Citing a need for more time to refine the concept and launch successfully, Southern California entrepreneur Roy Englebrecht is delaying the start of the Professional Mixed Martial Arts League (PMMAL).
Englebrecht, a long-time boxing and MMA promoter, announced the creation of the PMMAL in late October. The venture is designed to bring the minor leagues to MMA, with eight teams in Southern California and Las Vegas comprised of up-and-coming fighters. The league was scheduled to begin competition early next year.
However, Englebrecht told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) that he had originally hoped to announce the league back in August. A late-summer announcement would have allowed more time to pitch the business model to potential owners and establish franchises. Englebrecht recently reached a point where he felt launching the PMMAL in 2010 was simply too rushed.
"I want to do it right, and we are in a time crunch to try to start in early 2010 and have everything in place to have a successful first season," Englebrecht told MMAjunkie.com. "You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression."
Englebrecht remains confident in the concept and said there is interest among potential owners not only in California, but in eight other states as well. He's termed the delayed launch a "hold," which will afford him and his staff additional time to find the right franchise owners.
"I thought they (potential team owners) would capture the concept a little easier," admitted Englebrecht, who initially set the cost of acquiring a PMMAL franchise at $70,000. "If anything for 2011, we might look at reducing fees for them to come on board."
Englebrecht is one of the most successful fight promoters in the country, having produced the Battle in the Ballroom boxing series at the Irvine (Calif.) Marriott for the past quarter century. He's added MMA shows to his promotional lineup, and his promoter's license was used by Affliction for its first two events.
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