Case Study

International Journal of Sport Communication, 2012, 5, 109-125

© 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Characteristics of Users of a Mixed-

Martial-Arts Blog: A Case Study
of Demographics and Usage Trends
Evan L. Frederick, Galen E. Clavio, Lauren M. Burch,
and Matthew H. Zimmerman
Indiana University–Bloomington, USA

For this case study, an Internet-based survey was posted on a popular mixed-mar-
tial-arts (MMA) blog to ascertain its users’ demographics and usage trends. Data
analysis revealed that users were predominantly White men between the ages of
23 and 39, with some college education and an annual income of $40,000–59,999.
An exploratory factor analysis revealed 6 dimensions of gratification: evaluation,
community, information gathering, knowledge demonstration, argumentation,
and diversion. The most salient motivation statements were related to the speed
of information access, the depth of information and coverage, and the availability
of information not typically found through traditional media outlets. Most users
spent 1–5 hr/wk watching MMA programming and 1–10 hr/wk on MMA blogs,
making 1–20 comments per week. Findings indicated that users used this particular
blog for both interactive and information-gathering purposes.

Keywords: new media, blogging, uses and gratifications, information, interactivity

Over the last 2 decades, the Internet has grown into a realm of both personal
and business communication. Various avenues such as blogs, message boards, and
Web sites have been created as a means for publics to both receive and transmit
messages. In particular, blogging has entered the mainstream within the last decade
with the development of “new journalism” (Keeble & Wheeler, 2007) and new
Internet technology (Dart, 2009). Blogging provides users the ability to make their
opinion more visible than it would have been through traditional media outlets.
According to Dart, blogging enables individuals to become producers rather than
simple consumers of media messages. Blogging also makes increased audience
participation and interaction possible (Wood & Begnini, 2006).
One genre of blogging that has garnered significant popularity is sport blog-
ging. As Lenhart and Fox (2006) noted, sport is one of the top three categories of
blogging, along with entertainment and politics. One sport that reaches consumers
through various blogs is mixed martial arts (MMA). MMA involves two individu-
als fighting in a ring using various styles of martial arts. Over the last decade,

The authors are with the Dept. of Kinesiology, Indiana University–Bloomington, Bloomington, IN.

    109
110   Frederick et al.

MMA has reached new heights of popularity. According to Wertheim (2007), in

2006 the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) pay-per-view revenues ($223
million) topped those of boxing on cable station HBO ($177 million) and those of
the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment; $200 million). The Ultimate Fighting
Championship, which is MMA’s most popular enterprise, generated an estimated
$250 million in 2008 (Miller, 2008). In recent years, MMA events have appeared
on Spike TV, Versus, and Showtime and in late-night timeslots on NBC and CBS
(Ourand & Lefton, 2010), demonstrating the ever-growing popularity of the sport.
Kelleher and Miller (2006) suggested that a blog is a way an organization can
develop and maintain relationships with its target publics. However, one major
challenge that sport communication scholars have encountered is how to effec-
tively analyze the various populations of new-media users (Clavio, 2008). Clavio
stated that our understanding of both the usage trends and the demographics of
new-media audiences is still in its infancy. While sport researchers have begun to
explore MMA fan demographics, motivations, and media-consumption behaviors
(e.g., Andrew, Kim, O’Neal, Greenwell, & James, 2009; Kim, Andrew, & Green-
well, 2009; Kim, Greenwell, Andrew, Lee, & Mahony, 2008), no study to date has
focused primarily on the motivations for using MMA blogs. Therefore, this case
study examines a popular MMA blog to ascertain its users demographics and usage
trends. MMA was chosen because it is a relatively new—and yet popular—sport,
with little existing research related to use of its blog. In fact, this case study is one
of the first known attempts to analyze usage trends and demographics in regard
to MMA blog users.

