Bellator Sues Eddie Alvarez

[bubkusjones]

Originally Posted by JonSnitchPhones

Don't be hard-headed. It's the same effect, obviously. That's (significantly) less money allocated to the fighters. They own their own bodies, so if they should have a right to all revenues generated from ad space taken out on them. Regardless if you don't think so, it's a higher percentage of the ad dollars going to the fighters in Bellator, if they don't indeed have the same policy as the UFC.

Sponsor money is based on exposure. Fighting in the UFC provides greater exposure than any other organization. Why shouldn't the UFC get a fee for allowing the sponsors to advertise on their product?

When a company wants to advertise their product on TV, they rent the time from the network/channel (based on what show the ads will be aired), and the TV show itself gets a cut of that (for drawing in the viewers and making that ad time valuable).

Thus, the UFC provides the "network", and the fighter the "show". They both need to work together to make the ad space on the fighter's banner/shorts valuable. So, why shouldn't the UFC get a portion of the money?

[skylolow]

Originally Posted by BeardotheWeirdo

Thanks for the link. It is a good read.

OK, so the Bellator PPV is McDonalds, and the UFC is Red Lobster. I'd say Bellator is more like Denny's but fair enough.

The UFC is NOT guaranteeing Eddie a PPV slot according to Rebney, so Bellator won't have to match that.

When Eddie signed the deal 4 years ago Bellator wasn't even the #2 organization. They weren't even a McDonalds. They were no where near the UFC in terms of popularity and profitability, but there was no exmeption added into the clause that stated, UFC offers are worth more, or the offer has to come from an organization that has similar reach and marketabilty as to Bellator. I don't know this for a fact but it's safe to assume as we would've heard by now if there was an exemption to the clause that stated so.

So unless the UFC offers Eddie a guaranteed actual PPV bonus for a fight then their offer of potential wealth is not tangible and won't hold up in court. There is no guarantee of Eddie's success in the UFC. If what Bjorn said in that article is true than I think Bellator will win this in court.

I don't know if Bjorn is telling the truth completely. Eddie really has no reason to lie to anyone. Bjorn is trying to save face here so I can see him easily twisting the truth. Long tern Bjorn could be hurt by this.

But the flip side is I can see where Eddie knows what the UFC pays behind the scenes to fighters(locker room bonuses). Then you add in chances for fight/sub/KO of the night. More money in sponsorships. Potential of alot of money off PPV buys, especially if he holds the belt for a few fights. All of this I can see him bucking the system some.

Eddie also said they offered to take less the what the UFC deal added up to and Bjorn instantly shot it down and filed the injunction.


P.S.: I'd like to know how Bellator would offer health insurance to Eddie. Because no company can just offer health insurance to one individual and not to anyone else. In the fight game this is priceless.

[neandertal]

Did they match the locker room bonuses...

Its just a way for the UFC to keep control over the fighter to have money on the side,"under the table", so that they wont complain and maybe start a union..

[skylolow]

Originally Posted by bubkusjones

Sponsor money is based on exposure. Fighting in the UFC provides greater exposure than any other organization. Why shouldn't the UFC get a fee for allowing the sponsors to advertise on their product?

When a company wants to advertise their product on TV, they rent the time from the network/channel (based on what show the ads will be aired), and the TV show itself gets a cut of that (for drawing in the viewers and making that ad time valuable).

Thus, the UFC provides the "network", and the fighter the "show". They both need to work together to make the ad space on the fighter's banner/shorts valuable. So, why shouldn't the UFC get a portion of the money?

Jonsnitchphones doesn't know what he is talking about.........

Here is an article about two years old but it give some insight

http://www.fightofthenight.com/featu...-by-mma-agent/

End of the day your making a hell of alot more in the UFC off sponsorships then you are in any other org not matter what level your at in the UFC. Eddie is pretty big name and would be fighting at the top or near top in the UFC so I think you could easily say Eddie would make a good 100K on sponsorships for each fight in the UFC.

[Kingz]

Bjorn isnt shy to file the lawsuits. I guess thats what we can expect with a lawyer as el capitano for the promotion.

I think we'll find out what this is really all about pretty soon. Eddie won't sit out that year and i doubt Bellator has any intention of making him sit out that year. It's either Bellator thinks they have a match and if they are willing to put it infront of a court then they honestly think they matched a deal and i would have a hard time calling them low. No matter if it turns out it's actually a match or not. They won't go infront of a court with something that they KNOW isnt a match. However, If it settles out before any real hearings and Eddie goes to the UFC or gets a new, better contract from Bellator we would know they were just strongarming and trying to trick/scare Eddie into signing a lesser deal. Which is filthy but Scott Coker is the only guy that wasnt filthy and he was walked on by M-1, Showtime, his fighters, and then ultimately, the UFC.

