Cagewriter - UFC

Cagewriter

Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:30 am EDT

Affliction brings MMA to the asphalt

By Steve Cofield

Who wouldn't like to put a rear-naked choke on Tony Stewart or armbar Kurt Busch? We can all fantasize but in reality the closest MMA will get to NASCAR happens this weekend when Affliction teams up with Michael Waltrip Racing during the Pepsi 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Affliction is turning Mike Skinner's #00 Toyota into the "Day of Reckoning" car. The sponsorship provides plenty of face time for Affliction. The race is scheduled to air live on ABC at 8p ET on Sunday night. Affliction is promoting its Oct. 11 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The assumption is that this must have cost Affliction an outrageous amount of money. Afterall, Aflac is paying roughly $26 million next year to sponsor Carl Edwards #99 car. But signs now point to the possibility that NASCAR may be in a slight discount mode when it comes to sponsorship. SI.com reported last week that NASCAR is struggling for sponsor dollars. There are only 28 fully sponsored teams for 2009. That falls well short of the 43 eligible spots to run on the Sprint Series.

SI says that Dodge, Burger King, Tide, Domino's Pizza, AAA, AT&T and Alltel have left or will be leaving NASCAR in the near future. Plus, teams like the #40 Chip Ganassi car just shut down and laid off 70 employees because of financial concerns. GM is pulling out of sponsorship at the Bristol and New Hampshire speedways.

So chances are Affliction is getting a lot of bang for its buck. CNBC's Jim Cramer recently told Jim Hunter, a NASCAR vice president, that companies should be running to NASCAR and he'd be critical of any company's balance sheet if they were leaving the sport.

