The Myth of the Big Money UFC Sponsor Check

They fight three times a year. It’s a niche sport. Obviously they aren’t going to be rolling in it.

And Mitrione was talking about his brain damage from football, not fighting.

I don’t think Mitrione getting such a asmall amount that he decides to fire his agent is really proof of anything.

I think there’s a lot to be said about the low pay scale of professional MMA fighters, especially ones in the UFC, but this article doesn’t expose any myths; it just talks about one isolated case and gives a vague and incomplete picture at that. There needs to be more research done, more actual numbers and facts.

That being said, I do have a feeling you’re right to a degree – although this article is woefully anemic in terms of hard facts. As for how to fix it, it seems like the clearest solution is for UFC fighters to unionize. Unionization is the typical and historically most effective solution when a large group of employees are being exploited by an employer. Of course it’s easier said than done, but if they could get a few of the big draws like Lesnar, GSP, and Couture to get behind it, it could get real traction.

But you don’t present a whole lot of evidence for your case. I was interested when I saw the headline but one anecdote about Mitrione doesn’t make any kind of case about the sport or the UFC in general.

This seems like it’s an isolated case. I’d like to know what the top 40 paid UFC guys get for sponsorship.

The point of the article was that fighters shouldn’t have to rely on sponsorship to get by, the purse from the UFC should be enough! Amir Khan just got over a million dollars for a gimme fight on free TV against Paulie Mallignagi! More than the entire card cost Zuffa to put on UFC 119! Come on man, that cannot be right!

Then the whole point you’re making is a myth as well.

First off, I’ve only ever once even read sponsorship numbers for a UFC fighter, and that’s when he (and it’s not Mitrione) aired a grievance with another manager on the UG after he came to said manager with $8K for non-televised fight (and the manager got him a little more). I say this only to be clear that I don’t know shit.

To use the ballpark figures Snowden mentioned, let’s say a guy on the unaired card has a 3/3 contract and gets $5K per fight in sponsorships and he fights 3 times in a year. If we assume he loses all three fights and hasn’t been cut (unlikely), he took home $9K from Zuffa and $15K in sponsorship money, for a total of $24,000 in pay. If he gets 50% of that after manager fees, taxes, trainer fees, etc, he’s basically making minimum wage. But that guy isn’t – or shouldn’t – expect to be a full-time fighter if he’s only on the unaired prelims, and he’s probably working part-time by either teaching at a gym or bouncing (or something more lucrative) and could be doing appearances or seminars. That’s not great by any means, but it’s not bad for a guy that nobody ever sees fighting. One of the benefits to winning fights and getting on air is that – even though your contract pay still sucks – you can demand more money from sponsors BECAUSE more people will see your ad on the fighter’s shirt/shorts/banner. And if you want to think long-term, a single unaired fight in the UFC still allows that fighter to be promoted as a “UFC veteran” by regional promotions, and they should be paying a premium for that (and I suspect they do, but I don’t have Snowden’s unstated inside sources to consult with).

Now, $5000 in sponsorships for a fight guaranteed to air on Spike TV… that’s ridiculous, and it’s why the manager was fired publicly.

And by the way, I do think those fighters should be paid more, but I’m willing to look at what they’re getting paid and why they’re getting paid that amount.

Matt should have gotten at least 20k. From what I have heard from a few guys that have fought in the UFC, there is no reason why even the lowliest guy does not make 10k from his shorts, shirt, hat, hoodie and whatnot. Most of them are making a lot more than that.

SC it’s not. On the average guys in Mitrione’s position last night get around 20-25 TOPS. That’s being generous. The revenue split between Zuffa and the fighters is a disgrace. Boxers make millions for PPVs with MUCH LESS buys, and guess what? Zuffa produces their own shows, therefore doesn’t have to cut in HBO, and boxers make much more in sponsors than the UFC because boxing is A LOT more mainstream. The bottom line is Zuffa are crooks, but the fighters, as ironic as it is, are too cowardly to start a union looking out for each other and demanding a change. They really do run it like pro wrestling. And their corrupt business model is more entertainment than sport.

Despite Zuffa’s dominance of the market, isn’t it inevitable that the athletes will start to consider a union or representation of some kind?….all major sports, of which MMA is edging closer to, evolve over time in this manner….and usually because a Donald Fehr type character gets involved. But boxing, one can say, has been unable to move in that direction and it is the closest comparison…..I think it has been suggested that MMA attracts a greater socioeconomic mix……I would wager Snowden argues it is overdue and it will happen eventually. Or maybe I am getting ahead of the argument?

I would like to offer up an observation:

This article could easily be titled: The problems with sponsorship money. It could talk about the amounts many assume fighters get don’t always materialize.

Instead, this has been put together as an attack piece and some valid points got lost because of it.

Whaaaat the Hell Snowden? You’re killing me over here. Did your GF just dump you while all your friends stood by and laughed?

Take a moment and sleep on these stories for a little bit before you post them? Are you being paid per word?

Every one of these fighters agree to their contract with the UFC and they all have the freedom to quit the UFC and pursue some other interest. The bottom line is, the free market will prevail no matter how many unions you can put in between.

And as everyone else stated, a post should have something to back up. After I finished reading it I thought it was an exposee on Mitrione’s agent! He fired him because 5k sponsorship money is way too low. And even if it wasn’t too low, let him negotiate a better contract or let him go somewhere else! Or go back to school and get training that gets himself better money. Who are you to decide how the UFC should run their business?

Props to Snowden just when I thought he couldn’t write anything worse than the last 2 articles he put up, he comes up big like the Yankees tonight and tops himself again well done.