Fighter pay increase. Why?

[HP_Nut]

Yes, it’s the absolute best of an absolute fringe sport.
Not that tough to figure out.

Dana told me it's bigger than soccer though. UFC value has tripled since being bought too

 

[HP_Nut]

None of this is true. Join the dots.

Yea, Dana logic, UFC is bigger than soccer but we pay peanuts. UFC value has tripled since being bought from the Fertitta brothers too

 

[JBJ was here]

I merely asked for opinions. Will increasing fighter pay benefit MMA in terms of fight quality or frequency? not really expressing my stance here

Increasing fighter pay, aside from just being the right thing to do means:

1) Healthier fighters
2) Who are less pressured to fight through injuries,
3) Are more likely to take short-0notice replacement fights on both sides of the fights,
4) Will include more high level athletes who otherwise would go into other sports,
5) Can afford to properly train required disciplines, unlike Cyril Gane,
6) More incentivized at the middle tiers to be active fighters,
7) More incentivized at the lower tiers to work on their MMA to get it right rather than just give up after a couple of early career losses,

etc., etc., ad infinitum.

Of course better fighter pay will make for better fights. Are you some kind of commie that you would even wonder otherwise? You get what you pay for. Money is certainly a better way to attract and retain quality talent than giving a crap contract to whoever gives Dana White a half-chub.

 

[DestinedAussie]

And then the UFC would literally die if that would happen.

Actually I don't think they would, suffer a little in a short term, but as long as the ESPN deal holds strong they will recover and invest in new fighters.

That said there is absolutely zero chance of the fighters striking in the foreseeable future. They can't even form a union despite some efforts. IMO there zero chance in at least the next few years.

 

[Hatz]

What is your definition of training full time?

I agree you would get better fighters, but you also will have a lot of fighters phoning it in also.

Its one of the reasons why a union wouldn't work, the fighters who deserve the higher pay clearly deserve it, while you have fighters who believe they do without putting in half the work.

I mean guys that arent working another fulltime job to cover the bills.

 

[Tyler Durden]

The average salary in the NBA is 9 million, the average salary in the highest paid league outside of the NBA is 100k, that's nearly a 100 times difference.

Why doesn't the NBA take advantage of their monopoly and cut salaries of all players like the UFC does?

So do you think NBA qwners pay more because they’re good guys? Do you nothing about CBAs?

 

[HHJ]

I merely asked for opinions. Will increasing fighter pay benefit MMA in terms of fight quality or frequency? not really expressing my stance here

In some ways it will. In some ways it wont. Either way,the pay will always increase for the top guys,and thus it will eventually go up for others. For those unhappy with their pay,there are other promotions who may be able to give them what they are asking for. For those who get cut,they may be able to make their mark somewhere else. UFC is not the only place to go to make money.

Not exactly covering any new ground here.

 

[HHJ]

Honestly maybe getting rid of USADA

There is no point talking about this. They will never get rid of USADA,unless they choose a new,more stringent (on the surface) and more corrupt org thats willing to live deeper in their pockets. Either way,heads will roll in the transition.

 

[ForeverYoung]

As long as One, Bellator and PFL are paying newbies 2k/2k (1k/1k in ONE's case) The UFC has no reason increase fighter pay as their 12k/12k offer is worlds better than anyone elses.

 

[Tweak896]

There is no point talking about this. They will never get rid of USADA,unless they choose a new,more stringent (on the surface) and more corrupt org thats willing to live deeper in their pockets. Either way,heads will roll in the transition.

Couldn't some league just advertise or no have testing? Almost brag about it like Pride did? I feel like that is almost fair for all athletes and would be fun seeing some life come into vets.

 

[Stalingrad9]

MLB & NBA are the only sport I can think of that has healthcare when they're done. NFL covers only for five years then the players have to pay & Boxing doesn't have it. I doubt the UFC will ever have a proper healthcare system when fighters are done.

All fighters who fight in the UFC started at similar contracts. Jon Jones 6k/6k, Conor 8k/8k. The fighters who get paid good with starting contracts in the UFC are fighters who already established a name outside the org. And just like any other sport, not all individuals will ever reach the high income, that's the sad reality of it.

I think fighters should at least be able to have 3 sponsors that they can advertise during fight week & night, it is what is. Fighters are still able to have sponsors though & lots of fighters have sponsors who pay them well.

I don't think the NFL is any kind of exemple. They get fucked on their contracts too, except they are organized as football players and at least can negotiate with the NFL as one group.
And I don't care about 6k/6k, 8k/8k or whatever name you're gonna quote. They're fucking them over and trying to build a model where expenses are lowest and profit maximum. When the product you're selling is fighting and dude wreck their bodies for it, that translates to a pretty shady logic.

I knew all that you said already, and I don't really see the point.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

Yea, Dana logic, UFC is bigger than soccer but we pay peanuts. UFC value has tripled since being bought from the Fertitta brothers too

It still isn't true. Why aren't you moaning about Bellator pay? Or One pay? Or PFL pay? Or regional pay?

