Leslie Smith launches Project Spearhead, a fighter-driven effort to get UFC athletes unionized

[The ScorpioN]

She should also launch a “learn to fight” project for the vast majority of the WMMA roster and herself.

 

[Toco]

I'm not for it in this sport. Unions have basically prevented performance enhancing drug testing from being effective in other sports. That might be a fun freak show for some of the ball sports, but I don't think it's a good idea with fighting. Any financial gains would be offset by their future drug testing terms IMO.

are you serious, you have the STRINGEST drug testing in all of sports WITHOUT an union. if anything I think an union might help make the drug testing more lax

 

[FrankieNYC]

are you serious, you have the STRINGEST drug testing in all of sports WITHOUT an union. if anything I think an union might help make the drug testing more lax

I think you two are in agreement.
Unless I missed something

 

[007]

Going to ruin the sport. They should fight for one rule set. Refs who no what they are doing and judges who have a clue what they are watching

 

[Baba Ghanoush]

This was hilarious when it was first announced. It essentially fell flat on it's face right out the door with Bjorn involved.

 

[magicmarker]

are you serious, you have the STRINGEST drug testing in all of sports WITHOUT an union. if anything I think an union might help make the drug testing more lax

 

[Toco]

last time this was "confidential" and it got leaked

 

[JT RIPPER]

I’m guessing none of these attempts will actually completely succeed but maybe...just maybe, each time might chip away at the issues at hand. After 4-5 of these happening, maybe the organization will finally begin to address some of the shit...

 

[tithas]

Bullshit.

Really? The uniform policy ONLY applies during FIGHT WEEK. If you are incapable of getting sponsors for 49-50 weeks out the year with your own social media presence and being then you have ZERO marketability. Meisha retained all her sponsors, Cowboy retained all his, Eddie has CLOTHING sponsors that are DIERCT rivals to Reebok, the list goes on. Only shitty and lazy managers who wanted a easy check for showing up lost sponsors. Those who treated their sponsors like a true partner and work with them to enhance them retained them all.

 

[PeterGriffin]

Really? The uniform policy ONLY applies during FIGHT WEEK. If you are incapable of getting sponsors for 49-50 weeks out the year with your own social media presence and being then you have ZERO marketability. Meisha retained all her sponsors, Cowboy retained all his, Eddie has CLOTHING sponsors that are DIERCT rivals to Reebok, the list goes on. Only shitty and lazy managers who wanted a easy check for showing up lost sponsors. Those who treated their sponsors like a true partner and work with them to enhance them retained them all.

Yes, really.

The company I worked for was a smaller company. We used to sponsor TJ Grant. When TJ got signed by the UFC, we received a letter from the UFC stating specifically that if we wanted to continue to sponsor TJ we had to pay the UFC ~$50k per year to do so. We could have continued to sponsor TJ, but not do that AND pay the UFC their end.

So please explain to me how THAT is because of a lazy or shitty manager or some merchandising farce the UFC orchestrated? The UFC directly cost TJ that sponsorship... not him and not us. And I would be willing to bet TJ isn't the only fighter who lost out as a result of similar circumstances.

And this was before the shitty UFC merchandising deal. Only an complete and utter idiot would blame Reebok for any lost sponsorship revenues or think it's their fault. That apparel fiasco lies squarely in the hands of the UFC.

 

[tithas]

Yes, really.

The company I worked for was a smaller company. We used to sponsor TJ Grant. When TJ got signed by the UFC, we received a letter from the UFC stating specifically that if we wanted to continue to sponsor TJ we had to pay the UFC ~$50k per year to do so. We could have continued to sponsor TJ, but not do that AND pay the UFC their end.

So please explain to me how THAT is because of a lazy or shitty manager or some merchandising farce the UFC orchestrated? The UFC directly cost TJ that sponsorship... not him and not us. And I would be willing to bet TJ isn't the only fighter who lost out as a result of similar circumstances.

And this was before the shitty UFC merchandising deal. Only an complete and utter idiot would blame Reebok for any lost sponsorship revenues or think it's their fault. That apparel fiasco lies squarely in the hands of the UFC.

Your company had to pay the UFC 50k for your companies image to appear on their broadcast that they own and distributed. In every single medium of the world a content owner has the ability to dictate how people can advertise on it and what it will cost. Your company DID NOT have to pay 50k for TJ to represent your company in any avenue other than a broadcast medium. If his only worth to your company is a walking billboard for 30 seconds of TV time then he was not worth sponsoring. He had no ability to treat your company like a true partner and represent you outside that 30 second window. Shitty marketing, shitty management shitty deal. That was the problem with all these shitty sponsors from day 1. Everyone treated it like cash grab and used the UFC marketing machine to expand their business for free and felt they were entitled to it.

 

[Amerikuracana]

Really? The uniform policy ONLY applies during FIGHT WEEK. If you are incapable of getting sponsors for 49-50 weeks out the year with your own social media presence and being then you have ZERO marketability. Meisha retained all her sponsors, Cowboy retained all his, Eddie has CLOTHING sponsors that are DIERCT rivals to Reebok, the list goes on. Only shitty and lazy managers who wanted a easy check for showing up lost sponsors. Those who treated their sponsors like a true partner and work with them to enhance them retained them all.

