UFC Expanding Fighters' Paychecks
by nk on Jan 30, 2009 5:31 PM EST
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The Associated Press reports
LAS VEGAS—The Ultimate Fighting Championship has signed deals with two of its top fighters to give them signature gyms in a chain of fitness clubs planned by the mixed martial arts league.
UFC President Dana White said Thursday that the gyms will be named for B.J. Penn and Georges St-Pierre, scheduled to fight Saturday in Las Vegas for the UFC welterweight title.
White says the fighters will be paid royalties from the gyms whether they are fighting or not.
Mark Mastrov, a former 24 Hour Fitness CEO working to open the new clubs, says the fighters’ gyms will be open by the end of the year in Penn’s native Hawaii and St-Pierre’s hometown of Montreal.
This is a great way to put some serious money in the fighters pocket. It could also help grow a bigger hometown fanbase for fighters. Both these guys have deep roots in their community, and other fighters like that could benefit also. i.e. Rich Franklin in Cinncinati, Brock Lesnar in Minnesota.
While promotions like Affliction have given out larger fight purses then the UFC, they will not be able to keep up with the amount of money a fighter can make if the UFC keeps this up.
photo via mmajunkie.com
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It will be interesting to see how this pans out. How are the fighters tied to these gyms, considering they ostensibly wouldn’t be training there? What are the fighters’ obligations to these establishments? Who is going to get deals like this? I think we could see Couture, Liddell, and Lesnar gyms, but that is base speculation (the best sort).
Nonetheless, prima facie, I take this to be a positive development.
And for some more speculation: I wouldn’t be shocked to see more of these gyms in areas where Zuffa is trying to expand to and develop the MMA scene.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
Positive but i'm skeptical
A royalties percentage? .0000000001% is a percentage too. And of what exactly. This still won’t effect the mid tier fighters and top level little guys where my concern is at. I’m not really that worried about GSP’s financial situation as I am Jose Aldo’s.
Gimme 1 Round!
Faber was making money by opening his own gym. Also, regional MMA promotions have been doing this pull to lure in more fans. Causal fan joins not knowing much about the sport or connection to the gym than the promoter makes the rounds building connections while people work out.
Lets hope this venture does better than Xyience.
It’s can’t do much worse. I mean, even Affliction has done better than Xyience.
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard
That’s a good way to start. But what happens with fighters who already have an established gym like Randy’s Xtreme Couture or in this case, Penn’s Training Center. Will they give them more funding for equipment, a gym makeover and then slap their logo (i.e. UFC Gym: Xreme Couture’s)?
Skwirrl has a good point too regarding the Mid/Lower tier fighters. But then again, a rising tide raises all boats. Maybe if this took off, there’ll be more budget to increase the base salary of the athletes? Or they’ll come in as coaches on their down times.
Looks positivebut I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
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