Dana is really in charge now - why UFC might've peaked

[Fyreborn]

People keep talking about how the UFC has "peaked".

In actuality this might be true. But no one is talking about one of the main reasons why it might be the case.

Up to now, all the major decisions have been made by Lorenzo and Frank (mostly Lorenzo). From the good ones like TUF - which Dana was totally against, and which saved the company from bankruptcy - to the not so good ones (Reebok?), the Fertittas were the real brains.

Well the new owners probably aren't familiar enough with the sport to be confident running things. So while they're the bosses, Dana is actually not going to have any more safety nets in terms of decision making. That Fertitta business IQ safety net is gone.

Frankly I don't have much confidence in Dana without the Fertitta boys. Don't be surprised if he bungles this.

 

[Sonny Qc]

You think a company that can buys something for 4 billions $ doesn't have smart peoples to make smart buisness decision ?

 

[trunks]

You think a company that can buys something for 4 billions $ doesn't have smart peoples to make smart buisness decision ?

Well, they've kept Dana on, haven't they?

Look, I'm a Dana hater. I think he's a scuzzball and a moron. But I have to give him credit. He's a big reason MMA got to where it is.

With all that said, he's NEVER been the guy to take it to the next level. He doesn't have the brains for it. He's got the ambition but he doesn't have the Vision. He doesn't know how to play the long game, and that's why UFC's growth has been stagnant for the past decade or so. If it hadn't been for Rhonda or Conor, I think the popularity would've even regressed somewhat.

 

[Topguntrophey]

Great.

 

[ortizgnp]

Jesus christ this is not a good Sherdog day. I'm getting pissed off.

 

[cOugAr_LIbRe_85]

Well, they've kept Dana on, haven't they?

Look, I'm a Dana hater. I think he's a scuzzball and a moron. But I have to give him credit. He's a big reason MMA got to where it is.

With all that said, he's NEVER been the guy to take it to the next level. He doesn't have the brains for it. He's got the ambition but he doesn't have the Vision. He doesn't know how to play the long game, and that's why UFC's growth has been stagnant for the past decade or so. If it hadn't been for Rhonda or Conor, I think the popularity would've even regressed somewhat.

I'm no Dana fan by any means but he is far from a moron. Intelligence is relative. Dana cannot be considered a moron for the way he and the rest of zuffa managed the ufc. If you think intellect is merely reciting passages from text books you have a lot to learn. Dana is a very smart man, make no mistake.

 

[DanaWhitesButler]

I'm sure you know more than the company that just paid more than $4 billion and hired an army of professional analysts to estimate the future prospects of the business

 

[EriktheStrawberryBlonde]

You think a company that can buys something for 4 billions $ doesn't have smart peoples to make smart buisness decision ?

Perhaps you were born after the 2008 financial crisis.

 

[trunks]

I'm no Dana fan by any means but he is far from a moron. Intelligence is relative. Dana cannot be considered a moron for the way he and the rest of zuffa managed the ufc. If you think intellect is merely reciting passages from text books you have a lot to learn. Dana is a very smart man, make no mistake.

If you feel I was stating that the only kind of intelligence is reciting something from a textbook, then you're a moron. WTF?

 

[cade187]

You think a company that can buys something for 4 billions $ doesn't have smart peoples to make smart buisness decision ?

And this one's a wrap.

 

[eiyuu]

People keep talking about how the UFC has "peaked".

In actuality this might be true. But no one is talking about one of the main reasons why it might be the case.

Up to now, all the major decisions have been made by Lorenzo and Frank (mostly Lorenzo). From the good ones like TUF - which Dana was totally against

Dana was against TUF, but so was Lorenzo. NOBODY in Zuffa wanted to so a reality show, but that's the only way they could get on TV . . .

Ask Lorenzo. None of them wanted to do a reality show but it was all a network would do. They (Frank, LJ and DW) wanted a Friday Night Fights type of show. Everyone at every network said no.

Then Craig Piligian, who had done the Fertitta’s reality show American Casino for three seasons came up with American Promoter where cameras would follow DW around and then find a way to work in some fights (push was to promote the sport and get it in peoples homes somehow). DW didn’t want to do that, contrary to the babbling later down the road by his detractors, so he knew they had to come up with something else. They worked on it some more and DW and his crew spent the night until the wee hours of the morning trying to come up with another type of reality show and TUF was born. Everyone else signed off on it and the rest is history.
Insider Details on the Birth of "The Ultimate Fighter

So Dana White was in fact responsible for TUF--even though he didn't want to do it. But sometimes you have to do something you don't want to do to become successful.

Oh yeah, go ahead and post that now famous video clip of DW saying he didn't want to do TUF. You'll notice it cuts off abruptly like a Michael Moore interview (you know, to get the soundbite you want to illustrate a certain point), but doesn't finish at all.

