I need advise on how to start a promotion / organise events

sparky360

Hi there,

looking to start organising events. i was hoping someone with some experience in this field could get in contact and give me some advice.

paddyjdunne1966@gmail.com or respond here.

thanks lads

dunkamania

Make it easy on yourself by posting under your real name, and detail your relevant experiences and achievements. The community here is very supportive of local events, but also wary of newcomers. In short, if you have no prior experience with MMA, or event organisation, this will be an uphill struggle for you.

sparky360

Thanks for replying.

My name is Paddy Dunne and I am a newcomer. I have a huge interest in MMA and I understand that people will be hugely wary. I am not in this for profit but rather would see proper events becoming a regular occurance around the country.

I have never organised a sporting event. I have arranged gigs and set up local football teams (I know its a completely different kettle of fish) and have had varying degrees of success with them years ago.

I would be interested in helping other people who have already established themselves as promoters in any way I can to gain experience. As I said, I am hugely passionate about MMA but do not have the fitness or self discipline to become a competitor so I want to help the MMA community in any way I can (which is why promotion is my goal)

If there is anyone who can help me help them I would be honoured to do so.

mark.leonard

sparky360 wrote: »

I am not in this for profit but rather would see proper events becoming a regular occurance around the country.

Then your work here is done, there are already many top notch promotions running throughout the country.

sparky360 wrote: »

I would be interested in helping other people who have already established themselves as promoters in any way I can to gain experience........ so I want to help the MMA community in any way I can (which is why promotion is my goal)
If there is anyone who can help me help them I would be honoured to do so.

Assuming your post is genuine and you are not simply trolling - who is going to sign you up to help out knowing that they are educating and creating their competition?

Wanting to help the community is a lofty goal, but at the moment there are any amount of promoters, there is no gap for that job description.

Things the community does need - a fighter database cataloguing all Irish fighters/matches, maybe you could help out with that?

sparky360

mark.leonard wrote: »

Assuming your post is genuine and you are not simply trolling - who is going to sign you up to help out knowing that they are educating and creating their competition?

Wanting to help the community is a lofty goal, but at the moment there are any amount of promoters, there is no gap for that job description.

Things the community does need - a fighter database cataloguing all Irish fighters/matches, maybe you could help out with that?

I am genuinely not trolling and I understand that my post might look a bit daft (on re-reading it it DEFINITELY does).

I suppose I am trying to run before I can walk. To be honest, what I am trying to do is just get into the thick of things rather than compete with any established promotions. I just want to become a part of the MMA scene and community and am looking for the best way to become involved.

cowzerp

sparky360 wrote: »

I am genuinely not trolling and I understand that my post might look a bit daft (on re-reading it it DEFINITELY does).

I suppose I am trying to run before I can walk. To be honest, what I am trying to do is just get into the thick of things rather than compete with any established promotions. I just want to become a part of the MMA scene and community and am looking for the best way to become involved.

Become a fan and go to the home grown events..

I ran my 1st event on saturday and it was a huge success, i know most the coaches and fighters in the MMA community and have my own club which supplied most the fighters and i have to say it was very hard work and next to impossible if you dont know everyone, Roper ran his 1st a while back and would concur with this im sure.

If as mark already stated your aim is to get mma running around the country your too late, get into the events as a fan and thats the best way of supporting local MMA.

DeadlyByDesign

mark.leonard wrote: »

Then your work here is done, there are already many top notch promotions running throughout the country.



Assuming your post is genuine and you are not simply trolling - who is going to sign you up to help out knowing that they are educating and creating their competition?

Wanting to help the community is a lofty goal, but at the moment there are any amount of promoters, there is no gap for that job description.

The chap has come here humbly and asked for peoples advice, I see no hint of trolling here to be fair. Plus who says that with the right amount of direction he can't set up a half decent promotion? Saying "there is no gap for that job description is very presumptious if you ask me.

mark.leonard

DeadlyByDesign wrote: »

The chap has come here humbly and asked for peoples advice, I see no hint of trolling here to be fair. Plus who says that with the right amount of direction he can't set up a half decent promotion? Saying "there is no gap for that job description is very presumptious if you ask me.

