“Ideas are overvalued, the design is underestimated.” So says Donn Davis, founder, chairman and co -owner of a professional warriors league. Previously, Davis co -founded and cooperates with the investment company Revolution for 10 years with partners of Steve Case and Ted Leonsis. However, when he read the news of MMA Giant UFC, Davis left his lucrative position and began to build a vision of his sports league from scratch. Eight years later, blood, sweat and tears paid off: PFL is now awarded $ 1 billion. Here is how Davis went to start and grow his brand and business, which, Irolely, did not include toe-toe with competition.
Give us the elevator height for PFL.
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is March Madness Meets MMA. In PFL, all fighters start the season and it is a format of one -time elimination “Win and Advance”, which determines the annual champion. This means that PFL is a combat meritocracy versus UFC, which is controlled by the promoter. In just a few years of sales of its establishment, PFL has become 2 MMA around the world of all measures – the quality of fighters, global distribution, worldwide audience, social commitment to fans and society’s income.
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What inspired you to create PFL?
I started with the day UFC was sold to Andor. I read in their prints that MMA had the third large global base in the sports goals subordinate to only 50 premium combat events from UFC. Compare it to a football market with 5,000 matches out of 8 league that distribute an annual income of $ 35 million. 650 million MMA fans wanted more premium combat events and there will be more than one winning company MMA. PFL does not compete UFC – PFL captures large markets ignored or insufficiently subordinate UFC.
How does the operation of such a league differ from other sports?
There are dozens and tens of MMA fighters in UFC. MMA is not like football, where there are no good quarterbacks or baseball, where there are quality jugs. PFL has accepted and developed a fighter list that is almost the same as UFC, which was verified by independent evaluation agencies. It is crazy statistics that most will not believe, because the UFC brand is so strong and the PFL brand is new. When the fans watch UFC on ESPN or PFL on Saturday on Friday, they watch the same quality fighting and warriors. Francis Nganna is the heavy weight of the number one in the world – it is in PFL. Cris Cyborg are women number one of all time – it is in PFL. Dakota Ditcheva is a rising number one star in the world – it is in PFL.
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What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?
Never give up! Building a local partial trade of $ 250,000 and Saas AI of $ 250 million shares the same business bond – tireless, durable, creative, unwavering and undivided obligation. Complete respect for all entrepreneurs.
What is your best advice for upcoming entrepreneurs?
Give, no. Ask what the other party wants, and insert Twagus an agreement, solution or participle that suits their needs. As Jerry McGuire said: “Help me, help you.” I grew up in Cincinnati and I believe in the Midwest “Win-Win” philosophy. My success came from being a great partner.
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