The attitudes of casuals are trickling into the hardcore fandom

[blackheart]

Hardcore fans of this sport have historically always cared about fighter pay and treatment.

And it's pretty self evident as to why -
If you're a hardcore fan of this sport, you tend to enjoy some of the finer things and intricacies about it. Something about it has pulled you in, above and beyond the level of a casual.

Maybe it's the sacrifices that fighters make, maybe it's the courage displayed in the heat of battle (heart), maybe its a combination of that stuff and other things, but something has pulled you in. And when you have a high degree of appreciation and respect for what fighters go through, it's both emotionally and intellectually logical to want to see said fighters compensated and treated appropriately.

It is plainly, and self evidently, casual fans of the sport that don't give a shit about fighter pay. They want to see blood and violence. They want to see roided up gorillas swinging wildly until one goes down. Their engagement with the sport starts and stops with the entertainment provided by violence that is momentarily flashing on their screens. Of course when that is the extent of your engagement with the sport, it's completely reasonable to not give a fuck about fighter pay.

So can someone explain to me why the fuck there is a large minority of people within the hardcore Fandom that shit on people concerned about fighter pay? Often, these people don't even attempt to make an argument about whether or not fighter pay is good - they shit on the very idea of giving a fuck about fighter pay and treatment.

Here you are, posting on an obscure karate message board that has been around since the 90s, that is dedicated to the 24/7 365 discussion of mma and martial arts, talking about "why do you give a shit about what another man is paid?" Or "he's not gonna send you a check bro"

Like....BRUH


Do you hear yourself??

Have a look around you.

Look at where you are.

Have a moment of self awareness for the first time in your life.

Motherfuckers are really out here posting 5 McGregor threads a day on a 25 year old karate message board asking "why do you care about fighter pay?"

IDK MAN - maybe because my appreciation of the fighters goes beyond "hurrr durrr sweaty muscle man goes brrrr" *clapping monkey noises*

Do you not realize what a fuckin weirdo you are for being a hardcore fan of this sport and NOT caring about fighter pay? You are a freakish anomaly and should be regarded as such.

 

[Sweater of AV]

They're typically Dan fangirls that can't really think for themselves and don't want anything to get in the way of their weekly "banger bro" Ultimate Circus bar fights.

Just smile and nod at them.

 

[SuperNerd]

Probably because the discussion has been beat to death, and we're all speculating without facts.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

I think that fighting 3x a year and earning a couple hundred thousand is more than sufficient for most people to live comfortably.
TKO's revenue share is off in comparison to other sports, but I'm also not a person that thinks that just because someone is an athlete they deserve millions or tens of millions of dollars.

People bitching about it all day on a karate forum aren't going to do anything about it. The monopoly lawsuit was just settled. What are we supposed to do? Mail Dana pictures of our posts? Or just rehash the same thread for the 90000th time?

 

[Arm Barbarian]

It's because a ton of them are shill accounts, and some who have had fortune smile upon them for now.

But it's always face palm worthy to see them licking greedypotomuses star button and using the, "it's the fighters fault for not negotiating a better contract" excusal while pretending to be fans of said fighters and the sport.

 

[El Fernas]

There are finnancial fans, and then there is caring for decent fighter pay, me personally dont care if a fighter makes 5 million or 10 million a fight or if he makes more money than others, but i kind of care they get paid enough so the sport draws better talent.

 

[FreedomCricket]

3 fights per year.

6-8 week fight camp per fight.

18-24 "work weeks" a year.

$10,000 to $20,000 per fight, plus opportunities for bonus.

$30,000 to $60,000 per year for 18 to 24 weeks of work.

24 weeks x 7 days a week x 12 hour days ÷ $30,000 salary = $14.88 an hour. But you're also 0-3 in the UFC so maybe this isn't for you.

24 work weeks out of 52 weeks.

That's worst case scenario.

Best case scenario you go from plumber to coke head millionaire.

 

[subtlySteve]

So can someone explain to me why the fuck there is a large minority of people within the hardcore Fandom that shit on people concerned about fighter pay?

Many of those people believe UFC fighter salaries are fair, rewarding performance and drawing power.

Top performers should earn more, reflecting their ability to excite crowds and win matches.

They say fighters understand the risks and rewards of their profession and if they feel underpaid, they’d likely leave for better opportunities, forcing the UFC to offer competitive pay to retain them.

These views, while not necessarily my own, represent common arguments in the pay debate.

 

[theleerygoose]

Look I’m all for fighters getting paid, but it’s also a bit weird to me to see another man care what a man is getting paid. That’s their business, and they’ve agreed to fight for a price. That’s their deal. Think they give a fuck what you make?

