Fightland is a website covering mixed martial arts (MMA).[1] Launched in September 2012, it is part of Vice Media, Inc. network channels.[2] Vice Media states that Fightland is a joint venture with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[3] The New Yorker describes it as a vertical in which the UFC is sponsoring the whole website, and in general, concludes that "Vice's sponsored material can feel like a strange beast, neither advertising nor regular content but something in between."[4]
| Available in | English, Spanish |
|---|---|
| Owner | Vice Media |
| URL | fightland |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Yes |
| Launched | 2012 |
| Current status | Defunct |
Fightland has been criticized by Cagepotato and Deadspin for not being transparent to their readers that it is funded by the UFC, and that it is operating as a marketing arm or acting as a shill.[5][6] The UFC, Vice Media and Fightland refused to comment on the subject when asked.[7] At UFC 164 weigh-ins, UFC president Dana White wore an official Fightland T-shirt.[8][9]
Fightland editor-in-chief is Michael Hresko.[10] A notable writer for the website is MMA analyst Jack Slack.[11] Other notable writers include Peter Carroll[12] and Tom Taylor.[13]
Fightland was a 2014 World MMA Awards nominee for the "MMA media source of the year" award.[14]
On May 15, 2023, Vice Media formally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as part of a possible sale to a consortium of lenders including Fortress Investment Group, which will, alongside Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital, invest $225 million as a credit bid for nearly all of its assets.[15]
References
edit- ^ "The cult of Vice - Columbia Journalism Review". Cjr.org. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ Goldsmith, Jill (2012-05-03). "Vice Media unveils slate, Ultimate Fighting deal". Variety. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "Network | VICE Media LLC". Company.vice.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ Widdicombe, Lizzie (2013-04-08). "The Bad-Boy Brand". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ Marchman, Tim (August 30, 2013). "Vice's Artsy MMA Site Is Pretty Much A UFC Front". Deadspin.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "CagePotato.com Presents: The 2013 Potato Awards - Page 6 of 8". Cagepotato.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "Shill 'Em All, Part 2: The MMA Media's Race to the Bottom". Cagepotato.com. 2013-08-26. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "UFC 164: Official Weigh-In". YouTube. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ^ Staff, Fightland (2014-04-30). "Win a Fightland T-shirt! | FIGHTLAND". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ^ "Articles by Michael Hresko | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "Articles by Jack Slack | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "Articles by Peter Carroll | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
- ^ "Articles by Tom Taylor | Fightland - Fightland". Fightland.vice.com. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
- ^ "2014 World MMA Awards nominees". MMA Fighting. December 22, 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (15 May 2023). "Vice Media Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 15 May 2023.