Literature Review
MMA and Fan Consumption
Few studies to date have examined motivations for consuming MMA or demo-
graphic characteristics of MMA audiences (Andrew et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2009;
Kim et al., 2008). Kim et al. (2008) found that the highest motives for attending
MMA events were sport interest, drama, socializing, and vicarious achievement.
They also found significant gender differences with regard to media consumption.
Males were motivated by sport interest, vicarious achievement, and national pride,
while females were motivated by sport interest and drama.
Kim et al. (2009) extended this work by examining cross-national differences
among Korean and American consumers. In terms of attendance, Americans rated
sport interest as the most important motivating factor, whereas Koreans were
motivated more by vicarious achievement. With regard to media consumption, the
authors found that sport interest, fighter interest, and drama were strong predictors
at the American event. Interest, drama, and adoration were significant predictors
at the Korean event.
In their 2009 study, Andrew et al. attempted to build on previous MMA research
by addressing limitations related to event type and motive inclusion. In that study,
participants rated drama, aesthetics, crowd experience, and sport knowledge as
important motives to attend MMA events. In contrast to previous research, partici-
pants rated escape higher than socializing. In regard to media consumption, aesthet-
ics, knowledge, and drama were common motives for media-consumption behavior.
 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    111

In terms of demographic characteristics, both Kim et al. (2008) and Kim et

al. (2009) used the same American sample, which was composed mostly of men
(76.9%) in the 18- to 24- (31.7%) and 25- to 29- (28.4%) year age groups. The
sample was also primarily White (87.9%) with some college education (35.1%).
The sample in the study conducted by Andrew et al. (2009) was composed mostly
of men (64.9%) in the 18–24 age group (24.0%), followed by both the 25–29 age
group (21.5%) and the 30–34 age group (8.6%). Once again, a sizable portion of
the sample had some college education (32.7%). No ethnic data were reported in
Andrew et al.’s study.
Although these studies shed meaningful light on the consumption patterns
of MMA consumers, they were influenced primarily by a marketing perspective.
Specifically, they focused on exploring methods that marketers could use to further
promote MMA among their constituents. In effect, the communication perspective
was essentially ignored. In addition, all three of the previously mentioned studies
were conducted at MMA events. The one major difference between the studies
was that Kim et al. (2009; 2008) analyzed amateur MMA events, while Andrew et
al. (2009) examined a professional MMA event. These studies focused on on-site
participants, paying little attention to needs and gratifications of MMA consumers
who were not attending the live events. In terms of media-consumption behaviors,
the studies only examined the likelihood of seeking further information about MMA
through various media outlets (i.e., television and Internet). Therefore, examining
the online audience from the online environment is a necessary step. In doing so,
several questions must be asked: Why do individuals use MMA blogs? How do they
use these blogs? What are their demographic characteristics? Are their demographic
characteristics similar to those of consumers who attend live events?

Uses and Gratifications

This research is grounded in the uses-and-gratifications perspective (Katz, Blumler,
& Gurevitch, 1974), which is traditionally thought of as the proper lens through
which to examine Internet communication (Morris & Ogan, 1996; Newhagen &
Rafaeli, 1996). Uses and gratifications shifts from a direct effects perspective to
assessing how users consume media to fulfill certain needs (Fisher, 1978). Accord-
ing to this line of research, media behavior is goal directed and the media can be
used in either a ritualized (i.e., habitual) or instrumental (i.e., information-seeking)
manner (Rubin, 2009).
Ruggiero (2000) stated that uses and gratifications has been a “cutting-edge
theoretical approach” in the early stages of new communication media (p. 27). With
that in mind, the application of uses-and-gratifications theory to examine media
use on the Internet has increased in popularity as the various media platforms
available to individuals require an active selection of specific media by audiences
(LaRose & Eastin, 2004). Previous studies employing uses-and-gratifications
theory on the Internet have examined various motivations for media consumption,
such as interactivity (Ko, Cho, & Roberts, 2005; Trammell, 2005), availability of
information (Diddi & LaRose, 2006; Kayahara & Wellman, 2007), surveillance
(Althaus & Tewskbury, 2000), and gratifications derived from content generation
(Leung, 2009). These studies employed uses-and-gratifications theory to examine
the motivations for online consumption and treated the Internet as a single entity.
112   Frederick et al.

