Fighter Pay

[Dman4Life8017]

For all those that complain about fighter pay in the UFC being so low, keep in mind that those who are doing the complaining, are the ones who have never main evented a card, or co-main evented a card, and have had the majority of their fights be on the prelims portion of a card with very few fights coming on the main portion of the card.


I want EVERYONE to watch the prelims of tonight's Mayweather vs. Alvarez fight[every fight save for Mayweather/Alvarez & Garcia/Matthysse is a prelim fight, so 12 guys] and count how many of those guys make over 5 figures on this card. I doubt it'll be more than 3 guys at best.

 

[Swiftmayhem]

Does that excuse the UFC? Both boxing and MMA need to step it up when paying the prelim and lower card fighters.

 

[ImPitPatPuncher]

Boohoo

at least the top guys in boxing make what they deserve.
In the UFC you have main event fighters fighting for a world title making less than 50 k without PPV points (KZ)

 

[iLesnar]

fresh topic

fresh thread

fresh points made

 

[doomdog]

But, Fitch.

 

[MarcCA]

Prelimns UFC fighters are better paid than boxing prelimns fighters.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Who cares, this is such a foolish thread. They aren't forced to fight, they choose to. If they feel boxing makes more money, focus on boxing. If they feel neither make enough, go to college. Tired of hearing people cry for pro-athletes. Been a Marine for 18 years and people say this crap to me all the time and I say the same thing, if I was unhappy with the pay I could have always got out.

 

[nostradumbass]

Fitch and Carwin have both been main events. Carwin didn't actually complain though, he said he didn't care cause he already has a real job as an engineer.

 

[MilesAbove]

Does that excuse the UFC? Both boxing and MMA need to step it up when paying the prelim and lower card fighters.

Seriously. Funny to me how all the Zuffa apologists cite two things:

(1) "Nobody is making them fight."

As if ANYONE is saying that these men are forced to fight. The discussion is about "ought they be paid more for what they do/sacrifice" and not "Do these men have other options that pay better."

(2) X doesn't pay well either. Why should the UFC?

Again, we're talking about should the men in the top 1% of the craft should be able to focus DIRECTLY on the craft and not be forced to choose between second jobs or living like bums to focus.



Gate Revenue% Share makes the most sense to me, and I'll say it in every thread. Doesn't solve everything. Obviously holes can be poked in it with random anomalies etc... but the concept gives to the fighters and likely would be wholly manageable for Zuffa.

 

[TheMMAn]

Nothing personal, but what YOU believe a fighter (or cop, teacher, fireman, etc) should make means exactly JackShit.

These are voluntary contracts, whereby both parties agree to a wage (purse). That automatically creates a market price. If the promoter wants to pay less, or the fighter demands more, either party can refuse to participate in the transaction.

It's about that damn simple...

 

[longafan]

have read a few of these type threads and generally, as we know, most people go off on the people complaining about the fighter pay...something I was wondering about the other day is
whether it might be better for some of these fighters if they got into the elite bodyguard business, at least temporarily...no camps, so no managers, sparring partners and other assorted camp expenses, and I'm sure their employers would like them to keep up their training at the same time...I know that theyd need fire arms training and whatever so it might not be for everyone but surely the pay would be far better than what the lower tier guys get in the ufc? and yeah, I get that theyre in the fight game by choice, but maybe itd benefit some of these people to leave the ufc, get in a few years doing bodyguarding, save up a lil cahs then get back to the ufc of wherever it is they wanna fight? for that matter, bouncing at high end clubs, I'm sure there are plenty of other similar jobs where a good mma base would get you a nice salary

 

[johnyboy]

If you are a fighter and don't like what they will pay you get another job.

 

[MilesAbove]

Nothing personal, but what YOU believe a fighter (or cop, teacher, fireman, etc) should make means exactly JackShit.

These are voluntary contracts, whereby both parties agree to a wage (purse). That automatically creates a market price. If the promoter wants to pay less, or the fighter demands more, either party can refuse to participate in the transaction.

