Army Professional Athletes & Recruiting

Warrior-Mentor · 04-24-2006, 12:29

Was watching PBR (Professional Bull Riding) the other day and stared thinking...

The Army sponsors a parachute team, a race team, a shooting team, a bull rider, etc....why aren't we sponsoring at least one or two UFC fighters?

The idea is to get good publicity and to help recruiting efforts right? Sponsoring a fighter would be a lot cheaper than a race team. Not that we couldn't do both, just a quick cost/benefit analysis.

If the Army is serious about connecting with young people to help with recruiting efforts, they need to take a lesson from Red Bull. Know your audience. Go where they are. It's Marketing 101. Problem is that we have career employees trying to compete with professional marketers...yeah, they hire marketing firms...but they don't understand us or our audience IMO.

Digressing slightly...would be interesting to see how many people actually enlist because of these different sponsorships. I know at least one Soldier who joined the Ary because of the Golden Knights. Wonder how many join because of the race team?

**Kyobanim** · 04-24-2006, 12:53

Or a martial arts competition team. Huge market there. I know who they can contact if they are reading this.

incommin · 04-24-2006, 13:03

Could be image issues with the UFC. For most of the population it is make love and not war. How big is the crowd who watch two men go at it without gloves and basicly no rules?

Leozinho · 04-24-2006, 13:20

Slightly off topic...

The Air Force used to have a pro mountain biker in the World Class Athlete Program. Not sure how much publicity it gained the Air Force, but it was a great deal for the airman.

Unless you're in the top 5 in the US, the typical "professional" mountain biker is probably just barely getting by. He has scrounge for sponsorship and likely works part time at a bike shop to make ends meet. The Air Force fellow wasn't ranked very high, but still he trained at the Olympic training center full time and was an E-6. A great gig for him.

Regarding the UFC, I can confirm that the Army's target audience watches UFC. It's extremely popular among my friends... But UFC seems to promote feuds and bad boy attitudes. Rather than promoting/sponsoring a particular fighter (what are you going to do when that fighter tests positive for performance enhancers, for example?), the Army could advertise on the pay-per-view, etc.

Warrior-Mentor · 04-24-2006, 13:40

This has been done before, but never on the level or size that I'm envisioning.

Could start and televise a whole league of military fighters...

As a short term step, at a minimum, they could at least buy some "floor space" advertising for the UFC fights.

groundup · 04-24-2006, 15:21

Sir, I'll send it to Marketing

dennisw · 04-24-2006, 16:23

I believe a UFC fighter just recently graduated from the Q course. Also, the recent UFC fight at the Anaheim Pond sold out in 8 hours.

Warrior-Mentor · 04-24-2006, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by groundup

Sir, I'll send it to Marketing

Good. I should have filled out one of those Army idea forms so I could get paid for the flash of brilliance!

casey · 04-24-2006, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by incommin

Could be image issues with the UFC. For most of the population it is make love and not war. How big is the crowd who watch two men go at it without gloves and basicly no rules?

Dunno bro, I've gotta go with WM on this one.

Like the old saying (picture four corners) on one corner is a basketball game, another a football game, and on the third kids are playing soccer - on the fourth corner a fight breaks out - everyone stops, rolls that way, and watches the fight - human nature, we can't help it.

MtnGoat · 04-25-2006, 06:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

Good. I should have filled out one of those Army idea forms so I could get paid for the flash of brilliance!

WM

I think you'll like this from the paraglide. Golden Knights doing some PR with a PVWT. Its on page 3 in the FOCUS section.

But that Sport would "tap" into a great area or lifestlye for future soldiers.

VG

37F5V · 04-25-2006, 07:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

This has been done before, but never on the level or size that I'm envisioning.

Could start and televise a whole league of military fighters...

As a short term step, at a minimum, they could at least buy some "floor space" advertising for the UFC fights.

I've seen Spike TV's UFC fights "Tale of the tape" sponsored by the U.S. Army.

dennisw · 04-25-2006, 09:15

I do not know whether or not he is sponsored , but Matt Hughes the welter weight champion, who has an upcoming fight with Royce Gracie, usually wears an Army t-shirt when he enters the ring. I get the impression he does it for personal reasons.

On his website he has a message to the troops which is pretty cool.

Attachment 5940

TFM · 04-25-2006, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

This has been done before, but never on the level or size that I'm envisioning.

Could start and televise a whole league of military fighters...

As a short term step, at a minimum, they could at least buy some "floor space" advertising for the UFC fights.

I think it is a good market target. Action and excitement is a good recipe IMO.

Warrior-Mentor · 04-25-2006, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennisw

I do not know whether or not he is sponsored , but Matt Hughes the welter weight champion, who has an upcoming fight with Royce Gracie, usually wears an Army t-shirt when he enters the ring. I get the impression he does it for personal reasons.

On his website he has a message to the troops which is pretty cool.

Attachment 5940

That's good to know. Hope he keeps it up.
Sponsors may buy him out (not a surprise...heard that Iceman just got a cool Mil from XYIENCE).

Warrior-Mentor · 04-25-2006, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

WM

I think you'll like this from the paraglide. Golden Knights doing some PR with a PVWT. Its on page 3 in the FOCUS section.

But that Sport would "tap" into a great area or lifestlye for future soldiers.

VG

Thanks for the link. I had heard about the PVWT. Hadn't seen that article.
I guess technically it's a PVWM (Machine), since there's no "T."