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UFC 57 Numbers
By Luke | February 11, 2006
By: Luke Nicholson
It looks like UFC fell just a little short of the projected, 3.8 to 4 million dollar gate, but still did very well. According to the NSAC, the show drew 10,301 paid, while grossing $3,382,400.
I think both numbers are very strong, but something that caught my eye right away, was the difference in attendance between UFC 52, the previous highest gate in UFC history, and UFC 57 last Saturday. It really shows the difference in ticket prices between UFC 52 and recent UFC events since then.
Hopefully, someone in the mainstream media will pick up on these kind of numbers and start asking some questions about why UFC grosses this kind of money, yet pays their fighters such a miniscule percentage of it. Its pathetic. This issue has been raised on the internet numerous different times, but I don’t think Dana White or Zuffa will really take much notice until someone with some mainstream clout starts writing about it.
Topics: All Topics, Luke Nicholson, MMA, UFC | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Some additional notes (medical suspensions) on the 2/4 event that should be noted:
– Justin Eilers is suspended for two months.
– Frank Mir & Randy Couture are suspended for one month.
– Nick Diaz is suspended until 3/22, Joe Riggs suspended until 4/6
– Gilbert Aldana is suspended until 4/6 due to nasal fracture.
Sherdog has the payscale numbers for the UFC 57 show.
All I have to say is that these fighters need much, much better agent/representation. If Dana can pay these fighters such a small amount of money, why not? The fighters don’t seem to be doing much homework, it seems, at the bargaining table.
I’m assuming that UFC also would be making money from a PPV deal, as well as merchandising, which makes the wages even more disgraceful
The fighters also make money from merchandise, endorsements & sponsors, Liddell was reported to earn around 2.7 million dollars in 2005. 300,000$ per fight for the big names is not that bad and is comparable to Pride, where the gates are much bigger.
The fighters need to be the ones who get this sorted. They need to group together and ask Dana what the fcuk is going on. The fighters are in a difficult position though. UFC is the number 1 mma company in the states and if u can fight on their PPV why turn it down.
Hopefully something will be done. U really can’t blame fighters if they fight on 1 off shows for K-1 or Pride like Penn did when they earn so much more elsewhere.
The top end of the UFC has fighters paid well. However when the company is making so much money they need to start spreading the wealth.
The key issue to me is that there is no longer any excuse for UFC featuring second rate talent. They have plenty of money to invest in a 3 fight deal for some of the top fighters in Pride and K-1.
In the same way that it is on the fighters to increase their wages perhaps it is on the fans to make sure better talent comes in. As a buisness there is no reason for Zuffa to either pay their talent more money or spend money on better talent if fans will tune in to watch 6 King of the Cage level fights 1 fight with 2 good fighters and 1 fight featuring a top guy against a minor leaguer.
I still strongly believe the UFC is still trying to regain some of their money back after blowing their money on stage sets in the past.
Oh and all of that pyrotechnics for Tito Ortiz.
Very true. Quinton Jackson should be brought it in to fight Chuck in a rematch. Consiering Quinton won the lst fight I see no reason why this couldn’t be built up well.
Heavyweights are a must. However I don’t think Dana wants to risk an outsider beating his champion Alovski.
Will UFC only change their wage structure and talent list if they get a real competitor. If Pride managed to run shows successufully in the US and could still some market share in the US UFC would have to react.
It’s no real suprise that most of the fighters salaries are so low. The UFC and Dana White deserve credit for what they have done on the amaerican MMA scene. We need to remeber that at the end of the day he is a fight pomoter. Most fight promoters by nature are pretty sleazy people. And the goal of any fight promoter, is to get the most out of your talent but at the same time pay the least amount of money.
Hell, if the UFC could get away with paying a fighter $200.00 per match they would. And the only way we are going to see salaries increase, is if other organizations come along that are willing to pay the fighters more.
Best of luck to the WFA, IFL, and Frank Shamrock. Hopefully they can change the landscape of american MMA so we don’t have to read about Jeff Monson and other guys being paid $6,000 per fight.
It’s all in the sponserships people!
A)UFC is making money which means they can continue to expand and pick up more fighters, more shows
B)The fighters are making more $ than working B level shows
C)The product is getting mainstream = more future benfits for the whole bizenss, more opportunities
D) Chuck is a millionaire for beating ass!
E) Quit bitching!
UFC 57 a Gold Mine for Zuffa, LLC
Luke Nicholson of FightOpinion provides the following information based on reports from the Nevada State Athletic Commission:
Until Dana starts having trouble finding fighters willing to work for peanuts to make it to the “big show” he has no reason to increase wages. The law of supply and demand tells us that while fighters are in good supply their value is low but as competition sucks up the fighters, their value will increase.
[…] On February 11th, Fight Opinion writer Luke Nicholson had a UFC 57 numbers article that discussed the payscale for the show. Certain fighters got paid a lot of money, and other fighters did not. The aftermath of this event has seen a lot of online discussion about how much fighters should be paid and whether or not promoters should be paying fighters more. […]