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ESPN Publishes Story On UFC Fighter Pay, Dana White Plans Response

by Luke Thomas • Jan 12, 2012 3:40 PM PST

ESPN.com published an article today questioning whether UFC fighters outside of superstars are paid enough by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The article's basic premise is it's true fighting in the UFC is the best option for MMA fighters and that popular UFC fighters can make a heft salary. But newer or less popular fighters face a much more grim financial reality. I won't re-hash the entire article, so go read it for yourself. It's a co-authored piece by Josh Gross (who has a contentious relationship with White) and John Barr. There were will an additional video component to the article, which will air as part of Outside The Lines this Sunday.

What's notable is the ferocious response UFC President Dana White had on Twitter today with Matthew Goldstein of The Fighting Post. Conversation after the jump.

Star-divide

We'll see where this goes. In all of my years of public relations, I did this once. I filmed a documentary film crew who the people I was working for at the time felt had significant impact with their reports and were potentially unfair. Our taping of an interview with the head of my company was taped by me. This had the effect of somewhat mitigating the impacts of the eventual documentary video. Zuffa may be surprised that the videos are more tempered than they anticipate (or maybe not). But clearly they're not pleased about undesirable consequences this report could have.

More on this story as it develops.

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Read More: espn, dana white, josh gross, outside the lines

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Does anyone else think it’s a scandalous breach of ethics for a network to put this kind of piece together in light of their recent business interest in the UFC?

by SundogMMA on Jan 12, 2012 4:10 PM PST reply actions  

Probably not

The .com editorial department probably has almost no interaction with the principals at ESPN who negotiate TV coverage and rights. It probably couldn’t hurt to disclose any previous involvement in some capacity, but I wouldn’t call that omission scandalous.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 12, 2012 4:12 PM PST up reply actions  

man Zuffa is going to play hardball with ESPN

and likely the won’t win…

To have a Cannae you must have a Varo
-George Patton
"The complete man must work, study and wrestle."
-Aristotle

by T.P. Grant on Jan 12, 2012 4:20 PM PST up reply actions  

This won't end well

Nobody beats ESPN. You either join them or they marginalize you.

Proud member of The Voices in Paul Harris' Head, BECW Season 2.
"By doubting we come to inquiry and by inquiry we perceive the truth." -- Abelard

by Patrick Wyman on Jan 12, 2012 4:24 PM PST up reply actions  

It sounds like more than just hardball. Dana sounds like he’s getting ready for war. Hopefully he realizes that taking on ESPN like this is just stupid.

"I think you'll see my style of man beast will definitely come through" - Brad Pickett

by bcpjkell on Jan 12, 2012 8:19 PM PST up reply actions  

He needs to defend himself, this is a hack job, ESPN is powerful, but they aren’t really the kings, when they screw up, they should be called out. This isn’t about whether or not the UFC should pay more, if you want to argue that they should, come out with facts and stronger stuff than this.

The UFC had huge growth without the help of ESPN, ESPN can’t kill them.

by Phildo on Jan 12, 2012 8:38 PM PST up reply actions  

ESPN calls scandalous breaches of journalistic ethics "Thursday morning"

Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.

BECW Season 1 - The NOT LAST PLACE Team Spinning Fish
BECW Season 2 - WAR Cecil Peoples Champs

by Dave Strummer on Jan 12, 2012 7:39 PM PST up reply actions  

I respect Josh Gross as a journalist

but he can be abrasive and excessive pessimistic. That said, he isn’t wrong here and Zuffa isn’t doing themselves any favors.

To have a Cannae you must have a Varo
-George Patton
"The complete man must work, study and wrestle."
-Aristotle

by T.P. Grant on Jan 12, 2012 4:24 PM PST reply actions  

Taking on the largest sports media conglomerate in the world is not going to help a relatively marginal sport, especially when they can run story after story lambasting MMA as a whole.

Proud member of The Voices in Paul Harris' Head, BECW Season 2.
"By doubting we come to inquiry and by inquiry we perceive the truth." -- Abelard

by Patrick Wyman on Jan 12, 2012 4:25 PM PST up reply actions  

agreed

very bad idea. You need ESPN on your side to grow and get casual fan interest. The biggest UFC PPV numbers in the U.S. have come with lots of pre fight coverage from ESPN.

