Should we be looking at the fairness of fighter compensation from a different angle?

[SeattleFightFan]

Okay put it this way. It's simple... IF YOU'RE A GOOD FIGHTER YOU'LL MAKE GOD MONEY.

It's like in every other f--king sport in the world...if you're good you'll be paid for it.

I'm a football fan (soccer) my hometown Northampton are not very good... the players aren't high level players. They get paid less than 5% of what a guy like Wayne Rooney will earn...

no. if you're an EXCEPTIONAL fighter you'll make god money. if you're a good fighter you'll make it to the UFC, lose twice, and go back to regionals. if you're a very good fighter you'll fight in the UFC for 4 or 6 years, maybe get a title shot, and make a million or 2. more if you are a loud mouth (Bisping, Chael, etc)

 

[Lead]

lol apparently 4th grade math is not my strong suit. thanks.

Np. I'm just OCD when I see it. Doesn't really change the point made in the post.

 

[TheRassler]

most sports are team sports, and pay is dictated by a Players Union.

but not boxing.

but boxing was turned on it's head 14 years ago by the Ali Act.

the UFC currently uses something colloquially called "Tournament Theory Economics". basically, your odds are low, but if you hit, you win big. this is why there are about a thousand (since TUF1) fighters in the UFC who made a few grand...and several (Dana says 20ish) who were made millionaires. .02%, how about that?

don't get me wrong; fighter pay will continue to go up; it has consistently since i started paying attention in 2002. minimum was $800/$800 back then; now it's $8k/$8k. i don't say this to support status quo; i say it because it's a fact.

but Zuffa has no reason to change this model. they will fight a union to the death, i have no doubt. and they will fight legislation as well. and young fighters love it; they get to make $10k in the UFC instead of $500 to $2k in a regional bout, with the "tournament economics" chance of making millions. notice it's only the guys creeping up on their 30's who didn't win the "tournament" who complain.

so complain all you want folks, but Zuffa found a winning combination of economic theory that entices young athletes, and lack of laws or unions that would force them to change. their mean pay is ridiculously low compared to their revenue (and/or gross, but when folks banter around "this sport pays their athletes 50%!" recognize they mean 50% of revenue, not gross), and most of their fighters relish the opportunity.

lol apparently 4th grade math is not my strong suit. thanks.

I was gonna say you should run for player's union president, but seeing that your math is not even at a 4th grade level.....I take that back lol

 

[SeattleFightFan]

I was gonna say you should run for player's union president, but seeing that your math is not even at a 4th grade level.....I take that back lol

Np. I'm just OCD when I see it. Doesn't really change the point made in the post.

the really sad part is, i actually used a calculator. i just forgot to convert ".02" to "2%"

 

[grimballer]

We should look at from the standpoint of the quality of the product delivered. As in, do we really want the fucking wasteland that is boxing? Seriously, Mayweather is great but he deosn't deserve %70 of the revenue generated in the world of boxing while the rest struggle to pay their gym membership while acquiring Dementia Pugilistica

Fighters are WELL compensated (not in comparison to corrupt sports) but compared to my 9 to 5 job, and we all get the fights we want week after week after week.

You compare your job where you probably don't do shit n are posting on sherdog while "working" to a fighter?

You a couch potato, who's been to the gym couple of times in your life n who's biggest dilemma is whether you gonna eat one or two twinkies after supper you compare yourself to a guy who has to workout everyday n watch his diet?

You who's job is pretty secured (unless you screw up big time) n be able to do it next 30 years, compare yourself to a guy who's gonna be able to do this 10 years max.

Come on get real

 

[Xaa]

Fair? What is more fair than supply and demand?

The supply of fighters is far greater than the demand for fighters to fight in the UFC. That leaves the UFC in a much better negotiating position when they sign the bulk of their talent. It just isn't hard to find another guy to fight, a guy they can promote and for whom they can create a name.

It is fair, they negotiate 2 sided deals. Both parties agree and sign their names to them. What could possibly be more fair?

They could make $10M per fight but if the deal was for $12M it wouldn't be fair. If the deal is for 10k/10k and they get 10k/10k, it's fair.

That's why they call it an agreement. A contract.

 

[sdaccount]

As many have pointed out, the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc. They all have unions and the unions negotiate with the owners about revenue etc. If you're under contract with Zuffa, you need to win and be exciting. The fighter needs to put themselves in a position were Zuffa wants you on every card.