What Glory should do to win the fans?

[panzer723]

Kickboxing is almost dead in North America and not ringing any bells in Asia, What should Glory do?

What Glory should do to win the fans, the support and bring back Kickboxing to it's rightful place?

What Glory should do to revive the magic of Kickboxing which we haven't seen since K-1 and It's Showtime days?

 

[null]

Glory 33 is live tonight with a U.S. card featuring a wide variety of international fighters and a couple of championship bouts on UFC Fight Pass and the main card on ESPN2 on tv (as well as ESPN3 online), so I think that's a step in the right direction.

 

[SuperLuigi]

They're not doing bad. They just spiced up 65kg, which had been their previous weakness. Badr vs Rico got signed, which is a huge fight for the fans. They mitigated their loss of the token American by replacing him with Jacoby. They got on fight pass which will get some MMA crossover fans. All they really have to do now is make sure it doesn't all fall apart with the rise of China.

 

[null]

I could have sworn I heard a couple of the fighters weigh in around 135 pounds (~60 kg) at the weigh-ins yesterday which I also think is an interesting development as Glory doesn't currently have a bantamweight champion. Maybe this is the start of that division which will eventually crown a belt holder? Could be interesting to see if they get more smaller but skilled Thais or other smaller internaitonal fighters.

 

[Karaev fan]

They're not doing bad. They just spiced up 65kg, which had been their previous weakness. Badr vs Rico got signed, which is a huge fight for the fans. They mitigated their loss of the token American by replacing him with Jacoby. They got on fight pass which will get some MMA crossover fans. All they really have to do now is make sure it doesn't all fall apart with the rise of China.

Yeah, they're doing a lot of things right these days.

My real wish for them would be focus. They obviously don't have the talent pool to support all these different weight divisions. I never understood why they kept FW and MW limping around when it was just the same 3-4 guys going round robin and fighting each other.

The talent pool in 70kg alone is enough to make a new MAX I feel. I wish they'd just say "no more random contender tournaments for every weight class. We're focusing on LW/WW/HW and doing a grand prix around that"

 

[SuperLuigi]

Yeah, they're doing a lot of things right these days.

My real wish for them would be focus. They obviously don't have the talent pool to support all these different weight divisions. I never understood why they kept FW and MW limping around when it was just the same 3-4 guys going round robin and fighting each other.

The talent pool in 70kg alone is enough to make a new MAX I feel. I wish they'd just say "no more random contender tournaments for every weight class. We're focusing on LW/WW/HW and doing a grand prix around that"

They are definitely trying to replicate the UFC. It might actually be a good idea for attracting MMA crossover, a tad awkward for hardcore fans though.

On the one hand it would be awesome to see half the MWs go to WW and half to LHW, but on the other hand watching MW continue to be a trainwreck is a guilty pleasure of mine lol I'm waiting for the day Jacoby or Barrett knocks out someone like Levin or Marcus with some spinning shit.

 

[Me&MrJones]

I don't understand why they keep doing events in the US, the fans are in Europe and Japan (look at the K-1 history).

I'm now forced to watch the main card at 5am(!) or tonight at 10.15pm on Dutch SpikeTV. Why didn't they start the main card at 8pm ET (2am over here) since they're on the East Coast.

 

[UWanaPlayDaGame]

Kickboxing is not ringing any bells in Asia,

it isn't?

no love for Kunlun over there?

 

[sdjudoka]

Bring back the old K1 rules. Less stops in the action and it was more difficult for some idiot ref to come up with his own interpretation of the rules

 

[Jesus X]

Glory 33 is live tonight with a U.S. card featuring a wide variety of international fighters and a couple of championship bouts on UFC Fight Pass and the main card on ESPN2 on tv (as well as ESPN3 online), so I think that's a step in the right direction.

The espn coverage is crap it is already 18 minutes late

 

[Mob69]

Stop the referees from dominating the fucking fights with constant interruptions, resets and restarts. Glory fights usually have almost no flow or rhythm. At times it can be so infuriating as to be unwatchable.

 

[Kanka]

They need some character development

 

[Matazurka]

I miss the Wow-factor. Look at last night show, those entrances look cheap, flat boring, those empty seats and poor attendances will not create any buzz. I think they should stick in a couple of places around the world where they will draw a big crowd (let's say 5k> ). Maybe Glory should organise an open air event like SK did the last time. Create buzz.

The US-shows should be reduced to a minimum, bring back those big screens at the background during the entrances with firework, flames, smoke, naughty It's Showtime girls etc. And maybe a reality-show will help them to create stars.

 

[null]

The espn coverage is crap it is already 18 minutes late

It's unfortunate that the live ESPN 2 tv broadcast was delayed so long and missed the first two semi-final tournament bouts, but it's available on the WatchESPN site on ESPN3 at least.

 

[Jesus X]

I miss the Wow-factor. Look at last night show, those entrances look cheap, flat boring, those empty seats and poor attendances will not create any buzz. I think they should stick in a couple of places around the world where they will draw a big crowd (let's say 5k> ). Maybe Glory should organise an open air event like SK did the last time. Create buzz.

The US-shows should be reduced to a minimum, bring back those big screens at the background during the entrances with firework, flames, smoke, naughty It's Showtime girls etc. And maybe a reality-show will help them to create stars.

definitely needs more showmanship.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

I'm guessing a lot of the US venues they've been at more recently are down to a casino or similar offering them a good deal but really I think they'd be better off sticking to areas with a stronger potential fanbase.

 

[Trek1]

As a big Muay Thai fan, i would love it if they allowed elbow techniques and let them clinch more.

 

[Kanka]

I think they have to make the matchups more interesting and fights more consistent. For example Badr Hari vs Rico Verhoeven, everybody wants to watch that fight and many want to see Badr Hari win, others want to see him lose. Same with Sittichai vs Robin Van roosmalen.

What i've seen in previous glory cards is they have some random matchups and there is no build up or anything for these fights! The fans often don't know anything about the fighters. Sure many fights are good but do people really care of who wins or not? In many cases they don't, because there is no character development and the fighters only fight like twice a year.

 

[Snubnoze707]

I think they have to make the matchups more interesting and fights more consistent. For example Badr Hari vs Rico Verhoeven, everybody wants to watch that fight and many want to see Badr Hari win, others want to see him lose. Same with Sittichai vs Robin Van roosmalen.

What i've seen in previous glory cards is they have some random matchups and there is no build up or anything for these fights! The fans often don't know anything about the fighters. Sure many fights are good but do people really care of who wins or not? In many cases they don't, because there is no character development and the fighters only fight like twice a year.

Exactly.

Supposedly we're supposed to be all hyped about Yao Ming and how it's the biggest news in 10+ years (lol) but none of that means anything unless Glory can somehow find a way to create some kind of narrative and flow with the matchups rather than just random tournament after random tournament and round robin title fights. I'll give them props for Hari vs Rico, as that is a fight people want to see, but I'm not getting my hopes up till we see some consistent compelling matchups. Otherwise your just throwing more money at a mediocre format.

 

[oyvindt]

tot agree.

they need to create more genuine content to promote fighters,create a story,engage the audience. nodody's taking any lesson from buakaw's marketing manual and it's so strange that in the era where self promotion is the norm for 11 years old you have fighters with no fanpage and private ig accounts. no videos,no content no interaction nothing to tell....no wonder an asshole like hari still generates interest. i don't follow glory like i follow chinese promotions because i perceive them as less genuine and less engaging,cold almost. they take themselves too seriously and it gets boring and repetitive.