Why were old boxing gyms so cheap and modern MMA gyms so expensive?

Another thread got me thinking about this question. Seems kind of a stinky situation. You want at least one sport where the entrance price is how much blood and guts you have, not how much money.
Because they were old, and rent was cheaper back then. They also tended to be in shitty neighborhoods which also contributed to having lower costs.
I see nobody has mentioned probably the most important aspect: real estate.

boxing requires a minimal amount of floor space. A single ring, some bags along a wall. Maybe some mirrors for shadow boxing (requiring zero floor space). That’s all you need to build champion boxers.

mMA gyms need a lot of floor space. You need a lot of room to grapple. You might need a ring. Either mats on the wall or a half cage at minimum. That’s a lot of square feet. Square feet = $$$ That’s why more mma gyms are in city outskirts or suburbs compared to boxing gyms.
  • Boxing gym memberships are inexpensive because not everyone gets access to a coach.
  • Boxing coaches will train very promising fighters for relatively nothing for a possible return on investment later.
  • Once a boxer is established he is expected to pay his boxing coach.
  • The best boxing coaches earn what 10 of the best MMA coaches earn combined.
  • Boxing is not cheap.
  • Boxing gyms are in the neighborhoods where talent is typically found and interest is high. It has nothing to do with rent, which is typically market rate.
  • There is no "back then" in boxing. Boxing is still a booming business for the best and brightest.
  • Boxing gyms that train real upcoming talent have more than one ring. Take a large amount of square footage, so that multiple boxers and trainers can train simultaneously.
  • Why does it feel like most MMA fans have no knowledge of sports whatsoever?
 
It’s called DEMOGRAPHICS kiddo.


Boxing as a sport is mainly dominated and consumed by Blacks and Hispanics(specially Mexicans) on this side of the globe, many gyms are located in poorer neighborhoods. Former fighters going back for outreach programs in their neighborhoods etc.

MMA in America is generally consumed by goofy white kids from middle to upper class parts of the country. Many of them are able to afford MMA/BJJ classes from McDojos charging them outrageous prices simply so they can pose as “MMA Fighters”.


See @Final Say for an example of the latter


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Its simple.

- Few decades ago, only poor would fight to earn money and have such career.

- on the other side, "sport" is now for ritch people, blue collar has no energy after job to have trainings of such difficult sport. So, many ritch daddy's wannabe's are in gym

- everything was cheaper . Debt and inflation killed
 
Boxing gyms are often funded by the city. MMA gyms tend to either be part of regular gyms or are private. Either way they often get their funds from membership fees.
 
Here in Europe where I live, MMA gyms are expensive because the investment is more. A shiny cage, clean new rolling mats, various gear, etc. Also, in my country many Boxing gyms are part of National Boxing association and subsidised by the State. MMA is not officially licensed or something, and they get no subsidy.

But I remember when I was in USA, it was amazing. MMA gyms are so widespread, they are cheap in comparison to Europe. After all its the country of UFC/MMA.

In Europe until MMA becomes fully legalised and widespread, gyms will be expensive.
 
As others have noted because there complete opposites.

Boxing gyms: Usually located in a lower income area, limited classes and amenities, very little hands on coaching.

MMA gyms: Most successful ones are in at least upper-middle class neighbhorhoods, tons of amenities, usually offer classes morning/mid-day/night, you have at least 3 different types of coaches that are more hands on

Basically they offer more value/services and target a wider range of clients
 
Another thread got me thinking about this question. Seems kind of a stinky situation. You want at least one sport where the entrance price is how much blood and guts you have, not how much money.
Boxing gym - a tee shirt, shorts or sweat pants, running shoes, and maybe some gloves (most gyms will provide for youth who cannot afford).

MMA - 2-3 BJJ gis minimum (so you're not a stinky, staph spreading MOFO), Gloves, Shinguards, rash guards (most places nowadays want you to wear a rash guard under your gi or when you're doing n0-gi). Also, BJJ fees, MuayThai (kickboxing, boxing) fees.

Boxing is for the masses (for the most part)

MMA for the rich (or those who want to pretend they're not rich and go on welfare and sponge of their gals).
 
It’s called DEMOGRAPHICS kiddo.


Boxing as a sport is mainly dominated and consumed by Blacks and Hispanics(specially Mexicans) on this side of the globe, many gyms are located in poorer neighborhoods. Former fighters going back for outreach programs in their neighborhoods etc.

