Ultimate Fighting Championship vs. Movable Buffet
One local journalist who covered Saturday's Ultimate Fighting Championship card at MGM's Grand Garden Arena wrote me an e-mail, offering this impression: "UFC attempts to be more controlling than other sports. UFC sounds like it's trying to hem in media."
We were discussing his experience as well as the credential application that UFC demanded that I sign to be approved to cover the fight. The application specified everything from the trivial, forbidding my wearing certain clothes, to the ridiculous, controlling where and when I was allowed to write about the event forever more. In explaining this bizarre credential application that most would call not an application but a contract, UFC events manager Diann Brizzolara wrote me: "We have the right to protect our brand and how coverage taken from our events is disseminated." Actually, UFC does not have that right to control "how coverage taken...is disseminated" at all. This rather unique privilege in fact is what the credential application is trying to give them a back door claim to having. Brizzolara continued, "Other sports leagues, such as the NFL, have similar regulations printed on the back of their press passes." Two points: Similar isn't identical, and regulations on the back of a press pass are a wish list because they do not require my signature of agreement. Oh and the obvious, the UFC is no NFL.
Interestingly, in another e-mail, Brizzolara also wrote to me defensively that the UFC credential application was "actually reviewed by our COO (who also has a law degree)." Huh? Who is the COO's client: UFC or media?
Credential applications are supposed to be basic as they are designed to confirm only the legitimacy and assignment of media to an event. The standard application answers two questions: is this writer a legitimate journalist and does the writer have an assignment? Since it is an application and not a contract, it is therefore revealing that UFC felt the need to have this routine document examined by a COO with a law degree.
By the way, the writer I was exchanging e-mails with who covered this weekend's fight was not asked to sign any credential application. He was not even told that the application existed. Like me, he would never sign such a form. Could it be that UFC has a problem with the Buffet? Not according to an MGM spokesperson: "He [the other writer] had tickets to the event and no credential." Of course, that offer of review tickets without a credential was never made to me.
But why would UFC have any problems with the Buffet? Certainly this was not the case two years ago, the last time I covered a UFC fight. At that time, there was no discussion of a credential application at all.
Of course, since then I have attempted to question famously touchy UFC head Dana White about his issues with fighter Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson, pictured. That request for an interview with White was at first rebuffed and then ignored. Now, when it comes to me, a credential application with all sorts of stipulations is required for a press pass. I wonder what they are so worried about?
Here is one possibility: if credentialed, I would have been there this weekend to view the after-fight press conference fight. According to Robin Leach's blog, that press conference turned into such a fiasco with such vitriol and chaos that the police were called and "UFC officials immediately ended the press conference." Eventually order was restored and the press conference resumed.
So, was the problem caused by two emotionally high-strung fighters who could not settle it in the ring? No. Once again the situation was apparently a conflict between White and Ortiz and Jameson. Apparently, White wanted Ortiz at the press conference about as much as he wanted me there.
Of course, next time, I can always just buy a ticket and go blog about the UFC event. But that might not be necessary. UFC's moment may be passing anyway. Ortiz, the league's biggest star, now is done with UFC, and the league is facing increased competition.
On his blog, Leach also reports about speculation on the future of Ortiz and for White's UFC: "Will Tito join a rival Mixed Martial Arts league or retire and how will White take on his more bitter rivals in the XC Extreme Sports league that starts its CBS TV network coverage next Saturday night from Newark, New Jersey. If a ratings success I am reliably told three further fights would be broadcast live from Vegas."
And, of course, network fights on CBS are likely to get many more viewers than pay-for-view and cable fights. That would begin to make UFC obsolete even as it approaches mainstream status. When I first wrote about a UFC fight in 2006 that league was bringing unprecedented attention to mixed martial arts. But maybe now it is time for the next big sensation. I wonder if EliteXC requires select press to sign a credential application?
UPDATE: An MGM spokesperson writes: "I can clarify the incident about the post-fight press conference -- there was NO incident at all -- the officers were simply there to monitor the situation in the event anything got out of control. Everything was fine and so you know they attend every event we have whether it's boxing, UFC or concerts."
(Photo by Sarah Gerke)
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what will happen to tito and his place in the u.f.c
Posted by: nick anderson | May 27, 2008 at 01:46 PM
Richard, dont take it personal. I am not sure if you are a real fan or someone that was forced to write about the fight etc. Tito is far from the biggest star and he has not won in the last 3 or 4 fights. Someone else, has his ear and may be affecting his training and judgement pertaining to contracts. I watched the ppv Sat. and it was very good and exciting. Lets talk about some of the fights and your insight.