Because of advances in technology and the introduction of various communication

platforms available to media consumers, the application of uses-and-gratifications
theory progressed to specific platforms such as message boards and blogs (e.g.,
Chung & Kim, 2008; Clavio, 2008; Woo, An, & Cho, 2008).
Recent studies analyzing uses and gratifications on the Internet have focused
on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook (e.g., Chen, 2011; Hanson,
Haridakis, Cunningham, Sharma, & Ponder, 2010; Park, Kerk, & Valenzuela, 2009;
Quan-Hasse & Young, 2010; Urista, Dong, & Day, 2009). In their 2010 study on
a retired female athlete’s Twitter followers, Clavio and Kian applied uses-and-
gratifications theory to explore the various motivations for following the athlete.
They found the most important motivating factor for following the athlete’s Twit-
ter feed was the fans’ perception of the athlete as an expert in her sport, while the
athlete’s writing style was also a contributing factor. In a 2010 study, Hambrick,
Simmons, Greenhalgh, and Greenwell examined professional athletes’ Twitter use.
Through a content analysis of the athletes’ tweets, they determined six uses for
athletes’ Twitter feeds: interactivity, diversion, information sharing, content sharing,
promotional, and fanship. Similarly, in a 2008 study, Raacke and Bonds-Raacke
applied uses-and-gratifications theory to determine the motivations of college
students using the social-networking sites of MySpace and Facebook. They found
that a primary factor for use included social interactivity, such as keeping in touch
with friends and looking at photos.
Although there are differences between the features available to users of social-
media platforms and blogs, research on social-media networking sites is applicable
to blogs. Aspects of blogging are included as part of these platforms (e.g., comments
sections on Facebook or personal blog sections on MySpace; Hollenbaugh, 2011).
While Twitter is a distinct medium of social communication in its own right, it has
often been referred to as a “microblogging” service, and its format of individually
created, publicly viewable messages presented in reverse-chronological order is
identical to the standard format found in blogs. In addition, similar to the findings
relating to social media sites, research into blogs (or weblogs) has revealed aspects
of interactivity and information sharing as motivations behind blog use (e.g.,
Armstrong & McAdams, 2011; Kaye, 2010; Kim, 2011; Sweetser & Kaid, 2008).
Sweetser, Porter, Chung, and Kim (2008) examined blog use among individuals in
the communications industry and found that journalists used blogs for interactive
purposes. Through a survey of 299 individuals, Hollenbaugh (2011) determined
seven motives for producing personal blogs, which included helping/informing,
social connection, to pass time, exhibitionism, archiving/organizing, profession-
alism, and to obtain feedback. Trammell (2005) not only examined blog posts to
determine usage but also examined blog comments and trackbacks to highlight the
various motivations of blog users. These included forms of self-expression through
content generation, commenting as a means of social interaction, and creating
trackbacks as a form of information sharing.

Sport Blogging
Although various researchers have examined the motives associated with both blog-
ging and microblogging, only a few studies to date have examined sport-related
blogging (Clavio & Eagleman, 2011; Dart, 2009; Dittmore, Stoldt, & Greenwell,
 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    113

2008; Sanderson, 2008a, 2008b). In fact, most blog-related studies have focused
primarily on personal and political blogs, with minimal attention being paid to
sport. According to Dart, sport researchers have been tentative to engage in blog-
ging research because of an education disconnect, meaning most academics were
educated before the emergence of blogging as a viable communication tool. As a
result, the amount of sport-specific blogging remains quite limited.
In a 2008 study, Dittmore et al. investigated sports blogs from an organizational
communication standpoint. Specifically, their case study explored communication
between a sport organization and its publics to determine whether two-way sym-
metrical communication was taking place. They found that the organization used
its blog to establish communication with both its local and its nonlocal fan base.
Dart (2009) examined blogging during the 2006 World Cup in Germany and
found that blogs were kept by four groups: independent bloggers, fan blogs on exist-
ing football-themed sites, mainstream-media blogs, and corporate blogs. Dart also
discovered that few blogs were actually being kept by fans on site and concluded
that media and corporate blogs acted as public relations outlets for their parent com-
panies, while personal blogs offered some potential for nonmainstream opinions.
Sanderson (2008a, 2008b) explored former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt
Schilling’s blog, known as 38pitches.com. Using a parasocial-interaction approach,
Sanderson (2008b) examined the interactions taking place between fans and Schil-
ling and found that fans identified with Schilling in several ways: Identification
manifested through religious similarity, recognizing common enemies, and admi-
ration. From the perspective of dialogical self-theory, Sanderson (2008a) found
that Schilling presented himself in various ways to avoid negative media framing.
In their 2011 study, Clavio and Eagleman examined 10 popular sport blogs.
In that study, they focused on gender differences in terms of coverage, as well as
sexually suggestive imagery. They found that men received significantly more pho-
tographic coverage than women. They also found that women were far more likely
to be portrayed in a sexually suggestive manner. Both corporate and independently
owned blogs displayed a tendency to show women in a sexually suggestive manner.
The authors concluded, “The results of this study point toward a continuation of
traditional media methods of marginalization and objectification of females in the
new sport media sphere” (p. 302).
To date, sport-blogging studies have focused primarily on organizational
communication (Dart, 2009; Dittmore et al., 2008), blogger conceptualization
(e.g., Sanderson, 2008a, 2008b), and sexually suggestive imagery (e.g., Clavio &
Eagleman, 2011); little attention has been paid to sport blog user demographics
and usage trends.

