Promote Your Sport… And Don’t Be A Bitch

Let me preface this post by saying, if you’re offended by this, then I’m probably talking to, or about you…. And I don’t give a shit.

There are many variables that play a role in whether a promotion and/or fight card is either a success, or a failure. The factor that I will focus on are the fighters themselves; the pieces of the puzzle that are most important.

Separating fighters by status, professional and amateur, different roles are expected to be met. At the professional level, you are expected to get all your medicals/paperwork in on time, there may be some press involved, be able to sell tickets (especially if you’re fighting in your home town), make weight, etc.

At the amateur level, there are less things to be accounted for, but there are things that still need to be done. Fighters still need to get their medicals/paperwork in on time, sell tickets, make weight, etc. Because most amateurs fight in their home town, or a city they are currently living in, there really shouldn’t be a problem with selling tickets… so you would think. If you’re telling people all the time how you train and have a fight coming up, unless you have ZERO friends, it shouldn’t be hard for a fighter to reach out to family, friends, and friends of friends to get tickets out.

I have met fighters, pro and amateur, that feel as if they’re not obligated to sell tickets; they feel they don’t need to reach out to people and have them support the show. There’s this misconception that talent is all you need to succeed in this business. One theory that I stand by and have preached to fighters/coaches/fans, it doesn’t matter how good you are, if you can’t put asses in seats, then a promoter will not want you on his card. You could be the next Anderson Silva, but if no one knows who you are nor wants to see you fight, what good does putting you on a card mean? At the end of the day, a fight promotion is a business, period. Their main job is to fill the seats with as many people as possible; turning away people is a good thing in this business.

Anther issue with fight cards, fighters pulling out of fights for no reason at all. This is something more at the amateur level than pros, but it happens there too. The amateur level is a place to get fighting off of your bucket list, and/or to see if you have what it takes to compete at the next level. Look, fighting isn’t for everyone. It takes a special type of person to get in a ring/cage and try to inflict harm on someone, while they are trying to do the same to them; all for the good of the sport of course. If you have a legit reason for backing out of a fight, then that’s cool. Don’t come to the promoter with the “I don’t feel it” excuse. Chances are, you wont fight in that town again.

All that said, support your teammates, promote the sport you claim to love so that fight cards wont get canceled a week out, and don’t be a bitch.

Photo Courtesy of MMAConvert