Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

UFC fighter contracts

  • 14-05-2013 11:32pm
    #1
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,438 ✭✭✭✭


    It seems that Jonathon Snowden from Bleacher Report has gotten his hands on a UFC contract (from Eddie Alvarez) and has gone through it with a fine tooth comb.
    He even enlisted a law professor and had him take a look too.
    Apparently, according to this professor, the contract heavily favours the UFC rather than the fighter. Nothing really surprising there.
    But what is surprising is that this professor claims the UFC is in breach of a number of labor laws too.
    I'll just link to the article here and you can have a look. It makes for really interesting reading. And within the article, there's a link to view the contract in full.

    http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/14/4330572/ufc-fighter-contracts-revealed-dana-white-fertitta-mma-news


Comments

  • #2
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,257 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Some of the labour laws being quoted are bullsh*t. Violation of slavery laws due to an automatic extension of the contract? Get a grip!

    I do agree with the cutting aspect though. Something should be in place to stop that.

    At the end of the day though, sports seem to be in a world of their own when it comes to contract law. Remember Jean-Marc Bosman?

    Not to mention law in general. For example, if I was at work and bit a co-worker (Or anyone else) i'd be arrested. However, Luiz Suarez wasn't. Joey Barton has committed countless acts of assault on the football pitch but isn't always subject to the same consequences as the rest of us.


  • #3
    Mr. Manager
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 11,139 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. Manager


    I had a post written up but must have forgot to the 'reply'.

    If there was a serious breach of law regarding the contracts I'm sure one of the fighters, managers, fighters solicitors - whoever, would have picked up on it by now. There has been 100's of fighters come and go from the UFC. We would have heard something by IMO.

    There seems to be a lot of "Dana love" in his VLOGs. Almost comes across at times that everyone is licking his ass. Not sure if they genuinely think he's a legit, decent bloke or they do it to keep themselves in the good books should anything go wrong.

    Either way, surely at this stage, fighters know what they're getting themselves into. It doesn't make sense to read a contract, sign it and then complain when the company ass you to uphold your end of the deal.


  • #4
    p to the e
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,323 ✭✭✭p to the e


    Cereal Rapist wrote: »
    It doesn't make sense to read a contract, sign it and then complain when the company ask you to uphold your end of the deal.

    I assume that a legally binding contract would be quite heavy on the wording and that a fighter would sign anything if the UFC came along. This is why a lot of fighters now have managers that deal with this sort of stuff.


  • #5
    Mr. Manager
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 11,139 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. Manager


    p to the e wrote: »
    I assume that a legally binding contract would be quite heavy on the wording and that a fighter would sign anything if the UFC came along. This is why a lot of fighters now have managers that deal with this sort of stuff.

    Not to sound like a díck but if you sign a contract without reading it thoroughly, you're a fcking moron.


  • #6
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,438 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    If you sign a contract just to get into the ufc without getting someone to look over it first, that's one thing. But you really have no right to complain about it afterwards.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Richy06
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 963 ✭✭✭Richy06


    Yes, but if you sign the contract and the terms are pretty ****ing heavily one sided but hey, it's the UFC so what the **** else can you do? It's not like you've got many options if you wanna make it.

    Whatever way you look at it, the UFC doesn't pay their fighters enough, IMO.

    I mean, they can actually force you to resign for them if you're champ...sure it's them protecting themselves, but as employment law goes, that's pretty much straight up wrong.


  • #8
    unknown13
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,659 ✭✭✭unknown13


    Richy06 wrote: »
    I mean, they can actually force you to resign for them if you're champ...sure it's them protecting themselves, but as employment law goes, that's pretty much straight up wrong.

    If your the Champ in the UFC. You would not want to leave the UFC. The amount of money you would be getting paid would be insanely more than what any organisation could offer you.


  • #9
    Mellor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 39,613 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Some of the labour laws being quoted are bullsh*t. Violation of slavery laws due to an automatic extension of the contract? Get a grip!
    That part was nonsense.
    It would only be slavery if;
    A) they weren't paid, and
    B) they were forced.
    (They can decline if they wish and take a breach)

    The extension just means that they contractually have defend the title. Pretty standard I'd have thought.
    I do agree with the cutting aspect though. Something should be in place to stop that.
    Anytime I work on contract, my employer had the ability to end it at anytime.

    Fighters riding out the contracts kadt few fights for the money is bad for the sport and for fans.
    Not to mention law in general. For example, if I was at work and bit a co-worker (Or anyone else) i'd be arrested. However, Luiz Suarez wasn't. Joey Barton has committed countless acts of assault on the football pitch but isn't always subject to the same consequences as the rest of us.
    The law is the same. It'd be up to other players to press charges.


  • #10
    DrPhilG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,454 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    El Guapo! wrote: »
    But what is surprising is that this professor claims the UFC is in breach of a number of labor laws too.
    I'll just link to the article here and you can have a look. It makes for really interesting reading. And within the article, there's a link to view the contract in full.

    http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/5/14/4330572/ufc-fighter-contracts-revealed-dana-white-fertitta-mma-news

    Great!

    Now if only there was a high profile fighter willing to spend a ton of money on lawyers to try and break out of one of these flimsy unlawful contracts...


Advertisement