managers express concerns over bellator's sticky contracts

[CardinalAqua]

According to some fighters and managers bellator contracts are the stickiest they've seen.

The managers complaints focused on a few provisions that they thought were particularly egregious in comparison to what is found in other MMA promotions' agreements.

The most objectionable part of the contract, according to a consensus from my sources, was found in what many refer to as the "champion clause."

Back in September of 2009, [size=+1]MMApayout posted the text for this clause[/size], which read:

"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"

Fighting under these terms, eddie alvarez, Hector Lombard, and ben askren - all of whom were tournament winners and a champion in their weight class - saw three additional fights added to their agreement as part of the extension detailed above. Once these additional bouts were completed though each was free to contact and negotiate with other promoters (although bellator did retain matching rights). While the tournament wins and time as champions obviously increased Lombard and alvarez's value, as evidenced by the rather lucrative (by MMA standards) deals they ended up receiving, current and future bellator champions are unlikely to have the same opportunity to cash in on their in-cage success.

According to our sources, 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. [size=+1]There also does not seem to be a limit to the number of extensions that can accumulate, so that a fighter who wins or reaches the finals of multiple tournaments or who wins the championship on separate occasions or in different weight classes could have 3, 4, or even more extensions added to his deal.[/size]

[size=+1]But for the "Extension Terms" in the bellator contracts we examined there doesn't seem to be any minimum bout requirements.[/size]

HOLY FUCK

The fear that one manager expressed was that bellator would not be obligated to provide any fights for the duration of the twelve or eighteen-month extension.

MOTHER OF GOD IT JUST DOESNT END!!!! :icon_conf

In addition, Bellator has added an option clause to many of their agreements that gives them the right to continue promoting a fighter for an additional bout ("Option Bout") if the fighter is a champion in his weight class at the end of his contact. To exercise this option bellator only has to give written notice to the fighter and pay an option fee.

If the fighter wins this first Option Bout, or the fight ends in a draw or no decision, bellator has the option for a second Option Bout, which they can exercise by giving the fighter written notice within a set number of business days and paying another option fee. If the fighter wins (or if it ends in a draw or no decision) this next Option Bout, they have an option for yet another bout. [size=+1]The total number of potential Option Bouts for a bellator champion could be as high as 5 or more.[/size]

In addition to the Extension Terms and Option Bouts, the managers I spoke to were also troubled by a few of the other terms found within bellator's contracts:

In the case that a bout has to be postponed for any reason, be it injury, suspension, failed drug test, retirement, or any other similar reason to either fighter, bellator can apparently extend the terms of the agreement as long as necessary to reschedule the bout. This could be interpreted to mean that if a fighter's opponent is injured before their fight bellator could extend the [size=+1]uninjured fighter's contract[/size] as long as it took for the other fighter to be healthy enough to rebook the fight.

WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU EXTEND THE UNINJURED FIGHTERS CONTRACT?!?!?!

In addition, upon completion of the contract, Extensions Terms, and Option Bouts, there is also the matter of the matching clause. According to the managers we spoke to and the contracts that we examined, the promotion has changed the wording on their right to match since the eddie alvarez case.

After a ninety-day exclusive negotiating period, bellator now retains the exclusive right to match the "material terms" of any agreements offered to a fighter for a "period of eighteen months." [size=+1]This is 6 months longer than what existed in askren's and alvarez's contracts.[/size]

It's also worth noting the use of "material" in light of the eddie alvarez dispute. alvarez's attorney filed a brief on his behalf that argued "The fact that Bellator was required to match the Zuffa Offer on the ‘same' terms" and that they instead attempted to modify the agreement so that they were required to instead "match the material terms."

For how the addition of "material" might change the agreement, my colleague Ben Thapa, provided me the following example:

To those who know good food, Thomas Keller is not the same as Guy Fieri. However, in another view, they're both famous, have high prices and can cook food far better than the average chef.

