(updated)UFC 'major announcement' in Toronto is ...

http://www.mmamania.com/2010/5/25/1486872/ufc-major-announcement-in-toronto
... Former President of Adidas Canada Tom Wright will direct the new UFC office in Canada.
So, without further adieu, here are the highlights and actual announcements that were made during today's presser:

- UFC will indeed open new corporate offices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tom Wright, the former Commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the former President of Adidas Canada was tapped as the lead man.

- Preliminary discussions with Ontario officials are underway and the UFC expects nationwide sanctioning in the very near future.

- Zuffa has a goal of holding three events in Canada annually.

- First priority is to have mixed martial arts sanctioned in all ten provinces in Canada, other priorities include opening UFC Gyms as well as pursuing further merchandising and licensing business opportunities.

- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality show will eventually come to Canada.

WTF was the big deal?

updated with all the major points of the presser

That is a pretty big deal. The CFL is some kind of joke league to Americans but up there it is considered pretty significant. The NFL is the most powerful, largest brand in all of the USA, and yet a joke league to FIFA fans world over, but if Roger Goodell left the NFL to head the FIFA office here stateside that would still be a very significant move business wise.

It's obvious the UFC is making good on their push to grow internationally. Logically, the Anglo-Saxon diaspora makes the most sense first, which is why Canada, the UK and Australia have been the primary focus. Good strategy.

I thought the 3 shows a year in Canada was interesting and a good idea.

The UFC wants to establish themselves as an international brand. One thing the UFC has going for it that other high profile televised American sports leagues do not is they are anchored in cities with sports teams, where the UFC is able to hold events anywhere and create local "home team" stars(or at least fighters) from any market.

The UFC will be a different kind of big.

Toronto is the NYC of Canada I believe, might aswell keep expanding, 3 events per year out of....how many do you think the UFC does on average? 20-25?

I think it was 20 last year but that number will continue to rise slightly

Starting with 2006 the UFC has held 17 or 18 a year until last year where they held I thought 19 events. Either way, 19 or 20, that is still the most events they've ever held. This doesn't count WEC events. This years actuals should reflect WEC 48 in the UFC's totals.


I think they'll be well over 20 this year. Gotta jet now but i'll look at what they're averaging later and find out what pace they're on.

yawn

lol, bird.

I know some thought that was no big deal, but the last time they had a big 'behind the scenes' announcement, everyone yawned and that was to announce Lorenzo was taking over as CEO, which has turned out to be a pretty big deal for the sport.

People hear these "huge annoucements" and get their hopes up for TV deals and Fedor fights, and are then of course let down when the UFC annouces something, anything, other than that.

This is a big deal in terms of the companys growth.

"Andrew and Wolfy agreed and the World trembled, for it was a sign that the apocalypse was at hand"