To have a Cannae you must have a Varo
-George Patton
"The complete man must work, study and wrestle."
-Aristotle

by T.P. Grant on Jan 12, 2012 4:31 PM PST up reply actions  

T- two days until Dana’s in serious damage control mode. Gross can be a dick, but he’s not wrong here; accusing ESPN of engaging in yellow journalism without the facts on his side does not bode well.
ESPN couldn’t break the UFC, but they could make life very difficult; they could start putting together interviews with the union the Fertittas are fighting, cobble something together about brain injury, or just go with the “not suitable for children” angle.

Proud member of The Voices in Paul Harris' Head, BECW Season 2.
"By doubting we come to inquiry and by inquiry we perceive the truth." -- Abelard

by Patrick Wyman on Jan 12, 2012 4:51 PM PST up reply actions  

UFC still has a deal with ESPN UK to air fights

I’d say this pretty much kills a contract renewal when it’s up at the end of the year. Ugly.

Interestingly – and I know you’ll hate me for this – WWE has recorded their own interviews with ESPN as well for this same reason, when ESPN spoke to John Cena about steroids. WWE showed their own take of the interview on their website.

Bloody Elbow Grappling Editor.
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by KJ Gould on Jan 12, 2012 4:24 PM PST reply actions  

The UFC will be on either Sky or FX from September bank on it.

Don't follow in my footsteps I walk into walls

by MattParker117 on Jan 12, 2012 4:34 PM PST up reply actions  

This seems like another one of those Josh Gross stirring the pot kind of articles. I mean the article had no real information in it and anyone could have written it using anonymous sources. I wonder how much influence John Barr had in actually writing the article and doing the interviews.

Also, Ken Shamrock as an interview? Come on.

by originaldude on Jan 12, 2012 4:29 PM PST reply actions  

Matthew Goldstein

Is this Batt in the Borning from the Don and Mike show?

by sexysassytravismmafan on Jan 12, 2012 4:38 PM PST via mobile reply actions  

Nope.

Check me out on Twitter -- @TheFightingPost.

by Matthew Goldstein on Jan 13, 2012 8:05 AM PST up reply actions  

I said I was excited for this yesterday to see what E:60/OTL would bring to it, but Josh “Chael Sonnen should be executed for using testosterone but the SF HWGP with 8 fighters and 4 positive drug tests is the greatest thing since sliced bread” Gross being involved gives me pause.

He can and has done very good stuff, but his relationship with the UFC is destroyed, and anything with his name on it that is critical of the UFC needs to be taken with a whole lot of salt.

by Phildo on Jan 12, 2012 4:41 PM PST reply actions  

and now after reading the article, good lord, a murderer’s row of people that would speak negatively about zuffa, and only lorenzo to tell their side, I am sad.

by Phildo on Jan 12, 2012 4:50 PM PST up reply actions  

I bet UFC wouldn’t want anyone else responding to that, anyway.

What would’ve been helpful were sports business experts, labor economists and such who could offer meaningful qualitative and quantitative feedback. Those who can take a less invested, more nuanced view.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 12, 2012 5:02 PM PST up reply actions  

that’s true, but they couldn’t find a “fighter y” to get the shadow/voice box treatment to say they are happy with the pay? Or zuffa wouldn’t line up a few to do it publlicly?

But I can see why they would just pull out of the piece once they saw that the culinary union was involved.

by Phildo on Jan 12, 2012 5:19 PM PST up reply actions  

Gross should

Ask ESPN to start covering Golf, there is nothing worse than a reporter that is so hated by the major organization he is covering.

by Coeman on Jan 13, 2012 8:26 AM PST up reply actions  

lmao yea DW go take on ESPN see how that goes

than again DW only wants you to be hand fed the information he wants (like any sports head/businessmen wants)

Personally I think fighter pay is about right dose it suck to be a guy making 8/8 yes but what do you really bring to the UFC?

Twitter @MaZZM
http://www.mazzznet.com/

by MaZZacare on Jan 12, 2012 4:48 PM PST reply actions  

The guys at the bottom may not bring much, but you have to make the pay enticing if you want to get more people involved. Better athletes, more interest in the idea of going into MMA as a profession, it adds up. Considering all the crap these guys put in (paying coaches, supplements, training time…) you can see how it’s sort of self-defeating to not pay people enough.

