ENTERTAINMENT
Showcasing Mixed Martial Arts as a Legitimate Sport
by Michael Broderick
M
ention Mixed Martial Arts(MMA) to some people and
they will turn away in disgust. Seems as if this competitive, disciplined, high-energy sport conjures up visions of
ancient Roman gladiator combats where the competitors were
torn to shreds in unrestricted brawls. This is not the case, as
audience members and casino operators across the nation have
discovered when shows like “King of the Cage” and “The
Ultimate Fighting Championship” have been successfully
produced at a variety of venues, especially Native American
casinos, in the United States.
Historically, MMA was a mainstay of early Olympic
competitions dating back to ancient Greece. The Greek word
Pankration, that was used to define the sport then, is still
active today. However MMA had received a bad reputation in
mainstream America because of unskilled, undisciplined fighting and promoters. Fortunately, the country's perception is
changing because of shows like “Kings of the Cage.” Audiences
get to see talented, dedicated professionals who train rigorously
in every area of the sport. But that's not all. For anyone who
doesn't already know, fighters are very fairly matched - they
are the same weight, with the same skill level. And for casino
entertainment venues, ticket sales, incremental slot handle
and the table-game drop on the day of the shows are like
money in the bank. There are examples of entire entertainment
strategies built around having a consistent MMA show
on a casino's property, especially when it is taped for payper-view. An example would be Soboba Casino in
Southern California. Because of the continuing success of
MMA at that casino and record attendance to the shows, they
built an outdoor amphitheater just to house the event.
Modern History of Mixed Martial Arts
Modern mixed martial arts emerged in 1993 with the
Ultimate Fighting Championships (now known as the UFC)
based on the concept of pitting different fighting styles against
each other in competition with minimal rules in an attempt to
determine which system would be more effective in a real,
unregulated combat situation. In the late 1990s and early
2000s, MMA competitions implemented additional rules for
the safety of athletes and to promote acceptance of the sport,
while maintaining as much of the original no-holds-barred
concept as possible. Since these changes were enacted, MMA
has grown rapidly, to the point of setting pay-per-view records
and selling out arenas that support tens of thousands of spectators. Smaller properties and venues have gotten into the
game as well. Having an MMA event at a casino is viewed by
casino operators as a great opportunity for local communities
to attract new customers to visit remote locations; tourists and
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MMA aficionados who might never have visited otherwise.
What's more, the participants are comprised of only professional, elite fighters from around the globe. Yes, MMA has a
global following. Its presence in Singapore, Australia, the
United Kingdom, Canada, England, and the USA attests to the
sport's global popularity. Closer to home, the sanctioning of
MMA by state athletic commissions such as New Jersey and
Nevada has brought a new credibility to the sport. As a
matter of fact, MMA is thought to be safe, if not safer, than many
of the major league American sports.
King of the Cage
One such show, “King of the Cage,” created by owner
Terry Trebilcock, has found significant success in Indian
Country. According to Trebilcock, MMA is a carefully orchestrated, totally legitimate sport that features impeccably trained
professional athletes who abide by strict rules. And speaking
of rules, each competition falls under the watchful eyes of knowledgeable referees who never let the action get so out of hand
that it presents danger to the participants. Trebilcock
commented, “In any kind of sports competition, whether it's
boxing football, basketball, baseball, auto racing, whatever, there
is a risk of injury.” He continued, “We have better numbers
when it comes to that than those sports do. We do everything
we can to make the fights as safe as possible. Everything is
controlled, and the referees will stop a fight at the first sign of
trouble. Unlike boxing, there is no standing ten count or ten
count. When one athlete dominates the other, the fight is over
immediately. Also we work exhaustively with casino operators
and marketing departments to help them put on a safe, enjoyable, and profitable show. Part of our strategy is we send out
pre-show teams to the properties three weeks before a show.
They canvas a 200 mile radius from the casino to promote the
show and to help sell tickets, as well as to help the casinos work
out the logistics internally and with the local community. We
advise them on everything from seating arrangements to
recommended food and beverage sales. We know that if they
are successful, we will be invited back again, and typically that
is the case.”
A Mother’s Perspective
Karen Maki, member of the Lac du Flambeau community
in Northern Wisconsin and mother of six, offers a completely
different – and surprising – perspective on mixed martial arts.
She has two teenage daughters who are active participants in
the sport at the local Tribal Youth Center. She says, “In my
opinion, my daughters are safer in the ring practicing mixed
martial arts than lots of other sports.” She elaborated “Mixed
martial arts is not about mutilating your opponent beyond
recognition in an uncontrolled free-for-all. It's about using
strategies and utilizing the same specific tactics as your opponent. Everyone is operating on the same plane; there is a
specific framework of rules that all the participants abide by.
The action never gets out of hand because there is always a
referee involved, and believe me, they are actively involved at
all times.”
Reasons to Book Mixed Martial Arts
From an operators perspective there are many reasons why
an MMA show should be booked. First, they are usually
turn-key events that have minimal production costs. While
booking a band or other show requires an extensive production layout for backline, staging, lighting and sound by the
casino, good MMA promoters already have this in place
and at no added cost for the property. In addition, MMA
promoters normally charge a flat production fee (anywhere from
$10,000 to $20,000) and the job of producing, marketing,
booking the fighters, paying the purses, organizing the event,
and implementing the show is done by them. The only catch
is they keep a significant percentage of the gate, however the
drop on the gaming floor more than makes up for the loss of
ticket revenue.
Second, MMA is where it is at! A good venue combined with
a well known name like “King of the Cage” sells out every time.
In addition, the co-branding of a good MMA promoter with
the casino creates added marketing value. In other words you
get a lot of free adverting from word of mouth, sports media
coverage, blog buzz, and the huge (and still growing) MMA
fan base.
Slowly but surely, Americans and businesses at large are not
immediately dismissing mixed martial arts as an excuse to
bang heads and wreak havoc; they are learning that it is a
legitimate, credible sport that takes place in major entertainment venues, not random alleyways. It is, in fact, a sport that
no longer hangs its head in shame, but one that recognizes true
sportsmanship and athleticism. ¨
Michael Broderick is Director of Marketing for Lake of the Torches
Resort Casino in Lac du Flambeau, WI. He can be reached by
calling (715) 588-4008 or email mbroderick@ldfcasino.com
July 2007
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