UFC sponsor Anheuser-Busch warns promotion to monitor fighter behavior |
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MODular Approach
Career record: 1032-582
Season: 39-20 (#371)
Location:
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Blue-chip sponsor Anheuser-Busch has sent a message that it's keeping an eye on the behavior of UFC fighters outside the cage.
The multi-national brewer, which owns the Bud Light and Bud Light Lime brands prominently advertised in the UFC, reprimanded the fight promotion for a series of sexist and homophobic remarks made by fighters in public and over social media.
"If the incidents continue, we will act," Anheuser-Busch said in a statement prepared for Advertising Age...
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Post #1 4/27/12 3:32:58AM
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pmoney
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 544-319
Season: 39-20 (#408)
Location: PD, CA, USA
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I felt very conflicted when I read this article. On the one hand, I want MMA to succeed in the mainstream. And sometimes I do think certain fighters and certain representatives (Joe Rogan, Dana White) have very detrimental public images, justly based on detrimental conduct. There are other issues that can hurt the mainstream aspirations of mixed martial arts, but these shortcomings are the most easily correctable, IMO.
On the other hand, part of me said "Fuck Anheuser-Busch!!" Getting a lecture from that company about what's good for society is like taking parenting advice from Chris Benoit. Lots of people probably appreciate the realness of the fighters. The UFC is onward and upward with this FOX deal. I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to make a lateral sponsor move from if the need were to arise.
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Post #2 4/27/12 7:20:08AM
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warglory
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 474-323
Season: 9-5 (#2066)
Location: Portland, ME
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Posted by pmoney
I felt very conflicted when I read this article. On the one hand, I want MMA to succeed in the mainstream. And sometimes I do think certain fighters and certain representatives (Joe Rogan, Dana White) have very detrimental public images, justly based on detrimental conduct. There are other issues that can hurt the mainstream aspirations of mixed martial arts, but these shortcomings are the most easily correctable, IMO.
On the other hand, part of me said "Fuck Anheuser-Busch!!" Getting a lecture from that company about what's good for society is like taking parenting advice from Chris Benoit. Lots of people probably appreciate the realness of the fighters. The UFC is onward and upward with this FOX deal. I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to make a lateral sponsor move from if the need were to arise.
If you want MMA to be mainstream, this is a part of the path, like it or not. Big time fighters can't be making jokes about rape on twitter, it just can't happen. The UFC is a professional sports organization that desperately wants credibility to hang with the big boys.
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Post #3 4/27/12 7:38:26AM
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Banned for Being Awesome
Career record: 987-498
Season: 44-15 (#112)
Location: New York
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What message does it send when the fighters get a bonus for posting on twitter, and have a president who has called reporters every name in the book. It has to start at the top
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Post #4 4/27/12 7:41:39AM
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Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 998-547
Season: 41-18 (#294)
Location: Coon Rapids, Minnesota
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Posted by Shawn91111
What message does it send when the fighters get a bonus for posting on twitter, and have a president who has called reporters every name in the book. It has to start at the top
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Billy Madison-
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in the playground is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no props, and may the mods have mercy on your soul.
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Post #5 4/27/12 8:27:47AM
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Sir_Karl
MMA Sensei
Career record: 884-636
Season: 41-18 (#270)
Location: The Empire State
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I wonder if Anheuser-Busch worries about the behavior of the people who drink their product? I think that is who they should be worried about instead. Alcohol is the drug with the worst impact on society. Alcohol companies are nothing more than "legit" cartels. Their concern over fighter behavior is insulting to anyone with half a brain.
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Post #6 4/27/12 8:30:07AM
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The Anti-pansy
Career record: 1054-579
Season: 45-14 (#92)
Location: PA
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Well I think we all knew this was coming. What I hope for is that A-B knows it has to make statements like this, but they've been a sponsor since 2008, they (hopefully) know the UFC and what Dana & Co. are like, and they do what they have to and give a nod and a wink to Dana. In other words, like in politics, they make their grandstanding statements, but they don't really do anything about it.
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"Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever happened to me." - Lee Van Cleef
“If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion” - F.A. Hayek
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Post #7 4/27/12 9:11:10AM
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NE-1
MMA Regular
Career record: 921-611
Season: 38-21 (#966)
Location: Miami
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I've long said that if MMA is to achieve mainstream elite sport status (football, basketball, etc.) They will need a new front man. Dana White is no Roger Goodell or David Stern.
I realize what he's done for the sport and that at one point the UFC needed someone like him, but that time has passed. When the behavior of the President is cause for concern and a possible detriment to the advancement of the company it's time to step-aside. No need to resign, but be a bit more behind the scenes like Fertita.
The most concerning thing to me is the letter sent by the Domestic Abuse agency to New York imploring them to uphold their ban on the UFC based on the actions of fighters and explicitly Dana White and Joe Rogan. That's no good.
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Post #8 4/27/12 9:17:33AM
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Steady MODdin'
Career record: 1037-597
Season: 38-21 (#827)
Location: Milwaukee
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Dump those St Louis swill peddlers and move on to real sponsors that make real beer in a real city.
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Post #9 4/27/12 9:28:00AM
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BuffaloDave
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 379-220
Season: 39-20 (#558)
Location: Buffalo, New York
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Guess the NFL gets a pass then.
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Post #10 4/27/12 9:50:16AM
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Chael_Sonnen
Heavyweight Champ
Career record: 542-357
Season: 38-21 (#686)
Location: Ph.D. in Perfection & Chaelocracy
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A beer company monitoring fight behavior? BRILLIANT!
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Post #11 4/27/12 9:59:19AM
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The Anti-pansy
Career record: 1054-579
Season: 45-14 (#92)
Location: PA
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Posted by cowcatcher
Dump those St Louis swill peddlers and move on to real sponsors that make real beer in a real city.
Hell yeah!
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"Being born with a pair of beady eyes was the best thing that ever happened to me." - Lee Van Cleef
“If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion” - F.A. Hayek
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Post #12 4/27/12 10:06:36AM
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the-king
Standup Guy
Career record: 607-537
Season: 31-28 (#1360)
Location: Boston
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or we could go a different direction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z8XhIDXuFQ
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Post #13 4/27/12 10:09:12AM
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isk
Standup Guy
Career record: 0-0
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location: Texas
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It's a negotiation. AB expresses a desire like this because while they might actually get it, they're more likely to compromise and get a bit less to keep an advertising platform happy. AB's also setting a reason here to back out in the future if another "surprise van" tweet pops up. Whether AB would be pulling out more for financial reasons is immaterial - it set the expectation and would get a little good press out of it.
And sure, while alcohol's responsible for a lot more bad stuff than inappropriate tweets, AB is still a business with PR and marketing teams and they need to keep the company image as sound as possible.
In short, it's the advertising/politics/power game, nothing new here.
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Post #14 4/27/12 10:59:31AM
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Steady MODdin'
Career record: 1037-597
Season: 38-21 (#827)
Location: Milwaukee
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Posted by BuffaloDave
Guess the NFL gets a pass then.
To be fair those guys only fund dog fighting rings and kill their pregnant girlfriends.
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Post #15 4/27/12 11:11:53AM
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