I'd rather be trollin'.

by thirdparty on Jan 12, 2012 9:25 PM PST up reply actions  

if you last long enough to make it to a second or third contract your generally making good money

its a long term proposition for athletes not a upfront expect to make 50k and more you have to prove yourself first

Twitter @MaZZM
http://www.mazzznet.com/

by MaZZacare on Jan 12, 2012 9:44 PM PST up reply actions  

That may be how it is, I’m just saying that if they want to have more interest and talent coming into the sport, they need to pay more.

I'd rather be trollin'.

by thirdparty on Jan 13, 2012 2:44 PM PST up reply actions  

I want to see the Outside the Lines piece before I form an opinion

But one thing I will say is that this bit:
“the median annual income for fighters remains low, between $17,000 and $23,000”
seems off to me. The median income for a UFC card is usually more like $40,000. If the typical fighter fights twice a year that would put the median annual income at about $80,000. The only UFC fighters who are making $20,000 a year or less are the ones who fight once, lose, and get cut. And presumably those guys have other sources of income besides the UFC.

by MichaelDavidSmith on Jan 12, 2012 5:16 PM PST reply actions  

I'm no math whizz

but unless there are just a ton of low paid guys who fight once or twice, lose and get cut…ok maybe this is the median number but it seems really off

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Nate Wilcox on Jan 12, 2012 6:37 PM PST up reply actions  

It's impossible to judge...

the situation based on disclosed show/win purses. Everyone knows that those numbers are not necessarily all that the UFC pays (thought it certainly could be in certain cases). This conversation will necessarily be flawed unless there is full disclosure of what a fighter is making — from the bottom most fighter to the top most.

Check me out on Twitter -- @TheFightingPost.

by Matthew Goldstein on Jan 13, 2012 8:10 AM PST up reply actions  

It seems way off to me,

even just based on the reported numbers. See this: http://www.mma-manifesto.com/ufc-fighter-salary-database/salary-main/2011-year-in-review-ufc-fighter-salaries.html

Should be pretty simple to put those numbers into excel and get a median from that. And GSP made way more than Tito obviously, so the number will be low.

It’d also be more informative to see what the median pay amount was for 2011 on a per fight basis. Comparing guys who were cut after 1 fight to guys with 3 or 4 fights is like comparing the yearly earnings of a guy who worked all year and a guy who was layed off after 3 months.

I smoke on the mic like Smokin' Joe Frazier

by jhf884 on Jan 13, 2012 8:19 AM PST up reply actions  

retract that, no need for excell at all.

The median number is $36,000 (169 Waylon Lowe) just based on show/win purses & disclosed -of-the-night bonuses! (Source: http://www.mma-manifesto.com/ufc-fighter-salary-database/salary-main/2011-year-in-review-ufc-fighter-salaries.html)

They are off by half, w/o including sponserships, lockerroom bonuses, etc.

What sloppy reporting!

I smoke on the mic like Smokin' Joe Frazier

by jhf884 on Jan 13, 2012 9:12 AM PST up reply actions  

Right

And even aside from not including sponsorships and bonuses, that list is incomplete. For instance, for guys who got Zuffa paychecks via both the UFC and Strikeforce, it only includes the pay for their UFC fights. The median annual income for a UFC fighter is way over $17,000-$23,000 and a report that cites that number is highly questionable.

by MichaelDavidSmith on Jan 13, 2012 12:07 PM PST up reply actions  

I don’t get why the Fertitas and Dana even bother to justify their company’s pay roll, the UFC is a privately-owned company after all. They should do like any other business would do and say: “no comment”.

by Kenya_MMA on Jan 12, 2012 5:27 PM PST reply actions  

I just don’t see why this is a story at all. UFC fighters complaining about their pay. As opposed to all the guys in the NFL, NBA and MLB that are giving money back because they think they are so overpaid? Virtually everyone on the planet thinks they are underpaid. Ask around your place of work. See how many people think they are underpaid.

Personally I think this is an example of “Boy Band” fluff in journalism. Just write a story about how any group of people are “underpaid” and you’ll get a lot people patting you on the back telling you what a great job you did. Everyone but the guy at the top thinks they should make more. Well duh. (Personally if feels a bit like jock sniffing to me.)

I don't know what the world may need but a V8 engines a good start for me.

by jrobb20 on Jan 12, 2012 5:37 PM PST reply actions  

Maybe so, but, the largest marketing firms still use babies, ducks and puppies. It’s easy and it works.

