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[Cat--Smasher]

Anheuser-Busch warns UFC about fighters' comments
Anheuser-Busch warns UFC about fighters' comments - MMA News

Anheuser-Busch, a major sponsor of Ultimate Fighting Championship, has reprimanded the organization for remarks made by some fighters. Advocacy groups have criticized the fighters comments as sexist and homophobic.

"We've communicated to the UFC our displeasure with certain remarks made by some of its fighters, and they have promised to address this. If the incidents continue, we will act," the brewer said in a statement. A-B, which did not elaborate on potential actions, also stated that it "embraces diversity and does not condone insensitive and derogatory comments rooted in ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, etc."

The rebuke comes as the UFC is gaining mainstream exposure through support from major advertisers and a long-term TV deal with Fox that includes live prime-time matches.

In a statement to Ad Age, UFC said: "With over 425 athletes on our roster, there have unfortunately been instances where a couple athletes have made insensitive or inappropriate comments. We don't condone this behavior, and in no way is it reflective of the company or its values."

A-B last year renewed its UFC deal in a multiyear pact that makes Bud Light a sponsor of pay-per-view and TV broadcasts, while giving the Bud Light logo prominent placement in the Octagon, as well as in press conferences, weigh-ins and locker rooms.

As it rises in popularity, UFC remains a polarizing sport, criticized by some for showcasing violent fighting and inflammatory rhetoric.

"We believe that the UFC contributes to a culture of violence against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence stated in a January letter to state assembly members in New York, urging the state to uphold its ban on professional mixed martial arts, which is legal in most states. "Children, in particular, should not be exposed to the homophobic, misogynistic and violent language that has been permitted by the UFC."

The letter referred to incidents aggregated at a website called unfitforchildren.org, which includes a collection of UFC videos and comments made by people associated with the organization. (The website is run by Las Vegas-based Culinary Workers Union Local 226. The union has unsuccessfully tried to unionize casinos owned by Station Casinos, which is partly owned by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who also own UFC parent company Zuffa LLC.)

The incidents cited by National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence include:
•An undated video linked on unfitforchildren.org, in which UFC fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson urges a Japanese-speaking fan to say: "I'm a fag."
•A UFC press conference in which one fighter makes light of the Jerry Sandusky-Penn State scandal by telling another fighter: "I'm going to put those hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State," according to this ESPN.com report.
•Comments from Joe Rogan, a TV analyst for some UFC events, who reportedly used the C-word to describe Yahoo Sports mixed martial arts blogger Maggie Hendricks. Ms. Hendricks had called out fighter Mr. Jackson for the way he dealt with female interviewers at UFC events, such as telling one that she made him "horny."

Noting that some of the incidents in question have occurred over social media, UFC told Ad Age that "unlike most other sports leagues, we encourage our athletes to engage online. It is part of our company culture, and whenever you are at the forefront of a trend or initiative, it comes with its own pitfalls. We will continue to embrace social media while looking for better ways to stay in front of the issues. This includes a mandate for our athletes to attend sensitivity training and a seminar on proper use of social media."

In a letter to shareholders of A-B global parent Anheuser-Busch InBev, Alcohol Justice alleged that as UFC sponsor, the brewer is "delivering harmful content to millions of underage youth. At center stage is the ever-present Bud Light logo."

In its statement, AB said: "We take our role as a responsible advertiser and marketer very seriously, and we adhere to the industry's voluntary advertising and marketing code. While brand advertising influences brand choice amongst those 21 years of age and older who have already decided to consume alcohol, research shows that it does not influence increased consumption or misuse."

The industry's self-regulations call for alcohol marketers to run ads only in digital and broadcast outlets where at least 71.6% of the audience is 21 or older.

Bud Light brewer wants UFC to crack down on fighter's language
http://www.fightersonlymag.com/conte...hters-language

Minority pressure groups are once again targeting the UFC.

The organisation was recently forced to apologise to major sponsor Anheuser-Busch, producer of the Bud Light brand, after the brewer was contacted by ‘advocacy groups’ who alleged that the fight promoter was variously encouraging misogyny and homophobia.

