NY Law Firm tries to recruit fighters for union talks

[Thc Sargon]

The UFC would lose money paying out that % of revenue to fighters. They're obviously not as business savvy as other sports league as to where they can still profit while paying out 50% of the revenue to their talent.

They made 600 mil in revenue, but only had 160 mil in profit. If they paid out 15% to the fighters that mean they paid out 90 mil to fighters, and at 50% they would have to pay out an additional 210 million, which results in a net loss of 50 mil.

You are assuming the other sports get 50% of gross which I don't think is possible, they will split the net profits. Which is fair because UFC does have a lot of overhead.

 

[JohnyBrabo]

Unions don't do anything to help the strong, they're made to protect the weak. I hope a union never gets made. All the fans that support a union are the same people who would sell their car for gas money.

These fighters need protection Tormund, they have none. UFC is running a virtual monopoly and the fighters are the show, not goofs like Dana and the UFC name.

Unions aren't perfect at all I agree but these athletes need a voice. They are getting peanuts for pay and are receiving a sliver of the revenue pie. Without the fighters it would just be the UC, there is no sport without the athletes.

 

[DR225]

Thanks for posting chito. Fantastic news. Dana is sweating bullets right now. Probably regretting his new 5 year contract.

He is definitely regretting the millions he signed for, lol what a stupid post. I don't see a union happening anytime soon, fighters are understandably selfish in mma due to the relativity low pay and short career length and they won't sacrifice pay in the short term for more money in the long term. I don't see every fighter making 500k or even 300k, the UFC would sooner just cut the union fighters. This is one of the perks of promoting the brand instead of the fighters.

 

[thechoice2]

Cry me a river about the UFC losing money. Fighters have been getting hosed for over a decade it's time for change.

If the UFC starts losing money, where do you think the money to pay the fighters is going to come from?

You think the owners are going to use their personal money to pay fighters?

lol

 

[JohnyBrabo]

Read the other posts here. They are not being exploited. They sign contracts. You do know they are not mandatory? Like, the fighter can take or leave it???

The union will do shit to make the union money and not give a fuck all if the UFC survives or not.



By sinking the company that pays them the most????
You have some very stupid posts.

Lol not as stupid as you. These fighters don't have another real promotion to go to because the UFC is running a monopoly. You're right they don't have to sign but if they want to compete they don't have much in the way of choice. But hey keep shit posting Dana.

 

[JohnyBrabo]

If the UFC starts losing money, where do you think the money to pay the fighters is going to come from?

You think the owners are going to use their personal money to pay fighters?

lol

No I don't. But there needs to be mediation and a middle ground. Right now it's just the rich getting richer.

 

[Tormund]

These fighters need protection Tormund, they have none. UFC is running a virtual monopoly and the fighters are the show, not goofs like Dana and the UFC name.

Unions aren't perfect at all I agree but these athletes need a voice. They are getting peanuts for pay and are receiving a sliver of the revenue pie. Without the fighters it would just be the UC, there is no sport without the athletes.

How much do you expect them to make? They aren't the same calibre of athletes as NFL, NBA, Soccer and baseball guys, they shouldn't make the same amount of money as them. When a union gets created the sport will slowly start getting watered down and by the end of 2018 you'll be condemning the union. They're under no obligation to re-sign with the UFC when their contract expires, they're free to sign elsewhere.

 

[JohnyBrabo]

He is definitely regretting the millions he signed for, lol what a stupid post. I don't see a union happening anytime soon, fighters are understandably selfish in mma due to the relativity low pay and short career length and they won't sacrifice pay in the short term for more money in the long term. I don't see every fighter making 500k or even 300k, the UFC would sooner just cut the union fighters. This is one of the perks of promoting the brand instead of the fighters.

There is no brand without the fighters. That's what you guys are missing. And trust me Dana doesn't want to deal with a fighters union. Why do you think Zuffa has fought the idea for so long? Why do you think the Frittatas don't use union employees for their casinos.

And Dana was made the minute the sale goes final. He doesn't have to keep working he pocketed $360 million from the sale.

 

[JohnyBrabo]

How much do you expect them to make? They aren't the same calibre of athletes as NFL, NBA, Soccer and baseball guys, they shouldn't make the same amount of money as them. When a union gets created the sport will slowly start getting watered down and by the end of 2018 you'll be condemning the union. They're under no obligation to re-sign with the UFC when their contract expires, they're free to sign elsewhere.

Did I say their pay should be on par? No. But guys are making 8k to show. And there is nowhere else to go unless you want to take even less money. Not a hard concept to understand.

 

[thechoice2]

You are assuming the other sports get 50% of gross which I don't think is possible, they will split the net profits. Which is fair because UFC does have a lot of overhead.

No, the other sports get 50% or near 50% of revenue. There has been labor disputes and lockouts because the owners have lost money in some years.

 

[The Best JG]

Unions don't do anything to help the strong, they're made to protect the weak. I hope a union never gets made. All the fans that support a union are the same people who would sell their car for gas money.

