Why do they have undisclosed pay? What purpose does it serve? Rather, who's interests does it serve? The UFC's.
Undisclosed pay is used to deflate pay. If everybody knows what everybody else makes, salaries go up. You don't even have to look to sports. It's the same in the business world. It's the same with real estate. Nobody would pay $30 million for a condo without precedents. Real estate agents don't keep prices of sold homes and apartments undisclosed. They make sure to keep them public, because it drives up prices. You wouldn't buy from, say, an electronics store that doesn't have price tags on the items and the sales person tells you, "I have a special offer just for you." You shop around. You compare prices, and items.
This is economics 101.
I have used this example before. Gordie Howe was the biggest star in the NHL in the 1950s and much of the 1960s. No disclosed pay in the NHL back then. Gordie was told by the Red Wings manager that he was the highest paid player in the league. As one would expect. It turned out he wasn't even the highest paid player on the club. He was third highest paid. Was Gordie naive? Of course he was, but he also had little way of knowing.
Then you have the exclusive contracts. NHL teams owned a player for life until the NHLPA was formed in 1967. Teams owned you from the time you were 16 or so. Bobby Hull demanded a raise. He was forced to publicly apologize and crawl back to his club.
How can we stand for this shit going on today? It was bad already in the 1960s.
I agree with you that keeping the fighters from knowing what each other makes keeps pay down and is shady. I also believe the UFC underpays by a lot. And I think the Reebok deal is shit. I was just saying to TS that it's not so simple like "Why not go to the PFL and be a millionaire?"
From the article:
*
There will be seven weeks of “regular season” competition, with each fighter guaranteed two fights. These two fights are compensated with traditional “show” and “win” contracts, with each fighter negotiating their own deal, just like traditional MMA pay structure.
* After everyone fights twice, the top eight fighters advance to a single elimination playoff system.
So, to even enter the 8 man tournament for 1million, you first need to take 2 traditional fights (just like UFC).
Then you need to win 2 fights in the same night, and then you need to win the final. As mentioned, best case scenario you would make 1million + whatever you negotiated in your first fights + sponsors. That's pretty sweet, but it requires you to win 5 consecutive fights. If you lose a single one, you're out for a while because PFL doesn't start a season until a few months later (I assume?).
Anyway, this format makes sense for an already accomplished guy who is very confident he can win against most, and who already has a name (like Rory). Wouldn't be a bad option for a hungry young guy that wasn't able to get in the UFC for whatever reason.
For someone who is not that highly ranked, it might be easier to build a brand and get later sponsorships, media jobs, followers and have a long career if you get in the UFC. Using the UFC's "disclosed" figure is bogus, because we know it's not close to the real number. The ceiling in the UFC is higher than 1million. Ultimately, most UFC top contenders, vets and champions make 6 figures and sometimes close to a million in a single fight, plus bonuses, sponsors, etc.