MMA in America is generally consumed by goofy white kids from middle to upper class parts of the country. Many of them are able to afford MMA/BJJ classes from McDojos charging them outrageous prices simply so they can pose as “MMA Fighters”.


See @Final Say for an example of the latter


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Strong style mma, home of the heavyweight champ, also where garbrandt started

It’s a good gym with a diverse enough crowd
<{pranko}>


Haven’t trained in awhile though. And I’m from the city boy
 
Historically BJJ was hard to come by specially if you didn’t live in California or spoke Portuguese so simple supply and demand made BJJ coaches charge more for their time,

contrary boxing has an overwhelming amount of coaches and usually gyms only charge a membership to allow members to come and do independent training at the gym, only stand out talent usually gets more focused training and those guys usually give up some of their purse or pay coaches for 1 on 1 coaching.

nowadays most boxing gyms are more fitness focused and run classes so it is usually not that far off from MMA gyms in terms of pricing, Most mma gyms don’t cater to many pros anyway, it’s mostly teenagers and middle class adults who do it for fitness and self defence, the variety of classes available and the demographics allow for them to charge more.
 
<36>
Strong style mma, home of the heavyweight champ, also where garbrandt started

It’s a good gym with a diverse enough crowd
<{pranko}>


Haven’t trained in awhile though. And I’m from the city boy

>Ohio

>City



Such a middle American response. Cleveland literally consists of two and a half buildings and a Macdonalds connected to the local gas station

cleveland7.jpg


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<36>
 
>Ohio

>City



Such a middle American response. Cleveland literally consists of two and a half buildings and a Macdonalds connected to the local gas station

cleveland7.jpg


<36>
<36>

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Lol.... I’ve been around a bit, I’m aware it’s a ‘small’ big city.
 
overheads are huge on most places now, i suspect you can find plenty of cheap places in somewhere like brazil for example were rent is low
 
Because there is a boxing gym in every shithole, and in major big cities mma gyms are outnumbered 10 to 1 by boxing gyms. Boxing is still more popular than mma. It's just facts, law of supply and demand.
 
My job doesn’t even pay well and I make it work. People spend 150 a month easy on bullshit food and drinks. Make a couple sacrifices and stop expecting these trainers to run a good gym for scraps.
Good way to find a excuse for yourself that you are getting scammed.
 
Boxing coaches don’t get a stipend if a boxer from their gym goes to the Olympics. They wouldn’t even be the one to coach them once they actually competed in the Olympics.

Additionally, there’s no such thing as “promotional rights” that are just innately given to the coach of a boxer. The coach and manager negotiate pay through a contract with the boxer.

While it might be about the money, everything you wrote is essentially bullshit.
They get a stipend to the national championships, I assumed it would be the same for Olympics

As for the other point, yes I worded it incorrectly, but the point being that coaches fight over Olympic boxers because of the money they bring in. This has been happening forever, and why gyms split
 
Old boxing gyms= two different models:

1. Show up at the place that is owned by one guy. If you have talent you get coaching or attention. The untalented are cannon fodder for the talented in sparring. These type of trainers are cherry pickers. In the end you get to be a big fish in a small pond.


2. A boxing gym is owned by a manager and often personal boxing trainers chip in to pay the bills and pay to use facility. Different trainers have their students spar each other. This gym produces many good fighters because of competition.

In this gym make sure you pick the trainer that is compatible with your style and personality.
 
Boxing gyms are often funded by the city. MMA gyms tend to either be part of regular gyms or are private. Either way they often get their funds from membership fees.
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Old boxing gyms= two different models:

1. Show up at the place that is owned by one guy. If you have talent you get coaching or attention. The untalented are cannon fodder for the talented in sparring. These type of trainers are cherry pickers. In the end you get to be a big fish in a small pond.


2. A boxing gym is owned by a manager and often personal boxing trainers chip in to pay the bills and pay to use facility. Different trainers have their students spar each other. This gym produces many good fighters because of competition.

In this gym make sure you pick the trainer that is compatible with your style and personality.
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Because mma is a greedy sport especially bjj

Because MMA Gyms utilize more coaches and this "old school boxing gym" bullshit in the OP is a joke. Modern real estate is a fucking ripoff. Boxing gyms arent cheap either.
 
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