The Big X MMA Company MARKETING PLAN

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Executive Summary This is an Example based on a Fictional MMA Company Big X MMA (X) is an International MixedMartial Arts Championship company active in the promotion of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and K-1 Style Events. As a pioneering company, it marketed as the only Mixed Martial Arts Company where fighters are truly protected in all aspects of the game (or insert your idea here). BIG X is also called the Changing MMA into a popularly accepted Sport. As the MMA sports become increasingly popular, there is a rapidly growing interest in Martial Arts Championship companies. With its unique fighter selection process and the demand created by the Martial Arts trend, BIG X has a powerful opportunity expand sales to the growing number of MMA fans Worldwide. To take advantage of this MMA trend we suggest BIG X should focus on customers who wish to be involved in MMA fighter selection that are typically young single males in their 20s or 30s with low or greater incomes, and frequent internet presence. Through an understanding of this groups buying behavior (Appendix 3) we make the following Marketing Strategy recommendations:

Positioning: The only MMA Organization where people (Insert your Preference) for what fighters they want to see in every event Product: BIG X should offer well known MMA and K-1 Fighters for their members to (Insert your Preference) for, and maintain a constant flow of current visual content on their website. Place: BIG X should broadcast their shows on a well known or reputable TV network. Price: BIG X should price their memberships at a low price that would ensure penetration into the market share of internet based MMA websites. Promotion:

Our target market will become members of BIG X when they hear it is the only MMA company where people (Insert your Preference) for the fighters they want to see. Premium MMA sponsors in clothing, gear, training, and health supplements, will give BIG X premium advertising when they hear our customers are looking for the only organization that truly hears the peoples voice. MMA News reporters will recommend BIG X when they hear it is effective in recruiting popular MMA fighters and that BIG X treats the MMA fans the best.

SWOT Analysis (Details in Appendix 1) Strengths Unique, (Insert your Preference) Based Fighters Selection Opportunities Market themselves as the American Idol for MMA Weaknesses BIG X lacks reputation as an MMA Organization Threats Losing market share

Objective: For the company to be known as having the possibility of being the most successful Mixed Martial Arts company.

Focus of SWOT One Product: A Website for MMA Fans to (Insert your Preference) for Fighters. One Target Market: MMA Fans. One Geographic location: USA

Opportunity #1 was created when the strength of (Insert your Preference) based fighter and match selection process combined with the macro environmental social factor that people are aware of the success of (Insert your Preference) based TV shows.

Threat #1 is a combination of Big X lacks reputation as an MMA Organization and the macro 1 environmental factor that the competition (ProElite) may incorporate a Voting system within 1 year.

MARKETING OBJECTIVES

By November 2007: Obtain 6 well known Professional Fighters for our First Event in March 2008. By January 2008: Reach 20,000 members Justification: In order for Big X to become of interest, it needs to have some naturally popular fighters in their first card. This takes advantage of the key strength (Insert your Preference) Selection Fighter Selection because it provides fans with a good and exciting choice of fighters to (Insert your Preference) for. Additionally, this avoids the weakness, BIG X Lacks Reputation as an MMA Company because it brings Reputable Fighters, giving the company instant recognition. MARKETING STRATEGY Target Market: People who need MMA entertainment to be interactive, who are males between ages 16 to 35, who enjoy sports, action movies, popular male music (hip hop, rock) and who already use the internet for entertainment (facebook, myspace, youtube, music downloads, movie downloads, online gambling, online gaming). Justification for Target Market: This target market has a need to be entertained and our product, website and events, can satisfy this need better than anyone else. By having a completely interactive website, with substantial content, our company takes advantage of our strength, a Unique (Insert your Preference) Based Fighter Selection and avoids our weakness of BIG X lacks reputation as an MMA organization. POSITIONING: Frame of Reference: A Professional MMA Organization where the best fighters compete. Point of Difference: The only MMA Organization where People (Insert your Preference) for what fighters they want to see in every event. Justification for Positioning: The frame of reference, a Professional MMA Organization is consistent with the Target Market, because the Target Market is interested in watching only the best professional fighters. The point of difference provides the benefit of unique (Insert your Preference) based fighter selection and this is important to the target market and is different from any alternative MMA Organization. 1