 

[Thy]

Only thing they can do is have more events around the world to keep banking but they won't be making much more per event without doing lame boxing stuff where u charge people insane amounts for "super fights"

 

[RJ43]

Dana was against TUF, but so was Lorenzo. NOBODY in Zuffa wanted to so a reality show, but that's the only way they could get on TV . . .

Ask Lorenzo. None of them wanted to do a reality show but it was all a network would do. They (Frank, LJ and DW) wanted a Friday Night Fights type of show. Everyone at every network said no.

Then Craig Piligian, who had done the Fertitta’s reality show American Casino for three seasons came up with American Promoter where cameras would follow DW around and then find a way to work in some fights (push was to promote the sport and get it in peoples homes somehow). DW didn’t want to do that, contrary to the babbling later down the road by his detractors, so he knew they had to come up with something else. They worked on it some more and DW and his crew spent the night until the wee hours of the morning trying to come up with another type of reality show and TUF was born. Everyone else signed off on it and the rest is history.
Insider Details on the Birth of "The Ultimate Fighter

So Dana White was in fact responsible for TUF--even though he didn't want to do it. But sometimes you have to do something you don't want to do to become successful.

Zuffa even paid for the production, or the lion's share of it, IIRC.

I personally believe Zuffa sold because they finally reached a point where they realized they could not sell the actual sport anymore than they have, and they can't manufacture stars like they'd like. Manufacturing stars is the absolute key to MMA, IMO.

People tune in to see stories and narratives play out. Sadly they do not tune in to watch the sport itself, at least not in the numbers needed to justify the current standard Zuffa has set. They need the personalities and it seems they've sold their baby to people who believe they can create them.

 

[rurouni]

Perhaps you were born after the 2008 financial crisis.

 

[Ozze]

Everyones who thinks the UFC is going to go bad always says something like. "If it wasn't for Ronda." "If it wasn't for Conor." "If it wasn't for Chuck." "If it wasn't for TUF."

But it's funny how these things keep happening and "saving" the UFC.

 

[cOugAr_LIbRe_85]

If you feel I was stating that the only kind of intelligence is reciting something from a textbook, then you're a moron. WTF?

you seem to like that word but I'm not sure you know what it means. You're basically calling Dana stupid, and too stupid to take the ufc to the next level.

What I'm saying to you is that just because he doesn't cut the archetypal academic figure, he is far from a moron. And he's proven that by how he has managed the ufc over the years.

Just because you don't like someone doesn't make them a 'moron'. As I said, intelligence is relative. And in danas world, he's one of the smartest guys around.

 

[graciefighterz]

People keep talking about how the UFC has "peaked".

In actuality this might be true. But no one is talking about one of the main reasons why it might be the case.

Up to now, all the major decisions have been made by Lorenzo and Frank (mostly Lorenzo). From the good ones like TUF - which Dana was totally against, and which saved the company from bankruptcy - to the not so good ones (Reebok?), the Fertittas were the real brains.

Well the new owners probably aren't familiar enough with the sport to be confident running things. So while they're the bosses, Dana is actually not going to have any more safety nets in terms of decision making. That Fertitta business IQ safety net is gone.

Frankly I don't have much confidence in Dana without the Fertitta boys. Don't be surprised if he bungles this.

You don't spend $4billion or have that type of money to spend without knowing a thing or two. The new owners do have experience in MMA, they represent some of the biggest stars in the sport and have been involved for quite awhile. They are also just as business sava as the feritatas and it would be a little to crazy to think they are suddenly going to throw all control over to Dana White and have him do things they are more experienced in handling.

At the end of the Day, they are Dana's boss. They make the final calls.

 

[graciefighterz]

The people that bought the UFC have plenty of experience, probably more than the fertitas had. Dana still does his role and takes care of the things he needs to. But theres no reason to think people with $4billion to invest and a long history of business experience in sports/entertainment don't know how to make business deals or grow a company.

 

[Mochan]

Well the new owners probably aren't familiar enough with the sport to be confident running things. So while they're the bosses, Dana is actually not going to have any more safety nets in terms of decision making. That Fertitta business IQ safety net is gone.

.

What the hell. The people who bought the UFC were able to amass $4B because they are GOOD BUSINESSMEN. Dana won't be running this show anymore than he did under the Fertitias.

Whether they will make the right decisions is another question, but don't fall into the assumption that the new owners aren't going to take a hands on approach to this.

 

[graciefighterz]

Zuffa even paid for the production, or the lion's share of it, IIRC.

I personally believe Zuffa sold because they finally reached a point where they realized they could not sell the actual sport anymore than they have, and they can't manufacture stars like they'd like. Manufacturing stars is the absolute key to MMA, IMO.

People tune in to see stories and narratives play out. Sadly they do not tune in to watch the sport itself, at least not in the numbers needed to justify the current standard Zuffa has set. They need the personalities and it seems they've sold their baby to people who believe they can create them.

Or the simple fact that someone said "Here's $4billion dollars" . At some point its time to cash out and retire if the money is that good regardless if you think you can still make it better or not down the road.