According to the complaint, several UFC fighters and officials have been guilty of utterances which have been offensive to one of more of these groups. Earlier this year an organisation called the ‘National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence’ wrote to the New York state assembly to claim that the UFC “contributes to a culture of violence against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”

While failing to cite a single instance of UFC-inspired violence against any member of any of those groups, the letter did bring up a video recording of Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson tricking a Japanese fan into saying “I'm a fag” - a lamentable piece of puerile comedy, and yet irrelevant as Jackson was signed to Pride FC at the time and was nothing to do with the UFC.

More recent incidents cited included commentator Joe Rogan referring to a female blogger as “cu-ty” - the inference being that this crude word for a part of the female anatomy somehow incites violence against women - and Rashad Evans’ satirical January press conference comment to former Penn State athlete Phil Davis (“I'm going to put these hands on you worse than that dude did them other kids at Penn State.”)

Nonetheless, there are a number of UFC fighters who have the habit of using the word ‘faggot’ as an insult and as that is a genuine instance of legitimately offensive language, it is something that the UFC wants to stamp out - as does Anheuser-Busch.

“We've communicated to the UFC our displeasure with certain remarks made by some of its fighters, and they have promised to address this. If the incidents continue, we will act,” an Anheuser-Busch spokesman said, although the nature of the possible action was not specified.

In a statement to advertising industry journal Ad Age, the UFC said “With over 425 athletes on our roster, there have unfortunately been instances where a couple athletes have made insensitive or inappropriate comments. We don't condone this behavior, and in no way is it reflective of the company or its values.”

* Yes, because A-B's product is so family friendly and screams family values.

[Y2JUBAE]

So because a couple fighters made comments that means ALL fighters are bad? Isn't that stereotyping? So I can go out and find one gay person that is bad and assume all gays are bad? LOL

So tired of hearing about how everyone is offended by shit. I'm offended by them being offended. get a fucking job and you won't have time to be offended bitch.

[disposableassassin]

We believe that the UFC contributes to a culture of violence against women

only if these women are fighting cyborg.

i mean really anyone remember how swiftly brett rogers was kicked to the curb after smashing his wifes face in. these people geez........

[Supe]

I would LOOOVVEEEE to know the number of NFL and NBA players have had domestic violence charges brought up against them vs the number of MMA fighters. You want to know what contributes to violence against women more than anything in the fucking world....alcohol. Shove it up your ass A-B.

[CtGreat]

Bla bla blaaa bla blaaa bla baaa bla who gives a shit?

[NLRepublic]

Originally Posted by Supe

I would LOOOVVEEEE to know the number of NFL and NBA players have had domestic violence charges brought up against them vs the number of MMA fighters. You want to know what contributes to violence against women more than anything in the fucking world....alcohol. Shove it up your ass A-B.

haha seriously though, I mean, wasn't Ray Lewis a SuperBowl MVP and on the cover of Madden one year?

Get real A-B

[Leucoethiops]

Biggest Offender: UFC President

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted by Supe

I would LOOOVVEEEE to know the number of NFL and NBA players have had domestic violence charges brought up against them vs the number of MMA fighters. You want to know what contributes to violence against women more than anything in the fucking world....alcohol. Shove it up your ass A-B.

Heh, good point. I mean it is a serious issue, but I think the UFC is taking the steps to clean up their act in this regard.

A big problem is that Dana White is the biggest offender aside from Rampage. Hard to ask the fighters to set a good example when the figure head of the company is prone to bigoted rants.

[Kimbo> Rampage]

to all of you Jon Jones and Dana White Haters...



lol and people call Jones cocky... Imagine walking into the bar and seeing those two...

[LefthookStcrook]

Originally Posted by Supe

I would LOOOVVEEEE to know the number of NFL and NBA players have had domestic violence charges brought up against them vs the number of MMA fighters. You want to know what contributes to violence against women more than anything in the fucking world....alcohol. Shove it up your ass A-B.

Lol its funny because its true.