The newest MMA promotion to dive headfirst into the MMA market has been making some big waves recently. Affliction, known for MMA clothing rather than promoting fights, will make their splash into the fight game from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on July 19th, and the first hour of the event will be aired on Fox Sports Net.
The California State Athletic Commission also confirmed that a $3.5 million dollar bond had already been posted for the show which made it possible for tickets to begin selling. According to Honda Center CEO Tim Ryan, the event has already sold $250,000 dollars in tickets in the first 30 minutes of the event going public.
With all this great news coming out of the recent press conference, it almost hints that Affliction may actually be able to come out in the black after a couple of events. Although the ticket sales are definitely a plus at this point in time, pay-per-view buys for their first event will be the better thermometer for where the promotion stands with the casual fanbase. Can Affliction break into the fanbase that the UFC so easily has a hold of through using their television presence on Spike?
Once again, I think the argument that Affliction is still a sinking ship revolves around whether or not their stable of fighters can draw fans in to buy the pay-per-view card. Fedor has already been proven to be a non-drawing talent so far in his career, but in a battle with a recognizable UFC figure such as Tim Sylvia, can that change? Sylvia was known as one of the more boring UFC fighters, so he obviously won’t garner a huge following, but he is a highly ranked heavyweight that will be a test.
Can the IFL’s exposure on cable television help guys like Rothwell and Whitehead draw fans? I wouldn’t bet on it. What about Babalu, Lindland, and Barnett? Although all of them have some type of fanbase from the UFC and their international battles with top contenders, they haven’t been featured recently in mainstream promotions in the North American market. They will likely draw some buys from hardcore fans though.
What can we expect from Affliction? I still stand by my opinion that the promotion will fail inside two or three events, but they are beginning to make me wonder if they can draw a fanbase that will end up supporting it. If they can draw some decent PPV buyrates, sponsors will begin to flood in with opportunities for their fighters and the promotion. It all hinges on how well the buys are for the July 19th show, so I’ll rescind my judgment until after the event. I hope another promotion can begin to push EliteXC and the UFC; it can only be good for the fans.