Are PPV Percentage Contracts Keeping UFC Stars off European Shows?
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:03 PM EST
in MMA News
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PrintOnly one star with a PPV percentage scale built into his contract has ever fought on a European UFC PPV show. His name is BJ Penn, and the show (UFC 80) did 225,000 buys. Given the very small bonus he got, it's no surprise that he doesn't have interest in participating in a tape delay PPV show from Germany.
Anderson Silva was originally pencilled in to fight at UFC 95 from London, but turned it down for similar reasons. He publicly said he wasn't ready, but this is the same guy who wanted to fight 3 weeks after his last one. Now he will ride Liddell's coattails to some decent money in April.
Looking at UFC 85, 93, and 95 you again notice there are no stars on these shows with PPV bonuses. The difference is hundreds of thousands of dollars and many viewers. It's hard to blame fighters' agents for taking this view, it is their job to maximize revenue for their clients while they are on top of the game. It's up to the UFC to bridge the gap.
Perhaps an enhanced scale for Europe is in order? The only problem is that the European shows, while profitable, are not exactly making a killing, and it's not clear yet that adding big names to those shows will make a big difference on PPV. It may just be that fans don't pay for PPV on tape delay.
This is a serious problem, and you could see the first effects at UFC 95 this weekend. The announced attendance of 13,000+ was heavily papered, as evidenced by the fact that the same attendance drew a significantly higher gate just last June. Even if you factor in changes in currency, the numbers are down by almost half. If they send substandard shows abroad they risk insulting foreign fans that rightly feel entitled to see top stars for their hard-earned money.
I don't think all hope of BJ defending in June is lost, I suspect the "negotiations" involve his team asking for more to fight there. However, I wouldn't be shocked if Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin is the main event of UFC 99.
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Wow...two things
1) the PPV percentage contract issue being a reason for the less than star studded Euro shows never once crossed my mind. I’m shocked that I’ve managed to not even think about it once.
2) Franklin/Silva as a main event is…not great. I love the fight on paper, but generally main eventing with two guys who lost their last fight is a no-no.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Feb 24, 2009 12:10 PM EST reply actions
Agreed...
Rome picked up on a gem of a point, but we don’t exactly know the underlying clauses in the contract. Maybe the UFC does have a multiplier in place, but I doubt it. This could be a massive problem with their contract structure that needs to be addressed.
Franklin vs. Silva stinks to me, but moreso on a stylistic point instead of because of their records. I think Franklin’s size and reach are just way too overpower to allow Silva to win. It makes me feel a bit bad for Silva because he’s on the verge of being defeated again twice in a row.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
What about Liddell vs W.Silva?
Or Jackson-Jardine?
one more take on your point...
Say for the sake of argument that BJ is missing the show for both a lesser cut of ppv and that he wants to spend time with his child. I think this may up the chances of another star getting a “special” bonus to appear in germany. A bucket load of money may make Randy’s camp 6 instead of 8 weeks. Also, Viking photog is reporting that the rumor of CroCop in Germany is still flying around pretty fierce at the UFC 95 presser. I think if they can get Randy OR Crocop on this card along with Wand vs Franklin, they will be in good shape.
by Nick Travaglini on Feb 24, 2009 12:18 PM EST reply actions
I think they’ll get Mirko. Randy wants to be on 100. To no shock, he also has a PPV percentage bonus. He’ll make millions more on 100 than 99 if it happens.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
Mirko is almost a given at UFC 99 in Germany. Couture will likely be in for UFC 100, and while some of the rumors are that the UFC will sign Fedor to a one-fight contract, I think that’s complete BS to be honest. It’ll be interesting to see who’s up for Couture. Nogueira?
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
I think it’s Nog. I actually believe Fedor will be in UFC by the year’s end, but July is too soon to make a deal. I think Randy wants to get a win at heavy, so if Fedor comes in and beats Brock he is in a good position to get a shot at Fedor.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
Well, I’m not insinuating that Fedor won’t be in the UFC. I think he will as well, but I think Barnett vs. Fedor will happen first, and it’s likely to be within the same time period as UFC 100 or within a time period that Fedor can’t do both.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:30 PM EST up reply actions
Also...
The whole Fedor rumor that Iole tried to press was that the UFC was going to sign him for a one-fight deal, which is absurd to me. He basically shrugged off the fact that if Couture was beaten by Fedor, it wouldn’t be a huge deal.
