Affliction Bombs On Broadway, Part Two; By Eddie Goldman, for ADCC News

Affliction Bombs On Broadway, Part Two
(photos attached)
By Eddie Goldman, for ADCC News

Back in September, I ventured out to Times Square to see the giant billboard the Affliction mixed martial arts promotion had put up for their October 11 show. That show, which was eventually postponed, had as its main event a heavyweight fight between Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett.

At that time, as I wrote on this site (http://www.adcombat.com/Article.asp?Article_ID=16404), I conducted an impromptu and unscientific survey to find out what male passersby thought this huge billboard, totally in sight and easy to read, was trying to promote. I then asked three men chosen at random, and this was the response: "Each politely stopped, gazed above at it, and gave the same response: Even after looking at it in person, they had absolutely no idea."

Now Affliction is back in the same place on this same corner on Broadway, with a similar looking billboard hyping their January 24 pay-per-view show featuring Fedor Emelianenko facing Andrei Arlovski. And I, too, went back to this same corner on Broadway Friday night to gauge the reaction of male passersby to this new billboard.

This time I was joined by my colleague Keisha Morrisey

(http://www.bloodlineboxing.blogspot.com/), who is also a correspondent on No Holds Barred. We were coming from the weigh-ins at Madison Square Garden for Saturday's Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones Jr. fight, and a party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Boxing Digest held nearby. While we were walking to the subway, I asked her to accompany me to this latest marketing test. While primarily working in boxing, she has also covered numerous mixed martial arts events and news conferences, including those of Affliction in New York, so she agreed.

This time we stopped four males (again, since these shows are not mainly aimed at women, it would prove little if they failed to react to the billboard). All four seemed to fall in that 18-34 demographic group, which marketing and advertising types believe should determine the fate of the world.

We asked them all, very politely, the same thing, if they knew what this billboard was about. Unlike September, we actually got four different responses from these four men.

The first, when asked if he knew what it was for, simply replied, "No."

The second replied, "Wrestling," meaning, of course, the fake
professional "wrestling".

The third man, who seemed the surest of the lot, replied, "Boxing." After answering, he actually came back to us and repeated his answer, again quite politely.

The fourth man replied, "A TV show." Technically he was the closest, although Arlovski's bared fangs and Fedor's glaring head hardly brought to mind a mixed martial arts pay-per-view.

The tally: While standing in clear sight of this Affliction billboard, none of these four men could even identify what sport it was for, let alone what specific event it was hyping and how to watch it.

Such is the genius of the product of all the high-priced marketing, advertising, and public relations people Affliction has hired. Great job, folks. We are certain that this will all make this January 24 pay-per-view just as successful as their first financial bloodbath was.

But who are we to speak when all these fancy "experts" are blowing more bundles on billboards such as this one? Indeed, what do we at the ADCC News know about mixed martial arts compared to them?
--
Eddie Goldman -- No Holds Barred
http://eddiegoldman.com
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

ANDREI “The Pitbull” ARLOVSKI vs. “Big” BEN ROTHWELL; The Tale of The Pitbull and The Giant

SIGNAL HILL, California– There are a number of reasons not to miss the mega mixed martial arts extravaganza, “Affliction Banned,” this July 19th at Honda Center in Anaheim, California — not least of which is the unbelievable main event — a dream match-up between heavyweight champs Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia. But the list of transcendent fight talent doesn’t end there. In one of the biggest cards in the history of the sport, the inaugural fight event of Affliction Entertainment will feature an unprecedented line-up of the best MMA combatants competing against each other, including a brutal, full contact bout between the two heavyweight powerhouses, Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski and “Big” Ben Rothwell.