I am not being presumptuous I am just aware of all the existing promotions in the country. As a coach of a number of fighters I can say categorically that there is no gap for more promoters, as any fighter who wishes to compete is not only accommodated, but has a choice of promotions he can get involved in.

I would say we are at saturation level for the number of promotions vs. the number of fighters available. Gyms are opening all the time however and once these new gyms' fighters reach cage/ring standard there may be a gap again for more promoters to enter the market.

I am not saying he can't or shouldn't run a promotion as that would be presumptuous, merely saying that there is no gap right now; my statement is very relevant as the OP states he wishes to help the MMA community, I was making the point that this is not an area that the community needs help in.

Dragan

sparky360 wrote: »

I am genuinely not trolling and I understand that my post might look a bit daft (on re-reading it it DEFINITELY does).

I suppose I am trying to run before I can walk. To be honest, what I am trying to do is just get into the thick of things rather than compete with any established promotions. I just want to become a part of the MMA scene and community and am looking for the best way to become involved.

I would suggest you run to your strengths if trying to help the scene. I quite like photography and recently covered the Rush show for Paul. Hopefully i will get to cover a few more shows and develop a healthy relationship with people in the scene. I'll be offering my services because

a) It allows the promoters to (hopefully) get some good shots of the show without adding on another expense
b) It allows ME to develop my photography of MMA in a low stress environment

It also means i get to meet the fighters, create some contacts and maybe be able to do some shoots for the actual fighters themselves. Once again, the benefit is mutual, i get the practice and they get photos to use for promotion etc.

Basically at the moment i am looking at it this way, if i help these guys get some good photos, i will develop as a photographer and hopefully the shots circulating helps the scene to grow in some way. In this way, in an ideal world, but the time my work is consistant and of a good enough quality to start charging, the shows will have grow to the point where it's an expense they can now afford. If not, i still have the added experience to parlay into other areas and the shows will always have those shots.

I think any scene is dubious about apparent martyrs, but setting up a decent dialogue with people and explaining the benefits to be had for all doesn't hurt.

So the real question is, what skill do you possess that you feel might help the scene, and how do you go about applying it?

sparky360

Dragan wrote: »

I would suggest you run to your strengths if trying to help the scene. I quite like photography and recently covered the Rush show for Paul. Hopefully i will get to cover a few more shows and develop a healthy relationship with people in the scene. I'll be offering my services because

a) It allows the promoters to (hopefully) get some good shots of the show without adding on another expense
b) It allows ME to develop my photography of MMA in a low stress environment

It also means i get to meet the fighters, create some contacts and maybe be able to do some shoots for the actual fighters themselves. Once again, the benefit is mutual, i get the practice and they get photos to use for promotion etc.

Basically at the moment i am looking at it this way, if i help these guys get some good photos, i will develop as a photographer and hopefully the shots circulating helps the scene to grow in some way. In this way, in an ideal world, but the time my work is consistant and of a good enough quality to start charging, the shows will have grow to the point where it's an expense they can now afford. If not, i still have the added experience to parlay into other areas and the shows will always have those shots.

I think any scene is dubious about apparent martyrs, but setting up a decent dialogue with people and explaining the benefits to be had for all doesn't hurt.

So the real question is, what skill do you possess that you feel might help the scene, and how do you go about applying it?

Thats exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I suppose it should have been the first avenue of thought I should have automatically had but nonetheless thanks a million.

And I see your point regarding martyrs and yeah, I may have come across like that. I just have a genuine passion for the sport and if im completely honest, I never see any kind of events advertised in dublin. This is probably down to me not looking in the right places but as I said, I'm a relative newcomer so perhaps I just need to train my eyes to be looking in the right places and think about what (if anything) i can to to help.

cowzerp

sparky360 wrote: »

Thats exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I suppose it should have been the first avenue of thought I should have automatically had but nonetheless thanks a million.

