If you are reading this article, then you most likely have a strong interest in the sport of MMA. Mixed martial arts is a relatively new sport, and continues to grow and expand with each passing year.
The past few years have shown exponential growth that many didn’t predict. The ever-rising and leading player, the UFC, stands at the forefront of growing MMA in the eyes of the world.
As with any sport, or business for that matter, there remains an underlying foundation that helps shape the mold and helps control the growth. This driving factor is known as the fans.
The fans are the customers for the MMA business, but the relationship extends far beyond this. But what makes someone a fan? What types of people are they and what different types of fans are there?
Fandom is a state of being where someone has an interest in a particular subject. Everything subjectively good and bad has fans, thus fans are very diverse sometimes. In a sport situation, the fans are the reason many athletes perform, and why they have a career in the first place.
Popularity is not a race that is confined to the halls of high school, but rather has evolved into idol roles, setting examples and a means of socialism in the sport world. MMA is unique in the broad spectrum of sports, since very few are one-on-one competitions.
Generally, sports are composed of teams, and fans support the team as a whole. However, in MMA, the fans rally behind one person. This support is quite impressive and unique. Going to a football game or a baseball game is a great experience, but when attending a UFC fight, for example, it is a whole different ballgame.
Fans are thunderous, as many are, but the sense of unity is a different feel. In other sports, fans are clearly marked sometimes with their team’s respective colors, therefore resulting in a two-tone stadium crowd. At an MMA event, you would have to look closely to see who is supporting who.
MMA fans are certainly split between fighters most of the time, unless you are Koscheck fighting GSP in Canada. Fans wants to see a fight, and many times a finish. It does not matter which fighter sometimes, just as long as there is an exciting fight taking place.
The general feel of an MMA live fight atmosphere is much more dynamic and noticeable, no matter where you are seated. Not only are the fighters exciting to watch live, but with the lack of commentary as found in PPVs, the action seems more competitive, since that is all you are focusing on.
Attribute it to the alcohol, the ring girls or the fighters—the fans are very emotionally invested into each moment of a live fight. The MMA fans feel much more connected with the sport than most as well.
This connection between fans and the organization is due to a few different factors. First and probably foremost, you have a president like Dana White. Dana White is a man who does not hesitate in speaking his mind and being honest in his views and opinions. His down-to-earth style speaks well to the fans, not to mention he gives many opportunities for the fans to win free tickets or spend VIP time with him.
No other CEO or head honchos of other sports act in the manner that White does. Fans find a humbling feeling knowing they matter and that they are not just a PPV and ticket buy.
MMA fans are also very well versed in growing the MMA world outside of the cage. Social media has allowed fans and organizations to communicate in ways never thought of before. Facebook and Twitter have allowed MMA fighters and their fans to interact and become more personal, to a point where fans can participate in fighter-specific contests and discussions, for example.
The fighters during the MMA events are sometimes in the crowd, and tend to visit with many fans. On top of it all, the fans show incredible loyalty and support for the sport by flocking to events such as the UFC Fan Expos whenever they host them.
The MMA fan is a fan that is more involved with his sport than many others. The opportunities for a single fan to be directly involved with the sport and their favorite athletes are incredible.
But amongst other fans, how are MMA fans compared to other MMA fans?
There is an ongoing debate over different types of fans and what they should be like. There are terms like “hardcore” fans, and other such labels. Just as with many aspects in MMA, this is all subjective.
In the end of the day, we are all MMA fans. Nothing more, nothing less. There are fans that just want to see a KO or submission, and there are some that love to see a good stalemate. There are some who want to see an all-out brawl, and others love a technical fight. Regardless which side of these you are on, you are still an MMA fan.
This inherent notion that some fans are better than others is a very drastic and immeasurable statement. Some fans may be more educated than others, but it does not make them “better” fans.
Are there groups of fans you could consider “hardcore”? Yes, but the casual fans are no less or more important. This distinction takes place all the time, but it does act as a testament that we are arguing in support of the sport in the end.
With so many individual fighters with different styles, the MMA fans are inevitably going to be some of the most diverse and carry different criteria of values and importance.
MMA fans don’t just make the world go ‘round; they make it spin more efficiently. It is because of the fanbase of this sport that this article can be written and viewed by many. It is because of the fans that there is a sport to talk about. Discussions that articles encourage are comprised of fans that commune to share their thoughts, praise and criticisms, and in the end, they all work toward growing the sport.
MMA fans are some of the greatest fans in the world, and have continued to show support through some of these economic hardships. The trinity of success for MMA is made up of the organization, the fighters, and arguably the most important: the fans.
Join the MMA Facebook Page! and follow the @FightersCreed on Twitter!
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com