MMA needs more coverage on ESPN.

[Dave Gray]

Is there a reason that MMA is ignored by shows like PTI.  They cover horseracing, boxing, MLS and even the WNBA.  Why not MMA?  It's incredibly popular and growing.  Matchups make a big difference, so there is plenty of room for pre-fight conversation.  There are title fights all the time, but it's never talked about.  What gives?

[SCFinfan]

They have talked about it, but (as to shows like PTI) don't seem to care for it much. Kornheiser and Wilbon only seem to talk about it when something strange happens; Le Batard is the only one that really seems to be into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBsoJ-u3JzQ (at 1:50)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLi3dJxzaqM&feature=related (general comments on MMA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLi3dJxzaqM&feature=related (Kimbo interview)

[Dave Gray]

I've seen these clips I think, when they originally aired.  They aren't really talking about matches though....they're more just asking if it's worth talking about.  Also, they don't even talk about UFC.  They talked about EliteXC, which is like covering the XFL instead of the NFL.

It's not just a one time thing, either.  There are big fights every month.  I wonder why they don't do break downs/predictions/whatever, like they do for everything else -- even horse racing.

[Brian Fein]

because less people care about MMA than you think.  Its a niche market.

[Sunstroke]

I have to agree with Brian...if they started talking MMA on PTI or the other mainstream shows, I'd be a lot more likely to just change the channel.

[StL FinFan]

espn does not carry the mma fights so they shuffle it to the back of the deck, just like they did when they stopped broadcasting NHL games.

[MaineDolFan]

because less people care about MMA than you think.  Its a niche market.

Exactly.

[SCFinfan]

Do y'all think they should talk about WWE?

[Brian Fein]

maybe we should have PTI talk about the World Series of Poker too.  I hear a lot of people follow that.  And Motocross racing.  And Street Luge.

[Dave Gray]

The world series of poker doesn't really have matchups that are foreseeable.  ...and it's not broadcast live, either.  I don't think that a lot of people watch motocross racing or street luge.  ...maybe I'm wrong.

Didn't an MMA fight on CBS get more viewers than the Stanley Cup finals at one point?

I have a lot of friends that follow MMA.  Perhaps that's why it's more on my mind than most.  On the other hand, I don't know anyone (in my whole life actually) that has followed the WNBA.  I don't know anyone who follows tennis, either.  ...or horseracing.

It's just weird to me that one of these is written off.  Is MMA really that niche?  The UFC game that came out for the 360 and PS3 sold over a million units in the first month...was by far the number one game on any system.  Those are really big numbers.

[Brian Fein]

I know one person that follows MMA.  Dave Gray.  I know FAR more people that follow NHL hockey than MMA.

[wanna start up that discussion again?]

[BingeBag]

I know FAR more people that follow NHL hockey than MMA.

I think it really comes down to your generation, man. I would have to say the exact inverse for mine.

Not saying your that much older than me, but it is fairly huge in college age viewer-ship.

[Dave Gray]

I'm not saying MMA is more popular than hockey.

I'm saying that it sometimes draws more than hockey.  I'm also saying that it seems to be more popular than horse racing and the WNBA.

[bsmooth]

I know one person that follows MMA.  Dave Gray.  I know FAR more people that follow NHL hockey than MMA.

[wanna start up that discussion again?]

I know a lot more MMA fighters than current hockey players( this used to be different), and among most men I have been around under the age of 35 especially, MMA is a lot bigger than hockey.
Remember unlike all these other sports MMA fights are outlawed in a lot of states, which hinders coverage too.
How popular were any of the major sport leagues in the first 20 years compared to now? Now imagine if attendance and coverage were limited by the fact they were outlawed in a lot of places.

[Dave Gray]

I think that the president of the UFC, Dana White, is a bafoon, in terms of a commissioner-type.  He's just not a good, professional face for a sports organization.  He talks like a jock and he openly curses and comes across like one of the fighters, not management.  He's too much Vince McMahon and not enough Roger Goodell.