I don't know what the world may need but a V8 engines a good start for me.

by jrobb20 on Jan 12, 2012 5:57 PM PST up reply actions  

Sooo remind me..

So remind me where the white, skinhead, ignorant and hateful stereotype for MMA fans comes from again? Oh, that’s right, the man a the top.

by Luffmania_2.0 on Jan 12, 2012 5:58 PM PST reply actions  

Conspiracy theorists beware

ESPN invested tons of money in soccer and still had SportsCenter hosts make fun of it. I think this had more to do with journalistic judgment than any sort of anger over TV rights.

But isn’t E:60 doing something, too? That sounds like overkill.

(Disclaimer: I got a fair amount of work from ESPN sites in 2011, mostly on soccer.)

by Beau Dure on Jan 12, 2012 6:12 PM PST reply actions  

At least they they got the most credible guy out there: Ken Shamrock

Sure, I think the fighters should get paid more, too…but the idea that Zuffa should somehow be punished or taken to task is absurd.

It’s been well documented that FEG has a history of not paying fighters at all. You don’t see guys clamoring to go make millions in Shark Fights.

Danny Castillo — DANNY CASTILLO! — just got paid a reported $38,000 for the fourth undercard fight at 141, and once you thrown in a few grand for sponsorships that’s probably $45-50k for DANNY CASTILLO, who nobody is specifically paying to see. Five years ago to the day, Thiago Alves got paid $22,000 to beat up Tony DeSouza at UFC 66 (and then promptly tested positive for a banned substance).

Show me how many occupations have seen ~90% salary growth in the last five years…it will be a short list.

Again, do I think the guys should see a larger cut of the profits? Absolutely. But let’s keep things in perspective before we pout for people reaping what they sow.

by PackMMA on Jan 12, 2012 9:48 PM PST reply actions  

Dana wants UFC to be a mainstream sport???

Between Gross and White, I agree more with Gross.
UFC don’t pay enough to their fighters compared to how much they’re keeping for themselves. True that Dana and those casion brothers did an excellent job making UFC to this big of a brand but the bottom line is that they’re doing it for the money which is perfectly fine. Just admit that you’re greedy like everybody else. Don’t pretend that you’re doing it for the fighters and the sport.
I’m getting sick of Dana acting like a thug whenever someone challenges him. When he banned those reporters from his events because they were critical, I’ve lost all the respect. They shouldn’t overdo it but reporters can and should be critical. They’re not a bunch of yes-men. Don’t throw f-bombs at every sentence. Try to be a respectable face of the sport if you really want the sport to grow. I really think that Lorenzo should do all the public stuff and Dana should work more in the shadow. Just calm down Dana and stop doing stupid shits. You’re a promoter, not a fighter. Stop acting like one.

by mmafansince1990 on Jan 13, 2012 1:06 AM PST reply actions  

I don't think Dana

Is mad about the criticism, there are many reporters that challenge him and he is fine with it. I think its more of how one sided the UFC is being portrayed and the nastiness of the article. Also we keep reading articles about how bad PPV rates have been last year and the huge investments by the UFC, its a business and the owners put their money to grow and develop the sport. Fighters get paid weather a PPV sold a million or 80K or if a TV show sold enough commercial slots. It is a very risky business.

by Coeman on Jan 13, 2012 8:44 AM PST up reply actions  

What's also very interesting is

that a day before a UFC PPV Spike chose to cover page advertise one of its shows on all the SBNation websites coincidence I think not.

by Coeman on Jan 13, 2012 8:09 AM PST reply actions  

That is very much a coincidence

I know how the deal was made. Trust me, it’s coincidence.

by Luke Thomas on Jan 13, 2012 8:56 AM PST up reply actions  

I hear ya but it really looks like an Andy Dufresne type of coincidence.

by Coeman on Jan 14, 2012 8:15 AM PST up reply actions  

The UFC isn't to blame for the lack of a union,

guys should be angry at the top ~ 30 fighters. Those are the guys who could actually form an effective union.

It isn’t like unionizing is super-hard these days, but the top fighters don’t have any personal incentive to do so.

I smoke on the mic like Smokin' Joe Frazier

by jhf884 on Jan 13, 2012 8:21 AM PST reply actions  

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