New study on Boxing/UFC/WWE demographics in US - Boxing still top dog

flanellograf said:
That's interesting considering it's in the US where people boo ground fights more than anywhere else. It's hard to say where it will become popular, since the UFC/mma really is just getting started in other countries. It seems to be blowing up in Brazil, for instance. Where it's at in UK now, is basically where the UFC was in UFC when they got their Spike deal. Not even there, since there are waaaay less events in the UK than there was in the US at that time. Who knows where they will be in 5-10 years time.
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its not the grappling where they boo its just the passivity.
 
HHJ said:
its not the grappling where they boo its just the passivity.
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That too, but mostly, it's the ground fight. Since they don't understand what is happening, and thus = boring. This is repeated by virtually everyone I've met who is a casual. I know I was the same way before I understood what actually happens on the ground.
 
flanellograf said:
That's interesting considering it's in the US where people boo ground fights more than anywhere else. It's hard to say where it will become popular, since the UFC/mma really is just getting started in other countries. It seems to be blowing up in Brazil, for instance. Where it's at in UK now, is basically where the UFC was in UFC when they got their Spike deal. Not even there, since there are waaaay less events in the UK than there was in the US at that time. Who knows where they will be in 5-10 years time.
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The fans that attend the events are knowledgeable for the most part and probably know what's happening on the ground; but they're hardcore fans, so they aren't representative of the casual fan.

I like watching Rigondeaux fight, and I know plenty of casual boxing fans; those fans don't enjoy Rigo fights. I'm not representative of the casual sports fan any more than the MMA fans that attend live events.
 
i just think even casuals seem to pick it up pretty quickly,theyll always boo stuff like pummeling and the feeling out process but with mma techniques bein seen everywhere,people pick it up alot faster. when i saw royce choke out dan severn after what was a horrible fight for anyone to watch really,i didnt get it at all and had no one to tell me what just happened...the way mma is marketed is very educational and beginner friendly,which is good for the sport but boring for a diehard like me. Its kinda why i prefer boxing as of late,its an old sport and it doesnt try that hard to impress me hahah,its refreshing
 
The Batkilt said:
The fans that attend the events are knowledgeable for the most part and probably know what's happening on the ground; but they're hardcore fans, so they aren't representative of the casual fan.

I like watching Rigondeaux fight, and I know plenty of casual boxing fans; those fans don't enjoy Rigo fights. I'm not representative of the casual sports fan any more than the MMA fans that attend live events.
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That isn't congruent with your previous statement. If the US has such a strong amateur wrestling culture, and it being the reason for why UFC works so well in the states, why wouldn't that be reflected among the "casuals" as well? It's the casuals who make up the largest bulk of the audience, after all.
 
flanellograf said:
That isn't congruent with your previous statement. If the US has such a strong amateur wrestling culture, and it being the reason for why UFC works so well in the states, why wouldn't that be reflected among the "casuals" as well? It's the casuals who make up the largest bulk of the audience, after all.
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It's the casual fan the UFC needs to draw into their events to reach the level of popularity that guys like Davies and Rogan predicted it would/will here. In a country - well, Kingdom - with little interest in grappling it's going to be pretty hard to draw them to a sport where it's a large part of it. There's room for growth, sure, but it's far more limited than shill merchants like Davies would have people believe.

I also didn't state that the UFC is only successful in the US because of amateur wrestling. You've inferred that, but it wasn't my point. I'm saying there's a difference in sporting culture here where there isn't any real interest in it. You'd need to educate people from the grass roots to convince people that it's interesting; and it's not just me making that point too.

The TV and PPV model over here - and sports in general - is completely different here. That's another factor which is going to limit growth.
 
The Batkilt said:
It's the casual fan the UFC needs to draw into their events to reach the level of popularity that guys like Davies and Rogan predicted it would/will here. In a country - well, Kingdom - with little interest in grappling it's going to be pretty hard to draw them to a sport where it's a large part of it. There's room for growth, sure, but it's far more limited than shill merchants like Davies would have people believe.

I also didn't state that the UFC is only successful in the US because of amateur wrestling. You've inferred that, but it wasn't my point. I'm saying there's a difference in sporting culture here where there isn't any real interest in it. You'd need to educate people from the grass roots to convince people that it's interesting; and it's not just me making that point too.

The TV and PPV model over here - and sports in general - is completely different here. That's another factor which is going to limit growth.
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I didn't say that you claimed it was the only reason for the UFC:s success, so I don't know exactly what I supposedly inferred. You inferred that I inferred. How meta of you.

I just very much doubt that amateur wrestling is so embedded in the collective unconscious of America so that it indirectly draws casuals in. The reason for why UFC succeeded in the states, is because the UFC operates from within the US. The amount of events and promotion they have done in other countries is a drop in the ocean compared to the US. And even so, they are selling out venues with shit cards in for instance Sweden where if you wanna watch normal events live you need to be up at 4 AM.

Why is it succeeding in Brazil? Sure, vale tudo and bjj is from Brazil, but virtually zero people were doing it or interested in it in comparison to for example soccer.
There are different reasons for why a sport might succeed in any given country.
For instance, you know why I, and many, many others like mma even though they didn't in the beginning? It's because it's the closest thing you get to actual one-on-one fighting, and it's interesting to find out who actually is the best fighter in the world.
 
