Sports Business Digest » ESPN jumps on the MMA bandwagon

ESPN jumps on the MMA bandwagon

Posted on May 25th, 2008. Written by Emmett Jones.

ESPN/ABC have now officially “Dipped all of their toes” into the world of Mixed Martial Arts. Last week, ESPN.com launched a new show, MMA Live, devoted to all things mixed martial arts. From SportsBusinessDaily,

The show looks like a “Baseball Tonight” for MMA and featured three 30-second spots for Toyota Tundra. New episodes will be available on ESPN.com every Thursday at 6:00pm ET.

Jon Anik hosts the show, while UFC fighter Kenny Florian and Newark Star-Ledger reporter Franklin McNeil provide analysis.

Just a couple of quick thoughts. Firstly, its kind of interesting to see ESPN just now jumping on the bandwagon when CBS decided to air MMA fights on Saturday nights months ago. ESPN is the world-wide leader…what took so long? Secondly…Broadband? Seriously? ESPN couldn’t find the time to fit an MMA show on one of its actual networks? The same people that show hours of World Series Poker Coverage in re-runs? The Worlds Strongest Man competition? Lumberjack championships? And you can’t find one half hour of free programming space for an MMA show? I’m not saying throw it on during the six o’clock hour every weekday, but man….are you really getting into MMA when all you’re willing to do is create a half hour broadband webisode on your website?

It looks like ESPN will be taking their queues from other networks on this one. If the live broadcasts by CBS pick up any steam, look for MMA live to find its way onto TV…I just hope it doesn’t preempt those trick shot pool specials; I love those.

Sports Business Daily: ESPN launches 30-minute broadband Mixed Martial Arts Show (subscription required)

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 25th, 2008 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Fringe Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Emmett Jones

7 Responses »

Jason Peck
June 3, 2008 • 11:32 am

MMA definitely isn’t fixed. but they must be breathing huge sighs of relief that Kimbo Slice pulled out the win.
Sportsattitude
June 8, 2008 • 7:23 pm

I admit to watching it. I feel shame. I have to admit, I entered the night knowing nothing about MMA except seeing it while flipping channels and reading about it the day prior to the event. I was not surprised at the rating it did but I was flat-out shocked at how pro wrestling it came off with the flygirls and long-winded intros complete with posses. I thought it would appear to be more interested in being taken seriously, closer to boxing than wrestling. It looked to be poorly constructed as as sporting event and a television show, running way past its alleged time period and for almost three hours, you got about fifteen minutes where something was actually happening. I felt either one of the girls featured probably could have beaten Kimbo had they been able to extend him to a third period, and I think MMA has to decide if it wants to be as legit a sport as possible…or a scripted circus sideshow.
pete
December 26, 2008 • 11:32 pm

Hey, I just wanted to say killer site. Keep up the good work