Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Reactions to pay figures for UFC/Reebok apparel deal and fighter backlash
May 12, 2015 - 2:55:08 PM ROUNDTABLE: Reactions to pay figures for UFC/Reebok apparel deal and fighter backlash

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What's your reaction to the payscale for the UFC's Reebok uniform deal? Do you think they'll make any changes given the negative reaction from many fighters this week?


DAYNE FOX, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I was expecting a backlash once the financial figures were released, knowing that a number of fighters made quite a bit more off of their sponsors than their salary, but I was surprised at how low the figures ended up being. As I recall, the UFC was stating that they "wouldn't make one dime" off of the deal, but if my math is correct there is a lot of unaccounted money for a year. I understand that operating costs should come into account as well and have no problem with that, but there is still a large gap there.

I think something will give, but it won't be anything monumental. In addition to the negative PR backlash the UFC has received over this, Scott Coker has claimed he has received a number of phone calls over the sponsorship rules in Bellator. The UFC knows that it has given Bellator an advantage of sorts in the battle for talent and will have to make up that ground. Perhaps they will begin to bump up the overall salaries little by little, perhaps they will bump up the Reebok sponsor money. Something like that should give, but it won't be earth shattering.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think it's ridiculous. I don't know if I believe a guy like Brendan Schaub when he says he's made six figures from sponsorships in each of his last several fights, but the fact that he would say that tells you that, even if he is exaggerating, the actual number is way beyond what the Reebok deal is paying. Schaub could have been making half of what he said he was and he would still be making five times as much as this Reebok deal pays. That's just absurd.

The UFC will have to change this because it makes them look so low-rent. The Champion gets $40,000 in this deal? Obviously, that's a hell of a lot of money, but it's a pittance compared to what the UFC makes. Hell, the UFC could sell a shirt with just the UFC logo on it and make more than that in a week. I think the UFC starts backpedaling and makes a grand announcement that they're doubling the reported figures for sponsorship pay by the end of the week. They have to, if they want to think longterm. You can't sow seeds of discontent and expect everything to work out in the future.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

The pay scale for the Reebok deal is basically awful the further up you go. Guys on each tier are going to lose a small fortune on each fight because of this exclusivity deal. I think these guys should be able to either opt in or opt out of it, and not be bound by a business decision that is generally detrimental to the fighters and perhaps just more fair for the company as a whole. There are oodles of fight wear companies out there who pay or have paid the sponsor tax, which in itself is absurd, and throw money at fighters to wear their gear into the Octagon, much more than the UFC is going to be setting them to earn with the Reebok deal. It's just bad all around and is more likely to deter high earning fighters from entering the UFC ranks at any point. Phil Davis, who just exited on his own accord to join Bellator, is going to make more money on his apparel than Chris Weidman or Cain Velasquez will because he isn't being forced into this horrid deal. This could be a real game changer in a very negative way.


CASH NORMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Since the UFC intially announced the Reebok sponsorship deal in December 2014, my reaction has remained the same: the fighters are getting screwed.

While the Reebok payscale based on tenure is better than the initial proposed payout by rankings, it still isn't adequate compensation. A fighter with the UFC that has had over 20 fights in the organization will only make $20,000 a fight. Averaged out at three fights per year, it will take seven years to reach that sponsored amount. If you take it one step further, this deal says that a fighter's value over the course of 20+ fights is equivalent to $1,000 per fight or $3,000 per year. The problem with basing pay solely on tenure is you will have some who have reached the 20 fight mark but are still not draws for the UFC. Take for example Gleison Tibau, he has over 20 fights for the UFC, are you going to tell me he has the drawing power of Conor McGregor? McGregor's fifth fight for the UFC will be for a championship belt, meanwhile Tibau has never fought for a championsip nor seriously been seen as a contender in his division. So, if McGregor wasn't fighting for the title and didn't already have an existing deal with Reebok, he should only be compensated $2,500 for wearing their apparel? McGregor should receive the minimum compensation after headlining shows and having ravenous fans that fly outside the country to follow and support him during the fights?

Even as champion, the elite of the elite in the sport, you will only be paid $40,000 per fight. Since the UFC likes to compare itself to other professional sports, can you picture a scenario in which another major sports apparel company would offer Lebron James $40,000 to wear their clothing? Can you see Tom Brady or Russell Wilson willingly accepting $40,000 after winning the Superbowl? Is there a plausible scenario in which you could visualize David Ortiz being told he would make only $40,000 per game after leading his team to winning a World Series? And by the way, you're only going to receive that compensatory amount 2-3 times per year. Not a single elite player in any other professional organization would accept that amount; however, elite UFC fighters will be forced to agree to those terms.

Lorenzo Fertitta attempted to smooth over the forced sponsorship deal by saying that fighters will still be allowed to acquire sponsors, but are unable to wear any of their clothing during UFC events. For a majority of sponsors, the only time fighters would be able to promote their brand is during fight week. The reason professional athletes outside of MMA can easily receive sponsorship dollars outside of their career as a basketball, football, or baseball player is because those sports appeal to a much broader audience. MMA is still a niche sport, though the UFC is attempting to build the promotion to be on par with other major sports leagues. A majority of individual sports teams are worth more than the UFC, the promotion isn't close to being commensurate with an actual sporting league such as the NBA, NFL, or MLB, so why are they attempting to structure themselves like one? The other major difference between those leagues and the UFC is that the athletes have player unions to represent their interests, ensuring that athletes such as Brendan Schaub - who said he earned six figures or his last several fights in sponorship money - isn't forced to accept one-tenth of what he normally earned.