UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

[VanCitySportsGuy]

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/1/13/2704598/ufc-pay-a-closer-look-at-espns-story

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/page/UFCpay/ufc-fighters-say-low-pay-most-painful-hit-all

On twitter, Dana said the UFC also filmed the interviews and will release it uncut since he feels like ESPN is going to try to screw him over. He also bashed Josh Gross again, lol.

I do feel like some of the lower level guys should get paid more but nobody put a gun to their head to sign a UFC contract. The story also ignores the fact the fighters make money from sponors.

The owners of the UFC also risked their own money to build the UFC into what it is today.

[aholbert32]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I think there should be a minimum salary of at least 10,000 per fight. With that said I don't have that much of a problem with the pay scale. The fighters who people buy tickets for and PPVs for are paid well. The fighters who don't generate money make little. Seems fair to me. I don't pay 200 bucks to go to a UFC event and watch Jakob Volkmann. I go to watch Jon Jones and thats who should receive the lions share of the profit.

Plus comparing it to boxing, undercard fighters get paid around the same as UFC fighters but don't receive health insurance like ufc fighters.

I also read the story and I think it was a hack job by Gross. A whole lot of unnamed sources and I think Gross is still mad that Dana called him a "creep" at a press conference a while back. I'm a regular listener to Gross' podcast and while I think he makes some great points he definitely has a vendetta against the UFC at times.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I think there should be a minimum salary of at least 10,000 per fight. With that said I don't have that much of a problem with the pay scale. The fighters who people buy tickets for and PPVs for are paid well. The fighters who don't generate money make little. Seems fair to me. I don't pay 200 bucks to go to a UFC event and watch Jakob Volkmann. I go to watch Jon Jones and thats who should receive the lions share of the profit.

Plus comparing it to boxing, undercard fighters get paid around the same as UFC fighters but don't receive health insurance like ufc fighters.

I also read the story and I think it was a hack job by Gross. A whole lot of unnamed sources and I think Gross is still mad that Dana called him a "creep" at a press conference a while back. I'm a regular listener to Gross' podcast and while I think he makes some great points he definitely has a vendetta against the UFC at times.

Gross is probably still bitter that he's banned from UFC events.

Like you said, the top guys get paid and that's how it should be since they're the ones that sell tickets.

As for the Union debate, I think pay would be higher but as a fight fan I don't think I would like it. I hate lockouts/strikes in MLB/NFL/NHL/NBA and I would hate to see this in the UFC, especially if it was going to happen before a big card.

[Sandman42]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I think there should be a minimum salary of at least 10,000 per fight. With that said I don't have that much of a problem with the pay scale. The fighters who people buy tickets for and PPVs for are paid well. The fighters who don't generate money make little. Seems fair to me. I don't pay 200 bucks to go to a UFC event and watch Jakob Volkmann. I go to watch Jon Jones and thats who should receive the lions share of the profit.

Plus comparing it to boxing, undercard fighters get paid around the same as UFC fighters but don't receive health insurance like ufc fighters.

I also read the story and I think it was a hack job by Gross. A whole lot of unnamed sources and I think Gross is still mad that Dana called him a "creep" at a press conference a while back. I'm a regular listener to Gross' podcast and while I think he makes some great points he definitely has a vendetta against the UFC at times.

To be fair to Gross though, what current UFC are willing to put their names on this story and risk pissing off Zuffa and getting cut.

The story said that median fighter pay for the year could be in the 25K-30K range. I wonder if that's the disclosed pay they get from each event or after the fact; after taxes are taken out and fighters pay all their trainers, gym, etc.

[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

http://youtu.be/Fbbs5nKXliU

[jeremym480]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

http://youtu.be/Fbbs5nKXliU

Awesome. I love both Dana and Lorenzo.

On the topic at hand, I don't have a problem with the pay scale. If you want to made more cash train harder and hope that you have enough talent to make a name for yourself. If you don't then no one is forcing you to fight, so go find a job or go back to school. The choice is all up to the fighter.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I don't think I've heard Lorenzo speak before. I like White, but if Fertitta became the business voice of the UFC, I think mixed martial arts could really benefit.

[Flightwhite24]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I saw the story yestereday and I feel it they want to make more money, train harder and get better.

