More bad press?

[poondaddy]

From today's Telegraph Mirror regarding the Bikie stuff:

"A former kickboxer, his above-average ability with his fists saw him quickly rise from Hells Angels prospect, shortly after leaving school in Year 10, to club enforcer.

His kickboxing took him as far away as Thailand, where he trained professionally and where he had several fights. Both men lived violent lives."

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25266808-5018886,00.html

[humble]

Went to school with both of them.....

[promoboss]

PD, What people choose to do with their lives after they have trained etc is their own choice.
Unfortunately when the sh1t hits the fan lots of people get hit with it.
These are sad times in which we live in but so are the days of our lives.

[wild_west]

i dont know that bad press affects the sport all that much, the australian fight game doesn't have the profile that say the NRL does,the publicity that rugby league players have copped in the last few weeks says more about their profile & recognition in the community than the behaviour they have been engaging in.

just my opinion and although all of us here know otherwise, i think the general communities perception of people in the fight game is that they are people like in the article you have posted anyway - there are plenty of examples that have found their way through to mainstream media that support this.

the difference is when this stuff pops up in the media, putting kickboxing/muay thai/mma in a negative light - there aren't major sponsors who contribute big $$ threatening to withdraw their money for gyms/ fighters/sanctioning bodies/fight nights.

I guess my point is, i cant really see any major impact to the sport by this type of media.

[witt]

I can see one major impact: What big company is going to WANT to invest big money into the industry when it's constantly being put in a bad light by thugs and the media?

[Voice]

I agree WW...most of the public wouldn't know or care about the various different fighting arts and I think guys like Mundine portray a fairly wholesome (if not a little cocky) image, but that is ok. TV shows like Human Weapon and Contender also portray relatively decent people following an art or making a quid by fighting.
I don't think the public overly associates bikies with kickboxing or boxing regardless of the brief mention in some articles so I don't think the image is soured. As WW says, it is when sponsors make front page news by pulling their support is when people sit up and take notice.

[wild_west]

good point Witt - touche`

i guess i've always figured that the fight game and shady characters have gone hand in hand ... thoughts?

[Voice]

I don't know if there is actually any opportunity to invest BIG money into fighting sports over here. I can understand multi-million dollar sponsorship deals for League, Rugby, Footy and Football because it is on live mainstream TV but this does not occur for kickboxing/MT. What exactly would you get for your million bucks of Muay Thai sponsorship? Some advertising on the ring and a delayed telecast a month later? No thanks.

Also I do think that unfortunate incident at Royal Pines will sound the death knell for kickboxing shows to be shown live here for a long time. We have seen brawls at Boxing (one just a few weeks ago) which is just a disaster for the studios. Live sport is where the advertising dollars go and crowd brawls don't rate well for sponsors.

An interesting discussion.

[WD40]

quote:Originally posted by witt

I can see one major impact: What big company is going to WANT to invest big money into the industry when it's constantly being put in a bad light by thugs and the media?


Perhaps a company like Harley Davidson could jump on board? They've already got behind the UFC which is plenty full of colourful characters. Good and bad publicity will always come and go. Any company that has a product to suit the bad boy image should look no further than the fight game.

[wild_west]

I agree - i dont think in its present form that the fight scene provides bang for an advertising buck.

From my own observations it seems that sponsors at fight shows are either suppliers of equipment (which makes sense and they might see some return for their dollar) or have some other personal interest in the sport, as in they might train, they might be mates with a promoter and want to help out - but i wouldn't imagine these types of sponsors put their money in expecting anything back apart from some free tickets, is this accurate?

I'm not sure what kind of returns promoters get from putting a show and how much advertising $ contributes to help putting on a fight night, (im sure returns don't outweigh the stress and stuff around) i guess i feel that fight sports in Australia are and will remain a niche sport as it doesn't represent a good investment of advertising dollars for larger companies

i guess what i meant when i said that it doesnt impact on the sport was that in light of all relatively recent negative publicity of late - this article - 'world champion kickboxer' Adam Watt getting in trouble - Benji Veniamin's apparent 'kickboxing career' etc - on a local level shows still sell out, people are getting turned away from shows beause there is not enough room so there is still an interest in the sport

i think WITT's point is valid though, with this publicity, while it might not affect the sport at this point in time, it probably effects the sports ability to grow and appeal to a wider audience

[Bushi]

quote:but i wouldn't imagine these types of sponsors put their money in expecting anything back apart from some free tickets, is this accurate?

Nope, cos putting monye in is payign for tickets..;) but we get where you're coming from...

[mpoyzer]

My previous employer was a print sponsor for a fight promotion and after the bikie incident in QLD he pulled his sponsorship and started charging. The company is not in Qld but he didnt want his name associated with the sport after that. I tried explaining that they were just a small percentage of the patronage that attend most shows but he would have none of it.

[ScottL]

I reckon leave the bikies alone. The media make them out to be such bad people and try and put fear into the citizens, they're just normal blokes. There are a few bad apples in every social group.

[scottya]

So what was his fight record
Ive never heard of the guy & cant be stuffed usen google

[Dynamite Drew]

i cant find anything

[scottya]

Thanks for tryen Drew

[imported_n/a]

ScottL, agreed, the Cannon is an 81'er, and hes an OK guy.

[lstylr]

quote:Originally posted by lstylr

[quote]Originally posted by witt

I can see one major impact: What big company is going to WANT to invest big money into the industry when it's constantly being put in a bad light by thugs and the media?

Investment is all about returns.

NRL and Boxing do have it's thugs, portrayed in the media. Yet the industry is still thriving.

The risk of investment is low. The returns are high. Because these are popular sports that make money.

[Steve]

Russ

Forgive my ignorance but what is an 81'er??

I know about 1%er but my knowledge of the Outlaw Biker scene is minimal.

Although I have worked with some kids whose fathers were outlaw bikers!

BTW, this is a serious Q, and i look forward to your reply.

Thanks

Steve

[imported_n/a]

hells angel mate. H= 8th letter in alphabet, A=1 HA = 81er

[ScottL]

Look at the temperment of Scotty too, he doesn't fit the media stereotype at all. I'm sick of hearing this ****. I've got a few 1%ers working for me and they are some of the hardest workers and best blokes i've ever met.

[imported_n/a]

lol. bit of contradiction there scott. 1%ers dont work. you might have some bikies, but they wouldnt be working for you if they are 1%ers.

[Voice]

quote:Originally posted by Russ

lol. bit of contradiction there scott. 1%ers dont work. you might have some bikies, but they wouldnt be working for you if they are 1%ers.

maybe they think Scott is working for them. hehe

[ScottL]

Definitely 1%er mate. He has to stay on casual though because the club comes first,

[Voice]

slightly off topic, just watching the news this morning, the media are like bloodhounds with these afl/leagie/rugby off-field incidents.
While it does seem like a popular catchcry when they say 'xyz, who was a former kickboxing champion', there is far more bad publicity given to these popular sportspeople above everytime they fart out of place in public.

I was out with a friend and his all-black mate on fri night and the guy was careful not to drink too much and quick to diffuse any of the usual stupid comments that aussies would say to him. When I mentioned it he said the nzru are quick to point out that the easiest way to lose your contract is get involved in a sh*t fight while on the piss. Also said they regularly drug test them so none of that either.
Guess the message is finally getting through except for the dumbest footballers who still can't help themselves.