digg delicious
more

26 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Ron M
    1. Posted by Ron M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Does Affliction do any tv advertising. Couldn't you reach a broader audience if you bought some tv time rather than sticking it's logo on a stock car. I just find that decision rather peculiar. I don't know...maybe I'm stupid and missing something .
  2. chano
    2. Posted by chano Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Well we all where this is going just like the Pay perview events and fight card..........ITS GOING TO CRASH AND BURN!
  3. Ron M
    3. Posted by Ron M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yeah, I'm sure their numbers will take a big nose dive without Fedor on the card. They need to sign another big name or two instead of going after everyone else's sloppy seconds.
  4. Uncle Rico
    4. Posted by Uncle Rico Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The NASCAR audience IS the MMA audience. Poor marketing. Affliction is marketing to an audience they alrady have. They have to expand the ethnic and age range. Try marketing to golfers the speak english only.
  5. Igrill88
    5. Posted by Igrill88 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    they have big names, most of them are fighting.
    this is probably a good $ decision for advertising as opposed to making t-shirts with the date of the event on it and having the public walk around in them.
  6. Ken Wilder
    6. Posted by Ken Wilder Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:50 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The only time the car will be noticed is when Waltrip crashes at about halfway like he usually does. He's a terrible driver and Steve Cofield, you suck too buddy.
  7. Nick M
    7. Posted by Nick M Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    They should put the faces of the main event on the card that way people know whose fighting. You think anyone is gona know what affliction is on a NASCAR? They're probably gona think its some illness. Nice try but bad move.
  8. MMA4Life
    8. Posted by MMA4Life Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:28 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Not Good Not Bad.
    Who Cares!
    BYE BYE Affliction.....................
  9. smokefan1975
    9. Posted by smokefan1975 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    They will get about 10 minutes of camera time if they are lucky...that will give Mike Skinner enough time to hit the wall twice then take out half the field.
  10. Smokin Joe Fraze
    10. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Unknown, will life be better if and when Affliction is gone and you're back to watching UFC PPV's with 50%-60% of the card being TUF noobs who can't hold a candle to 98% of the established MMA fighters? It's a slap in the face to athletes when AA get's put on an undercard to make room for a Chris Leben fight. Your logic, just like your username is in fact unknown and why do you capitalize the first letter of every word? It's so very gay of you.
    Barnett vs AA... 2 top 5 Heavyweights that matchup very well together, this fight is going to be sick... what MMA fan doesn't want to see this fight?
  11. bostonsteamer2000
    11. Posted by bostonsteamer2000 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    i was at the michigan race and there were lots of mma related clothing to be seen(tapout and affliction). this is a great oppurtunity to affliction, there will be roughly 80000 people at the race plus another 7 to 8 million watching on tv, plus if the car will be shown at least 7 to 8 times maybe more if its running good. but in the end affliction will still most likely fold.
  12. Celebrity Slayer
    12. Posted by Celebrity Slayer Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Oh boy, Josh Barnett versus Andre Arlovski. Wow! I'm holding my breath to pay $49.95 for this. Tito should take the money and run because Affliction will be Chapter 11 by this time next year. Besides Fedor, MMA Heavyweights are a bore. Nice try Ascencio! And now back to our regularly scheduled clothing line.
  13. naive
    13. Posted by naive Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:15 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Its smart branding. Its not an advertisement for one pay per view event. In fact, now every time you say or write 'affliction' in relation to NASCAR, even if you are against it, the advertisement has done its work.
  14. Clint
    14. Posted by Clint Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:27 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Jason M - I agree!!
  15. bignerd101
    15. Posted by bignerd101 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Oh boy, Chuck Liddel versus Rashad Evans. Wow! I'm holding my breath to pay $49.95 for this.
    Oh boy, Anderson Silva versus Patrick Cote. Wow! I'm holding my breath to pay $49.95 for this.
    Oh boy, Micheal Bisping versus Chris Leben. Wow! I'm holding my breath to pay $0.00 for this.
  16. Paul P
    16. Posted by Paul P Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yeah, but Chuck v Evans, plus all those other fights is worth every cent. And Bisping v Leben, Vera v Jardine, Machida v Silva, Davis v Kelly, Gono v Hardy etc is the BEST free card in MMA ever.
    Quick question for all you utter [profane]s who think you should "support MMA" by nuthugging Afflication... How much of their t-shirt money have your "heroes" spent on getting MMA sanctioned in New York?" What? F-ALL! What about expanding the sport in Europe... again F-ALL!!!!!!
    UFC IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MMA!
  17. Ron M
    17. Posted by Ron M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    MMA is just like any other sporting event. Some cards will be better than others. Hell, if you don't like the card don't spend the money. Simple as that. Obviously my boy Dana F prefers Affliction to UFC. It's all good. Relax and enjoy the fights.
  18. buntarokazuya
    18. Posted by buntarokazuya Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    First off, whats with all the nut hugging talk? Geez. Second, its a good idea but why Nascar? Why appear to the utter lowest common denominator of people? Yeah they will buy anything but they will ruin your company as nobody but rednecks want to be around rednecks. TNA did the same thing and guess what? Nothing but rednecks watching that mess. I dont really have anything against Affliction but honestly Atencio doesnt know what he is doing.
    A company like Strikeforce deserves more attention than this crap.
  19. Smokin Joe Fraze
    19. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ron M, It's not that I prefer a certain brand over another, it's that I prefer each promotion to put on the best cards to their ability while still raking in enough revenue to build thier company and expand.
    The UFC is by far the best at nearly everything with the expection being the putting on the best fight cards. And for me, a consumer, the net worth and annual revenue are the last thing I'm concerned with. It's the fights that most interest me and when you see that the UFC has a massive roster (far too big a roster to be able to put on quality shows and minimize watering a card down) it's clear indication that the cards will continue to be watered and the number of events per year increased.
    What they're doing is actually deflating the value of the card in my opinion. But I support all MMA and will still be ordering the card as usual though of the upcoming events I am by far looking most forward to Barnett vs AA (huge Barnett fan so I'm biased) and then the rest of the DREAM MW Grand Prix.
  20. Smokin Joe Fraze
    20. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    If they would reduce their roster by 20% and reduce the annual number of events they host, we would see these stacked fight cards that we have all been dreaming of and thought we were going to get with ZUFFA's purchase of PRIDE FC.
    I guess it's just that I am expecting more quality fights and less TUF and I feel that instead of marketing and hyping these TUFers (whom which in the 8 seasons less than a handful of them ever have a chance of becoming champions) they should focus on marketing the real contenders because those are the fighters with elite skill level.
    I agree with comment #28, Antencio is lost in the fight game promotion and Strikeforce deserves a lot more attention than in just Cali.
  21. Ron M
    21. Posted by Ron M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Gee Dana F, the UFC has been pretty successful. But it sounds like you have it all figured out and that they could use your help. You might want to apply for Joe Silva's job or at least give Dana a call and give him your thoughts. Oh I know, I know....I'm nuthugging and a UFC Fanboy.
  22. Smokin Joe Fraze
    22. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Uhh, Ron... brainchild... You're reaching with each post now.
    Nuthugging would be you stating that you watch all MMA but prefer the UFC and then later stating that you only watch the UFC and WEC. That would be fanboy nuthugging, no?
    And what happened to that lil speech about you having a family and this blog thing isn't fun anymore and that you were done with it blah blah?
    Saving face I assume? It's cool... When you can actually discuss an MMA related topic beyond your usual "the UFC has been very successful" rant I'll join in the discussion and molest you yet again.
  23. Smokin Joe Fraze
    23. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    unwrecked, bro, you're a clown. I've never read ANYTHING of yours that related to MMA other than the business aspects of it with you complaining about fighter pay. You simply get all "internet thug" with your "I'm a boxer, I knock people out" "cupcake", "suck my %^%&", etc.
    It's all so very 16 year old tough guy talk and no one who uses the word "cupcake" as an insult should ever be take seriously.
    Not trying to pick on you too much but what you do on these blogs is defined as "trolling". You're on an MMA blog yet everything you post is either off topic or a personal attack.
    It's all very "macho man" of you but is a tiresome act nonetheless.
  24. Ron M
    24. Posted by Ron M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Someday when i grow up i hope I'm just like you Dana F. I have a new hero..
  25. j!
    25. Posted by j! Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I like the fact that the UFC has a lot of shows. I'm an MMA fan so if I can watch it every week I would. The last thing I would want is the UFC to have less shows. shiet i get tired of waiting a month for the next UFC show. I also don't have a problem watching the "TUF noobs." So yeah, I rather pay to watch the UFC than pay to see all the fighters that really couldn't hack it in the UFC.(with the exception of a select few fighters)
    on a side note i'm watching UFC 71, and I just saw Sean Salmon get submitted by Alan Belcher that foo looked ridiculous getting choked out. How in the hell did he make it to the UFC?

Cagewriter

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Steve Cofield

Cagewriter is an MMA blog edited by Steve Cofield. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Maggie Hendricks, Zak Jensen,

Related Photo Gallery

More MMA Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Cagewriter Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)