France, the new MMA Eldorado in Europe?
With the possible exception of soccer, mixed martial arts is probably the sport that is played in most countries around the world. The idea behind it is simply applicable everywhere. There are probably over 20 countries that are responsible for producing elite fighters, but there are definitely countries that have a notable concentration of top fighters who come from their country. In recent years, MMA has gained popularity across Europe. A handful of people who were either devoted followers of the sport or actively participated in it were the only people who had any knowledge of it ten years ago. Many children of today have a favorable impression of mixed martial arts and have aspirations of becoming future superstars in MMA rather than in the more conventional combat sports of wrestling or boxing. The growth strategy of the UFC and more sports here places a significant emphasis on expansion into international markets.
Why will France be the new MMA Eldorado in Europe?
The French Mixed Martial Arts Federation now serves as the recognized affiliate member of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation in France, with permission from the French Boxing Federation to continue overseeing the sport of MMA. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced that Paris’ Accor Arena will play host to a stop on the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion’s “World Domination” tour on September 3. This will be the UFC’s first-ever event in France.
A 15-year prohibition on the sport, as well as the opportunity for spectators to watch and wager on it, will only be lifted in 2020. Therefore, the move represents a substantial change in how MMA is perceived in France. In January of last year, the UFC officially acquired its first official broadcast relationship for the French market when the RMC Sport pay-TV network officially assumed the rights in the region that it had previously covered through Luxembourg. The UFC claims that France has 3.8 million fans and is the second-largest European country on its social media channels as the sport continues to gain popularity there.
The French Mixed Martial Arts Federation (FMMAF), the French Boxing Federation (FFB), and the UFC have all vowed to promote the sport in the run-up to the event. It also emphasizes the company’s ambition to build a localized, worldwide brand. The decision will enable the roughly 4 million French fans to cheer on fighters like top heavyweight challenger Ciryl Gane by watching French broadcasts rather than imports.
The former challenge for MMA in France
An order issued in 2016 by Thierry Braillard, who was serving as France’s minister of sports at the time, posed a significant obstacle for the UFC. The edict outlawed mixed martial arts (MMA) on the grounds that it violated “human dignity.” This objection extended to the use of enclosed arenas, which were compared to cages. For a good number of years, those who were knowledgeable in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) thought that the ministry had tight ties to the Judo Federation, which was seen as a possible economic competitor to an MMA league. When it comes to sports, France also applies what has been referred to as a “bottom-up” strategy. A sport will often only start to exhibit characteristics of a professional level after it has undergone significant development at the amateur level while being supervised by an amateur federation. As a result, UFC matches could not take place in France while mixed martial arts (MMA) remained unorganized.
Conclusion
Based on the recent occurrences, it has shown France is going to the new place of opportunities and wealth for both MMA and its fans.