Posted by: johnny Lang | May 27, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Richard, dont take it personal. I am not sure if you are a real fan or someone that was forced to write about the fight etc. Tito is far from the biggest star and he has not won in the last 3 or 4 fights. Someone else, has his ear and may be affecting his training and judgement pertaining to contracts. I watched the ppv Sat. and it was very good and exciting. Lets talk about some of the fights and your insight.
Posted by: johnny Lang | May 27, 2008 at 01:48 PM
I think that theres probably a big crack-down going on with you guys because you guys are always overstepping you boundry's.I think you forget that it's a privelige to let you in and they dont have an obligation to let people in they feel are trouble makers or that bring in a negative element,such as not getting invited into CA and Cirque's press conference.Maybe you should consider behaving your self before nobody lets you into press conferences and the like and you end up with no job.
Posted by: bettylouh | May 27, 2008 at 05:54 PM
This whole thing with Tito Ortiz is ridiculous. I'd hate to see the UFC slide into artificial, self-promoting "personality conflicts" like professional wrestling did long ago.
Did you hear that they Ortiz and Dana White were supposed to fight? Ortiz broke it off at the last minute and White made a TV special documenting the whole thing. Exactly what I'm talking about. Desperate media grabs belong with pro wrestling and reality television.
Posted by: AmbroseKalifornia | May 28, 2008 at 03:32 AM
There is a possibility that there's some sort of UFC vendetta against the L.A. Times in general. The Times' TJ Simers was scheduled to follow Ortiz and produce a few columns but it got curtailed rather quickly as detailed here: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers22-2008may22,0,1504876.column?page=2&track=mostviewed-storylevel
Posted by: elf | May 28, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Are you a journalist or a fanboi?
Having your superior sign off on a credential request is standard for major league pro sports media.
As for the color of your clothing, it is a simple, standard courtesy ... light colored clothing on press row is going to show up on the TV cameras and is distracting to the viewers. The rest of the media has no problem with a simple courtsey, why are you whining about it?
They also request you don't openly root for fighters from pess row. Was that too much of a problem for you too?
Posted by: Act like a professional | May 28, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Haha, that photo ! Miss Twiggy Tweedledee and Mr. TweedleDUMB. Talk about 2 people who look funny enough nude but totally ridiculous in clothes !
Posted by: GladK | May 28, 2008 at 01:46 PM
You have your facts wrong regarding the press conference getting stopped and then resumed. What happened was that Ortiz showed up before the press conference was scheduled to begin to conduct his "own" press conference and answer journalist questions in a bid for self-publicity. UFC officials obviously couldn't begin the real press conference since Ortiz was hogging the spotlight and so told him to stop and leave. So how can you claim the press conference was stopped when it hadn't even officially begun in the first place?
UFC were gracious enough to provide Ortiz with a post fight interview where he had the opportunity to promote his post UFC career with competing companies and how does he repay them? By hijacking the press conference and unprofessionally interrupting almost every question and answer not directed at himself just so that he could further get his agenda across.
Posted by: Shane | May 28, 2008 at 01:58 PM
In filling out my press application for the WSOP, I read the curious line, "Photos posted on websites may be archived for 72 hours only from the specific event date. Following 72 hours, photos are deemed to no longer be for standard news usage and must be removed."
Since the WSOP doesn't determine who and what is "standard news usage" I'm planning on telling them to kiss my ass...