 

[italiamusica]

A lot of people seem to lack empathy these days, and my stoner theory takes it one step further: most people seem to live on Tylenol/acetaminophen and take it multiple times a day, every day, and it has been shown to reduce/eliminate empathy in people. So more and more people are out there existing in their own world where everyone besides them can fuck off.

 

[blackheart]

There are finnancial fans, and then there is caring for decent fighter pay, me personally dont care if a fighter makes 5 million or 10 million a fight or if he makes more money than others, but i kind of care they get paid enough so the sport draws better talent.

That's totally reasonable. Even from a self interested perspective of just wanting to get the best fights/fighters possible, it makes sense to want to see fighters compensated competently enough to attract top talent.

So the dummies that I'm talking about, are literally arguing against their own self interest when going down that path.

 

[DesiredUserName]

I prefer that fighters work for as little as possible. Maybe my ticket prices wouldn't be so much. Maybe my pay-for-views would be less. I could afford more porno movies and beer. I'm no commie wanting to give these guys my money. Work for it, bleed for it and get your brains bashed in for it.

 

[blackheart]

A lot of people seem to lack empathy these days, and my stoner theory takes it one step further: most people seem to live on Tylenol/acetaminophen and take it multiple times a day, every day, and it has been shown to reduce/eliminate empathy in people. So more and more people are out there existing in their own world where everyone besides them can fuck off.

That....
Is....
An actually interesting stoner thought that I've never heard before and warrants further investigation and consideration

 

[EndlessCritic]

Nah.

Hardcore fans have been watching since the fighters have been fighting for peanuts and pride.

Casual fans think pay is the be all end all.

 

[Spam On Rye]

I don't know any of these fighters irl and watch for entertainment so I don't care about fighter pay at all and I've been watching faithfully since the early Pride days.

 

[Egészségére!]

Anyone who listens to sports radio would likely think it would be extremely weird if ufc fans DIDN’T talk about fighter pay because they talk nonstop about athlete pay for every other professional sport

The difference is the others are worth hundreds of $ millions where as we’re talking about whether or not they’re going to wind up in the poor house

 

[welcometohavoc]

I think that fighting 3x a year and earning a couple hundred thousand is more than sufficient for most people to live comfortably.
TKO's revenue share is off in comparison to other sports, but I'm also not a person that thinks that just because someone is an athlete they deserve millions or tens of millions of dollars.

People bitching about it all day on a karate forum aren't going to do anything about it. The monopoly lawsuit was just settled. What are we supposed to do? Mail Dana pictures of our posts? Or just rehash the same thread for the 90000th time?

The thing is I think in an industry like pro sports where the athletes are the product, they should at least be bringing in 40% of the revenue they're helping generate. In the UFC it's not even 20%

 

[j18lee]

Do you not realize what a fuckin weirdo you are for being a hardcore fan of this sport and NOT caring about fighter pay? You are a freakish anomaly and should be regarded as such.

No, I'm just selfish and care more about the competitive aspect of the sport, as opposed to the financial. I'm a hardcore fan since about 2002. I trained boxing, sparred with amateur/pro boxers and MMA fighters in boxing.

I truly love the sport, and have obviously fought for free because I love it so much. But of course, I understand pro fighters are in a different situation.

The part that is selfish is that the more fighters are paid, the less they care about fighting as a sport, that is simply fact. The result of fighters getting paid more or chasing more money is that that the fans are the losers because we miss out on the biggest and best fights and we also get less and less fights from the elite champions.

If champs were paid $300k or less to fight, they would be fighting 4x a year, like many did before they made the big bucks. (wouldn't you as a fan, like to see the elite fighters fight 4 times a year or do you need hype and promotion to slowly get you excited for a matchup?) Instead, they do the McGregor or the Jones and fight once a year or less. It's amazing when they fight TWICE a year!

Also, as a boxing fan originally, I know very well what has happened to the sport when it became a true free market and the best fighters make tens of millions. They fight less and they avoid the best competition and the competing promotions destroy the integrity of the sport with multiple champions who never want to face each other. I don't want what happened to boxing to happen to MMA.

Best thing for fans is lower pay, one monopoly, the UFC. Like the PGA - when it's one organization, all the best compete together. Now with LIV Golf, players are making a ton more money but the promotions are fractured. That's what you want for MMA, to be like the PGA/LIV and boxing?

 

[Neck&Neck]

 

[spearfishin guy]

They're typically Dan fangirls that can't really think for themselves and don't want anything to get in the way of their weekly "banger bro" Ultimate Circus bar fights.

Just smile and nod at them.

bud I seen the first UFC at a bar back in 93. I've been a fan for 31 years and I could give a flying fuck what these guys make. Why would a person care what someone else earns unless it's their husband or wife. Like grow the fuck up already. 95% of the UFC fights today are shit anyways. Dogfight Wild Tournament's one show was more entertaining than all the UFC cards of the last decade combined minus Mark Hunt vs Bigfoot.