CBC Special ON UFC's Fighters Pay

[clmetal]

adolf,

where would you like to see the money go if it doesn't go to the fighters? why not want to see the fighters get more?

Exactly, don't we like the fighters more than the owners? Their salaries as a percentage of revenue is less than 1/10th of what it is for other pro sports, and they don't provide benefits.

I guess as an entrepeneur, he enjoys seeing Dana squeeze more out of everyone (and likes Dana more than all the fighters combined)

[Adolf Oliverbush]

adolf,

where would you like to see the money go if it doesn't go to the fighters? why not want to see the fighters get more?

I would like to see the money go to who ever deserves it. Lets say some high school drop out who can barely read and has a drinking problem tries out for the UFC and wins a couple of fights, thus gets booked. I'd like to see that guy make $3k + $3k, since he isn't worth a whole lot more than that. Lets say that the kid wins some fights, shows a lot of heart, and the crowd begins to take notice of him and come to see the fights, partially because he's on the card. I'd like to see his pay go up to about $8k + $8k.

Now lets say he does all the right things and in spite of his lack of formal education and very questionable habits, he conducts himself in a manner where the company looks good and they are able to market him to the masses, I'd like to see him go to about k + k. As he continues to develop, he's likely to take on some higher ranked guys and once he does, should he win and become a contender, I want to see him making k + k, all day long and of course, sponsorships, appearance gigs, free stuff, cool shit; eg: women brought up to his room, the occasional sack full of cash, the outings with UFC brass and all the perks that go along with it, etc.

That's what being a Fcuking fighter should be about!

[leglace]

Something to consider. Most gyms/trainers take about 1/3 of the purse.

[gutfirst]

I would like to see the money go to who ever deserves it. Lets say some high school drop out who can barely read and has a drinking problem tries out for the UFC and wins a couple of fights, thus gets booked. I'd like to see that guy make $3k + $3k, since he isn't worth a whole lot more than that. Lets say that the kid wins some fights, shows a lot of heart, and the crowd begins to take notice of him and come to see the fights, partially because he's on the card. I'd like to see his pay go up to about $8k + $8k.

Now lets say he does all the right things and in spite of his lack of formal education and very questionable habits, he conducts himself in a manner where the company looks good and they are able to market him to the masses, I'd like to see him go to about $16k + $16k. As he continues to develop, he's likely to take on some higher ranked guys and once he does, should he win and become a contender, I want to see him making $25k + $25k, all day long and of course, sponsorships, appearance gigs, free stuff, cool shit; eg: women brought up to his room, the occasional sack full of cash, the outings with UFC brass and all the perks that go along with it, etc.

That's what being a Fcuking fighter should be about!

that's not what i asked. the money is out there. let's say the kid get 8k instead of 16k. where do you want the left over 8k to go?

[Adolf Oliverbush]

that's not what i asked. the money is out there. let's say the kid get 8k instead of 16k. where do you want the left over 8k to go?

You asked where would I like to see the money go and I answered your question in the very first line.

I would like to see the money go to whoever deserves it.

Here's a thought, how about paying down some of their debt? I wouldn't mind seeing the companys rating improve by virtue of their debt sheet being a little lighter. When that kid deserves the $16k, give him the $16k and pay down the debt with other profits.

[clmetal]

Adolf pay down the debt they incurred paying themselves a $300m bonus. Not like they have a history of losses they need to recoup - I'd be more understanding if that was the case.

Leglace, for some of the camps, they aren't getting much in recognition when someone is making $3g or $5g.

[Adolf Oliverbush]

Tell you what Claudale, so you feel better, how about they pay down the $44 million debt they incurred trying to get the UFC off the ground. Just let $300 million of debt ride on the sheet and clean up the rest. That make you happy?

The point is to get the UFC as much out of the red, so they don't shut down and go away like the IFL, WFA, Elite XC, Pride, Affliction, etc. I'm looking out for the good of the sport and you're looking to give some punk kid a handout. Lets reward those that deserve and earn it. I think it's fair that Mr. Dana White got a bonus, given the tremendous job he's done. You don't?

[clmetal]

The owners deserve to make more than the fighters, I agree with that. But the fighters in total getting ~5% of revenue? That's really low.

And about the unsubstantiated $44m figure, I think they get that amount back in profit every 6 months or so.

If the company needed the $300m, the Fertittas were in a position (are in a position) to return it. They took it out because they were courting potential investors. I am sure they still have a huge debt figure on their balance sheet because the owners choose to pay themselves sizeable distributions with the business profits instead of paying off this debt.

[Adolf Oliverbush]

Every business has debt Claudale, save perhaps Microsoft, but that doesn't mean that you ignore it and just give more and more to the work force. You have to give to those that earn and deserve, while tightening up expenses elsewhere. Don't forget the purchase of Pride, WEC, WFA, etc. Add the European expansion and you find yourself spending a lot of that profit you speak of. I want to see fighters make what they deserve, perhaps even a penny or two more, just because they work very hard in many cases and really try to deliver a good product to the paying public. But this automatic pay raise you speak of, just because their job is physically strenuous is ridiculous. The UFC has a lot of expenses, don't think all of that revenue is profit and just going into the owners pockets. They are heavily in debt and I'd feel a lot better about the future of MMA if they continue to pay down some of that debt. Your thoughts please, Claudale