So are they materially the same? Would swapping Fieri for Iron Chef Morimoto change anything? Is a bellator ppv the same as a UFC one? Is a spike tv reality show better than an FS Sports 1 reality show?

This use of "material" could therefore help mitigate a claim of bad faith in any negotiation were bellator was unable to make an exact match and instead had to make a substitution.

The opinion amongst all the managers I spoke to is that the current bellator contracts represent, from a fighter's perspective, the least favorable contracts of any promotion. As one manager said, "They are the worst contracts in MMA. By far the very fucking worst."

eeeeek :icon_evil
the article delves deep into the matter
definitely check it out​

 

[DarthChen731]

lol and that's why I hate it when Bjorn tries to act like a nice guy. At least with Dana he acts like the dickhead we know he is.

 

[K4BOSH]

what if you win the tournament on your last contracted fight and then won the title in your next fight that took place 6 months after you won the tournament, would that person's contract be extended a second time after winning the belt?

 

[jamesgalb]

Its only a clause that fight managers and fighters do not like, if they intend to simply use Bellator as a stepping stone into the UFC...

Simple solution. If your ultimate goal is to get into the UFC, then don't go for the Bellator title or join a tournament...

Managers and Fighters just want a situation where they can go for the Bellator title with the sole intentions of dropping it for the UFC once it is earned... I don't blame Bellator for not allowing that.

Cant have your cake and eat it too (never understood that saying, but it applies).

PLENTY of fighters have fought in Bellator, elected not to join a tournament, and then moved on to another promotion after... Joining a tournament is a CHOICE to become a LONG TERM Bellator fighter. NO ONE is forcing anyone to make the personal decision of joining a tournament.

Fighters/Managers want a situation where they can win a Bellator title or tournament, and then count the days till they can move on to the UFC. Nope. Wrong. Go fight for WSoF or Titan in their bi-monthly cards, and drop their title after you win it....

 

[CardinalAqua]

what if you win the tournament on your last contracted fight and then won the title in your next fight that took place 6 months after you won the tournament, would that person's contract be extended a second time after winning the belt?

they add up

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 [size=+1]does not seem to be a limit to the number of extensions that can accumulate[/size], so that a fighter who wins or reaches the finals of multiple tournaments or who wins the championship on separate occasions or in different weight classes could have 3, 4, or even more extensions added to his deal.

 

[Hawkman3111]

Just call it the Anti-UFC clause cuz thats what it is.

Honestly I wish these people would learn to coexist...

 

[MrKilroyT]

Fighters have to be insane to sign with them at this point. They are basically signing away their career.

 

[Furious George]

Fuck those contracts man, they're worse than old school boxing/por pramuk contract.

 

[Judo Thai Boxer]

Wow, the only thing I liked about Bellator's contracts was that the fighters seemed to be able to negotiate what they were worth because of the UFC being able to bid on them.

So does this mean it makes that a hell of a lot harder now?

 

[Kinger85]

Obvious you can get out of the contracts. See Lombard and Askren.

UFC has contracts that are just as restrictive.

The amount of hate Bellator gets is insane.

 

[aker2703]

if you can read the full article without any bias and not go WHOLLY FUCK!!!!!!!!! please explain to me how.

shocking contracts are shocking.


That said, if you have a stupid manager/lawyer, and sign a stupid contract like this.....tough shit to you.

 

[aker2703]

Wow, the only thing I liked about Bellator's contracts was that the fighters seemed to be able to negotiate what they were worth because of the UFC being able to bid on them.

So does this mean it makes that a hell of a lot harder now?

if you sign a contract that allows multiple extensions of 18 months (article says up to 4) and have a champion option of up to five fights.....then you are fucked if you want to leave Bellator.

an original 6 fight 2 year contract, could go as high as 17 fights and 8-10 fucking years.....yes that is not a typo.

Obvious you can get out of the contracts. See Lombard and Askren.

