Iridium Sports Agency CEO Jason House concerned for regional MMA shows in the future

When MMA cards began to get canceled en masse, multiple fighters across multiple shows were suddenly in need of knowing was going on, so the task fell to people like Jason House, founder and CEO of Iridium Sports Agency, to keep them up to date on what was going on with their careers.

Speaking to MMAWeekly.com during lockdown, House discussed the initial wave of cancellations, dealing with the fighters on his roster during the age of social distancing, and what he sees for the immediate future of MMA when the sport is able to resume.

MMAWeekly.com: Firstly, Jason, tell us when you realized that MMA was going to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Jason House: For us, I really felt like it hit me when I was in Brazil (for UFC on ESPN+ 28). During that time period, I was getting a lot of phone calls from home and watching the news I realized how quickly this pandemic was taking place.

On a regional level we had started hearing then that shows were going to start being cancelled and that I had notify some of our athletes. As far as UFC (on ESPN+ 29 in) London I believe that (cancellation) was announced while I was in Brazil.

MMAWeekly.com: Was there any worry that you would not be able to return to the United States from Brazil as things were shutting down?

Jason House: I believe it was Thursday night I was considering flying back home. I was very concerned that I would not be able to get back into the United States, but after talking with some of the UFC officials on site, and the travel team for the UFC, they assured me that everything would be okay and I would be able to return home on Sunday.

MMAWeekly.com: Was it pretty chaotic to get everyone in the loop and contact all the fighters and their teams or were you able to get things handled in pretty quick order?

Jason House: We did not have any athletes on the UFC London card, so that wasn’t an issue for us, however, seeing how that card was playing out it definitely became very chaotic regarding the next few cards coming up; just seeing if they were going to keep those cards alive, if they were going to be postponed; and just making sure we were keeping our clients in the loop and letting them know what the current status of their events were.

We were able to get it taken care of in pretty quick order, however, it’s still very chaotic in the sense that a lot of these fighters (on the regional level) had been preparing for weeks on end for these opportunities, and to hear that not only the fight canceled, but that maybe the next step in your career may be postponed. It’s very devastating for athletes on that level; hearing that you’re not going to get that opportunity to showcase your talents is always very frustrating and saddening.

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MMAWeekly.com: What’s it like keeping in contact with your fighters now, and what are the messages you’re trying to get across to them during lockdown?

Jason House: From an agent standpoint, you have always be in a positive mindset and always have to see the opportunity in every crisis. For our athletes, we’re constantly staying in contact with them daily, checking in on them, making sure they’re okay, and letting them know any updates regarding fights, promotions, etc., that may concern them so they remain in the loop and know what’s going on.

I think when you’re getting updates and have knowledge of what’s going on, it tends to make things a little bit easier because you have an understanding what the latest news is.

We’ve definitely been telling our clients to stay as ready as possible. We feel that when MMA as an industry returns that it will be a lot of shows in a short period of time, so we’re just informing our athletes that if it is possible for them to stay in shape and stay ready to do it, that way as soon as opportunities arises we’ll be able to seize it.

MMAWeekly.com: When MMA is able to return, do you think there will be any impact on how the sport functions either in the short term or long term?

Jason House: It’s hard to say at this point because we don’t know when normal life per say will resume. I do worry and am concerned about the regional scene in MMA just because if our economy continues to take a hit, I’m not sure how many fans will be able to purchase tickets to regional events. That’s a big part of not only the regional promotions’ income, but also the fighters’ income.

I’m definitely concerned that if the economy is not good enough for promoters to put on those events and for fans to attend those events that will cause a situation where fighters won’t have many opportunities to perform.

MMAWeekly.com: Thanks for taking time out for us, Jason. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

Jason House: I think there’s always opportunity in crisis, and I think it’s very important as a leader to keep your team and your clients searching for those opportunities, and keep them prepared for those opportunities, so that when they do come along we can seize the moment and make the most of what’s been put upon us.