Bellator trying to lockdown fighters

[ZuffaExecutive]

So I came across this article today,about bellators contracts and how they are trying to make it impossible for fighters to get out of them

"If, at any time during the term, FIGHTER is declared the champion of his weight class, a Tournament winner, or a Tournament runner-up, the Term shall be automatically extended for a period commencing on the Termination Date and ending on the earlier of (i) eighteen (18) months from the Termination Date, or (ii) the date in which FIGHTER has participated in three (3) bouts promoted by PROMOTER following the Termination Date ("Extension Term"). Any reference to the Term herein shall be deemed to include a reference to the extension term where applicable."

The one change Bellator seems to have made since then is the insertion of the phrase "by the PROMOTER" into the clause, so that it now reads:


"If, at any time during the term, FIGHTER is declared by the PROMOTER the champion of his weight class, a Tournament winner, or a Tournament runner-up"

Bellator has informed the fighters and managers that this extension can be enacted each time a fighter is declared "the champion of his weight class, a Tournament winner, or a Tournament runner-up" and that the extensions accumulate. What this means is that a tournament winner who then fought and won a Bellator title would have two extensions added to his contract, one for being declared a Tournament winner and one for being declared a champion of his weight class. There also does not seem to be a limit to the number of extensions that can accumulate

Ive knew for a while bellator are a shady organisation,with how they treated eddie alvarez,but this just takes the biscuit.I hope fighters start boycotting them till they change the terms of there contracts,you have the ufc trying to shift fighters on pay till there forced to match and bellator trying to lock fighters down for there entire carerr.



Full article here

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/5/2...ighters-managers-eddie-alvarez-askren-lombard

 

[5H3RD0G]

That is a bit steep. Fighters can counter by asking for more pay or sit out and wait for an opportunity elsewhere. I think it would benefit both sides to be fair, in the end trust wins the battle.

 

[mindturking]

its two threads on the first page talking about this very issue already

 

[jamesgalb]

Already a thread on this.

Fighters need to read contracts before they sign them and we have no problems...

Bellator makes it so that if you enter their tournament and find success, you have contractually agreed to represent the company/organization and you are contracted to fight out X many more fights.

If you don't like the binding contract, DONT ENTER THE TOURNAMENT. Its foolish to think you can build a name off of the Bellator brand/tournament/title and then just bail and leave it in shambles as soon as you think you have used them to build your name enough.

PLENTY of fighters have fought in Bellator, elected NOT to enter a tournament, and later found their way out with ease...

Askren, Lombard, and soon even Alvarez, some of the tightest held-down fighters being champions, will all ultimately find their way out of Bellators contracts after they wanted out... You just have to honor your time/contract if you built your name off of their brand, and once you do you are done (ie Alvarez). If you don't like the time then you need to build your name somewhere else or in non-tournaments. Simple.

This is just some bitter managers that want to be able to enter a Bellator tournament and use that as a staging ground to leave Bellator and join UFC. No. Not a stepping stone... Its no surprise to anyone that this is unfavorable for the majority of managers/fighters that want to end up in the UFC.

FYI, all sports league contracts have no-compete clauses in them, and when you sign on the dotted line you agree to the terms of the contract, including 'options to match' at the end. Nothing new here.

 

[mindturking]

Already a thread on this.

Fighters need to read contracts before they sign them and we have no problems...

Bellator makes it so that if you enter their tournament and find success, you have contractually agreed to represent the company/organization and you are contracted to fight out X many more fights.

If you don't like the binding contract, DONT ENTER THE TOURNAMENT. Its foolish to think you can build a name off of the Bellator brand/tournament/title and then just bail and leave it in shambles as soon as you think you have used them to build your name enough.

PLENTY of fighters have fought in Bellator, elected NOT to enter a tournament, and later found their way out with ease...

Askren, Lombard, and soon even Alvarez, some of the tightest held-down fighters being champions, will all ultimately find their way out of Bellators contracts after they wanted out... You just have to honor your time/contract if you built your name off of their brand, and once you do you are done (ie Alvarez). If you don't like the time then you need to build your name somewhere else or in non-tournaments. Simple.

This is just some bitter managers that want to be able to enter a Bellator tournament and use that as a staging ground to leave Bellator and join UFC. No. Not a stepping stone... Its no surprise to anyone that this is unfavorable for the majority of managers/fighters that want to end up in the UFC.

