Lyoto says he's making twice more $ with one single sponsor than he did in two UFC bouts with Rebook

[Loiosh]

I think the reason it is a mistake is that the UFC so greatly undervalued the advertising space of their fighter's uniforms and corners, etc. If a fighter is pulling down 60K from his sponsors, but the UFC is only making a third of that from Reebok, then they made a mistake. The UFC and the fighters both would have made more money had the UFC continued to allow the fighters to handle their own sponsors and taken 40% of what the sponsors paid. To me it is a msitake when a 22 year old muy thai fighter without a degree can extract more money from advertisers than a multi-billion dollar company can.

The screwjob is that it ends up greatly undercutting effective fighter pay. It's the UFC's right to do so, but it certainly screws the fighters to b e very suddenly maken half or less of what they used to per fight.

My position on it undercutting fighter pay is that I never considered it reasonable to allow fighters access to promote products on the UFC platform. I understand how in the beginning Zuffa struggled to stay alive, and the practice made positions on a UFC card more attractive at a lower cost. However, I think there was a negative effect on the UFC's position allowing unregulated banner and clothing advertising on their events.

I'm not going to feign any certainty on the UFC's ability to market. They tried allowing fighters to bring their own sponsors to the table, giving Zuffa a cut, and determined it wasn't how they wanted to go. It's entirely possible they're making less money with Reebok, I have no idea. Maybe they're making ten times as much on the Reebok deal as they're admitting. I don't think these numbers are public.

As a fight fan, it diminishes events for me when the fighters are walking billboards. I think they should be allowed to wear whatever legal gear they want and I think the idea of uniforms is pretty weak, but I always hated the mad scramble for caps and banners.

I am pretty certain that if the UFC had chosen to use the model the fighters were using they would have made exponentially more than the fighters are able to generate. When the Reebok deal went into effect, there were interviews with major sponsors now cut off who said it was crazy how little they had been paying the fighters to promote their brands on major broadcasts. I'm confident the UFC would have done better.

For whatever reason they chose to homogenize the product and stick to a single sponsor for gear. I don't think the bottom line was their primary motivation.

 

[skysolo]

Is the Reebok guy even wearing Reebok?

 

[skysolo]

My position on it undercutting fighter pay is that I never considered it reasonable to allow fighters access to promote products on the UFC platform. I understand how in the beginning Zuffa struggled to stay alive, and the practice made positions on a UFC card more attractive at a lower cost. However, I think there was a negative effect on the UFC's position allowing unregulated banner and clothing advertising on their events.

I'm not going to feign any certainty on the UFC's ability to market. They tried allowing fighters to bring their own sponsors to the table, giving Zuffa a cut, and determined it wasn't how they wanted to go. It's entirely possible they're making less money with Reebok, I have no idea. Maybe they're making ten times as much on the Reebok deal as they're admitting. I don't think these numbers are public.

As a fight fan, it diminishes events for me when the fighters are walking billboards. I think they should be allowed to wear whatever legal gear they want and I think the idea of uniforms is pretty weak, but I always hated the mad scramble for caps and banners.

I am pretty certain that if the UFC had chosen to use the model the fighters were using they would have made exponentially more than the fighters are able to generate. When the Reebok deal went into effect, there were interviews with major sponsors now cut off who said it was crazy how little they had been paying the fighters to promote their brands on major broadcasts. I'm confident the UFC would have done better.

For whatever reason they chose to homogenize the product and stick to a single sponsor for gear. I don't think the bottom line was their primary motivation.

Legal murky waters.

The counter is that fighters are not employees. They are independent contractors. So where is the independence?

 

[One MMA Fan]

So with UFC's Reebok deal he got 40k in 2 fights.

Now he will get 50k in 1 fight with just 1 sponsor that isn't limiting him it can be 3-4 etc sponsors so he can do a lot better 150k-200k just by that alone now we understand why some of this bigger names can say no thanks UFC if i don't have a PPV bonus or a really high purse then no reason to stay.

 

[DoctorNick]

Good for him, fuck Reebok.

 

[One MMA Fan]

The Reebok deal is easily the biggest and most obvious business mistake the UFC ever made. Such a screwjob for the fighters.

Is it a business mistake or one of the best moves they made ?

You think Dana and co care about the fighters ? I don't think it was even on the table at most just a chip in negotiations.. I can say that yea UFC handled that Reebok deal cheaply only 90 mill.. they should have got double or triple but that's the thing I don't think this was their angle all they wanted was to tie a pretty ribbon on the company before selling it this is why we have USADA and Reebok is for them to sell a 'clean looking' sport for billions.

 

[faixafrouxa]

Reebok Dana Come At Me U Goofs .gif

 

[Loiosh]

Legal murky waters.

The counter is that fighters are not employees. They are independent contractors. So where is the independence?

Contractors can be required to wear a uniform.

To be clear, I hate the idea of uniforms. I miss fighter style.

 

[Toad Frogan]

2$

That's not bad, best job to have in the UFC.

 

[Fantasy]

And he gets to do steroids again. Win/win

 

[kalabula]

Ya, sponsorship money is better outside of the UFC. This isn't new news.

 

[tdluxon]

Good, the ufc needs some legit competition

 

[skysolo]

Contractors can be required to wear a uniform.

To be clear, I hate the idea of uniforms. I miss fighter style.

I didn't say anything about uniforms.

 

[Makani]

UFC could lose some decent mid-tier fighters with the Reebok deal, they're the ones getting screwed the most. Dumbest thing the UFC has done in a while, from the perspective of fighter welfare. Bellator's MW and LHW divisions are still pretty bad though.

 

[Loiosh]

I didn't say anything about uniforms.

I'm not sure what you were saying.

Exactly what independence are they lacking?

 

[SKSer45]

Lyoto explained that the contract with only one sponsor for his debut against Rafael Carvalho on December 15 will outpay what he made in two UFC bouts by Reebok. In his last bout for Ultimate, the knockout over Vitor Belfort in May, the payout of the sports equipment company was $20,000.

"That's I can guarantee. Only one sponsor of mine is already going to surprass what I did in two fights with Reebok for sponsorship. The financial value, for people who are athletes, is very important, this part of sponsor. Not only do you contribute financially, but you can also contribute with the brand that sponsors you, divulge, enter as if it were something natural of the sport. And, financially speaking, as I said, the doors will open more and more, "he said.

Despite the fact that he does not complain about the time he was in the UFC, Machida did not deny that he is happier at Bellator. He said he does not intend to fill his whole fighting materials with sponsors, but hopes to secure enough support to maintain the high level of training and overall preparation.

"I can't forget to mention that I am very happy for Bellator to have this opening of sponsorships. If I advocate a brand, I want to show my brand. If I defend my flag, which is the Machida Karate, I want to wear it in my kimono, I want to have that freedom, it's not just financially what I'm talking about. You can defend your brand, come in kimono, do things different from the UFC era ... And unfortunately that was banished there. So, being able to contribute to the brands, to somehow repay the support of my sponsorship is fundamental, "he said.


https://agfight.com.br/lyoto-revela...-bellator-supera-duas-lutas-da-reebok-no-ufc/

Yup love me some Venom Shorts. Own a couple my self. Had them for years and still keeping up with the training. Good on Lyoto making that AS money now.