The aura of invincibility around Ronda Rousey has been shattered , and with it her marketing value has taken a significant blow. That’s unfortunate news for EA Sports following the announcement of Rousey as the cover athlete for the upcoming EA Sports UFC 2 video game , which was made just one day prior to her getting demolished by Holly Holm at UFC 193.
This is damaging news for the publisher, which fully expected Rousey to remain the undefeated champion and carry the weight of promotion for the game. Having reach that extends beyond UFC and into the entertainment world made her the ideal candidate for the role. EA will need to adjust their marketing plan and even possibly change marketing materials, in-game art, and commentary audio.
UFC 193: Stunning photos | Main card recap | Winners & losers | Good, bad, dirty | Internet reacts to Rousey KO
There’s no “curse” involved here, but now the company is facing their second dilemma related to the cover of their new franchise and who they chose to represent the brand. The first EA Sports UFC, which released summer 2014, featured Jon Jones. He crashed his car in a DUI incident in 2012, something they seemingly ignored. That proved costly as early this year he tested positive for cocaine and went to rehab for only a single day. He was suspended by the UFC and his title was stripped after being arrested for hit-and-run in April. He was replaced as the face of the EA Sports UFC mobile game, but it was too late to do anything about the console game.
Sales of UFC video games have declined heavily with every release following the surprise hit UFC 2009 Undisputed. The follow-up UFC 2010 dropped by approximately 59 percent in first month sales. UFC 3 sold about 20 percent fewer copies than that. The first effort from EA Sports released last year and fell 18 percent more from THQ’s final game. The downward trend is alarming for EA, which purchased the license anticipating much stronger consumer interest. The idea was Rousey, along with a second cover athlete to be announced later, could contribute to a turnaround.
Now the company will be hoping instead for a rematch prior to the game’s release. They would be able to capitalize on the hype leading up to Holm vs. Rousey 2 in their promotion. Rousey just disappearing from the limelight makes for the worst possible scenario.
Should a rematch be arranged, it may not realistically happen in time. Rousey was looking at taking time off to film movies and was apparently targeting a return at UFC 200 in July. That was with her fully expecting a win, so maybe plans could change. EA Sports UFC 2 does not have a specific release date pinned down but is expected to go out in the March-June window.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com , has co-founded the new site HitThePass.com , is a regular participant on the Press Row Podcast and Hit The Pass Radio shows, and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre .