Mixed martial arts or MMA (the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the most recognizable MMA organization in the world today) is one of the fastest growing sports in the world today. The sport is now only beginning to receive some national media coverage, and the internet is and has been an integral part of getting information to fans for years. Within the past two or three years several of the leading independent MMA news sites have begin offering PODCAST radio shows as a different way of getting MMA news to fans. These podcasts are a great Public Relations opportunity for the websites that produce them, the MMA fighters, and the sport itself. One of the most popular MMA podcasts is produced by sherdog.com (which is one of the leaders in worldwide MMA coverage). Sherdog.com offers four different shows feature someone from the their website including the sites editor, owner, column writers, and fight commentators. The shows are broadcast live over the internet and are available for podcast for free through the iTunes store. The live broadcast allow for listeners to call in and get answers or add comments to the people behind the website. Listeners can also email the shows or participate in a live chat through sherdog.com. These shows are also a great PR opportunity for fighters. They are given a forum to talk first hand to their most important public: the fans. Information is allowed to pass straight from the fighters to the fans without the filter of a fight promoter such as the UFC skewing information to favor themselves. The podcasts are also great PR for the sport itself. Sherdog.com’s shows frequently feature guests such as medical doctors, members of state athletic commissions, fight promoters, etc. To access the podcasts go the RADIO section from sherdog.com’s homepage or they can be found at the iTunes store. The podcasts from sherdog.com are a great example of using emerging technologies for PR in an emerging sport.
2 comments:
I think that it's great that the MMA is using the Internet as their platform. I have yet to hear about this sport or what it entails, but I agree that a lot of people will probably be picking up on it as social mediums begin to replace the modern form of PR. I think what makes this a unique form of PR (and a smart move) is that there is no filter between the listeners and the raw material they are searching for. Even more, I think its great that Sherdog provides features and information on the editors and writers of the material. Another smart PR move of the MMA is not only the use of Podcast, but the fact that it is free to download from Itunes. Offering instant access to a free product always seems like a smart PR move because it illustrates that they really are taking the habits/lifestyle of their users in mind. It will be interesting to see if this sport really does emerge :D
Sherdog is THE MMA site and the fact that they are now providing podcasts to MMA fans is a capital idea. It is not hard to imagine that in just a few years every sports radio and television show will have a MMA section covering the daily updates. If Sherdog continues on this trend the could possible find them selves with the equivalent of baseball tonight for MMA.
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