More sponsors added to the UFC banned list

Originally Posted by Hughes_GOAT

well you have all these fans saying fighters should be paid more and the sport needs to be mainstream. well, it starts with this.

I don't really understand.

How does this make the sport more mainstream?
No team sport chooses what companies can Sponsor a player.

Originally Posted by atomdanger

I don't really understand.

How does this make the sport more mainstream?
No team sport chooses what companies can Sponsor a player.

they have the right to tell them who can sponsor them and who can't. they don't want their product being associated with a certain sponsor, then that's their right.

How sure should we be that the story is Legit?

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Hughes_GOAT

they have the right to tell them who can sponsor them and who can't. they don't want their product being associated with a certain sponsor, then that's their right.

I don't believe that at all.

I'm sure a lot of these guys are signing with the UFC without a REAL agent, so it's possible with some fighters, but I don't see any decent agent letting something like that fly. They would not be a very good agent if they let that happen to one of their fighters.

I can understand the UFC not letting certain sponsors of fighters have their logos be aired on the broadcast IF it presents a direct conflict of interest with a UFC sponsor. However if the UFC is demanding a "fee" from the companies who sponsor fighters just because they can, then that is just wrong.

One of the primary arguments Dana has made, when talking about fighters pay, is that the fighters make good money from their sponsors as well. Now, the UFC wants a cut of the action, and that is taking money right out of the pocket of the fighters. Ultimately, there will be less outside sponsors, and the UFC will have even more control of the industry.

This is NOT something that moves the sport closer to the mainstream, or closer to better compensation for fighters. This is a move that is designed to put more money in the pockets of the people at the top of the food chain, Dana and the Fertitas. Not really a big surprise though, this is just another brick in the wall of cut-throat business practices coming out of the mother-ship of MMA in Las Vegas.

Ridiculous.

If I were in charge of a clothing company and the phone rang with this demand of $100,000 per fighter I'd tell them to go themselves, when I'd finished laughing.

[rockdawg21]

Dana sucks

Well it said for UFC 100 didn't say for all UFC's

I don't see why it matters who the fighter is sponsored by that makes that big of deal,except maybe a competing organization apparel.
If its just for UFC 100 I guess I can understand some,but if this is going to be an ongoing issue then I think its bad for the fighters financial health.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Crisco

Well it said for UFC 100 didn't say for all UFC's

I was thinking that that too, but it still does not make it right. I realize that UFC 100 is a bigger event than usual, with all the pomp and circumstance, but $100,000 is a lot of money to shell out for sponsors who may not be even spending a fraction of that on the fighter they are sponsoring.

Not to mention that most times when you sponsor a fighter, you are essentially gambling on that fighter. If the fighter wins, your product will likely get a plug in the post fight interview. If the fighter loses, you just spent over $100,000 to put your logo on a banner that gets seen for 10 seconds, or shirt that gets seen on the way to the cage. Sure, some sponsors put their logos on fighters shorts, but that is a gamble too, because you never know how long a fight will last. Either way, $100,000 is a ridiculous amount for the UFC to be asking. They are making plenty of money without meddling in the fighters outside sponsors.

One of Dana's main arguments against people critizing the small fighter salaries has always been "These guys get payed good money from the sponsors". HAHA What a joke.

Now the UFC, which has never been bigger and is making insane amounts of cash, has decided to shake down 3/4 of the biggest fighter sponsors for more money. I'm really in shock. Either the UFC has horrible money managment skills or some of the higher ups have some serious gambling problems, it could be a little bit of both.