Mixed Martial Arts. MMA. Very synonymous with the UFC (though it’s not the only MMA organization out there).
It’s a very physical sport that’s taken the world by storm.
It’s more exciting than boxing (well…for some people), and it’s got a large roster of talented athletes who work hard at what they do.
The dominant name in the sport is the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and it’s come a long way since the early days, when combat sports fans were delighted, and others shocked, s the first UFC ever was broadcast from the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, on November 12, 1993.
That event pioneered inter-style match ups between fighters drawn from different martial arts and set the tone for what eventually would become a global, multibillion dollar phenomenon.
At first, mixed martial arts was a niche sport…a sport that some people were even a little embarrassed to admit to watching.
But it’s come a long long way since then.
In fact, in a recent poll, when we asked our respondents if they watched mixed martial arts (MMA) on a regular basis, an incredible 65% said yes! That’s two out of three adults residing in the United States.
What’s more, 41% report having purchased at least one UFC pay per view event within the last 6 months.
So why do people watch mixed martial arts?
There are probably a whole slew of reasons, but here are some of the top reasons our research uncovered.
The top reason, and perhaps the most obvious, was that it’s exciting (30%).
Another 20% said that it’s fun to watch.
Since being exciting and being fun are similar, it’s fair enough to combine those reasons – meaning half of those who watch do so for the pure entertainment value.
Fifteen percent (15%) said that watching MMA helps them learn how to defend themselves.
Twelve percent (12%) said that they enjoy listening to the color commentary.
Just over one in ten (11%) said watching MMA makes them feel powerful, and 6% said it gives them confidence.
Finally, 4% said they simply like it better than other sports.
So what does your typical MMA fan look like.
The short answer is there is no typical fan, per se. It’s watched and enjoyed by a wide range of diverse individuals, touching upon all of the demographic variables we look at when conducting these polls.
That being said, there are a few demographics that tend to be more likely to watch MMA than others.
Check out the graphic below for a quick demographic snapshot.
As we see in the graphic above, viewership tends to skew male between the ages of 25 and 44, a majority are married, have completed at least a few years of college and have incomes that peak around the $80,000 mark (per year).
Well that’s it for now. Check back for more studies on MMA in the coming weeks!