Posted by: Steve | May 28, 2008 at 02:40 PM
bravo bravo RIchard.. i give a salute to you for being a real journalist. you say it like it is.UFC is such a control freak because they dont want the truth out.because the ufc is one BIG HYPE MACHINE!!! and every smart dude knows it.. Dana the master marketing man hypes it so much that tons of people actually believe it .he talks big but cant seem to back it up. he goes that the UFC would be next to the NBA haha dream on.. now what would blow his hype buble.people like you richard.who report the truth...unlike your paid media friends(payola money from Dana) your on the right track..expose the small pay that the fighters are getting...would ko boxiing? common... de la hoya gets 50 million randy cotoure gets 250T...its really a small noisy businees thats what it is.im back to being a tito fan for speaking out the truth!!! also jay larkin and randy cotoure for telling the real mma situation as it is... which is they neeed tons of spending in marketing because it they dont the product cannot carry it.self from now on ill start reading your columns.keep it up
Posted by: Ray | May 29, 2008 at 01:10 AM
Tito shouldn't be thought of as the UFC's biggest star, his decline happened long ago and now that star is dim. But Tito is not alone in echoing the revenue problems in the UFC. Zuffa has accumulated a large chunk of debt (its credit rating was dropped by S&P to BB-) but somehow the revenue of ufc fighters never goes above 11% (according to disclosed fighter revenue - see MMAJunkie.com for details). I beleive that the UFC COULD become like the NBA or the NFL when looking at the raw numbers of fans increasingly watching the sport. But the big dogs in the industry have network contracts, revenue streams and have collective bargining agreements to keep the players happy. The UFC is still focusing on the the promotion game and trying to act like the other big sporting leagues but hasn't grown itself into the big dog arena of the mass market. If it can secure a network deal, this press pass complaint will be a non-issue because hundreds of other reporters will be stiff arming you to the press table. The real story here is state of the UFC and the hungry compeditors nipping at their heals. EliteXC beat the UFC to the major market punch and has a flagship fighter to market. If the UFC doesn't sort things out fast, the fighters - who have been complaining openly about pay - will be following the money on network tv.
Posted by: Stacy | May 29, 2008 at 10:14 AM
The comments in Leach's blog which you cite were incorrect. Have you seen the various video of the press conference or read the various reports of what happened? Was Robin Leach at the press conference?
I also think it's relevant what press are required to sign on to. In my opinion, there isn't anything in those professional journalism terms that I have a problem signing that I won't violate. No matter how obvious those terms may seem to you or I, the fact of the matter is that the UFC has had issues over the years with media acting inappropriately.
No, I never plan on covering a UFC with a fighter t-shirt. No, I don't plan on cheering for particular fighters from my media row position. No, I don't plan on taking unauthorized video footage, drinking or anything else outside of my assignment.
Therefore I don't have a problem with saying I won't and signing to it.
Why would the UFC want people to sign to these guidelines? It's probably not because of the reason you gave having to do with the post presser, based on (for whatever reason) entirely false accounts given in that Leach blog. The reason the UFC, as best as I can guess, asks if people are willing to give their word (or signature) that they will act as the professionals they claim to be is that for years "media" did not act properly. I'm sure there are still cases of that.
Your column is full of questions that you could easily answer if you were aware enough of the goings on and events you are writing about or if you took the time to find out. What happened at the press conference? Not hard to find out. Does Elite XC require signatures to adhere to professional conduct as they see it? This is the LA Times. I'm sure you could get a hold of an application if you want to.
Posted by: Elias Cepeda | May 29, 2008 at 05:10 PM
I appreciate all the response and interest this post has generated. Unlike many of you who are clearly experts in the sport, I fully admit to my ignorance of UFC. I am an entertainment commentator focused on Vegas. And, what interested me is the way these fights and the fighters are becoming mainstream celebrities. Tito Ortiz is the name people know who do not follow UFC. I know this because I am one of those people. In part this is the result of the relationship with Jenna, but also more than other UFC fighters, Ortiz has cultivated mainstream attention. And, it has worked. The attention has inevitably brought attention to UFC.
So, my interest was in the event as entertainment in Vegas, and not in mixed martial arts fighting. I did not decide to write an item about the credential request issue until I found out a colleague, Doug Elfman, also, an entertainment reporter, was not asked to submit a similar credential application. The different rules for different reporters made the situation noteworthy. Because I only cover one city, I was already known by the host property and probably by the league which is based here as was Elfman. A decision was made that we get different treatment and that they needed more control over me. Yet, as I am sure MGM would admit, there was never any doubt that I would offer professional behavior. MGM-Mirage owns 10 resorts on the Strip and credentials me to events every week.
Still I would have been fine with the application requiring me not to dress like a fan-boy. That seems a silly request, but not a deal breaker to me. The press should be professional enough to not do that sort of thing and professional fighters should be able to handle the sight, anyway. Also, if I drink at an event I am covering my editor should fire me. It is odd that UFC made the request. But I did not really have a problem with that either.
My primary objection to the credential application was to their rules regarding how and where I used the coverage. And, what bad experience could justify such an outrageous request? The more attention I give them the better. Last week I was on the Travel Channel (granted it was taped years ago and mysteriously debuted last week) talking about Vegas. Would I have been allowed to discuss what I saw that night without the permission of UFC? Not worth finding out. So, I decided not to go so I could continue to remain the undisputed owner of my memories. Again, thanks for reading. Yrs., Richard
Posted by: Richard Abowitz | May 30, 2008 at 09:35 AM