So enough negativity, what did Elite XC do right, and what can we learn from their story and the story of Bodogfight, IFL, WFA and many others who fell by the wayside?
1.Crossover appeal. Despite drawing the ire of many a purist, their use of Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano was an undeniable success, propelling their viewing figures toward the top of the list of most viewed MMA shows ever. Their show headlined by the Robbie Lawler vs Scott Smith title fight failed to reach these dizzy heights of viewership, highlighting the difference Slice’s internet brawling following and Carano’s American Gladiators celebrity made.Promoters will surely make more use of this approach in the future, cashing in on the Bobby Lashleys and Kurt Angles of the world to put butts in seats.
2.Get on TV. It seems obvious, but being on TV at nearly any cost is a benefit to any promotion. Even with all the pitfalls Elite XC fell into, their TV deal with CBS came close to saving them and catapulted them to the big time in the MMA world way ahead of time. Although they were unable to survive long enough to capitalize, they were quickly becoming a nationally recognizable name. Zuffa’s Ultimate Fighter show exemplifies what TV exposure can do for a promotion.
3.Don’t try to compete with the UFC. Much as in a fight, while you have to be wary of what your opponent is doing, it is most important to fight your own fight. Building up slowly and steadily has been proven the way to go. Perhaps Affliction could pay attention to this example, having recently further angered the UFC after being in talks to cease the fight promotion business and return to the UFC as a sponsor and clothing manufacturer. The UFC chose to put a dent in Affliction’s first PayPerView tally by airing a show of their own free on Spike TV at the same time. It may be better to let sleeping giants lie when it comes to Dana White and the Fertittas.
4.Take it slowly. UFC struggled for many years to build its brand, and they already had the name of the original MMA institution in the USA. Building brand awareness is a very expensive business, especially when the market is dominated so by one uberbrand, namely the UFC. Much like Coke or MacDonalds, you’re not going to blow them out of the water with their household name and rich history, so don’t blow your wad too quickly trying.
5.Make sure each asset you purchase represents a good return. If you pay a fighter $500k a fight, will they make you more than half a mill back? Kimbo did! If you pay a great fighter with few fans $100k a fight, will he get you a return? Possibly not. If you pay a CEO a million a year or buy a show for $3 million, will it make you that back and a profit? Not likely. Developing your own talent is also a necessity, as signing free agents can prove an expensive luxury. In fairness to Elite XC, they had attempted to do this with their ShoXC shows, but died before being able to reap the dividends.

One observation struck me whilst compiling the list of mistakes catalogued in this article. That is that Affliction has made nearly all of them. Hmm, best of luck with that guys. Hope I’m wrong.