LOL at saying the Cuban just got lucky in the dotcom boom. Only an idiot would think this. Starting something from scratch and making billions is a hell of a lot harder than having a casino handed to you and making it grow. Seriously, do have any idea of the kind of ingenuity, intelligence and persistence it takes to do what Cuban has done?
Anyway, the thing people are missing is that Cuban's approach is that he sees that MMA as embodied by the UFC is NOT being run like a sport. He is totally correct. It is simply being run as a private enterprise, much more like WWE.
I think he is absolutely correct in what he is seeing. THIS is where the UFC is vulnerable. The UFC's approach is destined to fail eventually. Their approach is to maintain a stranglehold on all of MMA, like total control freaks over it. But to do this, they have to keep it from really turning into a sport. This, however, is impossible. The UFC will not be able to control the entire sport of MMA and their model will fail longterm as it grows away from being like WWE and more into being a mainstream sport.
One guy wrote:
"FACE IT...
1 Major League Baseball
1 National Football League
1 National Basketball Association
1 Ultimate Fighting Championship
UFC has the market cornered now, everything else will be a fad and slowly get pushed out..."
This guy is totally wrong and misses the fact that the UFC is NOT run as a real sport. You simply cannot compare it to the other leagues listed.
Cuban seems to have a better idea of where MMA is eventually headed than Dana. IF MMA does in fact grow to a really big size it will outgrow the controlling grasp of the UFC. An entirely different business model will take over at that point. Perhaps Cuban will be the guy to capitalize on it. Dana and the UFC have the right business model for a fledgling "event" like MMA is. But they will be left in the dust longer term. They won't mind, b/c they will have made a bunch of money, but the UFC does NOT have the right approach for a truly mainstream "sport" of MMA.
fullpint, you wouldn't consider a guy who wasn't rich, all of a sudden selling something and turning into an instant billionaire, when he wasn't rich, a guy who hit it big?
i don't get the bullshit comment. please explain. he was well off one day, but lots of regular dudes are, the next day... billionaire. how is that not a regular dude hitting it big?
My apologies. The bullshit remark sounded more confrontational than I intended.
you wouldn't consider a guy who wasn't rich,
He was a millionaire through a previous business venture.
all of a sudden selling something
He had an idea and wasn't afraid to invest the necessary time, capital, and effort into creating a profitable business with annual revenues well into the tens if not hundreds of millions. He had the vision to create a "product" that there was a market for, he procured a buyer, and executed the transaction.
and turning into an instant billionaire
There was nothing instant about his success.
he was well off one day, but lots of regular dudes are, the next day... billionaire.
A multi billion dollar transaction can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months (most likely closer to the latter).
how is that not a regular dude hitting it big?
I assure you he is not just a regular dude. Just because he doesn't have the demeanor of an uptight guy in a pinstripe suit does not mean that he is not a uniquely talented, business minded individual.
darrenjg is correct. up until recently mma was considered a fringe sport. as fighters become perceived as professional athletes, the entire sport will take off. we're not talking xyience, either. we're talking nike, adidas, reebok etc. not saying that cuban will succeed, but if there's anyone who can further bridge mma with professional sports, it's him. if i'm a fighter, i'd be excited at the prospects and possible $$$.
cuban has already stated that he will not hesitate to invest $40 million initially if he has to. and he knows that the ufc is vulnerable in that it cannot have EVERY fighter signed to a contract. just think about all the great fighters that the ufc has yet to showcase...the list is huge.
"very savvy Fertitta brothers"
savviness won't help them here. they're not dealing with a broken down, bankrupt Pride anymore. cuban can easily outbid any available fighter the ufc wants off the interest he receives in one week if he wanted to. they're dealing with a businessman who is worth more than the fertitta brothers and their sponsors combined who has a DIRECT relationship with the sports and entertainment industry.
"Cuban started Broadcast.com and sold it to Yahoo for around $6 Billion in Yahoo stock. He then had the VISION to know that the "dot com boom" was a farse and he got out at the right time."
"FYI, cuban is listed on the Forbes 400 list of richest americans with a net worth of $2.3 BILLION dollars. the fertitta brothers are nowhere to be found on that list."
"I can't count the number of times I've said MMA to someone and they say "what?" Then I say UFC and they're like oooooh."
means nothing. the only reason they recognize UFC is because that's all we've ever had. its been around the longest here in the states so that's what the casual fan identifies as mixed martial arts. the point here is to make "MMA" mainstream...and that's when the sport really takes off.
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LOL @ Fertita's having more money than Cuban!!!!
You see, Cuban makes the Forbes list of worldwide BILLIONAIRES, Fertita's, nowhere to be found. Get real, dude!
Cuban knows how to deal with athletes and will pay up, UFC won't
UFC will be the Arena league in 5 years...CUBANPwn3D
Right on. Cuban is the 133rd richest American. The Fertittas don't even rank in the top 1000. He could buy and sell both of them several times over. This will be the 1st real threat, and signing Fedor was step 1.
"LOL@this. We had ALOT more than the UFC in MMA circles in America. There was a time when KOTC was in competitoin with the UFC. Then the WFA, IFL, Bodog and Pride."
and when did the WFA, IFL, and Bodog come about? before MMA was looked upon with any kind of legitimacy. before big bucks started flooding into sport. Even looking back to 2006, MMA was being reported NOWHERE in the popular media like it is now. and bringing up an international fight organization like pride makes no sense. you don't compare the mlb with Japanese baseball...they're not competing for the same audience. no one in america aside from the small group of hardcore fight fans even knew about pride, let alone mma.
"LOL@brand identity meaning nothing. You have no clue what you are talking about. People go to a restaurant and order a coke regardless of what cola is being served, brand identity is a POWERFUL thing. "
wow, you're comparing a fledgling sport that has just been accepted into the mainstream months ago with the most dominant SOFTDRINK of the century. you need to get a clue. totally apples and oranges.
first off, the coke "brand" has been engrained within american culture from being around for the past 100 years and is one of the most identifiable logos in the entire world. the ufc has "brand identity" because it's the only show in town at the moment. that's it. in no way does it correlate with "brand loyalty" either because there is no alternative that offers the top tier fighters. you're telling me if, a few years down the road, mark cuban or another organization establishes itself and outbids for TOP fighters like fedor, liddell, etc. and puts on an incredible card, mma fans aren't gonna buy it?
Cuban is ready made for this with his experience,arena, HDNET, etc. etc. he help take this to the next level. Zuffa will always have the brand, it's a proven commodity.
I think it's great for the sport, also makes the estimated 60 mil. buy of Pride a very wise decision for Zuffa. Even if it was a paper purchase they still kept it out of someones hands (Cuban).
