"Bloggers Sergio Non and Beau Dure will have the latest news, tidbits and analysis about the sport of MMA, including all major U.S. promotions, groups overseas in Japan and Europe, noteworthy regional events and other participants in the industry,'' it says. "We'll have features and interviews with the sport's athletes and personalities, along with play-by-play coverage of major events."I've now read the about section at least three times. My questions: What is mixed martial arts? And what is this site's business model?
Related: USA Today's entire blog line-up
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Mixed Martial Arts is in a few different sanctioning bodies, the most popular probably the UFC. The fighters box, but also can grapple, kick, go to the mat and fight there. The object, obviously, is to win the fight, which can be done on judge's scorecards, knockout or putting the other fighter in a submission hold -- a choke or arm or leg contortion where they "tap out" and give up rather than continue to endure the pain. One of the more startling things about this fighting is after a combatant is knocked to the canvas near unconsciousness, the attacker can go to the mat with him and continue to pulverize him until a referee stops the fight. This sport is huge, its popularity is rising fast, it's very popular with the young demographic, and it has basically supplanted boxing.
ReplyDelete@11:35 knows his/her MMA.
ReplyDeleteUSAT probably is chasing that demographic, but ESPN and Sports Illustrated have had MMA coverage on their Web sites for some time. It's already mainstream. Nothing cutting-edge about USAT's move.
What worries me is that it sounds like USAT is shilling (sp?) for MMA. If that is the case, how objective can their coverage be?
ReplyDeleteJim, MMA is growing very rapidly, not just as a sport but as a business. CNBC did a documentary on it a while back:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnbc.com/id/21836786
Jim, I'm surprised you posed the question, "What is MMA?"
ReplyDeleteIf you were doing a story on the business aspects of the sport, wouldn't you do some research BEFORE conducting an interview or two?
The fact you have no knowledge of MMA in general, and the popular UFC in particular, is an indication you are out of touch.
As a couple of people have already posted, MMA has replaced boxing as the country's most popular fighting genre. UFC shows sell out arenas around the country and their shows on SPIKE-TV generate solid ratings.
12:26 pm: I believe you are being deliberately obtuse. The blog should at minimum define the sport.
ReplyDeleteNo it shouldn't, Jim.
ReplyDeleteYou've gotta be a little more keen to what's happening around you.
MMA not be right there with NFL or NHL, but jeeze, it's pretty much main stream.
Yeah, I'd agree: MMA is a very well-known sport now. And as far as a business model: Individual blogs on a mass media website don't *each* need a business model. The question is whether the blog will contribute to the site's *overall* business model. I think it's a safe assumption that this can do that -- especially since neither of these guys are assigned full-time to this task (I think) and there's little cost in spinning up another blog at USAT, which has many blogs.
ReplyDeleteMMA... Mainstream?
ReplyDeleteLets take a vote.
One vote for:
I've never heard of it.
Screw the UFC. Vince McMahon's always looking for a new angle that coincides with popular events. Like a wrestler that dresses up like an old-school newspaper editor, and walks in handing out copies of USA Today to the crowd?
ReplyDeleteGotta offset the Marriott loss somehow.
MMA mainstream?
ReplyDeleteNot with me, but then I'm not a 25-year-old male, either.
Is that the kink of fighting that pushes PBR for viewership on Versus?
Not my thing, but it or some other brawl-type fighting IS very big in some circles.
Maybe the businessman stuck in a hotel overnight while traveling is interested.
I'm a horse racing fan ...
And a former journalist ...
Boy can I pick them!
Let me be 100% clear: I like this blog concept because it's so sharply focused. I'm simply asking USAT's sports department to avoid the mistake I make almost daily: using jargon that turns off potential readers.
ReplyDeleteHow about at least adding a link to a MMA definition?
Mixed Martial Arts is the latest offshoot of the barbaric cage-fighting that started showing up via satellite from South America about ten years ago. It is the human equivalent of violent video games. It isn't a sport, it's a packaged appeal to base instincts of the young, gamer culture. Visit a bar when MMA is on the house tv, watch the patrons and fans and listen to them. You will flee the place, run home and hide under your bed.
ReplyDeleteMMA is a fad, confined to a relatively limited circle. I think the "big thinkers" at corporate are gleefully patting each other on the back for finally getting in on the ground floor of something, but time will tell if interest lasts and if Gannett will read the writing on the wall when it doesn't, as I suspect.
ReplyDeleteI checked in on several of the USA Today blogs and am struck by how few followers the blogs have. Most posts have 0 or 1 or 2 comments and some a handful of "recommendations."
That doesn't say much for the nation's highest circulating newspaper. I tried to tell my publisher what they needed to do, but he didn't listen and he laid me off.