UFC has contracts that are just as restrictive.

The amount of hate Bellator gets is insane.

no they don't, that is the point of the article. so i guess you didn't read the article and just made a comment.....well done i guess.

 

[mindturking]

if you sign a contract that allows multiple extensions of 18 months (article says up to 4) and have a champion option of up to five fights.....then you are fucked if you want to leave Bellator.

an original 6 fight 2 year contract, could go as high as 17 fights and 8-10 fucking years.....yes that is not a typo.



no they don't, that is the point of the article. so i guess you didn't read the article and just made a comment.....well done i guess.

and boom goes the dynamite... hopefully that stops the pending retarded messages that would have followed that one..

 

[Bigj383]

Cant have your cake and eat it too (never understood that saying, but it applies).

(All that said, I will be happy when Bjorn is gone. Plz Coker4Life!)

If you eat your cake it will be gone. Therefore you will no longer have it. Basically some things you can't have both ways.

The biggest problem I have is the cumulative clauses. With their format they require a tournament + 18 months and if the win the title + 18 more months. That's a 3 year extension for a guy like Will Brooks.

 

[VolkHan]

OK.

Could UFC buy the cotnract of a Bellator fighter paying money to Bellator, like soccer clubs do with players under contract with other teams?

 

[Kingz]

This isn't new...and champions and tournament winners should have an extension clause. Runner ups should not.

Someone in the first page nailed it. Don't sign a contract if you just want to get on tv a few times and get exposure...potentially gain legitimacy by winning their tourny and then think you deserve an out clause. And bellator the bad guys? I doubt luca brasi was present at the negotiations.

 

[aker2703]

If you eat your cake it will be gone. Therefore you will no longer have it. Basically some things you can't have both ways.

The biggest problem I have is the cumulative clauses. With their format they require a tournament + 18 months and if the win the title + 18 more months. That's a 3 year extension for a guy like Will Brooks.

you are forgetting is that at the end of that 3 year extension, if he is still champ they have a "Five fight Champ Option" which if he wins all five fights extends his time by 2 years minimum.

so he could be extended 5+ years on his original contract. and that is just wrong.

 

[aker2703]

OK.

Could UFC buy the cotnract of a Bellator fighter paying money to Bellator, like soccer clubs do with players under contract with other teams?

it is possible, Bellator bought out Matt Riddle's (legacy or Titan not sure) contract shortly after his UFC release. But i doubt that the UFC and Bellator would be able to come to an agreement on such a deal.

i think that Bellator structuring the contracts this way was to stop fighters going to the UFC. Not as a way to make money out of the transfer as such.

 

[aker2703]

This isn't new...and champions and tournament winners should have an extension clause. Runner ups should not.

Someone in the first page nailed it. Don't sign a contract if you just want to get on tv a few times and get exposure...potentially gain legitimacy by winning their tourny and then think you deserve an out clause. And bellator the bad guys? I doubt luca brasi was present at the negotiations.

one 18 month extension is fine. are you really cool with 3 or 4. if Douglas Lima has this clause in his contract, are you cool with him being extended (2 tourny finals and now champ) so 3 x 18 months......really? plus 5 possible option fights after his contract finally ends? really?

 

[jodka]

one 18 month extension is fine. are you really cool with 3 or 4. if Douglas Lima has this clause in his contract, are you cool with him being extended (2 tourny finals and now champ) so 3 x 18 months......really? plus 5 possible option fights after his contract finally ends? really?

Also, the extension for being "runner up" in a tourney is laughable.

At least if you are champ or tourney winner, there is an argument that Bellator has built your name up. (Though I don't think that's worth much, especially just being a tourney winner.) However, being runner-up in a Bellator tourney means almost nothing to the outside world. Locking you to extensions based on that is just ridiculous.

All that said, adult men need to act like damn adults. How people sign contracts without an attorney is beyond me.