Now that MMA is legal in Ontario and 1000 new websites have been creating all claiming they are the top source for MMA NEWS, why do none of them have coverage fast enough? I apologize to everyone that works hard in the MMA Media world, but, if you want to contend and be apart of the game, act as if! This is just as important as reporting UFC news.
People want to see, this morning, event photo gallery, post fight interviews, etc....the Fight Network does a great job, usually they have a wrap up show by Monday, which is cool cause they have always done it that way. But, for the companies who want to actually provide some useful content and be relevant in an industry filled with leaches and vampires, get off your asses, tell your mommy you have to stay up late from now on and do some work!
Now that I have had my coffee and vented I hope everyone has a great weekend and big congrats to the SCORE for putting on an awesome show. This event was historic for MMA in Ontario and I really really hope Ontario starts to make some local stars and appreciate the talent we have, much like Quebec has done for years.
Oh wait, I forgot, half these new sites don't even know what the Underground is.
Agreed.
The Fight Network these days has a wrap up on the air very quickly, often before morning, There's late night guys and Sunday guys working hard to get the deets done. Also, thefightnetwork.com is going o relaunch under the eyes of Marc-Andre Drolet, and that'll be awesome.
TopMMANews usually does live PBP. They've been a legit source.
There is a whole game right now of people trying to "get in first" in MMA. Promoters, media types, lotsa people who think that by showing up first and saying "I'm THE promoter/matchmaker/website/expert in MMA in Ontario" makes it so.
Then they realize that those things are hard thankless jobs that take knowledge, experience, expertise and 24 hours a day work.
Then, being first means nothing. Only the hardest working and most knowledgable websites/promoters etc will survive.
Lotsa people can claim to be a websource or MMA. But the nerds that work 24/7 doing the hard work getting the info to the people will become the ones that thrive. Not the ones speaking the loudest to tell everyone that they rule.
If you don't know about the Canadian UG, you don't know jack...
Here is my report.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/731311-the-score-fighting-series-delivers-knockout
You right I am putting it on the UG late.It would have been better posted early this morning.
It does reveal winners if people wanted to watch the fights later.
I only wish that I lived in Ontario so that I could go to some of the great events there...and even the not so great ones.
As for the Maritimes where I live, I've gone to every event that's happened over the past few years unless my military committments meant that I could not.
Whenever I cover an event you can be sure that my event recap, along with photos, will be online by the time you wake up the next morning...even if that means that I'm up all night making that happen.
For example, the last show (ECFP) that I coverered wasn't over until midnight...followed by interviews, then a 2.5 hour drive home from Trenton to Halifax, followed by 3 hours of writing and photo editing. Then somehow I look up to find out that it's tomorrow.
I can't speak for any other website other than MM-eh, but it costs money to run a website, and it's expensive to travel to events When I wrote for Sherdog I got expenses paid which was great, but now that I'm on my own I can only tell you that there is much more money being spent by me than is getting paid to me.
I am also making sure that I am doing everything in my power to be a reputable news source and not a "fanboy" site with only aspirations of hanging out with UFC fighters. In my years of reporting I only have my pic with one fighter, and that's GSP. Oh yeah, and Jimmo...becuase the big goofball is one of my best friends and former sushi partner when he lived here in Halifax.
I've only been up since May, and so far I'm a one-man show. So far I have featured news, photos, and interviews with fighters from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Canada is a big country and I'm basically doing this as a full time job after I'm finished my other full time job every day. I haven't been to BJJ in a month, and my girlfriend is feeling neglected.
Right now I'm looking to get correspondents all across the country who can write stories and cover events with the high standards that I strive for.
Baleia I know that you know a lot of people in the game. If you know someone who you know loves the sport and would like to get a chance to become a "real" MMA journalist, feel free to have them contact me at andy@mm-eh.ca
Oh, I almost forgot....FUCK THE UG!!!
www.mm-eh.ca
Both you guys are doing a great job. Quality coverage, quality writing. Obviously motivated by love of the game.
All the best going forward.
If there's anything you need from a guy out here, never hesitate to pm me.
People should start reporting it and linking it from here. Do you want to be a %$#@ing reporter or what?