Truth is in the middle, but there is some truth in this.. But yeah, most of us MMA fans really only have serious interest in these fighters fight-week. I might like one on fb, but I'm not paying close attention.

 

[12ga.]

Kids are young and dumb and dont think ahead about pensions, saving medical etc doubtful this goes anywhere. I remember in service guys would save up $40,000 on a deployment then blow it upon return on partying and a brand new car rather than invest it. There is no excuse not to retire a millionaire at 40 if you work full time but they'd have nothing.

 

[tithas]

Truth is in the middle, but there is some truth in this.. But yeah, most of us MMA fans really only have serious interest in these fighters fight-week. I might like one on fb, but I'm not paying close attention.

But there are literally hundreds of thousands of fans who follow fighters on social media. A great example was Brian Stann, He has almost no sponsors on his clothing or banners because he realized it was a crappy model but he had blue chip sponsors who paid him 10k a month. In return he treated said sponsors like a partner and did things for them such as seminars, advertising campaigns and speaking engagements. If your only value to a sponsor is a 30 second shot of their sticker on your ass then you are horribly marketable and need better representation. My local fighter friends have monthly sponsors based SOLELY on social media presence. Its not much (maybe 2k a month) but for a regional guy that is a ton. If a regional guy can do it a UFC person can.

 

[Bubba32]

didnt like 3 unions start up last year and all fizzle away?

 

[usmctanker242]

Really? The uniform policy ONLY applies during FIGHT WEEK. If you are incapable of getting sponsors for 49-50 weeks out the year with your own social media presence and being then you have ZERO marketability. Meisha retained all her sponsors, Cowboy retained all his, Eddie has CLOTHING sponsors that are DIERCT rivals to Reebok, the list goes on. Only shitty and lazy managers who wanted a easy check for showing up lost sponsors. Those who treated their sponsors like a true partner and work with them to enhance them retained them all.

Your company had to pay the UFC 50k for your companies image to appear on their broadcast that they own and distributed. In every single medium of the world a content owner has the ability to dictate how people can advertise on it and what it will cost. Your company DID NOT have to pay 50k for TJ to represent your company in any avenue other than a broadcast medium. If his only worth to your company is a walking billboard for 30 seconds of TV time then he was not worth sponsoring. He had no ability to treat your company like a true partner and represent you outside that 30 second window. Shitty marketing, shitty management shitty deal. That was the problem with all these shitty sponsors from day 1. Everyone treated it like cash grab and used the UFC marketing machine to expand their business for free and felt they were entitled to it.

But there are literally hundreds of thousands of fans who follow fighters on social media. A great example was Brian Stann, He has almost no sponsors on his clothing or banners because he realized it was a crappy model but he had blue chip sponsors who paid him 10k a month. In return he treated said sponsors like a partner and did things for them such as seminars, advertising campaigns and speaking engagements. If your only value to a sponsor is a 30 second shot of their sticker on your ass then you are horribly marketable and need better representation. My local fighter friends have monthly sponsors based SOLELY on social media presence. Its not much (maybe 2k a month) but for a regional guy that is a ton. If a regional guy can do it a UFC person can.

Good shit man... glad to see someone with some knowledge in here rather than the usual "derp a derp Dana screwing everybody for laughs and giggles derp a derp."

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Your company had to pay the UFC 50k for your companies image to appear on their broadcast that they own and distributed. In every single medium of the world a content owner has the ability to dictate how people can advertise on it and what it will cost. Your company DID NOT have to pay 50k for TJ to represent your company in any avenue other than a broadcast medium. If his only worth to your company is a walking billboard for 30 seconds of TV time then he was not worth sponsoring. He had no ability to treat your company like a true partner and represent you outside that 30 second window. Shitty marketing, shitty management shitty deal. That was the problem with all these shitty sponsors from day 1. Everyone treated it like cash grab and used the UFC marketing machine to expand their business for free and felt they were entitled to it.

That blows me away as well. Do people really believe that having their 3" diameter company logo patch somewhere on a fighter's shorts is doing anything to boost their brand?

Much better would be large sponsor posters at publicity events or using the fighters' Instagram and Facebook feeds to mention their merchandise. Granted, the pay should be relative to the fighter's volume of followers.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Good shit man... glad to see someone with some knowledge in here rather than the usual "derp a derp Dana screwing everybody for laughs and giggles derp a derp."

Not to suggest that Dana is some amazing, altruistic do gooder, but he has stated from the beginning that the Reebok deal does not in any way prohibit fighters from acquiring sponsors, and that is no lie. Some fighters adapted and some did not.

 

[Askafan]

She should also launch a “learn to fight” project for the vast majority of the WMMA roster and herself.

No, she's too busy teaching the guys what it means to have balls

 

[TitoDome]

If it hasn’t worked for anyone else why would it work for Leslie Smith?

That's a terrible logic to use in life. good for her, at least she's being proactive, and not just complaining like everyone else. small fires turn into big problems when they spread.