[skylolow]

Originally Posted by neandertal

Did they match the locker room bonuses...

Its just a way for the UFC to keep control over the fighter to have money on the side,"under the table", so that they wont complain and maybe start a union..

I doubt it as its not guaranteed in the contract.

I'm sure some of the frustration on Eddie's side is things like locker room bonuses and KO/Fight/Sub of the night bonuses. Along with more money from sponsorships. PPV buys also. Though Bjorn said they matched it but lets be honest Bellator isn't ever having a PPV, so its pointless. Eddie knows there is alot more money to be made/opportunity in the UFC.

But these are all things not in the contract so Bellator doesn't have to match.

I think Eddie's best bet might be to hang his case on Fighters Health Insurance. I'm not sure how Bellator could legally offer him health insurance and not no one else. Also PPV bonus he may have something to make a case on. If he is guaranteed a title shot that would mean he'd get some PPV dollars.

[CardinalAqua]

Originally Posted by Pat Healy

Will anyone ever want to sign with Bellator other than a last resort after seeing the way they treat guys like

https://twitter.com/BamBamHealy/stat...49501755215872

from what bjorn has said it sounds like they matched the deal perfectly but eddie says that isnt the case

hmm need more info

bellator wants to hold onto their best fighters within reasonable terms according to the budget they have, whilst Hector was too rich for their taste I suppose the eddie deal looked good to them and wouldnt "break the bank" so to speak

but then again, i have no intricate details so idk lol

Originally Posted by tyson nam

Hang in there @Ealvarezfight Hoping for the best in the end!

https://twitter.com/TysonNam/status/288453631399849984

Originally Posted by andrew vecere {attorney}

@Ealvarezfight you'll be fine. I went through this with @TysonNam Your attorneys got you covered. I've offered to do a brief in support.@Ealvarezfight I will have an email out to your counsel tonight. It's a similar issue. Stay strong. It's a stressful time. It will pass.

https://twitter.com/AndrewVecere/sta...34524579315712
https://twitter.com/AndrewVecere/sta...37803828789249

[CDF47]

It is impossible to take sides in this without seeing the contract, the complete contractual definition of the matching terms and conditions, and both offers. It could be clear in the contract that the offer was matched and Eddie has to resign or retire, or it could be clear so that Eddie has to resign or wait out some waiting period, it could be filled with holes in which case Eddie would have a case to sign with the UFC, or a mixture of clarity and some holes. I just doubt Bellator would be suing if they did not think their contract was solid. Who knows though. Time will tell.

[Kingz]

Originally Posted by CardinalAqua

https://twitter.com/BamBamHealy/stat...49501755215872

from what bjorn has said it sounds like they matched the deal perfectly but eddie says that isnt the case

hmm need more info

bellator wants to hold onto their best fighters within reasonable terms according to the budget they have, whilst Hector was too rich for their taste I suppose the eddie deal looked good to them and wouldnt "break the bank" so to speak

but then again, i have no intricate details so idk lol

https://twitter.com/TysonNam/status/288453631399849984

https://twitter.com/AndrewVecere/sta...34524579315712
https://twitter.com/AndrewVecere/sta...37803828789249

All Tyson Nam had to do was present his offers to Bellator and that was the end of it. Bellator had the option to match his deal and force him back into Bellator but they didnt attempt to match whatever WSOF offered Nam. They played the victims well though. Really nothing like Eddie, as it's possible Eddie can be getting strongarmed on a complete lie thats the pending Bellator contract...Tyson Nam just had to live up to the terms of his deal that he pretty much didnt know were present...who's fault is that?

[The Reed]

Originally Posted by NHB7

Yep, I like the format of win a tournament get a title shot. It is better than the format of "lose at middleweight....now you get a shot at the LHW title!"

It's a pretty good format on paper but put into practise it's been pretty terrible. There are far too few tournaments and too many injuries to keep something like this from working. A lot of their champions have been on the bench for over a year now and the few times they do fight it's supposed "superfights" against withering veterans.

That said I enjoy watching Bellator and it's fighters, the bullshit they pull off with Alvarez, Herman and Nam give me a good reason to continue to download and stream their events without feeling any sort of guilt.