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"Meta"? I thought we were having an adult discussion. I misinterpreted your post and took inference that you took inference that I made that point. Or something. It wasn't meant to be condescending though. So if it came across that way it wasn't supposed to.

I just don't see MMA reaching the levels required over here to become anything other than a niche sport - niche sports can still have a reasonable fan base though. One thing that would have a knock-on effect though is someone having a "Hatton-esque" following; not in terms of popularity, as that won't be seen in boxing ne'er mind MMA, but in terms of someone captivating an audience.

I wouldn't have any issue with MMA becoming more popular here. I actually think in the UK boxing and MMA can benefit each other under a network like Sky's umbrella. I'm just a pragmatist/pessimistic.
 
people seriously need to stop saying meta on this forum. fuckin retarded.
 
The Batkilt said:
"Meta"? I thought we were having an adult discussion. I misinterpreted your post and took inference that you took inference that I made that point. Or something. It wasn't meant to be condescending though. So if it came across that way it wasn't supposed to.

I just don't see MMA reaching the levels required over here to become anything other than a niche sport - niche sports can still have a reasonable fan base though. One thing that would have a knock-on effect though is someone having a "Hatton-esque" following; not in terms of popularity, as that won't be seen in boxing ne'er mind MMA, but in terms of someone captivating an audience.

I wouldn't have any issue with MMA becoming more popular here. I actually think in the UK boxing and MMA can benefit each other under a network like Sky's umbrella. I'm just a pragmatist/pessimistic.
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So "adult" for you doesn't include levity, I guess.

MMA is a niche sport in the US and boxing (at least today) is as well, or so the numbers indicate. Your argument was that it in the UK wouldn't become as big as it is in the US, and I didn't find your argument compelling for reasons I already stated.
Will it ever become truly mainstream in the sense that it rivals any given country's most popular sports? I too have my doubts. However, it certainly has the potential to become pretty global for reasons that Dana likes to point out, i.e. "fighting is in our DNA". Having the same percentage of fans that it has in the US in most countries around the world, would make it a pretty big sport. That seems to be the UFCs ultimate goal, and I can see it happening if the UFC eventually truly becomes a multinational organisation/corporation and does the same amount of promotion it does in the US and also develops stars in said countries. I don't see why the US would be unique in this regard. It will take a while, though.
 
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BJ@LW&WW said:
people seriously need to stop saying meta on this forum. fuckin retarded.
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Actually, using and understanding what the term means, implies a certain amount of intelligence. So by definition, it can't be retarded.
 
flanellograf said:
So "adult" for you doesn't include levity, I guess.
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No, it just doesn't involve throwing insults around without provocation, and I didn't pick up on the levity at first tbh.

I think I'm 0 for 2 at misreading you now.
 
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When MMA first took off, everyone of my friends watched MMA. Including me at the time. Keep in mind I lived in the far out country, but still. Everyone watched it, everyone got together, now, no one watches it. No one at all that I know. At least consistently watches.

A lot of people on this forum would say the same about their friends. So when people ask me has the UFC started declining, or at the very least plateaued. I say hell yes it has.
 
Nobody is worried because a sport with about 20 years in USA has better among youth than the boxing with its more than 100 years of history? I think self complacency is preventing a lot of people from see reality
 
pinero said:
Nobody is worried because a sport with about 20 years in USA has better among youth than the boxing with its more than 100 years of history? I think self complacency is preventing a lot of people from see reality
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I agree 100 percent.. I don't know why MMA and UFC in particular is so complacent to only appeal to such a limited age group. While Boxing is doing that part right with a larger pool to draw from with not only a larger age group but with World wide appeal

In 2009 mma had a larger lead in that same age group which now only enjoys a small lead in the US
 
Marc A said:
I agree 100 percent.. I don't know why MMA and UFC in particular is so complacent to only appeal to such a limited age group. While Boxing is doing that part right with a larger pool to draw from with not only a larger age group but with World wide appeal

In 2009 mma had a larger lead in that same age group which now only enjoys a small lead in the US
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You can only be so big under one org. That's the UFC problem. How are you ever gonna appeal to foreigners when the only big org in the world has all its fights in the US.
Boxing is extremely fragmented which kinda sucks but in a way its what makes its big and appealing to foreigners. They have there own orgs and legit fighters.
 
Cazadores said:
You can only be so big under one org. That's the UFC problem. How are you ever gonna appeal to foreigners when the only big org in the world has all its fights in the US.
Boxing is extremely fragmented which kinda sucks but in a way its what makes its big and appealing to foreigners. They have there own orgs and legit fighters.
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Ever heard of multinational companies? Are you really not aware of the fact that the UFC is already expanding their business? They are opening up offices in other countries and are planning to do a lot more local shows that will function as feeder shows to the UFC, or something to that effect. Nothing is stopping them from putting on 10-20 events in each and every country, that will be locally televised. And smaller mma promotions are growing all over the world.
 
I hate these comparisons. Why don't people just enjoy a sport without trying to get an ego boost by comparing it to others?
 
flanellograf said:
Ever heard of multinational companies? Are you really not aware of the fact that the UFC is already expanding their business? They are opening up offices in other countries and are planning to do a lot more local shows that will function as feeder shows to the UFC, or something to that effect. Nothing is stopping them from putting on 10-20 events in each and every country, that will be locally televised. And smaller mma promotions are growing all over the world.
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NFL is 32 times bigger and has yet to be able to break into a foreign market.
 
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