Purpose of the Study

Within the last 5 years, MMA’s popularity has grown significantly. That growth
has taken place in spite of a lack of primetime broadcast television opportunities,
so it appears as if MMA’s popularity has stemmed from other sources. With that
in mind, a preliminary investigation of MMA blog users and their connection to
this emerging sport is necessary. To accomplish that task, this case study employed
three exploratory research questions related to an MMA blog and its users:
114   Frederick et al.

RQ1: What are the demographic characteristics of this blog’s users?

RQ2: What consumer needs does this MMA blog fulfill for its users?
RQ3: What are the consumption patterns of MMA-related programming
and products among users?

Methodology
Sample
A self-selected convenience sample of MMA blog users was examined from late
July to late August of 2010. Two hundred four surveys were returned. Of the 204
submitted surveys, 142 (70%) were usable for data analysis.

Procedure
This case study used survey methodology. The survey was created using the popular
Web tool SurveyMonkey.com. This site enabled easy online data tracking and col-
lection. Each participant was given a unique IP address identifier, which protected
against blog users completing the survey multiple times.
Before distribution, the survey was examined and approved by an expert in
sport communication. Once the survey instrument was approved, a popular MMA
blog was randomly selected for the case study. The blog chosen was FightOpinion.
com. It was randomly selected from a list of the top 20 MMA blogs on a Web site
called BallHype. BallHype ranks blogs of various sports in terms of their popular-
ity among users. FightOpinion.com was ranked in the top 20 in popularity and
frequency of posts among MMA blogs. After FightOpinion.com was chosen, the
primary investigator contacted the blog administrator and obtained permission
to post the survey in the blog forum. The survey remained in the blog forum for
several weeks. Occasionally, the blog administrator was asked to repost the survey
link in a prominent position in the forum. Participants were not provided with any
benefits for taking the survey.

Measures
In the survey, there were three sections. The goal of this instrument was to analyze
several factors related to MMA blog users, with a particular emphasis on demo-
graphic and usage information.
Uses and Gratifications.  The uses-and-gratifications portion of the survey
instrument was constructed based on instruments that had been used in previous
literature regarding college-sport message boards (e.g., Clavio, 2008). Because this
was an Internet and sport-specific study focused primarily on communication, the
use of this measure was more appropriate than motivation measures used in previ-
ous marketing studies associated with MMA events. In the measure, users were
asked to respond via a 5-point Likert-type scale to 26 statements, with 1 indicating
strongly disagree and 5 indicating strongly agree. These statements included items
such as “I use MMA blogs to critique fighting styles,” “. . . because I like to stir up
 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    115

debate,” and “. . . to meet individuals with similar personal interests.” The measure
was modified slightly for the purposes of this case study.
Demographics.  The demographic portion of the survey asked users to indicate
their gender, age, race/ethnicity, household income, education level, and country
of residence. The employment and media-use portion asked them how many hours
a week they spend on the Internet, how many hours a week they spend on MMA
blogs, how many comments they make on MMA blogs per week, how many hours
they spend watching MMA programming, and how much money they spend on
MMA-related materials. In addition, respondents were asked about their current
employment level and occupation, as well as how much time they spend on MMA
blogs at their place of employment in a given day.
Blog Information.  Finally, in a brief blog information section, users were asked
which MMA blog they visit most frequently. Then they were asked to list three
other MMA blogs that they frequently use.

Data Analysis
To analyze whether the motivation statements coalesced into identifiable factors,
an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation was conducted. This
study was one of the first known attempts to examine the usage trends of MMA blog
users from a uses-and-gratifications perspective. Therefore, an EFA was deemed an
appropriate method of analysis. Pearson’s correlations were also calculated to gain a
more nuanced understanding of the users of FightOpinion.com and their consump-
tion of MMA-related programming. Descriptive statistics were also calculated on
demographic and consumption variables. All data were analyzed using SPSS 18.

