While people can whine and cry about UFC trying to hold a show and counter-program Strikeforce, Strikeforce itself should be prepared for this. Strikeforce has a very good looking card lined up for April. However, Coker needs to drop this attitude of, "This card can sell itself."
This is the flawed mindset of Coker and Strikeforce that needs to end and needs to end yesterday.
Strikeforce cannot continue to accept and expect for CBS and Showtime to do all the work for them. They need to start getting the word out and promoting their events and actually hyping them up. That means not letting Sarah Kaufman doing all the promoting of the first ever Strikeforce 135 lb women's title bout for you. Seriously, Strikeforce barely even lifted a finger to tell people that fight was happening. It's great if Strikeforce wants to promote and further women's MMA, but they need to actually you know PROMOTE IT! Sarah Kaufman seemed to be the only one out there talking about the fight and telling people it was happening. For a title bout this is unacceptable.
You guys need to stop pitying Strikeforce and act like UFC is picking on them. Strikeforce asked for it. Strikeforce signed Fedor Emelianenko. Coker says they plan on doing PPV. Like it or not, Strikeforce is the competition. Strikeforce wants to grow and expand, and this is what happens as a result. Strikeforce signing Fedor means they want to compete or overtake the UFC whether Coker wants to believe they are at war with the UFC or not. For the fans, competition means we get more MMA on TV. That's good.
This is why people need to stop worrying. It's Strikeforce's job to promote and hype up their product. So now they are taking these moves to expand, they need to step up their promotional/marketing machine big time. That means going above and beyond what they've done in the past.
The marketing and branding of the first CBS primetime show was a joke. There was nothing beyond some spots on CBS talking about Fedor. Virtually nothing about the Strikeforce brand or product or other Strikeforce fighters. The CBS show did little with that as well with virtually no mentions of future Strikeforce events coming up on Showtime. It's great that they have the best fighter in the world, but as we can perfectly see from the lack of Fedor's presence next month, and from the example EliteXC set with Kimbo Slice, you cannot build a company around one guy. That's a recipe for disaster. They have just a few weeks so I mean, they should clearly be marketing the hell out of Dan Henderson who is basically your all american MMA hero.
If Strikeforce is not going to take the necessary steps to getting a bigger and meaner promotional/marketing machine if they want to have 20 events this year, primetime events on CBS, PPV, more events on Showtime than they need to just quit now because UFC will destroy them.
I agree... look how long it took to officially announce the Hendo / Sheilds fight...Now they basically have a month to market it
Anyone who calls themself an MMA fan will watch Strikeforce that night.
MillhouseMMA - Anyone who calls themself an MMA fan will watch Strikeforce that night.
mma fans really aren't the issue....its casuals or bust.
Legkick to the Head -MillhouseMMA - Anyone who calls themself an MMA fan will watch Strikeforce that night.
mma fans really aren't the issue....its casuals or bust.
Yeah but if you'd rather watch Kimbo and Mitrione over 3 title fights then that's fucked.
I will record both and likely watch SF live. But if Wand/Sexy does happen, I will flip the channel for that fight.
MillhouseMMA - Anyone who calls themself an MMA fan will watch Strikeforce that night.
Or MMA fans can really do whatever they want and not have their fandom questioned because of petty BS.
Seriously, I'm in LA and we get Strikeforce and UFC events on tape delay on cable. I have a DVR so I just record and watch both. I don't have this stupid attitude, UH OH IF I'M A TRUE MMA FAN I HAVE TO SUPPORT THE REAL MMA PROMOTION.
Please stop acting like Strikeforce is this innocent little hatchling.
Coker: "“There will come a day when there will be a free show, with Fedor Emelianenko and/or Dan Henderson, going against one of their pay-per-views,” he said. “That is going to be interesting.”"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-fightcards030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Jmend255 - Coker: "“There will come a day when there will be a free show, with Fedor Emelianenko and/or Dan Henderson, going against one of their pay-per-views,” he said. “That is going to be interesting.”"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-fightcards030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
LOL.
Jmend255 - Coker: "“There will come a day when there will be a free show, with Fedor Emelianenko and/or Dan Henderson, going against one of their pay-per-views,” he said. “That is going to be interesting.”"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-fightcards030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
A Fedor/Henderson card on Showtime isn't going to do much to a UFC PPV card.
BigDummy -Jmend255 - Coker: "“There will come a day when there will be a free show, with Fedor Emelianenko and/or Dan Henderson, going against one of their pay-per-views,” he said. “That is going to be interesting.”"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-fightcards030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
A Fedor/Henderson card on Showtime isn't going to do much to a UFC PPV card.
Hey BigDummy, Coker means CBS.
"I have a DVR so I just record and watch both."
Yah really, I'm looking forward to drinking heavily and watching 2 events back to back. Just like when Affliction went against Silva/Irvin. My night started with Vitor dropping Martin through the ropes and it ended with Markham's brutal KO of Brody (shown after main event.) good times...
Jmend255 -BigDummy -Jmend255 - Coker: "“There will come a day when there will be a free show, with Fedor Emelianenko and/or Dan Henderson, going against one of their pay-per-views,” he said. “That is going to be interesting.”"
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-fightcards030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
A Fedor/Henderson card on Showtime isn't going to do much to a UFC PPV card.
Hey BigDummy, Coker means CBS.
Well he better hope he pulls some amazing ratings out of his ass for this next CBS show or there is a good chance they won't be back on CBS to get that chance.
Except it won't be a PPV opposite Hendo on CBS. It will probably be a fight night.
Honestly who knows. UFC might not even be able to get a card together in time.
But the point is, Strikeforce needs to be prepared for stuff like this if they want to be a bigger and more popular company. But that also means they have to get a little more aggressive with their promoting tactics. And by that I mean more merchandising, more commercials, more advertising, EVERYTHING!
Strikeforce still promotes itself like a regional MMA promotion.
TheVileOne -
But the point is, Strikeforce needs to be prepared for stuff like this if they want to be a bigger and more popular company. But that also means they have to get a little more aggressive with their promoting tactic. And by that I mean more merchandising, more commercials, more advertising, EVERYTHING!
Strikeforce still promotes itself like a regional MMA promotion.
This right here is exactly right.
Monsters Ball - lol @ all the UFC shills trying to give Strikeforce advice lately.
Dana would put Brock on Spike if it meant beating SF.
Monsters Ball - lol @ all the UFC shills trying to give Strikeforce advice lately.
perfectly said.
it always floors me when people think they know more than a guy who's run a promotion longer than the person talking has probably held a job.
Although I don't have DVR, I do have a cable splitter, and can easily move my bedroom tv out into the living room...hooray for two events at once.
Honestly the only reason I knew about Sarah fighting for the 135 title is because she posted on here. I had no idea SF was having a card that day until about 2 weeks prior, while most people know when the next 3 UFCs will be