CHICAGO -- M-1 Global USA Vice President Jerry Millen tells me he's happy with the way promotion has been handled for Strikeforce and M-1's first partnership event, "Fedor vs. Rogers" on CBS.And he has reason to be, as preliminary ticket numbers indicate that the event could sellout. 95% of tickets have been already been dispersed by Thursday morning for Sears Centre configured to hold 12,000, according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.
Now it's up to what rating the event pulls in for CBS on Saturday night. For now, Millen is pleased with the build-up for the event through commercials on CBS and the Fight Camp 360 countdown show on Showtime.
On CBS/Showtime's promotion of Fedor vs. Rogers: "They are doing a great job. Ken Hershman over at Showtime is really behind Fedor and M-1 and Strikeforce. Kelly Kahl at CBS is a huge Fedor fan and he loves the sport. I think he's done a great job. They are running promos during all the football games. They took Fedor and Rogers to the Bears game on Sunday, promos on CSI, during Survivor. Those are some of the top rated shows in the country so you can't beat that."
On criticism that CBS failed to properly promote EliteXC: "There's always criticism. They obviously didn't do that bad of a job with EliteXC because they got some great ratings. They got some great numbers. Somebody is always going to criticize and think they can do better. But they got great numbers on most of their fights so I think they've done a great job."
On why there was little publicity for the event until recently: "People have a short attention span, especially in America, cause our images change so fast. If you promoted it a month ago, people aren't going to remember. The closer you get to it, that's when you want to hit it heavy. By Thursday, Friday, you'll probably see ten times the promotion, I've assume, you've seen. Cause that's when you put the push out."
On the Fight Camp 360 pre-fight special: "I was there when they shot it, and I watched it [on TV]. It turned out great. Roadside Entertainment did a great job it. They made Fedor look who he is and showed us another side of Brett Rogers. I think it made you care about these guys and you learned a little more about the myth of Fedor -- kind of pulled the curtain back on who is as a person. That's who he is. He lives very simple. But he's a great guy, a great father, and he's a good friend."
On whether Strikeforce on CBS could be in trouble if Rogers pulls the upset: "It's not going to happen. (Laughs.) It won't happen. I think it'll be a great fight and does Brett have a chance? Sure, it's a mixed martial arts fight, and anything can happen, but it's not going to happen."
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