Results
In order to address Research Question 1, frequency distributions were calculated on
several variables of interest. In terms of age, most blog users were 23–29 (39.7%)
or 30–39 (36.9%). Blog users were also predominantly male (96.5%) and White
(72.5%). Only 8.5% were Hispanic, and 2.1% were African American. With regard
to household income, most blog users made $20,000–39,999 (17.0%), $40,000–
59,999 (24.1%), or $60,000–79,999 (17.0%), while 18.4% made $100,000–199,999.
Along similar lines, 56.3% of blog users were employed full-time, and 20.4% were
students. Most had either some undergraduate experience (24.3%) or an under-
graduate degree (31.4%). Finally, in terms of country of primary residence, most
users resided in the United States (62.7%). A full summary of these demographic
variables can be found in Table 1.
To address the second research question an EFA with varimax rotation was
conducted. The EFA revealed six factors, which served as the dimensions of
gratification. These factors were evaluation (13.82%) with an eigenvalue of 3.59,
community (13.31%) with an eigenvalue of 3.46, information gathering (11.64%)
with an eigenvalue of 3.03, knowledge demonstration (11.12%) with an eigenvalue
of 2.89, argumentation (8.78%) with an eigenvalue of 2.28, and diversion (7.15%)
with an eigenvalue of 1.86. These factors explained 65.8% of the variance. Each
 Table 1  Demographic Information
Category %
Gender
  male 96.5
  female 3.5
Age, years
  18–22 11.3
  23–29 39.7
  30–39 36.9
  40–49 10.6
  50–59 1.4
Ethnicity
  Native American 2.8
  Asian American 6.3
  African American 2.1
  Hispanic 8.5
  Pacific Islander 0.7
  White 72.5
  other 7.0
Household income
  $19,999 or less 9.9
  $20,000–39,999 17.0
  $40,000–59,999 24.1
  $60,000–79,999 17.0
  $80,000–99,999 9.9
  $100,000–199,999 18.4
  $200,000 or more 3.5
Education level
  high school diploma 12.1
  some undergraduate study 24.3
  undergraduate degree 31.4
  some graduate study 17.9
  graduate degree 10.0
  doctorate or law degree 4.3

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 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    117