FYI, all sports league contracts have no-compete clauses in them, and when you sign on the dotted line you agree to the terms of the contract, including 'options to match' at the end. Nothing new here.

as been pointed out you in the other thread several times alverez askren and lombard didnt have that kind of contract. the contract in question is the new one in place now.. which affects people who win the tourney champs and runner ups extended a 2 year contract to like 3 more years if you keep winning no matter how many times you enter the tournament and win.. that is bullshit.. also they released askren because he was boring he didnt fight to get out.

 

[jamesgalb]

as been pointed out you in the other thread several times alverez askren and lombard didnt have that kind of contract. the contract in question is the new one in place now.. which affects people who win the tourney champs and runner ups extended a 2 year contract to like 3 more years if you keep winning no matter how many times you enter the tournament and win.. that is bullshit.. also they released askren because he was boring he didnt fight to get out.

Tournament winners and runner ups get 18 month, or 3 fight, extensions... Champions get an extra 18 months and 3 fights, making for 36 months and 6 fights total...

Would it read better to you if it just said that champions get 36 months and 6 fights outright, canceling the 18 month and 3 fight contract?

How the fk have you made a conspiracy out of: "If you get the title, you are contracted to Bellator for longer than you were as a tournament winner"?... That somehow doesn't make sense to you?

gtfo...

 

[Go Go Plata]

Doesn't it take two to make a contract final?

 

[jamesgalb]

Doesn't it take two to make a contract final?

Yup... Despite the article ending in this quote, people choose to think everyone in Bellator is forced into signing crazy contracts:

"Some of our contracts have those clauses, some of them don't, each is individually negotiated with the manager for the fighter.

Each contract stands on its own and the terms in each are negotiated individually.

Some promotional agreements are negotiated with us that have longer extensions and some shorter. Some have Championship options and some do not. Each contract is different."

Nevermind the fact that you don't have to enter a tournament in the first place, and can still find PLENTY of Bellator cards to fight on since they run the most per year of all promotions (which also happens to make it REAL easy to knock out a 3 fight contract in a year)...

But... Lets all go on listening to the bitter managers who made plans to leave Bellator without even reading the contracts they were signing for their fighters...

 

[mindturking]

Tournament winners and runner ups get 18 month, or 3 fight, extensions... Champions get an extra 18 months and 3 fights, making for 36 months and 6 fights total...

Would it read better to you if it just said that champions get 36 months and 6 fights outright, canceling the 18 month and 3 fight contract?

How the fk have you made a conspiracy out of: "If you get the title, you are contracted to Bellator for longer than you were as a tournament winner"?... That somehow doesn't make sense to you?

gtfo...

So you read the article or nah?

 

[jamesgalb]

So you read the article or nah?

"I don't read any of them"

(and yes I did, including the bottom. And no matter how many extensons can theoretically pile up in their 'limitless' thoughts, you only win a tournament and title once until you lose the title. Any ex-champ or ex-tournament winner that signs a new tournament/title-rematch contract with 3 fight extensions after having the negotiating power of being an ex-champ, is stupid.)

 

[UJustGotChaeld]

FYI, all sports league contracts have no-compete clauses in them, and when you sign on the dotted line you agree to the terms of the contract, including 'options to match' at the end. Nothing new here.

No. None do. Players leave all the time when their contracts are up. Please show me one sport that has a contract where they sign you for 1 year and then can FORCE you to stay for 10 years, and then at the end of that 10 years, can match and keep you there for longer. Show me.

This is the shadiest contract possibly in all of sports. They don't even need to give you pay raises, you are stuck for 10 years on the ORIGINAL contract where you get paid diddly.

 

[UJustGotChaeld]

"I don't read any of them"

(and yes I did, including the bottom. And no matter how many extensons can theoretically pile up in their 'limitless' thoughts, you only win a tournament and title once until you lose the title. Any ex-champ or ex-tournament winner that signs a new tournament/title-rematch contract with 3 fight extensions after having the negotiating power of being an ex-champ, is stupid.)

Well you should read ....

"Bellator has informed the fighters and managers that this extension can be enacted each time a fighter is declared "the champion of his weight class"

So every time you defend the belt, are you declared the champion? It does not specify NEW champion.