 

[SlicerDM]

So it begins.

 

[12ga.]

God I hope they dont go union they are already being bitches picking ducking and choosing fights. Liked UFC much better when fighters over the barrel like the rest of us.

I'm here for fights best fighting best. Dont care what these guys make. They dont come our workplaces and lobby for better pay. Do they? Who am I to go to theirs and lobby. Or better yet why should I? If anything it hurts me. Ticket sales increase. Guys become even more prima donas.

 

[emog2]

Danas reaction
Not fucking New Yorkers again

 

[NicholasJBasile]

Sounds like a fighters guild from some sort of RPG game

Without going 100% dork mode on you guys and explaining why, that's actually a perfect analogy. They're just a bunch of players receiving quests for pay and slowly allocating their skills.

 

[DR225]

There is no brand without the fighters. That's what you guys are missing. And trust me Dana doesn't want to deal with a fighters union. Why do you think Zuffa has fought the idea for so long? Why do you think the Frittatas don't use union employees for their casinos.

And Dana was made the minute the sale goes final. He doesn't have to keep butworking he pocketed $360 million from the sale.

That is true in theory but MMA fighters aren't as rich as other athletes. Even NBA/NFL multimillionaire athletes were hurting during their lockouts. If there's a choice between everyone collectively sitting out and forcing the UFC's hand regarding the union, or continuing to do business as before, the top/mid-tier fighters will go with the latter choice.

 

[Haj01]

Without going 100% dork mode on you guys and explaining why, that's actually a perfect analogy. They're just a bunch of players receiving quests for pay and slowly allocating their skills.

Argonians will not be allowed to join this guild.

 

[TimeisNOW]

http://mmajunkie.com/2016/08/new-york-law-firm-attempts-to-recruit-fighters-for-union-talks

A New York-based labor law firm is reaching out to UFC fighters to gauge interest in forming a union.

“They’re being terribly exploited,” Daniel Bright of Lichten and Bright told MMAjunkie.

The firm, which often represents city government workers in employment disputes, sent out a letter this past month promising to contact “several hundred” UFC fighters. It said MMA’s legalization in New York and the industry-leader’s sale motivated their efforts.

Bright declined to detail the firm’s plans on the record but said there’s been interest from several fighters and managers. He said the firm plans to arrange an informational meeting if there’s sufficient interest in a union. The letter, obtained by MMAjunkie, includes a confidential response form and promises to alert fighters discreetly of the potential meeting.

The letter also cites the UFC’s claim of a $600 million take this past year and states fighters receive between 5 and 15 percent of revenue on a median purse of between $17,000 and $23,000, figures likely derived from independent reports on the split. The attorneys claim a 50 percent share of revenue – in the ballpark of the splits seen in the NBA and NFL – would lead to an average annual payout of $500,000 for every fighter on the UFC’s roster. It also touts the benefits of unions in other sports, including health insurance, pensions, and the ability to negotiate other terms of employment, which in MMA might relate to drug testing, appeals and grievances filed with the promotion.

The UFC has previously claimed it shares revenue with fighters in the “neighborhood” of other professional sporting leagues. The promotion does not make public its financial information, and fight purses released to state athletic commissions don’t necessarily represent a fighter’s total compensation. But independent reports have claimed the split was between 13.6 and 16.3 percent between 2005 and 2011, when the promotion experienced explosive profit growth on the success of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show.

As MMAjunkie previously reported, efforts at creating an MMA fighters association have faced a myriad of challenges, mainly convincing fighters with varying pay grades, stature and career longevity to unite for better treatment.

Bright’s firm claims its experience with labor litigation sets it apart from other efforts to unionize.

“We are labor lawyers with a combined 40 years of experience representing unions and people seeking to organize unions,” the letter states. “We are not associated with past efforts to unionize UFC fighters. We believe that legalization in New York, together with the explosive growth in the popularity and revenues of the UFC in recent years, and recent sale of the UFC, present a unique opportunity for the UFC’s athletes to join together and create a union or association that will put them on par with other professional athletes competing in major sports leagues, both financially and in terms of the influence they have over how their sport is run and its athletes are treated.”

union talk?


ok everyone, get ready to pay more for less.

 

[Tormund]

Did I say their pay should be on par? No. But guys are making 8k to show. And there is nowhere else to go unless you want to take even less money. Not a hard concept to understand.

They're making 8k to show because WTF else are they going to do? Nobody forced them into this profession and nobody is forcing them to compete. They signed a contract, they KNEW what they were getting in to.

 

[12ga.]

There is no brand without the fighters. That's what you guys are missing. And trust me Dana doesn't want to deal with a fighters union. Why do you think Zuffa has fought the idea for so long? Why do you think the Frittatas don't use union employees for their casinos.

And Dana was made the minute the sale goes final. He doesn't have to keep working he pocketed $360 million from the sale.

Fans shouldn't want a union either. Have you been to a pro football game lately? Only the rich can afford to bring thier family these days.