factor had a Cronbach’s alpha of .70 or higher, which is considered within the
acceptable range for social-science inquiry (Garson, 2008).
Evaluation (Factor 1) contained items related to both the Web site itself and the
institution of MMA. Items that loaded on evaluation included statements such as
“to criticize the quality of blog staff writers” and “to complain about the business
and ethical practices of MMA institutions.” Community (Factor 2) contained items
related to fostering shared interests and experiences. Items that loaded on com-
munity included “to meet individuals with similar personal interests” and “because
it makes my fan experience more rewarding.” Information gathering (Factor 3)
contained items related to the news function of the blog. Loaded items included
“to find MMA news faster than I would using other types of sports media” and
“because blogs are my primary source of MMA news and opinions.”
With knowledge demonstration (Factor 4), the focus was related to the blog
user’s desire to speak intelligently about MMA-related topics. Items that loaded on
this factor included statements such as “to critique fighting styles” and “to discuss
MMA topics that I am most familiar with.” Argumentation (Factor 5) contained
items related to interactivity and fan debate. Items in this factor included “to get
other users riled up” and “to ‘smack talk’ with fans of other fighters.” Finally,
diversion (Factor 6) was related to the blog user’s need to discuss other issues not
related to MMA. Loaded items included “to talk about topics other than sports, such
as religion and politics” and “to talk about sports other than MMA.” The complete
list of factors is displayed in Table 2.
Overall, the five most salient motivation statements among blog users included
“to find out MMA news faster than I would using other types of sport media”
(M = 4.57, SD = 0.79), “because it offers more in-depth coverage of my favorite
fighter(s) than traditional media” (M = 4.39, SD = 0.95), “to get information about
my favorite fighter(s) that I can’t get elsewhere” (M = 4.31, SD = 0.82), “because
blogs are my primary source of MMA news and opinion” (M = 4.00, SD = 1.17),
and “to read good analysis about my favorite fighter(s) from fellow fans” (M = 3.96,
SD = 1.05). Other salient items of note included, “to discuss MMA topics that I
am most familiar with” (M = 3.68, SD = 1.18) and “to talk about specific aspects
or characteristics of fighters” (M = 3.65, SD = 1.11).
To address Research Question 3, frequency distributions were conducted. When
asked “How many hours a week do you spend watching MMA programming,” most
users claimed to spend 1–5 hours (64.5%) or 6–10 hours (22.7%) watching MMA-
related programming. In response to the question “How many hours a week would
you estimate you spend on MMA blogs,” most users reported spending 1–10 hours
(62.7%) or 11–20 hours (26.1%) on MMA blogs. In regard to active participation on
MMA blogs, the question “On average, how many comments would you estimate
you make per week on MMA blogs” was posed. Most users claimed to be either
an observer only (43.7%) or willing to make 1–20 comments (45.8%) per week.
For a complete breakdown of these distributions, please see Table 3.
Users were also asked how much money they spend on MMA-related mate-
rials (i.e., tickets, pay-per-view, merchandise, etc.) in a given year. There was a
Table 2  Dimensions of Gratification
Factor “I use MMA blogs . . .” Loading M
Evaluation to complement the quality of blog staff writers. .73 2.43
to criticize statements made by other users. .72 2.30
to comment on the actions and behaviors of MMA
athletes. .68 3.01
because I like to get my point across. .67 2.79
to criticize the quality of blog staff writers. .66 1.92
to complain about the business and ethical prac-
tices of MMA institutions. .62 2.65
Community to meet individuals with similar interests. .81 2.48
because it is nice to know others support my favor-
ite sport. .77 3.20
to meet others I can watch MMA events with. .68 1.98
because I feel like I am a part of a community. .67 2.94
because it makes my fan experience more reward-
ing. .62 3.57
to keep up with non-athletic news about my favor-
ite fighter. .60 3.07
Information to get information about my favorite fighter(s) that
gathering I can’t get elsewhere. .80 4.31
to find out MMA news faster than I would using
other types of sport media. .78 4.57
because it offers more in-depth coverage of my
favorite fighter than traditional media. .76 4.39
because blogs are my primary source for MMA
news and opinion. .74 4.00
to read good analysis about fighter(s) from fellow
fans. .54 3.96
Knowledge
demonstration to make fight predictions. .80 3.28
to critique fighting styles. .74 3.06
to talk about specific aspects or characteristics of
fighters. .73 3.65
to discuss MMA topics that I am most familiar
with. .64 3.68
Argumentation to get other users riled up. .88 1.62
to “smack talk” with fans of other fighters. .84 1.56
because I like to stir up debate. .58 2.35
Diversion to talk about religion and politics. .83 1.57
to talk about other sports other than MMA. .81 1.65
Note. Factor 1 had an eigenvalue of 3.59; Factor 2 had an eigenvalue of 3.46; Factor 3 had an eigen-
value of 3.03; Factor 4 had an eigenvalue of 2.89; Factor 5 had an eigenvalue of 2.28; Factor 6 had an
eigenvalue of 1.86.

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 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    119

Table 3  Weekly Consumption Patterns for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Category %
Use of MMA blogs Do not use 43.2
1–30 min 23.0
31–60 min 17.3
61–120 min 4.3
More than 120 min 1.4
Constant 10.8
Hours of MMA programming 1–5 64.5
6–10 22.7
15–20 8.5
16–20 1.4
More than 21 2.8
Comments on MMA blogs Observer only 43.7
1–20 45.8
21–40 9.2
41–60 1.4
Hours on MMA blogs 1–10 62.7
11–20 26.1
21–30 7.7
31–40 1.4
More than 40 2.1
Hours on the Internet 1–10 8.6
11–20 30.2
21–30 27.3
31–40 9.4
More than 40 24.5

relatively equal breakdown in spending patterns (M = $684.71, SD = $893.43),

with 25.0% claiming to spend $0–180, 21.3% spending $200–400, 28.7% spending
$500–900, and 25.0% spending $1,000–5,000. A more representative measure of
central tendency for this sample would be the median value of $500.
To gain a better understanding of MMA-consumption patterns, Pearson’s cor-
relations were calculated between several variables of interest. These correlations
revealed a significant relationship between “On average, how many comments
would you estimate you make per week on MMA blogs?” and evaluation (r = .41,
p < . 01). This item was also positively correlated with knowledge demonstration
(r = .27, p < .01). A positive correlation was found between “Do you ever use
MMA blogs at your current place of employment?” and “How many hours a week
120   Frederick et al.

would you estimate that you spend on the Internet?” (r = .39, p < .01). A positive
correlation was also found between “How many hours a week would you estimate
that you spend on the Internet?” and “How many hours a week would you estimate
you spend on MMA blogs?” (r = .44, p < .01).
Finally, blog users were asked what other MMA blogs, besides FightOpinion.
com, they frequently visit. The most common responses included Bloody Elbow,
Cage Potato, MMA Opinion, Sherdog, MMA Mania, Fight Linker, MMA Weekly,
and Middle Easy. At the time of analysis, several of these blogs were also in the
top 20 ranks of popularity according to BallHype.