Former UFC® Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski is a 6’ 4”, 240-pound former cop from Belarus with dangerous stand up skills, a brutal right punch, and deft mobility and striking accuracy. Arlovski tears into his opponents, often dealing out devastating damage before the other fighter even has time to recover. Considered one of the top ten ranked heavyweight fighters in the world, “The Pitbull” is one of the world’s most complete MMA fighters, as well as one of its most fearsome. This dreaded competitor gets high marks in grappling ability and massive striking power. He has won notable victories over Tim Sylvia, Paul Buentello, Vladimir Matyushenko, Fabricio Werdum and Wesley “Cabbage” Correira, among others. For his upcoming fight with Rothwell, Arlovski has been training with legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach, who has trained many boxing champions such as Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Bernard Hopkins and Manny Pacquiao. Arlovski’s hard work combined with sheer talent and strong mental preparedness give his opponents plenty to worry about in the ring.

Arlovski will face-off with former IFL® heavyweight standout Ben Rothwell, who is riding an impressive 13-fight winning streak and is currently ranked as the number 10best heavyweight fighter in the world. At 6'5' and 265 pounds, this gritty, determined Wisconsin native is a force to reckon with in the ring—just ask anyone who has squared off against him. A young fighter full of zest and energy and a personality as big as his frame, Rothwell is one of the most entertaining athletes in MMA—Rothwell never fails to deliver. And he has an impeccable record, rattling off 11 knockouts among his first 17 MMA victories with a flair that crowds eat up. A wicked combination of aggression, power and style drives Rothwell’s numerous victories. The sheer force with which this giant strikes his opponents leads to the frequent knockouts he is famous for. But his brute strength is tempered by a good measure of agility, allowing him to inflict accurate and precise punishment. “Big” Ben’s fierce ring presence and heavy-handedness often has opponents voluntarily choosing to leave the ring to avoid serious injury.


Ben "Big Ben" Rothwell


The brawl between the ferocious “Pitbull” and giant “Big” Ben is sure to please sports fans hungry for a truly ballistic competition and a performance full of charisma. These two magnetic, world-class fighters always put on a great show. With their collective striking power and bigger-than-life personalities, these well-matched opponents combine powerful fighting techniques with a spark of showmanship that electrifies their audience. Both fighters are known for their tremendous hard-hitting styles and numerous victories. Their bouts often end in knockouts — explosive, expedient, and purely exciting. On July 19th in Anaheim, fans will bear witness to a dynamic exhibition of prowess, as these two crowd-pleasing and accomplished warriors deal out a gallon of pain for guts and glory for “Affliction Banned.”

“Affliction Banned,” headlined by the WAMMA heavyweight title bout between Russian superstar Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia, is stacked with so much world-class talent that it had to be separated into two live shows produced for broadcast. The night’s activities will kick off with “Affliction Live,” a one-hour, free live telecast on FSN (Fox Sports Net) starting at 5 PM Pacific (8 PM/ET) and setting the stage for “Affliction Banned” – five super fights on pay-per-view starting at 6 PM/PT (9 PM/ET) via iN DEMAND, TVN, Shaw Communications, Viewers Choice Canada, DirecTV, DISH Network, Bell ExpressVue and Star Choice in the United States and Canada for a suggested retail price of $39.95.

The heavy metal band Megadeth, led by frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Dave Mustaine, will be performing live at the event.

Tickets for “Affliction Banned” range between $50.00 and $1,000.00, and are on sale at Honda Center’s Box Office and also online at Ticketmaster.com.

To download all video, photos and PR-related media go to: http://www.afflictionbanned.com/media.html

Affliction
Already a mainstay for the most elite athletes, heaviest bands, A-listers and the fashion conscious, Affliction Clothing’s ability to set the bar high in fashion is evident in its collection’s indulgence of style and design, focus on quality, and its trademark series of divinely executed, dark and powerful themes. (www.afflictionclothing.com)

The Trump Organization
The Trump Organization encompasses global real estate development and global licensing, sales and marketing, property management, golf course development, entertainment, entertainment and product licensing, brand development as well as restaurants and event planning. Donald J. Trump is the Chairman and President of the Trump Organization, a privately held company in New York. (www.Trump.com)

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved