A
special issue of
International Journal of Sport Management and Marketingombat sports such as boxing, wrestling, and martial arts have been around for thousands of years. Recently, the nature of combat sports has changed with the emergence of a new sport, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). MMA has grown from a niche event into a major, worldwide sport generating interest from television viewers, spectators, and participants over the past 15 years. The sport is expanding globally with major events staged in the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Along with the recent success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), other professional promoters such as Strikeforce, Dream, and Bellator have grown their presence on television and pay-per-view. On a smaller scale, many regional promoters have emerged offering live professional and amateur fight cards for both male and female fighters. As such, many existing martial arts schools have begun teaching mixed martial arts in addition to traditional martial arts. Further, the growth in numbers of interested participants has created a demand for facilities solely devoted to mixed martial arts training and competition.
While combat sports such as mixed martial arts have experienced rapid growth and success, these sports are not without controversy. Critics have decried the violent nature of combat sports citing the physiological dangers to participants and potential anti-social messages passed along to viewers. While numerous governmental entities have legalized and regulated the combat sports in their jurisdictions, many others either do not regulate combat sports or have chosen to outlaw sports such as mixed martial arts.
This special issue invites manuscripts investigating the management and marketing of combat sports, exploring the future of combat sports, and identifying combat sports’ economic, managerial, ethical, legal, socio-cultural, and political impacts. Qualitative, quantitative, and conceptual papers are all encouraged. Considering that MMA as we know it was non-existent prior to 1993, sport management scholars have a unique opportunity to research a sport in its formative years. Despite the rapid growth in the sport’s popularity and its increasing impacts on business and society, little research exists concerning this phenomenon (Andrew, Kim, O’Neal, Greenwell, & James, 2009; Garcia & Malcolm, 2010; Kim, Andrew, & Greenwell, 2009; Kim, Greenwell, Andrew, Lee, & Mahony, 2008; Lim, Martin, & Kwak, 2010).
Submissions are welcome on a broad range of topics related to Mixed Martial Arts or other related combat sports. Appropriate perspectives for this special issue may include (but are not limited to):
- Economic impact
- Sociological perspectives
- Legal and regulatory issues
- Spectator motivations
- Sponsorship issues
- Challenges to growth and development
- Ethical issues surrounding combat sports
- Sport participation (including youth and women's participation)
- The role of martial arts in various cultures
- Global expansion of combat sports
Important DateDeadline for submission: 7 February, 2011