While it may not be a huge deal, what happens if Fedor demolishes Couture in 33 seconds or something to that extent? Does he not think fans won’t want to see Fedor fight? It almost helps out the next promotion that signs him.
The whole one-fight deal thing just rubs me the wrong way. I think the UFC is smarter than that.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
People will start buying those shows in Europe when they start stacking the cards with talent people want to pay to see. There’s no reason a show in Euroipe headlined by Chuck with guys like Anderson or BJ on the co-main event won’t do over 500K buys.
Yet the UFC continues to throw together shitty foreign cards time and time again. Until they start stacking the cards like they do for the Vegas events, they won’t get the buys they need.
They also may be stashing a certain class of fighter on shows where they don’t have to report base purses. For example, Fabricio Werdum was rumoured to be making six figures per fight, but he fought three times in the UK and once in Chicago. We haven’t seen a pay figure for Michael Bisping since UFC 66. Dan Hardy, Denis Kang and Mark Coleman have all yet to have a purse reported. Caol Uno, who one would assume is being paid handsomely if he is leaving DREAM, will debut in Germany.
Oh, you’re stretching… but then again, I could see the UFC doing so in order to curb other fighters from requesting more pay, guys getting upset.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:31 PM EST up reply actions
I honestly think Uno is there just because his fights have been on European TV in the past. Bisping will fight in Vegas in July, and we saw his pay for 78 in Jersey.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:32 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t believe we did, NJAC didn’t release them.
by Michaelthebox on Feb 24, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
whoops, just figured we did. Anyway we will see his pay in 4 months in Vegas.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Uno is probably there because of his fights on European TV, but ultimately, he’ll be a draw on a Japanese card. And I agree with smoogy on the assumption that the UFC is likely paying him handsomely. He was making some huge green in DREAM.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
Like Matt Hughes, Dana just gives him big bonuses on top of his disclosed salaries. In 2007 his disclosed salary was barely 200k or so, but his agent said that he made about a million in fighting that year. They just bonus him.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Come on, don’t hold out on us. This must be a source of friction, especially when Anderson is arguably an inferior draw and he gets points on the PPV.
Anderson only got points on PPV when he threatened to leave and go to boxing and cause another whole nightmare in court for the UFC during the Randy COuture fiasco. The Roy Jones thing was more serious than people know, they had to pay him off to keep him quiet.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:56 PM EST up reply actions
Also it’s easy to give a guy PPV points when he doesn’t draw shit, you still don’t have to pay much.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
This is why you shouldn’t doubt that Soares will play hardball when it comes to the Lyoto situation. Machida has already indicated that he won’t just fight anybody between now and his title shot. I don’t have Zuffa moles keeping me updated, but every indication is that Ed is a sharp dude who knows how to get what he wants for his fighters.
I think the Anderson situation was very unique, and it was unique in ways I can’t write about here. I don’t think Machida has the same kind of leverage.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 1:14 PM EST up reply actions
Interesting
Who told you this about ppv?
by Banned In DC on Feb 24, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, and Hughes and Franklin should probably look for new representation if they’re being pushed around so easily like that. To have such a low guarantee, and receive a vast majority of your pay from discretionary bonuses that can be changed or removed entirely on a whim by the UFC… that is ridiculous. It puts Couture’s complaint about the Gonzaga locker room bonus into perspective.
they also get paid bonuses for ancillary rights in addition to their disclosed, which is not reported. More than half is not discretionary…there are other payments in UFC contracts besides PPV and disclosed. Mirko made a lot on ancillary rights too.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 1:15 PM EST up reply actions
Rich and Wand are basically perfect main eventers for them in Europe…the money isn’t tied to PPV, they get ancillary rights bonuses and discretionary money.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions
His entire title reign took place under his original contract.
by Michaelthebox on Feb 24, 2009 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Half of his main events have been since he dropped the title. So if they just give him big bonuses, he’s cool with doing the UK cards. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that guys with PPV points that don’t make a lot on a UK card would get bonuses as well to make up for the lack of PPV money?
It’s all comparative to what they made otherwise. He’s done one europe show since his new contract, I still believe he is not getting points.
Say they bonus him 200k or so when he fights. The difference between 250k and 450k on PPV under their scale is a lot bigger, and the sponsorship money is much higher on American shows.
