ZUFFA attorneys argue low fighter rev share due to no union not monopoly

[FrankieNYC]

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/new...ighter-rev-share-due-to-no-union-not-monopoly

As recently discussed, there have been varying efforts over the years to organize UFC and other professional MMA fighters. Project Spearhead is the latest to enter the fray.


The UFC has taken time over the years trying to persuade fighters that unionization is not in the fighters interest. In a candid admission, however, Zuffa’s own lawyers filed an argument in defense of the anti-trust lawsuit the UFC is facing noting it is unfair to compare UFC fighter revenue shares with other pro sports because other pro sports are unionized.


For background on the latest Court filing you can click here to read Paul Gift’s summary.


The fighters’ expert witness presented evidence of athlete revenue shares across major sports noting the difference in the UFC landscape. The UFC’s lawyers objected to this noting it is unfair to compare the revenue percentage fighters receive in the UFC compared to the big 4 sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB) because those athletes are organized and that increased their wages.


Lucas Middlebrook, the labor lawyer doing the legal heavy lifting for Project Spearhead posted this snippet from Zuffa’s court filing –


Middlebrook made the following observation of just how brazen the UFC legal admission is:



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[Toco]

I want an union to get rid of USADA. what else they will do with their power, I don't care

 

[MysticGOD]

NHL and all other sports are team sports therefore, the possibilty of having an Union. But fighters who fight each other won't come together because its common fucking sense

 

[FrankieNYC]

Basically the article & Lucas are calling out UFC's own attorney for admitting other sports have to pay more due to a union in place.

Interesting and it should get fighters a bit more interested in Leslie's efforts, but as we seen in the past, most just talk union & not actually follow through.

I am working on something pretty big regarding the latest union attempt & hope to have it done by mid-week

 

[Kingz]

 

[Leone510]

So you want a sport to be allowed to cheat because if you do not cheat USADA is not a problem

 

[Goodfella86]

I can't say whether or not a union would be good for the fans, but no doubt, it would give the fighters both money and leverage. That was a foolish thing to say lol. I'm sure the new owners appreciated it.

 

[magicmarker]

A union would dismantle USADA's power imo.

I'm completely against it.

 

[revoltub]

Every company says the same thing about unions.

 

[GOATER]

Tired of Sherdogger Corporate cucks defending Corporations no matter what.



We need a union in the UFC....It will improve the fighters salary, thus we will get better athletes/more skille athletes because they will actually be committed to MMA 100%.


LMFAO @ people fear mongering, that they will get rid of USADA.....lolololol.


You people do know that the UFC knew Vitor Belfort was on steroids, yet they let Jon Jones fight him? They knew before the fight...When Jon Jones was considered natty.

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/11...vitor-belfort-was-on-steriods-for-ufc-152-mma





But yes...Trust the UFC, that they are not corrupting the sport and USADA....because they have a clean record like most corporations...LMFAO @ you corporate cucks.

 

[mikehunt]

 

[OnMcGregorNutz]

down with corporate cucks

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

They're not wrong.

 

[20falarVerdades]

Remember when GSP said he was going to lead a Union, but then he ran away as soon as he got his deal done LOL. Conor predicted this in calling him fake

 

[haplo]

A union could bring more details on how the current revenues are split between the promotion and the fighters. There is little information about the fighters dealings and how much revenues they generate in the events they compete in. So they have very little leverage on the negotiating table.

The problem is the fighters are considered as independent contractors but are treated as employees in many ways. They have to wear the reebok uniforms, they are forced to pass the usada drug tests and their whereabouts must be known at all time. They have to attend press conferences and others promotion obligations. But as contractors, they don't get health benefits or worker compensations in case of injuries. They have to pay their own employment taxes. Their right to unionize isn't protected and If they get fired they don't received any unemployment benefits.

A new "Ali" act type of bill made especially for mma could resolve a lot of these current unbalances.

 

[L.T.]

Nick Diaz weed lawyer? They need a more powerful attorney than him, his courtroom demeanor is like an angry pubescent. And look what happened to Nick before the overturn. This will go nowhere with this guy.

 

[bufetadanacara]

Some of those lower tier fighters are lucky to get $5000 for a fight. It's not like they are responsible for selling many PPV's.

Maybe their grandmother, an uncle, and a few buddies will purchase the card due to them being on it.

At that point, the UFC is doing a lot more for them than vice versa.

 

[Sharkey]

Some of those lower tier fighters are lucky to get $5000 for a fight. It's not like they are responsible for selling many PPV's.

Maybe their grandmother, an uncle, and a few buddies will purchase the card due to them being on it.

At that point, the UFC is doing a lot more for them than vice versa.

The UFC makes plenty of money on those lower tier fighters regardless if they sell a single PPV or not. The UFC makes 9 figures a year from their contract with FOX and a big chunk of that deal has to do with providing content on FS1, which, more often than not, is filled up by the lower tier fighters. Those lower tiered fighters also allow the UFC to make much more from event advertising, as that is an extra 2 hours of content that sponsors will have their product shown on television in front of 750k to 1 million viewers.

 

[philweed]

Unions are for the weak who can't negotiate a fair contract for themselves. You don't need to pay a f*cking union to get a better wage; that's a huge misconception. If you don't like a contract, don't fucking agree and sign it. The demand for higher wages through non-acceptance would be the right action. There would be no roster if everyone said "F*ck this piece of paper. It's not fair. Pay me more." The problem is these new fighters got such a hard-on to be a famous superstar that they naively sign the dotted line without consulting a reputable agent or legal counsel. Unions want these same naive fighters to unionize so they can take a cut of their hard-earned money. You'd have to be an idiot to side with them.