THE FOUR Ps: PRODUCT, PLACE, PRICE & PROMOTION Product Recommendations: BIG X should offer well known MMA and K-1 Fighters for their members to (Insert your Preference) for, and maintain a constant flow of current visual content on their website. BIG X must satisfy the needs of the target market at least as well as the competition this means that BIG X must provide the following; Known MMA/KB Fighters and Substantial Content on the Website. The following checklist provides a recommendation for each aspect of the Product: Design: The BIG X website must have the feel of a professional and reputable website this includes professional photography, graphics, and video content. Quality: BIG X must have quality fighters with good professional records. It is very important for our fighters to entertain and to present Quality Martial Art Knowledge. Brand: BIG X must have the ability to brand its Unique (Insert your Preference) Base Fighter Selection This can be achieved by having people recognize the company as the American Idol of Mixed Martial Arts. Augmented Level of Service: The BIG X website must be professional and provide warranty of service, telephone/web support, maintenance, and training. Place Recommendations: BIG X should broadcast their shows on a well known or reputable TV network. The Place is shorthand for Distribution Channels In the case of BIG X it will be the network through which the events will be broadcasted. BIG X should broadcast their events on Network Television because this avoids the weakness of BIG X lacks reputation as an MMA Organization. If Product is Gold Memberships: Using Network television will also help the company to be known as the American Idol of MMA. Using Network television will also allow for Massive distribution of the websites main product which is Gold Memberships. 1 If Product is BIG X Events (on Pay-Pey-View): Using Pay-Per-View will not help the company to be known as the American Idon of MMA. Using Pay-Per-View is not compatible with a Massive distribution of the websites main product which is Gold Memberships. Price Recommendations: The following are recommendations on Pricing for BIG Xs products, considering the 3 Cs;

Consumers, Competition and Cost. Consumer: The pricing of membership for UNC should be low enough to ensure that people sign up. Our most important product is the Gold Memberships because we plan to sell as many of them. A low price will ensure that we get penetration that will result in growth to our market share. Competition: The competition is Ultimate Fighting Championships website, because they are the leading website that charges customers for obtaining access to their premium content. Depending on what UFC is charging their customers (for similar services, video, interaction with fighters) we should charge 10 25 % less to gain penetration in their market share. Cost: The cost of running the website will increase as users increase. The price that we charge for membership must be compatible with the price increases for website maintenance and costs associated with labor demands of customer services. Promotion Recommendations: Step 1: Identify Target Market The Target Market is People who need MMA entertainment to be interactive, who are males between ages 16 to 35, who enjoy sports. Their buying behavior is typical to males in this age bracket because it is also a similar economic status. According to multichannel.com (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6415492.html) 350000 to 400000 (and perhaps more noadays) pay-per-view buys per event and more than 2 million viewers per episode on Spike TV Step 2: Establish Goal The goal is for the audience to visit our website and join it by looking at our advertisement. This is consistent with our opportunity to market ourselves as The American Idol of MMA and it avoids our weakness of lacking reputation as an MMA organization. Step 3: Advertisement Message Big X Visit us, Join us, and enforce your (Insert your Preference)! 1

Promotional Strategy for customers who care about the environment and spend their time watching TV afte Audience