Discussion
Users of FightOpinion.com had demographic characteristics similar to those found
in previous MMA research conducted at both professional and amateur events
(e.g., Andrew et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2008). Most users of this
blog were White men with some college experience. The age of users was slightly
higher than in previous MMA studies, with more than 70% being between the ages
of 23 and 39. Similar to the findings of Andrew et al., nearly 20% of blog users
reported $100,000–200,000 in average household income. However, more than
40% of blog users reported household incomes lower than $60,000, which goes
somewhat against the findings of Andrew et al., in which the average household
income was $68,000. Overall, it appears as if users of FightOpinion.com are similar
to those who attend live MMA events, with subtle differences in age and income.
The demographic results of this case study also match up with some of the
findings of Clavio (2008) with regard to users of college-sport message boards.
Similar to this case study, most users of message boards were found to be White
men. However, message-board users were somewhat older than the users of Fight­
Opinion.com. Also, more than 40% of message-board users reported an average
household income of $100,000 or more, which is slightly higher than the results
found in this case study and in previous MMA research.
In terms of usage trends, most users of FightOpinion.com were interested in
fulfilling both interactive and information-gathering needs. This supports previous
blogging research that found that information sharing and interactivity were the
two major motives behind blog use (e.g., Armstrong & McAdams, 2011; Kaye,
2010; Kim, 2011; Sweetser 2005; Sweetser & Kaid, 2008; Trammell, 2005).
This study also supported previous research that found that individuals use blogs
for diversion (Hollenbaugh, 2011). In addition to supporting previous blogging
research, this study provided more detailed nuances regarding the users’ need
for interactivity.
Five of the six factors (evaluation, community, knowledge demonstration,
argumentation, and diversion) contained interactive elements. Evaluation was the
highest factor in terms of variance explained. Findings indicated that users of Fight­
Opinion.com were extremely interested in commenting on the actions of MMA
institutions and on the quality of this particular MMA blog. That point was further
validated by the significant positive correlation between evaluation and comments
made on MMA blogs. Along with evaluation, community appeared to be important
to this group of blog users. Most users of this particular blog wanted to feel like
they were part of a group where they could meet others with similar interests who
 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    121

would support the sport they followed so closely. This supports previous research
that found that individuals use new-media outlets as a way to make new friends
(Raacke & Bonds-Raacke, 2008).
Although they did not explain as much variance, knowledge demonstration,
argumentation, and diversion all contained interactive elements. With knowledge
demonstration, users enjoyed the opportunity to discuss familiar MMA topics
with other users, while also discussing fighter characteristics, fight predictions,
and fighting styles. This was also confirmed by the significant positive correla-
tion between knowledge demonstration and number of comments made on MMA
blogs. Argumentation, although commonly thought to be discursive, also served
an important interactive function among these blog users, enabling them to engage
in conversations with both blog writers and other users in a more confrontational
tone. Finally, diversion enabled individuals to talk with other users about issues
that were non–MMA related (i.e., religion, politics, and other sports). Possibly,
some individuals were simply using this blog to discuss other topics instead of
MMA, because they did not enjoy certain aspects of the sport. Overall, these
features provided users of this particular blog with an open forum in which they
could interact with other fans while also feeling like they were part of a defined
sport community.
FightOpinion.com also served a very important information-gathering function
for users. Overall, information gathering was the third-highest factor in terms of
variance explained. However, it did include the majority of the most salient items.
It appears that as a result of the limited amount of MMA coverage on television,
many fans of the sport rely on these blogs to provide information they would not
otherwise receive through traditional-media outlets. In some cases, MMA blogs
act as the only source with expertise regarding MMA topics. Therefore, fans are
drawn to these sources by both necessity and the desire for expert opinions. This
supports previous research in which expertise was found to be an important moti-
vation factor for online consumption (Clavio & Kian, 2010).
In addition, by serving as one of the primary sources of information for fans,
blogs such as FightOpinion.com allow access to both organic (i.e., a fighter’s per-
sonal information) and functional content (i.e., sport facts and performance-related
information). In that way, users can gain an in-depth picture of a sport that they are
passionate about without having to rely on traditional-media sources, which have
focused limited attention and resources on the emerging sport of MMA. Although
this trend is slowly changing, blogs still appear to be the preeminent source of
information on MMA. That could explain the positive correlation between hours
spent on the Internet and hours spent on MMA blogs, as well as the positive cor-
relation between hours spent on the Internet and using MMA blogs at work. When
individuals are on the Internet, they spend that time using MMA blogs with full
knowledge that these blogs are the primary media outlets at their disposal.
From a uses-and-gratifications perspective, it appears as if users used Fight­
Opinion.com both instrumentally and ritualistically. The interactive nature of this
blog allowed users to become involved with the media content by engaging in
conversation with other consumers of that content. It did not matter if that interac-
tion was positive (i.e., community) or negative (i.e., argumentation). What matters
is that both avenues of communication were available, providing an outlet where
users could demonstrate both their knowledge of and passion for MMA. Users’
122   Frederick et al.

