Darren Rovell: If they can't find anyone to even compete with her, interest will fade

[EndlessCritic]

this clown probably didn't even know what mma was 2 years ago.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

Like the 2007 Patriots? A prime Mike Tyson? Usain Bolt? The Bulls dynasty? The Celtics Dynasty? Lance Armstrong? Interest never fades in complete dominance. Hell, it's the only thing people remember!!

Don't throw out bullshit like that unless you have examples. There are none. And to top it off, Rousey is basically the ONLY athlete in competitive sports that has significant cross appeal among girls/women AND men.

In other words, GTFO.

 

[GraveyardFilla]

The general public loves squash matches

 

[Polar Bears]

hopefully the ball drops with people and realize these fighters in women are amatuer fighters and have very limited skill. you cant take is seriously.

 

[Malthian]

It's not much of a prediction.

Interest in dominant athletes always settles in to a level lower than their peak eventually.

However, it can take a considerable amount of time. Tyson was still drawing huge numbers for many, many years (6+). Rousey is only in her 2nd year as a significant draw for the UFC.

Fighting only a couple times per year, I could easily see Rousey continuing to be a major draw for 3-4 more years, long enough to bridge into her retirement barring a legitimate challenger rising to the occasion.

As it stands now, I doubt Rousey is anywhere near her peak popularity. She's still drawing in more new fans than she's losing. Maybe in a year or two we might see it level off, but the audience of fans who haven't followed Rousey is still significantly smaller than the audience of potential fans.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

It's not much of a prediction.

Interest in dominant athletes always settles in to a level lower than their peak eventually.

However, it can take a considerable amount of time. Tyson was still drawing huge numbers for many, many years (6+). Rousey is only in her 2nd year as a significant draw for the UFC.

Fighting only a couple times per year, I could easily see Rousey continuing to be a major draw for 3-4 more years, long enough to bridge into her retirement barring a legitimate challenger rising to the occasion.

As it stands now, I doubt Rousey is anywhere near her peak popularity. She's still drawing in more new fans than she's losing. Maybe in a year or two we might see it level off, but the audience of fans who haven't followed Rousey is still significantly smaller than the audience of potential fans.

Settling is not fading.

 

[ryun253]

That did happen with Tyson. People got sick of paying for PPVs when his fights ended in the first round. He had tons of fans but less and less willing to pay for his fights.

This.
Also her fights end so quick.. It goes viral on Facebook before they can even do anything about it.. Why pay if you can see her fight in an entire vine clip?

 

[ryun253]

The general public loves squash matches

Wish was why Pride was enjoyable. And gave stars longer career spans because they didn't always have grueling matches.. And it showcases fighters abilities.

 

[Toxxus]

I had a half dozen people ask me whether I thought Rousey could withstand Bethe's power.

Joe: Mike, she has legitimate one (hundred) punch knock out power.

I'm not worried that her star power will diminish.

Much like Tyson, nobody is watching to see her lose. They are there for the horror show that is one woman annihilating another in under a minute. It's not if Ronda wins - it's how she wins and how brutally injured her opponent gets in the process.

 

[Shaddows]

We are already there IMHO.
It is a shame to hear the praises after her beating of Bethe, as if Bethe was even close to be a challenge for Ronda.
IMHO it demeans both Ronda and the UFC, as it is obvious she is fighting girls not at her level.

When my friends asked me who I was taking on this fight, my answer were always the same: "this is not about who wins, but haw fast will she do it? Under or over 30 seconds?"

And now we have Tate... for the third time, after being dominated the first two times...while I dont' think it will happen, I have to root for tate, just so things gets shaken off at WMMA...

But knowing Zuffa, if tate wins, then we will definitely issue an instant rematch..and if Ronda wins once more, they will want a Ronda & Tate 5 just for the heck of it.....

 

[Islam Imamate]

I think the only three legitimate threats Ronda has faced were Zingano, McMann and (forgive me guys) Tate. Dana and the UFC could very well be looked at by true mma fans as sandbagging for Ronda.

What's even more sad is that Ronda was a such a unique phenom that when she does finally retire there is a chance that overall interest in wmma will go with her. Let's face it, a huge portion of people tuning in to wmma today were more than likely sucked in by the RRR mystique and media machine. The day she retires may also be the day that the women's division in the UFC may be on it's way out the door as well.

I think Davis was legit. Ronda has given her back a few times before that fight and Davis is really good at getting the back and keeping it. Of course it didn't play out that way but as far as WMMA standards go and the style match up she was legit I think.