It's about that damn simple...

It's about fairness because the alternative is the quality athletes leaving and us being left with absolutely s#it when it comes to talent/ability. Or just a bunch of silver-spoon kids fighting because they're the only ones who can afford it.

I know the objective terriblness of modern unions... but the alternative is the suck of Zuffa greed.

 

[TheMMAn]

It's about fairness because the alternative is the quality athletes leaving and us being left with absolutely s#it when it comes to talent/ability. Or just a bunch of silver-spoon kids fighting because they're the only ones who can afford it.

I know the objective terriblness of modern unions... but the alternative is the suck of Zuffa greed.

What's fairer than 2 parties agreeing on a price voluntarily?

 

[TheMMAn]

It's about fairness because the alternative is the quality athletes leaving and us being left with absolutely s#it when it comes to talent/ability. Or just a bunch of silver-spoon kids fighting because they're the only ones who can afford it...

??

You are saying that they are being paid to little now. Is what you described what is happening? Or just the opposite?

I'm pretty sure that the last 8 or 10 years of UFC history disproves your asserted outcome quite handily..

 

[Buddie05]

But, Fitch.

Randy
Tito
Rampage

How many main events is that?

 

[Shogun Rising]

Entertainers make what they're worth.

It's a cold world.

 

[MilesAbove]

??

You are saying that they are being paid to little now. Is what you described what is happening? Or just the opposite?

I'm pretty sure that the last 8 or 10 years of UFC history disproves your asserted outcome quite handily..

I am saying I believe the UFC ought to invest in its product at a higher rate.

I think trying to argue about what someone "ought" be paid is fruitless, because we're dealing with complex concepts like demand vs competition available etc... My focus is that if the UFC can afford (and would benefit) from a stronger investment plan toward their commodity.

Fighters at the lower tier of their divisions are still Top 1% in the world. Allowing the the opportunity to focus on craft rather than where they sleep and if they are getting enough protein allows the UFC to have more quality output by its product.

To your question directly, I think we are seeing an influx due to popularity as a possible outcome of higher pay. And as we continue if pay for lesser fighters continue in this manner, we will see more men discontinue their pursuit and focus on other sports or standard jobs altogether. In other words, I think the last 8-10 years have been the crest, and if you live out here and Vegas and talk to these guys... you begin to note the tipping point being outlined.


Gate Revenue Share % = Most likely way to appease both sides.

 

[MilesAbove]

What's fairer than 2 parties agreeing on a price voluntarily?

If they were equal parties with equal opportunity to subsist without the other, then I'd agree with your implied premise. It is not that way, and so I reject your premise.

 

[TheMMAn]

I am saying I believe the UFC ought to invest in its product at a higher rate.

I think trying to argue about what someone "ought" be paid is fruitless, because we're dealing with complex concepts like demand vs competition available etc... My focus is that if the UFC can afford (and would benefit) from a stronger investment plan toward their commodity.

Not to be argumentative, but that is exactly what you are doing when you say this:

I am saying I believe the UFC ought to invest in its product at a higher rate.

Fighters at the lower tier of their divisions are still Top 1% in the world. Allowing the the opportunity to focus on craft rather than where they sleep and if they are getting enough protein allows the UFC to have more quality output by its product.

To your question directly, I think we are seeing an influx due to popularity as a possible outcome of higher pay. And as we continue if pay for lesser fighters continue in this manner, we will see more men discontinue their pursuit and focus on other sports or standard jobs altogether. In other words, I think the last 8-10 years have been the crest, and if you live out here and Vegas and talk to these guys... you begin to note the tipping point being outlined.


Gate Revenue Share % = Most likely way to appease both sides.

As a business, the "quality" of their product only matters in the context of the profit to be made by selling their product (promoting and producing matches between their "products"). If profitability is high now, taking money from profit and spending it in an attempt to increase product quality is only wise if it increases profitability more than what they spend on this expenditure for increasing product quality. This is the type of decision is analyzed constantly by most businesses.