The difference on big ones…if Randy did 99, it would probably do 400k. If he’s on 100, the show probably does 900 to 1 million. Thats a difference of over $1.5 million under his contract. I don’t see them bonusing him that on a show that is only moderately profitable in Europe.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
Here’s a question: is there pay-per-view in some of these other countries or are all of these cards simply broadcast on whatever local cable stations they have? If so, do the PPV numbers we see reflect the addition of the foreign numbers?
I don’t think they get much on foreign ppv besides canada. On most places it is on free TV or subscription TV. Fighters should be getting some portion of the subscription in the UK, but I find that unlikely.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
I like FightLinker's Theory
http://www.fightlinker.com/dana-white-dubs-ufc-95-the-greatest-card-ever.mma
Following an exciting night of fights which saw only two of the ten scheduled matches ending in decision, UFC president Dana White took time at the post-event press conference to feed crow to his detractors. "This is a message to all those internet haters out there: even when our cards suck, they still rock!"
"We’ve got scientists formulating these cards so the worse they are on paper, the better they actually end up being. By our calculations, UFC 96 in Ohio should be the greatest event of all time because the lineup is so embarrassingly weak."
There is just something about European cards, which often get the proverbial shaft in star power but seem to keep resulting in record numbers of knockouts. White credited pitting hopelessly inexperienced regional fighters against powerhouse warriors plus a secret blend of herbs and spices as keys to the success of cards like UFC 95.
The press conference was ended shortly after due to the number of fighters that needed to be hospitalized for precautionary measures and CAT scans. Dana White thanked the press in attendance and promised that the UFC would return to the UK with another second rate card soon.
"UK events are like limbo competitions. How low can we go? We’ll have to see. But we just started 2009 and we’ve already hit a new low. I think we can do better. Or worse. You know what I mean. So long as you keep buying, we’ll keep sliding."
If you hoped people would get that, you would have said satire and not theory.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
Seriously, all you have to do is read it.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 24, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions
While their theory is obviously satirical, the best theory I can really deduce is that MMA fighters overall in that region are subpar compared to American fighters. Hardy said some very good words in a recent interview in that wrestling isn’t done at the level it is worked in the U.S.
You can go to a gym in the US and be taught some solid wrestling by a former HS standout champion or collegiate standout. You really can’t be taught that well in the UK or Europe in that specific discipline. It helps a lot for American fighters.
Furthermore, I think the talent pool is lacking. You’re going to get a large number of quick finishes because the talent level between some of the matchups is deceptive.
The UK is getting better, but I fear fighters from Germany, France are going to have problems. Even Russian fighters have some problems with the exception of Fedor, but Sambo has some wrestling background so they have a slightly better base.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Feb 24, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions
On a side note, UFC 95 may be my favorite event in the last year. It was exciting and fun all the way through.
I’m not going to complain about getting to see 9 exciting fights instead of 5 for free(well 8 exciting ones Sanchez vs Stevenson was more frustrating than exciting). I doubt I would of paid for it but as a free show it’s hard to ask for much more.
94 had the Machida WTF moment bonus, which made it my favorite so far.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
There was nothing shocking about it.
Machida has always been a good fighter and I still don’t understand how anyone called him boring. I guess they can’t all be Leben’s or Davis’s.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 24, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
And the Jones/Bonnar fight too. God I loved that fight.
"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
by Rundownloser on Feb 24, 2009 3:47 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe the PPV buyrates are so low because they’ve never had that big of a draw before? You don’t think that if Liddell/Evans had been on that UFC 85 card in England it wouldn’ve done well?
I actually agree in general, but that’s not the view Zuffa takes and it’s not the one fighter agents are taking.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 3:21 PM EST up reply actions
It was originally set for PPV, they moved it to Spike when Anderson backed out and they had no good main event.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 6:07 PM EST up reply actions
I didn’t know he was booked for that show for him to back out of? You’d think if he pulled good numbers on free tv, there would be a way to make it work. It seems like there are undertones of blame in your article.
by Banned In DC on Feb 24, 2009 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
I’m not blaming anyone. He wasn’t booked, but initially agreed and then told them he couldn’t do it.
by Michael Rome on Feb 24, 2009 9:02 PM EST up reply actions
So 99 isn't going to have any PPV points stars
unless they get a huge bonus.
I think Randy is making the right move but I honestly would prefer him to be on the Germany card. Maybe he can commentate in German.
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