Tim Kennedy on UFC Rebellion: "Hundreds of Fighters Are on Board" (Audio)

[AronaBeatsJones]

SOURCE: http://thesportsdaily.com/mma-manifesto/top-turtle-podcast-episode-48-tim-kennedy/

Tim Kennedy interview starts at 14:30

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Interesting stuff here. If this is really true, then MMAAA could be a serious threat, especially if they develop enough clout to have even 20% of signed fighters go on "strike" (or refuse to fight based on contractual loopholes, IE: medical, financial, etc.).

What's going to be pivotal I think is who the next wave of "announced" MMAAA fighters are going to be. If they announce lower-end guys who barely have any name value, I think it would actually hurt their movement—to have guys/girls who have nothing to lose to speak out against the UFC.

However, if they manage to get someone like José Aldo, who has been super vocal, but although his issues seem to be somewhat sorted out, I expect it'll flare up again once he realizes they're never going to book him against McGregor again, then MMAAA could continue developing as a real movement in the public's eye. They just need more big names to establish even more credibility, IMO.

 

[Coolidge]

 

[Bmurray]

We'll see. I'm genuinely curious as to how this plays out.

 

[ClosetVitorFan]

I hope they succeed. I don't like seeing the fighters get shat on

 

[surgeyou1]

Doesn't matter unless there is an actual lockout. UFC won't take it seriously until it affects their bottom line.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

queue Dave Chappelle's "coalition of the willing"
Bush: I got a coalition of the willing. I got forty nations, ready to roll, son!
Reporter: Like who?
Bush: Who the fuck said that? Huh? Huh? Like who? ...England... Japan's sending PlayStations. Stankonia says they're willing to drop bombs over Baghdad. Riggity Row is coming. Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. So, I'm not doing this by myself, and I'm not disrespecting the U.N., even though they don't got no army. Go sell some medicine, bitches! I'm trying to get that oil... [coughs, trying to cover up saying oil] uh-HO!

 

[ALAN PARTRIDGE]

Oh cool Tim Kennedy is speaking.....

 

[Spycho]

P4P most annoying in the UFC.

 

[SherdogGoat]

queue Dave Chappelle's "coalition of the willing"
Bush: I got a coalition of the willing. I got forty nations, ready to roll, son!
Reporter: Like who?
Bush: Who the fuck said that? Huh? Huh? Like who? ...England... Japan's sending PlayStations. Stankonia says they're willing to drop bombs over Baghdad. Riggity Row is coming. Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. So, I'm not doing this by myself, and I'm not disrespecting the U.N., even though they don't got no army. Go sell some medicine, bitches! I'm trying to get that oil... [coughs, trying to cover up saying oil] uh-HO!

 

[Bend NvR Break]

It will fail because there will always be people who will gladly fight the on camera for peanuts.

The UFC will gladly let 60-80% of their roster go because there will always be someone ready to take their place.

 

[guidi]

We'll see. I'm genuinely curious as to how this plays out.

Agreed Its going to take a while for this movement to play out but it will be interesting to watch, hoping it ends with the fighters coming out on top but time will tell

 

[dipstickjimmy]

I think it would be amazing if they could get every UFC title holder to join. It won't happen as quickly as that however. Fighters will need to battle among themselves to determine how revenue is split. The ultimate goal will be to have revenue split closer to the major sports along the lines of 50/50 give or take but in the sport leagues there are min contracts and benefits/pensions but the teams compete for players and that determines difference between $1M/year or $20M/year players. It will take a long time to evolve. Some have argued that top fighters won't want to give some of their pay so lower fighters have a higher pay and to that I say consider this.

UFC sold for 4.2Billion
In valuing the company at $4.2 Billion WME would possibly have used the
Multiple of EBITDA
(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization)
The investor thinks of the value of your company as a multiple of EBITDA. They are considering what the future stream of cash flows from your company will be worth. A simple way to think about the value of your company, in this framework, is to assign your annual cash flow a multiple. If WME used a multiple of 10, which is extremely high and would likely be lower, that means revenues of $420M. A more likely number would be a factor of 5 which would put revenue at $840M. In 2011 total fighter pay disclosed was $23M. This doesn't include bonuses or PPV points which not all fighters get. Say that was doubled to $46M. That puts fighters share of revenue around 5-10% of revenue. Also consider that since 2011 fighter pay has increased but sponsors have been eliminated by the UFC. There is a much bigger piece of the pie that the fighters need to get their share of. Only an organized association can negotiate that for them as the UFC has so much power with the fighters divided and negotiating against themselves.