Target Market

Channels: Advertisers on our website

Influencers: MMA News Reporters

Response Sought Message Take Action (what?) Point of Difference, (anything else)? Awareness of BIG X as the newest MMA Big X the newest Martial Arts Championships Company company. Awareness of BIG X as the only company Big X the only company where fans (Insert your Prefere where fighters are (Insert your Preference) matches they want to see. No more unfair matches, no pol selected. is what the people get! Interest: Gather information about BIG X. The Big X MMA read more about us on our FAQ. To Join on Trial Subscription to BIG X. Join us for free for 30 days! Action: To sign up for BIG X as a Fan. Join us and (Insert your Preference) for all our fighters, rin Stock it (how?) Profit, competitive advantage (anythin Awareness: United Company has an MMA TheBigX.com (fake link) the newest Martial Arts Social website that Martial Arts enthusiasts visit your Preference), and watch our Events. frequently Interest: To have advertisers become Our website receives an average of 60 unique users daily! interested in Big X Action: To make Big X a place to advertise Our website is a great place to advertise your (Martial Arts their products. Supplements). Recommend it (how?) Related to message above Awareness: To make News aware that the Big Our website features a unique voting system. People (Inse X is the only MMA website where fans can their favorite fighters, people (Insert your Preference) for m (Insert your Preference). bring them together at our events. Action: To have the News Reporter Our company takes peoples opinions very seriously, but w recommend our website and the various fan to know about our company. The MMA news are the b memberships to find out about our company. Appendix 1: SWOT SWOT Analysis Data 1. Internal a. Strengths 1. Asset: (Insert your Preference) based fighter and match selection process 2. Trait: Single event contracts are a good way to attract fighters to give the company a chance 3. Trait: Price level is associated with prestige 4. Trait: The only MMA/K-1 Event in which people (Insert your Preference) for who they want to see. b. Weaknesses 1. Lack of Trait: The MMA Audience has low interest in beginner level Professional fighters

2. Lack of Skill: Does not have reputation as an MMA Organization 3. Lack of Trait: Lacks a history of MMA Events 4. Lack of Trait: The Company is counting on Pay per View but does not know what Percentage of people will pay for this. 2. Macroenvironment Social, Cultural, Demographic Society accepts MMA and shows like the Ultimate Fighter have made the sport very popular. Good MMA - UFC events receive as many viewers on TV as a Baseball game in October (1.5 million). a. Social People are well aware of the success of voting on TV shows like American Idol, and Dancing with the Starts have implemented this system and as a result more people watch these shows because they feel as if they are responsible for the shows outcome. b. Technology Technology allows people to get to know others by the video sharing capacity of the web. Technology lowers the cost for the company to make their fighters known to the public. c. Economy The Economy is doing OK at this time and this allows investors to see the company as having a bright future. d. Environment N/A e. Political, legal, regulatory Rules on different states make it difficult for fighters to be able to compete in events in their own hometown; hence, many fighters are used to traveling to other states to compete. f. Market Medium to fast growth market is possible due to the lack of competitors in this market. g. Customer The Audience of Martial Arts appears to be increasing as we can see by the surprising success of the IFL, WEC, Bodog Fight, and UFC. h. Channels of Distribution The internet is ready to supply us with members through social networking sites like Myspace. i. Competition The competition may imitate us within 1 year. Currently the website ProElite has a similar social network all they have to do is establish a voting system. j. Suppliers N/A 3. External a. Opportunities Marketing Big X as the American Idol for Fighters The success of American Idol, paired with the success of MMA on TV gives Big X the ability to establish a mix between these two models and to make it attractive to the growing number of people interested in the Sports of

Boxing, Wrestling, Stand up Martial Arts, Brazilian JiuJitsu, MMA and Vale Tudo. Explanation: The Strenght, (Insert your Preference) Based Fighter and Match Selection Process, Paired with the Macroenvironmental Social factor that people are aware of the success of (Insert your Preference) based TV shows, gives rise to the opportunity of marketing Big X as the American Idol for Fighters. American Idol is a very well know example of what the company is trying to do. This allows the audience realize that United Company is bringing a great opportunity to fighters who are often compared to Gladiators and not associated with Glamour and Fortune as competitors of American Idol are seen. . b. Threats Losing market share I assume that companies like ProElite can see that they have a network in place where people are active and, if given a chance, they would (Insert your Preference) for what fighters they want to see fight. Explanation: The Weakness, Big X does not have well known MMA fighters paired with the Macroenvironmental factor that the competition (ProElite) may incorporate a Voting system within 1 year, creates the Threat of losing market share. Big X is a new company and their fighters are not well known, a company like ProElite has more well known fighters and a working social network on their website.