The numbers basically say that she isnt driving the PPV numbers like others. Her interest is largely the effect of social media blowing up post fight and people commenting. Her fights really should be on fox to maximize exposure.

This is a good point. I'm sure her PPV are good but it seems to me her media attention/PPV numbers ratio is probably worse than say GSP or Silva.

I agree with him. Just before the Betche fight, I asked a friend if he was watching the Ronda's fight and he said something along the lines of "What's the point?"

Just a couple fights before that, people I knew were kind of amped to see her fight. Now they seem to think that her winning is written in stone, so there's not really that excitement/uncertainty factor anymore.

They can bet on being able to watch the whole fight on twitter the next day as a gif so why bother paying $60?

 

[mma2013]

voted yes. no interest in paying $60 to buy ronda vs tate 3 ppv.

 

[MuffinGod11]

Ronda beating cat made her big, Ronda beating Bethe made her even bigger.

 

[BROKENSPROKET]

I didnt vote.

Yes. But not for a awhile, her stardom is growing. She might become old news in a couple of years.

 

[BROKENSPROKET]

voted yes. no interest in paying $60 to buy ronda vs tate 3 ppv.

I would but it would be alot easier of Aldo vs McGregor is on the card.

Heck, they might put Rousey vs Tate big FOX if they offer enough.

 

[TheComputerGuy]

That did happen with Tyson. People got sick of paying for PPVs when his fights ended in the first round. He had tons of fans but less and less willing to pay for his fights.

That never happened. Even after he went to jail when he came out he was still huge.
After he started losing people lost interest.

 

[jthatdude]

Rovell knows his shit, so I tend to agree if Rousey intended on fighting 5 more years. However, I think she will be done after 2016 once she finally fights Cyborg.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

This.
Also her fights end so quick.. It goes viral on Facebook before they can even do anything about it.. Why pay if you can see her fight in an entire vine clip?

Still doesn't sound like interest is fading in that scenario.

 

[JKS]

I have to strongly disagree with his opinion here and personally think that the interest in Ronda will only get bigger.

Looking at this from the sports side, fans are always attracted to winners and dominant champions. We have seen this with GSP, Anderson and Jon Jones the longer they stay on top the more success they have in fan interest. Fans will either tune in to see them win or to see them lose and everything in between. You dont have a dominant champion lose interest from fans overtime, it just doesnt work like that. Its a system of those who watched will continue to watch and those who missed out want to join in to see what all the commotion is about.

Now considering the above we have to understand how this happens, its not just a matter of winning simply. The most important part of building a star is marketing and promotion. And if Ronda keeps winning we can sure as hell count on the UFC putting money into her. The UFC really is pretty good at spinning their champs to the mainstream audience when they have a potential star with star qualities. So if Ronda keeps winning, expect more interviews, promos, PR, media, advertising from the UFC's side. And that is not even considering the media and advertising from outside UFC with companies, talk shows, films etc that she will get involved with.

One big quality that Ronda has going for her and this is huge to her success is she is a female fighter. A female fighter in a sport that has been dominated by men in which she is the first true star. Of course, we have seen female athletes come out and get attention in other sports like boxing but they cant get the same attention as the male fighters. Why is that? Lets be honest here and admit that the mass mma audience is really a base that is sold on marketing, promotion and gimmicks and I dont mean that in a bad way in terms of gimmicks. Boxing fans are educated and a fickle audience in a way, mma fans are not. Ronda has the capability to only have male mma fans, but also a whole audience of female mma fans watch that never really existed before.

Now regarding competition and what the writer said. I think that he has a point that competition is important in this case but not in the way exact way he means it. I think if a fighter comes along that will give her a tougher fight, or say a Cyborg moves down and this will be a huge marketing gem for the UFC. These are scenario that will only add to Ronda's interest to something that will already have a big audience to begin with.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Joe: Mike, she has legitimate one (hundred) punch knock out power.

I'm not worried that her star power will diminish.

Much like Tyson, nobody is watching to see her lose. They are there for the horror show that is one woman annihilating another in under a minute. It's not if Ronda wins - it's how she wins and how brutally injured her opponent gets in the process.

I think you nailed it.

Sure, folks on Sherdog want to see an evenly matched bout, and I usually would agree. But there is something great about the sheer spectacle of a Ronda fight, the inevitability of the armbar, the ferocity of her attacks. I understand that what long time MMA (or boxing) fans saw a lady winging ugly sloppy punches until she bludgeoned her opponent unconscious, but what most observers saw was a devastating KO. And I think most of them would want to see it again.