 

[bjjwar]

Because we want guys like McGregor who will only fight every 5 years and not have exciting fights anymore!

 

[m249viking]

I merely asked for opinions. Will increasing fighter pay benefit MMA in terms of fight quality or frequency? not really expressing my stance here

STFU dude, Jesus

 

[DestinedAussie]

Dana told me it's bigger than soccer though. UFC value has tripled since being bought too

Yea, Dana logic, UFC is bigger than soccer but we pay peanuts. UFC value has tripled since being bought from the Fertitta brothers too

Everyone knows dana is full of it and MMA will never be bigger than that.

 

[Kompromat]

STFU dude, Jesus

I've stopped posting in this thread long time ago yet you decided to respond to one of my several days old first posts .. I even kind of forgot about it until you responded but thanks to you I will reconsider decision to stop talking on the subject further

BTW aren't you the same guy who said this on this thread "Why the need to degrade everyone who doesn't hold your opinions?" Strange coming from someone who is triggered by questions..

 

[m249viking]

I've stopped posting in this thread long time ago yet you decided to respond to one of my several days old first posts .. I even kind of forgot about it until you responded but thanks to you I will reconsider decision to stop talking on the subject further

BTW aren't you the same guy who said this on this thread "Why the need to degrade everyone who doesn't hold your opinions?" Strange coming from someone who is triggered by questions..

Your still posting, STFU already.

 

[Shaddows]

So there has been another thread recently where it was stated how fighters are getting even less pay than in previous year in terms of pay to revenue (or pay to profits). It has caused yet another outburst of criticism of how bad and stingy UFC is and caused more calls for them to address the issue.

But I haven't really seen opinions and arguments on what benefits it gives to the actual fight game. So what are they? How is this going to benefit the fight game and MMA in general if UFC raises the fighter pay? Surely as a person I would be happy for someone getting paid even more for doing a legal and fair work, but as for MMA fan, what would be the interest?

Will the quality of fights become better? Or fighters will become more cautious, afraid to lose, and losing the win bonus? Will the fights become more frequent, especially between elites and championship ones become more frequent? Looking at boxing, it might not be the case .. People are criticizing lack of motion and championship fights in certain divisions already, as is ..

Will it draw better talent to the MMA? How can we be sure? A lot of fans have an opinion that stars of the past were better than the current ones when the pay wasn't anywhere close to the current numbers..

An argument I saw was that Bellator pays around 50% of revenue to fighters .. So what? They still pay less in actual numbers .. This ratio is only a testament that they are inferior as a promotion and as a business to the UFC. How should that press UFC to pay more, if they are paying more than anyone else already (in general)?

Isn't that the lack of demand in general that is problem and had it not been the case, the other promotions would have been able to pay more, and in turn force the UFC to pay more? But right now it is the UFC that is the main driver in the industry and generates new viewers so they might deserve what they are earning (I don't know anyone who first starting watching Bellator, One, PFL, before starting to watch UFC).

Anyways, what could be the objective benefits for us, MMA fans, if UFC raises fighter pay? So far from what I've seen the motive is "because screw Dana and his snow covered driveway" ..

Let me start by applauding your obvious and clearly click-bait troll post job. Is it you, Dana???
I mean, besides the fact that if you are an athlete that can play a game for millions or fight for pennies, why would you choose less money for the more brutal sport?
But take it all apart, (better athletes being attracted to the sport would open more gyms, more (better) trainers will improve fighters and with better fighters, better competition, better competition we get more exposure, and more exposure means more money which means attracting even more fighters, fans, managers, trainers....more everything...

But let us not dwell in all of that. If you even forget about the money for a second (after all, you are half-way there, ignoring the fact that every single good promotion have to pay more in order to compete with the UFC. But that mean a blend of things, like allowing fighters to get their own sponsors, % of views, etc.).

But again, ignore all of that!
Because this is not about the money nor the competition.

The problem here is that you want what we already have.. a FAKE competition that the winner is pre-determined, as to maximize profits!
But that's not what you want.

Your point is: "Why should they pay what is fair to the fighters, if we are already getting what we want from them? I mean, we got our fights, why do we give a fuck if they become rich or their managers?"
I mean... I guess that is a different way to see that....
I mean, why should we care that these guys who ARE THE PRODUCT YOU PAY TO WATCH if they are happy or not?
They are sheep, Dava is the lion, right?

 

[loveme]

You have any idea what it costs to maintain a top fight camp? What a fighter puts into their camp can have a huge impact on a fight. Just one example.

I merely asked for opinions. Will increasing fighter pay benefit MMA in terms of fight quality or frequency? not really expressing my stance here

 

[mister piscadinha]

i think a sensible middle ground can be reached

as i said in another thread, the ufc should cut regional guys and use the money to increase the pay of the roster

getting a 10/10k contract to fight on the biggest mma competition in the world is pathetic.
any ufc level fighter should get 50 grand atleast per fight

also this double-champ shit should end, to get double-champion status the guy should have to leave his division and fight up the ladder, not get gifted title shots while fucking up two divisions at a time

also a champions who does not fight twice a year at least should get striped