Corporate starts these things and then doesn't seem to care to measure success or failure.
12:26 poster back again -- Some of you folks posting here are as out of touch with pop culture as Jim.
ReplyDeleteBe a journalist. Educate yourself before you open your mouth and say things that have no basis in fact.
In terms of being "barbaric," I have seen UFC fights stopped much quicker than boxing matches with its standing eight counts and referees reluctant to stop a one-sided beating. That does not happen in today's UFC. That change helped move the MMA into mainstream America.
Jim, if you are truly interested in learning more about MMA, check out the UFC history Web site at http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=LearnUFC.History.
There was a pretty good look at the whole MMA attraction thing in a USA Today column last year:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2008-06-01-mma-cbs_N.htm
MMA has been around too long now to be considered a fad. It may not stay as popular, but it's passed the 'fad' stage.
This isn't the ground floor if you know sports. Kimbo Slice beat some dude's ear so bad on late night national tv last year that it looked like it exploded. That was last summer.
ReplyDeleteIt's niche, and Gannett is a corporate latecomer for diehard fans. Hope they aren't shelling out too much to do it.
I heard tiddly-winks are making a comeback!
ReplyDeleteBlog on.
Jim, you are way out of touch on this one.
ReplyDeleteI'd say MMA is as much as a niche sport as say the NHL or NASCAR right now. Some love it. Some hate it but it is mainstream now with even ESPN devoting time to it.
It has killed boxing.
MMA is probably as well-known among males in their teens, 20s and 30s as any sport. It's a niche sport that has great potential to grow in coming decades, but that doesn't mean that it's 100% mainstream. I would say there are a lot of people, older ones especially, who aren't familar with MMA, and for that reason you can't take for granted that MMA is as recognizable to the casual sports fan (or even the hardcore fan) as NASCAR, much less the NFL.
ReplyDeleteFor gosh sakes, people ...
ReplyDeleteIT IS JUST A BLOG.
It's not like USAT is devoting major coverage to this niche sport.
It isn't. It just opened a blog. No more valuable than any of the nonsense blogs that are linked to every Gannett newspaper in the nation. And most of them are deadly boring, of interest to the person who posts, only.
I REPEAT, IT IS JUST A BLOG.
Wait, something's confusing me. Why does USAT need to define MMA, Jim? If you're reading the blog, you know what MMA is, right? If you don't, then you won't read. Period.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like BLOGS! devoted to Top Chef or Queer Eye or Deadliest Catch or American Chopper or paintball have a link to a description of Top Chef or Queer Eye or ...
This is one thing that has really gotten under my skin over the years as a sports writer, being told by ignorant editors and publishers that we need to "explain" sports better so the reader understands. No we don't. Just like news doesn't have to explain politics or why the weather changes or how to read a stock ticker.
If you're reading that particular section, you know what you're reading. You shouldn't need the paper to tell you that NFL stands for National Football League or MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts.
I've never understood why sports and recreation events have to be dumbed down so the 35-year old housewife can understand it, but the business and stocks section remain as confusing as Chinese Arithmetic. If you don't know what it is, don't read it. Simple. Don't make me dumb it down for you, if you're really that interested, you'll learn what it all means.
5:34 pm: Now I know why I never read sports. Also, you've been very poorly served by business news journalists.
ReplyDeleteBarely related: Why is the average male sportswriter often so out of shape that he could make it to first plate -- without the prospect of free food upon arrival. Anyone?
I'd say "niche" is being generous...I have 2 boys in their early 20's, and both at college on partial athletic scholarships...They know what it is, but looked at me like, "huh??", when I asked if they, or any of their friends, followed it...I took it the answer was NO.
ReplyDeleteJim Hopkins said...
ReplyDelete12:26 pm: I believe you are being deliberately obtuse. The blog should at minimum define the sport.
4/15/2009 12:29 PM
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Good lord, Jim, you are the one being obtuse! You start a thread as the blog owner by asking your readers to explain your topic to you. That just doesn't make sense. Do your due dilligence before starting something,e specially if you are going to be critical.
Does Gannett or USAT do anything right?
As a 28 year old male, never heard of MMA until today.
ReplyDeleteBlogger Jim Hopkins said...
ReplyDeleteBarely related: Why is the average male sportswriter often so out of shape that he could make it to first plate -- without the prospect of free food upon arrival. Anyone?
4/15/2009 5:57 PM
Well, Jim, it's probably because those who can't do now write.
And it looks like those who can't report, well, they now BLOG!.
And please, by all means, continue not reading the sports section. And I'll continue to not care about gay rights.
You see, not knowing or understanding something doesn't give you the right to be ignorant about the subject. You above all should understand that.