ESPN Now has a MMA section

**tommyz** · 05-25-2007, 12:38 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/mma/...t&lid=tab2pos1

**robby241** · 05-25-2007, 01:11 PM

kick ass article about chuck lidell.

**CFTV37** · 05-25-2007, 05:38 PM

ESPN is going full court press with the UFC Coverage. At the top of the 6 o'clock hour Brian Kenny talked up some of history of the UFC and showed some of the classic highlights of Chuck Liddell's fights as well as the finishes of the recent main events. They brought on a boxing promoter and Joe Rogan to debate the merits of each sport. Of course this lead to a shouting match between the two guys. It was some really great TV!

www.sherdog.com is the website that is providing ESPN with their MMA content. Sherdog does a great job reporting all MMA and besides Dave Meltzer is probably the most reputable source for MMA news.

BTW big props to new ESPN President John Skipper for bringing more MMA and Soccer coverage to ESPN since he has taken over. I even enjoy the Arena League highlights along with some of the NASCAR coverage as well. I wish they would amp up the NHL coverage. Hopefully, when the NHL's next TV contract is up they are able to broker a deal with ESPN to bring back a National Game of the week along with a nightly 15 minute highlight program on ESPN 2.

**det2orl** · 05-25-2007, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by robby241

kick ass article about chuck lidell.

He's on the cover of ESPN the Magazine this week.

**Youngin** · 05-26-2007, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by CFTV37

ESPN is going full court press with the UFC Coverage. At the top of the 6 o'clock hour Brian Kenny talked up some of history of the UFC and showed some of the classic highlights of Chuck Liddell's fights as well as the finishes of the recent main events. They brought on a boxing promoter and Joe Rogan to debate the merits of each sport. Of course this lead to a shouting match between the two guys. It was some really great TV!

BTW big props to new ESPN President John Skipper for bringing more MMA and Soccer coverage to ESPN since he has taken over. I even enjoy the Arena League highlights along with some of the NASCAR coverage as well. I wish they would amp up the NHL coverage. Hopefully, when the NHL's next TV contract is up they are able to broker a deal with ESPN to bring back a National Game of the week along with a nightly 15 minute highlight program on ESPN 2.

I'm sure they don't need the props because I imagine that they've been paid pretty well for all of this attention. I'm not into this stuff but I know that there a lot of people that like it. But I don't believe that ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and Fox Sports Radio (both of whom had shows live from Vegas this weekend) felt compelled by fan interest to give all this sudden love. I think it's a direct result of PAYOLA!

And I agree that Hockey should do the same, even though they may not have the funds to get it done. They need to get back on the map even if by perception alone.

**joeking1978** · 05-26-2007, 05:32 PM

its about time... they realized that boxing has passed its time. The market demands what the UFC provides. Boxing should take a lesson in marketing from Dana White... this guy was brilliant in his moves with Spike TV and USA... now because of this, he brought a bankrupt company to the forefront of competitive fighting.

To be his financial advisor right now.

**don300** · 05-26-2007, 06:23 PM

ESPN cares about one thing....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

If they can make a buck off of it they'll cover it.

That's why they dumped the NHL, and started covering more Poker, Bowling, and NeckCar.

**CFTV37** · 05-26-2007, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Youngin

I'm sure they don't need the props because I imagine that they've been paid pretty well for all of this attention. I'm not into this stuff but I know that there a lot of people that like it. But I don't believe that ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and Fox Sports Radio (both of whom had shows live from Vegas this weekend) felt compelled by fan interest to give all this sudden love. I think it's a direct result of PAYOLA!

What I think made ESPN realize that MMA was a sport that they had to cover was the Ortiz/Liddell match in December that did over a million buys. I have read places that ESPN was embarrassed that there was such a big sporting event going on in America and they had no coverage of it. A lot of the older 50 set at ESPN didn't want to show any MMA because its not one of the traditional sports that they grew up with while the under 40 set was wondering what took the company so long to cover MMA.

**Undisputed Champ** · 05-27-2007, 03:29 PM

If ESPN is the worldwide leader in sports then they have to cover a sport that is on the rise. UFC will never be as big or as populer as boxing, but it is a sport that people watch now.