. White worked out a deal to acquire Pride, BJ Penn come back to the UFC. There are many more examples. The reason is because dispite what Dana says to the public the people he is dealing with know how they are treated in person is different and they are treated with respect. Dan Henderson went to strikeforce because dollar for dollar it was best for his career. He got paid less but his career can last longer there(more pay days). Dana isnt burning any bridges.
IMO, Dana is one of the reasons to deal with the UFC. He puts out an image that is a breath of fresh air to many. The only thing thats matters to these companies is their bottom like and their impression of you in person. Not a media character.
Brain Smasher: Not to be too picky, but when you write nonsense like: Fedor was looking for any reason at all to avoid competition. it is pretty hard, to take rest of your message seriously or think about it.
If you dont like to hear the truth about men you have fetishes for then dont read my comments. Fact is there have been dozens of Pride fighters to come to the UFC, Elite XC, etc and get completely destroyed. Pretty much everyone who was ranked directly behind Fedor and everyone Fedor built his name on. “Fan boys” have used the old excuse so much that the excuse itself is old. Here is a little history lesson. Pride was built on UFC rejects back in the late 90’s. All of them lost recent fights in the UFC and ended up in Pride. Silva, Coleman, Randleman, Metger, etc. Pride never created talent and had the same guys fighting during their entire existence. I can count how many “prospects” they brough in on 1 hand in their last 5 years. When Pride fails we see then all return back to borderline Journeyman status.
Now Fedor has seen this happen first hand. Werdum lose to the new breed Santos. Cro Cop get beat by just about anyone. Nog get floored by Mir. He saw the writing on the wall. He chose the path to Strike Force where their fighters were mostly the same as he saw in Pride. Werdum, Overeem, etc. He never from day 1 give the UFC the time of day. He even signed with SF out of nowhere because he had no intentions of testing himself in the UFC. His team lied about offers made to them. Have dozens of excuses and crazy demands. One demand was for the UFC to build a giant stadium in Russia for a rock band. Where is the stadium SF is building them? Or Affliction? Due to the tougher competion that was in the UFC and the higher likely hood Fedor could lose. Fedor and his management had greater demands from the UFC.
If you want to discredit my comments because it makes you sad when you look at you Fedor poster on your bed room wall. Then by all means bury your head in the sand.
The THQ/UFC license does NOT expire next year.
It expires at the end of 2011.
That’s two full years.
In addition, much like the WWE license agreemen, tthey have automatic extension provisions based on achieving minimum performance benchmarks (which almost certainly have been achieved this year according to PAA).
Brain Smasher: Hmm. Interesting stuff, full of cautiously selected informations, omitted infos, lies and one sided explanations. Not that it is the first time I see such hypothesis, in certain circles, it is pretty popular. If you see the MMA landscape of the past like that, it doesn’t make sense to argue with you, since you are totally argument-proof if you managed to create your little fantasy world like that. Overall, laughable stuff.
When you analyze what certain fighters achieved, it is better to look at the whole picture. Age of a fighter, his peak, reasons of his fall and so on. And it is also fair mention fighters that had a success in UFC. Anderson Silva anyone? Shogun? Nogueira? 🙂 BTW: I think it is not a coincidence, that many fighters Fedor faced and defeated are not the same men afterwards 🙂
Accuse fighter with probably strongest mindset in the business of “fearing someone” is pretty stupid, I must say. Not to mention all the nonsenses like with that stadium, which was a rumour created by D. White (which applies to other “leaked” infos from UFC – Fedor negotiations, like millions for contract and so…). Although already proven a lie, certain individuals still believe it. Hmm. Pretty funny (and if I go to your level of argumentation, then hey: drag down the Dana poster from your wall).
As much as I can understand right now, I think you’re right!