$25 million in Bonuses for a UFC Executive, Who's Probably Dana White White

avenue94 said:
Sure. But it needs to be pointed out that the UFC's success at this point isn't built off stars or some innovation. It hinges on keeping fighter pay below 20 percent of revenue. When the UFC gets investor questions about finances, the biggest concern is always fighter revenue and making sure it doesn't grow. If that's good business, sure, but be honest about how the UFC does it.
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I never mentioned any of that. Dana likely had quota's to meet, and he fought hard to keep the ball rolling and was rewarded for meeting them. Seems standard.
 
GueseGuy said:
The UFC is printing money no matter what they do nowadays. Look at the state of the cards and they’re still killing it. No wonder they sign all these wmma to fight for cheap. It’s the biggest scam in the game. How many event do they do in a year? 40? Based on their revenue how much is that on average per event? And the payroll doesn’t go over $2-3m on any card except for a Conor card. It’s scam of the century. These guys are killing it.
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The UFC's guaranteed income from ESPN alone covers UFC fighter expenses and event costs and then some. They effectively don't need to sell a ticket or a PPV buy to cover all of that.
baba2008 said:
Sounds about right. Bosses usually make more than their staff.
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Sure, but there is a difference between making more money than your employees and making more money than your largest stars, who are effectively your companies product and labor costs combined. There are a lot more people who can fill Dana's shoes than fill Conor or Brock or Rousey's shows.
 
suffersystem said:
I never mentioned any of that. Dana likely had quota's to meet, and he fought hard to keep the ball rolling and was rewarded for meeting them. Seems standard.
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Yeah, it was event quotas. I'm perfectly fine with acknowledging that, I just dislike it when people (don't mean you) act like it was charity to ensure UFC fighters would have work.

I meant to include this in the OP, but fighter bonuses for 2020 were only 12 million, that's locker room bonuses and POTN/FOTN.
 
Ufc fighters make less than women golfers, darts players, ping pong, badminton players
 
SaigeVanZant said:
Well deserved for the Warrior King

dana-white-newsstand-main.jpg
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That tricep.
 
avenue94 said:
The UFC's parent company filed for another IPO a few weeks ago, so there are some interesting tidbits in its S-1. One of those is equity-based compensation in WME and Zuffa for a "senior executive" who's current employment agreement is through Dec. 31, 2028. Odds are, that's Dana White as he was given a contract in 2019 for 7 years, and most WME executives who got bonuses are listed by name. So unless there is a senior VP at the UFC/Zuffa who is getting a bigger bonus than the president, that senior executive is Dana.

For hitting various UFC equity thresholds, Dana would receive $12.5 million ($14 million if it was after an IPO) for each instance. These aren't lump sums, they're vested over 2 years. Dana hit thresholds in June 2019 and December 2020, so he received 2 payments totaling $25 million (What's known in Dana White speak as "Deontay Wilder money")

Further, Dana was in line for a $25 million bonus based on the value of WME as a whole ($28 million if post-IPO). But the Writer's Guild Strike, first IPO attempt that failed, and Covid seriously dropped WME's value. Depending on how their 2nd IPO attempt goes, WME may very well hit that threshold and Dana might collect another cool $28 million (again, Deontay Wilder money).

As far as the rest of the bonuses related to UFC management, they are below. I'm not sure if they include Dana's payouts or not. They include several other UFC executives based on the holding companies those awards go to. And those figures are budget totals, so there is some overhead baked in.

UFC Management Awards (page F-51 if anyone is curious) and other stuff
2018: $11.1 million
2019: $38.9 million
2020: $31.7 million

Also, in 2019, 2 senior executives redeemed $33 million in stock bonuses.

Finally, if anyone is curious on overall UFC revenue and profit, Endeavor gives its revenue and EBITDA for sports properties, which consist of the UFC, PBR and EuroLeague basketball. It's not broken down by sport, but the UFC is about/more than 80 percent of those revenues.

2018: $772.7 million in revenue, 35.1 percent EBITDA
2019: $935.8 million in revenue, 44.6 percent EBITDA (UFC signed the ESPN PPV deal that year)
2020: $952.6 million in revenue, 48 percent EBITDA (despite the UFC losing out on about $100 million in gate money)

Long story short, it's been a great few years for the UFC, especially during Covid. And Dana White has made more in bonuses the last three years than almost any UFC fighter has made in their entire career. The only exception there is Conor McGregor. If we include other bonuses and dividends Dana has gotten during his tenure, he's made more than Conor without even including his base salary as UFC president.
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It's very common for CEO's to make the most (by a country mile). I'm on both sides of this as I feel fighters should always make more, but have no issues with Dana making $$ as well.

Very good post, thank you for the information. Have been wondering what their revenue was for quite some time.
 
2019 + 7 = 2026. Nice try TS. This is bigger than Dana. Probably Ari’s sons friend.
 
Joseph_McBride said:
"A "senior executive" who's current employment agreement is through Dec. 31, 2028. Odds are, that's Dana White as he was given a contract in 2019 for 7 years,"

19 + 7 = 28
#SherMath
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Lol I saw that and stopped reading and had to call him an rtard. But saw I was beat. Congrats buddeh, you’re too smart for Sherdog.
 
All this talk about money and dumbasses still buying these ppv's
 
Kdup said:
2019 + 7 = 2026. Nice try TS. This is bigger than Dana. Probably Ari’s sons friend.
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Like I said earlier, I'm assuming Dana got an extension. Which one of Ari's sons friends has involvement with the UFC? At any rate, John Nash seems to think that executive is Dana. So I think it's a fair conclusion.
Kdup said:
Lol I saw that and stopped reading and had to call him an rtard. But saw I was beat. Congrats buddeh, you’re too smart for Sherdog.
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See above. If it isn't Dana, who do you think it is?
 
U Fight Cheap
 
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