And I see your point regarding martyrs and yeah, I may have come across like that. I just have a genuine passion for the sport and if im completely honest, I never see any kind of events advertised in dublin. This is probably down to me not looking in the right places but as I said, I'm a relative newcomer so perhaps I just need to train my eyes to be looking in the right places and think about what (if anything) i can to to help.

OK after Dragan's positive post to you im afraid im going to give you a less positive 1, i checked your posts and you,ve never posted on this forum untill you decided you wanted to promote events, even though you know no fighters, coaches or show any interest in whats going on here when you use boards on loads of other forums, Thats why im sceptical on how fond of MMA you are.

imo if any more promotions are going to be set up they should be set up by people in the MMA community who have something to give aswell as to gain,for example i bought 16 new judo mats for my club yesterday from the money made from the show, i have supplied fighters for most promotions in ireland and will continue to do so as long as they look after my fighters.. same can be said of other promoters who are mostly coaches aswell, they dont just keep there fighters for there own shows.

Martin Walker

Are you any good at public speaking?
Since Mark Leonard retired from MC duties the talent has been very sparce in that department. Just a thought.:)

dunkamania

Booooommmmmmm!

bella1

richie moore has done alot of shows since mark stopped,and is allways available to mc at shows across the country.

cowzerp

bella1 wrote: »

richie moore has done alot of shows since mark stopped,and is allways available to mc at shows across the country.

Ritchie was the 1st lad i asked as soon as i planned Rumble in Rush and im glad i did, he talks the talk and is educated on whats happening so is not just reading cue cards, great addition to any show..

Mark was great at the MC job but Ritchie is equally as good..

sparky360

cowzerp wrote: »

OK after Dragan's positive post to you im afraid im going to give you a less positive 1, i checked your posts and you,ve never posted on this forum untill you decided you wanted to promote events, even though you know no fighters, coaches or show any interest in whats going on here when you use boards on loads of other forums, Thats why im sceptical on how fond of MMA you are.

imo if any more promotions are going to be set up they should be set up by people in the MMA community who have something to give aswell as to gain,for example i bought 16 new judo mats for my club yesterday from the money made from the show, i have supplied fighters for most promotions in ireland and will continue to do so as long as they look after my fighters.. same can be said of other promoters who are mostly coaches aswell, they dont just keep there fighters for there own shows.

All fair points, but as i have stated, my first initial post on re-reading it sounds daft. of course I wont be able to start a promotion and I was hugely jumping the gun. I am a bit of a lurker in forums (except for the ones i regularly post in (mostly Fifa on Xbox))

Please let my initial "I want to run a promotion" comment be struck from the record and put down to early morning foolishness. I just want to become part of the community and ideally become an active member in any way I can.

cowzerp

sparky360 wrote: »

Please let my initial "I want to run a promotion" comment be struck from the record and put down to early morning foolishness. I just want to become part of the community and ideally become an active member in any way I can.

Im not having a go, but why?
you can join a club, train, fight or just get fit-you can go to all the events and become an important part of the community-a fan.

apart from that what have you to offer? again this is not an attack.

i think your underestimating the size and community in mma in ireland and almost all have come from clubs, or are somehow affiliated to clubs in some form.

sparky360

cowzerp wrote: »

Im not having a go, but why?
you can join a club, train, fight or just get fit-you can go to all the events and become an important part of the community-a fan.

apart from that what have you to offer? again this is not an attack.

i think your underestimating the size and community in mma in ireland and almost all have come from clubs, or are somehow affiliated to clubs in some form.

thats very true mate, the main reason i want to get involved is cos I genuinely have a love for the sport but dont have the build or fitness to be a competitor

I already am a fan and will be going to as many events as possible from now on. You are right, I really did underestimate the size of the community and I'm delighted to see that it is as big as it is. I am a definite newbie to this and will be rectifying that as soon as possible. I suppose I will just keep an eye on this forum and get myself to as many events as possible.

I'm not sure in what capacity I can contribute but I will think it over. I've got a lot of spare time and want to channel it into something positive and into something I am passionate about.