Appendix 2: Target Market Distinguished User status: benefit Those who wish to be involved in the MMA fighter selection process. Described Men living in the United States who are high school graduates and are currently single, or starting their relationships. Geographic Region: North America (Mexico, US and Canada) City or Metro size: N/A Density: Urban Climate: N/A Demographic Age: 16-34 Family size: 2-4 Family cycle: single and looking Gender: Male Income: More than $20,000-$50,000 Income should be similar to those buyers who signup for premium memberships at MMA-Forum or UFC websites. Occupation: Vocational workers, Policemen, Firemen, Construction, Physically active workers. Education: High School graduate Religion: N/A Race: N/A Generation: Generation X (25-30) Nationality: North American Social class: Middle Class Psychology: Active, Male Focus, Alpha Male, Testosterone driven Lifestyle: Active Personality: Competitive

Appendix: 3 Buying Behavior

Who: Single men who enjoy watching MMA competitions, typically in their 20s or 30s with low or greater incomes, and use the internet frequently (2+ times a day). What o Consumers need: keep themselves entertained o Satisfy needs: obtain entertainment through an MMA social website o Level of involvement: High involvement, including seting up an account, paying for it and maintaining it. o Buying roles Deciders: Himself Purchaser: Himself Users: Himself Influencer: Friends, magazines and, internet sites like Myspace. o Way the product is used: It is used to (Insert your Preference) for fighters/ring girls and match making How o Need recognition: Customers recognize their need to take part in fighters selection as he feels powerless when watching UFC and notices that many of the matches are unfair like the Hamil vs Bisping match, the Sherk vs Florian match, and the Lidell vs Jardine match. o Gathering of information: They learn about Big X while reading an MMA magazine at their Martial Arts Dojo. o Evaluation of alternatives: They evaluate different websites, such as Proelite, to see if they offer the voting system that Big X offers. o Trial: They try the website for 30 days to see what content is included and how the voting works. o Purchase: They decide to purchase the membership because they are satisfied with the content that the website offers; videos of fighters, photos of ring girls and the Forum. o Post-purchase behavior: They recommend the website once they find value in the content of the website, and they see that the voting system works well during and after the event. Where o o o o o o Need recognition: at home, at work but always through the internet. Gathering of information: home, online, or at an MMA magazine. Evaluation of alternatives: online when comparing the Proelite site. Trial: at home on their computers Purchase: at home on their computers Post-purchase behavior: Tell friends about the product at their MMA school.

When o Need recognition: The user finds the need for Big X after reading MMA news Online for example; when the UFC could not make a match happen between Chuck Lidell and Wanderlei Silva. o Gathering of information: both in spare time and when visiting friends. o Evaluation of alternatives: During work hours or after work. o Trial: Anytime o Purchase: Most likely at home, where they can easily take their credit cards out. o Post-purchase behavior: This will happen after the first event has taken place and the matches are successful (everyone shows up, the matches are good, no easy knockouts, etc etc). Why o Satisfy self-esteem (I feel like I learned something about self defense after watching a good MMA fight) o Satisfy sense of Justice (The Big X Voting system is Fair for the fighters and for the fans). o Satisfy sense of Sportsmanship (The Big X Voting system avoids Politics and ensures that only the Best Matches take place).

NOTE: This is a fictions company, and any similarity is based on pure coincidence. The purpose of this plan is only to showcase my marketing knowledge of MMA. If you are interested in a similar plan, or a complete business plan please contact me at pbigio@hotmail.com