Over the years I used to hear people complain about there pay, I would always say "Why did you accept what was offered? I would never accept less than what I thought I brought to the table. Not sure from watching this if negotiation were available to the lower level fighters though?? Get better, make more $$$

[GiantYankee]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

Dana's response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7neKshmjzI&feature=youtu.be

Edit: $275 for 4rd ESPN fight. wow! Maybe Outside the lines should look into that.

[Sandman42]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

Dana's response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7neKshmjzI&feature=youtu.be

Edit: $275 for 4rd ESPN fight. wow! Maybe Outside the lines should look into that.

ESPN just airs those fights and it doesn't promote them.

The budget for FNF is small: $100,000 per show. This is not a big-time showcase for top fighters. It is, more or less, somewhere for prospects and mid-tier veterans to fight. At its best, like last season, Friday Night Fights turns into another version of ShoBox: The New Generation, which airs frequently on Showtime -- with a $50,000 budget per show, often used to great effect over three strong fights.

Fertitta claims, and I'm sure he's telling the truth, that someone fought on Friday Night Fights in a four-round bout for $275. What Fertitta doesn't reveal -- or perhaps does not actually know -- is that anyone in a four-round fight that winds up on the broadcast, on TV, was positioned in a swing fight that was going to air only if there was time remaining in the two-hour time slot. There are no four-round fights purposely scheduled to air on ESPN's series. A four-round fight is the lowest level of professional boxing, and frankly to call the majority of four-round bouts "professional boxing" is kind of a stretch; the fighters don't often resemble what we're used to seeing on TV, even from the middle-of-the-pack guys that get on ESPN or HBO or Showtime. It's kind of like comparing high school football to the NFL most of the time.

http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/1/15/2709915/ufc-fighter-pay-espn-video-lorenzo-fertitta-argues-espn-underpays-boxing#storyjump

So essetially that 4 round fight Feritta is bringing up is the equivalent of an amateur level fight in MMA, which would likely draw the same amount of pay.

[ThePPL]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

Just read that article posted by Sandman42. I kind of feel duped by Lorenzo Fertitta's comment on fighter pay. He sure fooled me into thinking that he brought in a good point about espn.

I still think espn was slimy for posting their segment about UFC Fighter Pay and I liked how ufc recorded the full interview so you could see what was edited out.

The comparison to the big four major sports was weak and with obvious reasons they failed to mention that ufc fighters earn money from sponsorship as well (it's all over their gear, clothing, and posters).

[aholbert32]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

ESPN just airs those fights and it doesn't promote them.

http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/1/15/2709915/ufc-fighter-pay-espn-video-lorenzo-fertitta-argues-espn-underpays-boxing#storyjump

So essetially that 4 round fight Feritta is bringing up is the equivalent of an amateur level fight in MMA, which would likely draw the same amount of pay.

Thats not true though. I've watched hundreds of episodes of Friday Night Fights and they have many 4 round fights that are scheduled to air on the program. Most are the opening show fights.

Also the amateur fight comparison doesn't completely work. Even the four round fights that aren't scheduled can end up on the broadcast if the scheduled fights run short. Those amateur MMA fights never end up on national TV. A better comparison would be a FB UFC prelim.

While ESPN doesn't promote the fights its still generates millions in revenue from advertising from the Friday Night Fights series. Lorenzo still has a valid point. If ESPN cared SO much about low fighter pay, why is it broadcasting fights that have fighters making under 1k? If ESPN cares so much about the fighters giving their heart and soul for chump change, why don't they add something to the show budget to make sure every fighter on the card is making an acceptable amount.

This is a very interesting article that shows that the UFC's payouts are actually better than most boxing events when it comes to lower tiered fighters.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/3/15/2053137/examining-pay-structure-in-boxing-and-mma

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: UFC Pay: A Closer Look at ESPN's Story

I couple of the lower tier guys have spoken out about how fair the pay is.

This whole situation once again proves why it's never a good thing to talk about salary.

Discussing how much you make is probably the most taboo subject (more than religion) for the majority of people. I don't even talk about salary with my friends. At a previous job, monthly and quarterly performance/company bonuses were given out. For the monthly bonuses, they would give you this certificate. A lot of people posted this on their wall but whenever I was given one, I quickly stuffed it in my bag or desk. I didn't want anybody else to know whenever I got a bonus. I agree with Fertita when he said the fighters don't want people to know how much they really make.