Categories
Ultimate Fighting

MMA Is Becoming Part Of The Mix

If there are sports agents representing bowlers (cough, Dynasty, cough), then you better believe that there are agents representing ultimate fighters. The competition among UFC agents is definitely less than that of NFL agents, but as the sport continues to grow, the field will get larger and the barrier to entry will increase. Basically, now may be the time to get involved in that area of the industry, if that is what you are interested. As UFC continues to rise in appeal, other types of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) have gained relevance in a very short time span. Now agents can represent different fighting styles and make money in all areas.

Let’s first look at the latest development for the UFC. First Spike TV profited nicely from huge UFC ratings. The bigger networks were not going to sit by idly. Endeavor Talent Agency has aided the UFC expansion to current contract negotiations with HBO and ESPN [Violent sport making belated debut on film]. Spike TV will not lose their rights to televise many UFC bouts, however. Anyway, the UFC is probably worth more than $1 billion, so it is definitely something to keep your eyes on [Time Magazine Says UFC Worth Over Billion Dollars].

And on the other side of the same river lies newer and different forms of MMA. EliteXC is one of these new forms.  EliteXC is to the UFC as Showtime is to HBO. So it only makes sense that Showtime will be televising the first episode of a new EliteXC series on Friday, July 27 at 11 p.m [Showtime to Debut New Mixed Martial Arts SeriesShoXC: Elite Challenger Series]. The show will regularly air on Saturday nights and will give a new form of MMA much publicity as it becomes a more nationally recognized sport.

ESPN helped poker become huge. It also helps bowling remain a prominent sport among Americans. Can it also push the UFC to the next level with the help of HBO. Will Showtime aid MMA as well? Will sports agents capitalize on the future of professional fighting?

-Darren Heitner

By Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner created Sports Agent Blog as a New Year's Resolution on December 31, 2005. Originally titled, "I Want To Be A Sports Agent," the website was founded with the intention of causing Heitner to learn more about the profession that he wanted to join, meet reputable individuals in the space and force himself to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

Heitner now runs Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., which is a law firm with many practice areas, including sports law and contract law. Heitner has represented numerous athletes and sports agents as legal counsel. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington from 2011-2014, where he created and taught a course titled, Sport Agency Management, which included subjects ranging from NCAA regulations to athlete agent certification and the rules governing the profession. Heitner serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he teaches a Sports Law class that includes case law surrounding athlete agents and the NCAA rules.

6 replies on “MMA Is Becoming Part Of The Mix”

[…] I once made an analogy: EliteXC is to the UFC as Showtime is to HBO.  That analogy is no longer the case.  While many view Showtime as a slightly inferior competitor of HBO, EliteXC is no longer even a blip on the radar for UFC.  Back when IMG brokered the deal between EliteXC and CBS, which mandated that ProElite, Inc., the title company to EliteXC, produce four primetime live two-hour MMA events on CBS for multiple years, it looked like EliteXC might just be a viable alternative to UFC.  But Paul Schackman predicted on June 2, 2008 that promotion of Kimbo Slice being a MMA superstar is going to turn out being a disaster.  Paul is often dead-on on his predictions and he did not fail us on this one.  Multiple reports have confirmed that ProElite and its EliteXC program are done for good and that its remaining cards are cancelled.  CBS is thrilled with its investment.. […]

Comments are closed.