desire to find exclusive MMA information was fulfilled, which demonstrates an

instrumental media orientation. In addition, with diversion, users could talk about
other topics of interest that were not related to MMA (instrumental) while fulfilling
the need to habitually fill time (ritualized).

Limitations and Future Research

Because it was a case study, the findings of this research with regard to demographic
characteristics and usage trends cannot be generalized to all MMA blogs and their
users. Future research should analyze multiple MMA blogs and compare the findings
with the results of the current case study. Also, because an online survey was used,
we had to rely on participants’ answering all questions honestly. Unfortunately, this
is a limitation associated with survey research. Future research could use qualitative
methods (i.e., interviews, content analyses) to gain further understanding of the
gratifications obtained by MMA blog users. Finally, this study only analyzed MMA
blog users. No other sports were examined. It would be wise for future research to
compare blog user demographics and usage trends across various sports to obtain
a more nuanced picture of the sport-blogging landscape.

Conclusions
From a sport communication and new-media perspective, there are three lessons that
can be taken from this case study. First, because there is not a lot of MMA program-
ming available on primetime broadcast or cable television, fans of this emerging
sport are being drawn to Web technologies for both information and interactive
purposes. These technologies are fulfilling unmet needs that traditional-media
outlets (i.e., television) have yet to approach in their entirety. Although television
exposure for MMA is slowly increasing, MMA blogs remain a prominent source
of information and entertainment for fans of the sport. Those involved with MMA
and new media would be wise to exploit this trend by using the free or cheap social
mediums at their disposal to disseminate information.
Second, it appears as if MMA blogs are a source of communication and con-
nection between fans, fighters, and MMA institutions. For that link to remain strong,
those involved with MMA (and other emerging sports) and new media should
continue to create new and exciting content for these sites while also encourag-
ing interactivity. This increase in interactivity could be facilitated by encouraging
blog writers to interact more actively with blog users through comment sections
and by conducting promotions for MMA programming and products exclusively
through blog platforms.
Finally, the overall salience of both the factors and the individual items within
them provide a road map for niche sports such as MMA. This road map offers MMA
stakeholders a tool through which they can fully evaluate the needs and interests of
their constituents. Based on the data analysis, the fans of this particular blog want
to speak their mind, feel like they are part of a group, and consume information
that they cannot find elsewhere. Therefore, to maintain this loyal fan base, MMA
blogs must be willing to meet all of these needs, expectations, and desires.
 An MMA Blog’s Users’ Characteristics    123

Case Questions
• This case study revealed that fans of MMA rely on blogs for information that
they cannot receive through traditional-media outlets. What other new-media
platforms should MMA and its affiliated enterprises use to maximize com-
munication among its constituents, and how should they use those platforms?
• In the sample in this case study, MMA blog users were predominantly White
men. What tactics in the new-media sphere could MMA and its affiliated
enterprises employ to diversify its constituents?
• Identify a sport entity similar in size and reach to MMA. Compare and contrast
that entity’s use of new media with MMA. What could the two entities learn
from one another?
• What do the dimensions of gratification revealed in this case study tell us about
online sport media consumption?

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