In the five years since the UFC left Fox to announce a stunning, $1.5 billion advertising deal through 2025 with ESPN, it was hard to find a moment when UFC president Dana wasn’t smiling. White.
White, the 53-year-old tireless maverick who has been the face of the sport’s most successful promotions since 2001, often closes each calendar year by reminding MMA fans of how expensive it is. much of the ESPN deal, usually in the promotion of the UFC’s best year. to date financials in the company’s history.
The beginning of 2023, however, feels a little different.
The UFC is currently at the crossroads of a disturbing series of stories, events and unresolved issues – mainly surrounding the treatment of its players – which has created a “perfect storm” the challenges that keep future success at risk.
Of course, there’s the never-ending topic of the pay-per-view fight that has dominated headlines for two years as White’s relationship with the MMA media has grown. called “scumbags” for questioning his choices. Then, there’s the recent gambling scandal involving respected former trainer James Krause, which led to the separation of two UFC fighters after the promotion banned participants. all from legal sales to fights amid legal concerns about product integrity.
To make matters worse, White publicly apologized this week after a photo of a physical altercation with his wife from New Year’s Eve surfaced. was filmed in a club in Mexico. No legal charges have been filed, but everyone from ESPN to the UFC and parent company Endeavor have been remarkably quiet in the aftermath.
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ESPN’s only comment about the event was to return the media to the UFC by saying, “ESPN does the distribution and the UFC gets the content.” .” From the ill-timed files, news of the turmoil in the White family came on the same day that former UFC fighter Phil Baroni was arrested in Mexico for allegedly the beating of his girlfriend to death.
All of this brings us to Thursday morning when, apparently from the left, one of White’s staunchest critics, the YouTube star turned former fighter of Jake Paul, announced that he has signed a two-fight MMA deal under the PFL banner, promoting a pay-per-view “super fight” segment. The PFL also announced that Paul will receive the company’s money and that his arrival means that the PPV team will receive “at least” 50% of the profits, which is a reasonable expectation. in the UFC, which pays its fighters, according to the previous court records, below. 20% of gross income.
While Paul’s story may seem unrelated on the surface, the biggest surprise from the show is that ESPN, which holds a small business deal with the PFL, actually found one. White’s biggest PPV opponent is Paul, who created a retired boxer. UFC fighters, compete directly against him under the same network banner.
Nakisa Bidarian, a former UFC CFO who was previously dismissed by White as a “disgusting accountant” was also hired by the PFL and given an equity stake. Bidarian, the founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, will assist with league operations and planning for the PFL’s PPV expansion.
The PFL co-founder Donn Davis also used Paul’s announcement, during an interview on Thursday with the New York Times, to express his intention.
“You’re no longer a prisoner in the UFC,” Davis said. “Now you can choose the UFC or the PFL, but what makes the PFL different is that we’re coming out with a real economic system for the fighters.”
While none of the issues currently facing the UFC are likely to lead to short-term problems — except for ESPN, UFC and its parent company Endeavor’s silence about White — the long-term threat each problem cannot be ignored. .
The focus of Paul and Davis on treatment costs is more than just payment, however, there is a direct connection with the sudden problem of gambling, which affects the UFC to a large extent. Way more than honest considering he signed a 5-year, $350 million deal with DraftKings in 2021.
One of Krause’s former fighters, Darrick Minner, had a famous fight on Nov. 5 and Shaylian Nuerdanbieke with a previous leg injury. Minner used the injured leg to kick twice in the first round before bending over in pain and stopping with an elbow.
The drastic change in the fight’s odds, which included a big payday coming off a first-round TKO loss for Minner, led to the fight being pulled from various sports, with the UFC now temporarily banned in various jurisdictions, including the Canadian province of Ontario, until the investigation that led to the expulsion of Krause and Minner.
But outside of the very real fear that Minner’s fight has teased the potential for behind-the-scenes impropriety and increased speculation surrounding the fight’s scheduling, it may not be the case. than what happened to former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in an October loss to the current champion. Aljamain Sterling.
Dillashaw seriously injured his shoulder in training and eventually came out of the socket over 20 times entering the fight. Dillashaw would lose by second round TKO after a dislocated shoulder in the opening minute rendered him completely uncontestable. The connection between Minner and Dillashaw surrounds the previous injuries and the UFC rules, which dictate that the promoter will only pay for surgery after the injuries suffered in the Octagon.
On the surface, the financial purchase of ESPN and the continued addition of new sponsors show that the UFC has progressed to a level of success and potential that can only dream of 15 last year. Back in 2008, the UFC became the first PPV show to represent the fight but had trouble breaking the bank’s brand struggling to get ad coverage from major outlets like ESPN (show complete: I worked for ESPN from 2005-2017).
At each stage of the company’s growth, White was the first in the game to predict the potential of the whole world and that the UFC will one day be called a “big four” along with the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and high school sports. Thanks to White, it became a reality, with the signing of the contract of ESPN and the promotion of the game through traditional positions on the web such as “SportsCenter” and ” First Take” is seen as a graduation, of sorts, in the official level of national clubs.
White’s long-established reputation for always exceeding fan expectations for big fights was further fueled by the legendary ways he kept the product in the spotlight. the coronavirus disease. Suddenly, ESPN was the only place in town to visit for live sports in the spring and summer of 2020, when the UFC agreed to fulfill its minimum set of dates required by the ESPN deal while White’s competitors sit out.
Both UFC and White became beloved by almost everyone, from fans to the same ESPN that partnered with them. But the smooth ride hasn’t been without bumps as White was reportedly told to “put it down” by Disney, ESPN’s parent company, in April 2020 when he first tried to make fights. in California on United States land before a state commission gives approval. .
What the UFC seems to be questioning this current round of controversial issues, however, is whether White is really ready with his promotion to fight for the first time from the perspective of the responsibilities that come with the provision of a special organization, especially since the The deal of ESPN has offered the selected days of UFC on terrestrial television and ABC.
ESPN’s silence in the wake of White’s domestic violence seems to call into question whether the network truly views the UFC on the same level as its major league rivals, which including the NFL and NBA. Could a commissioner or head coach of any other major sport have gotten away with this kind of bad publicity with impunity? And what is the role of ESPN, as an editorial organization, in covering the issue as vigorously as it does in other sports?
White has built much of his reputation on the political incorrectness he often chooses to do. It might have been a better seat-of-your-pants guide when the UFC aired on Spike TV or Fuel TV in past seasons, when MMA was seen as a no-no. something more than a cultural conflict in the outside world. But it can never remain on this level, when things become small or forgotten because they become news on the front page.
What happened to White and his wife is a small incident and has a chilling effect in a sports organization that has long had a terrible record when it comes to domestic violence and the treatment of victims. The rallying cry of fighters, fans and even the media who have publicly supported White in recent days shows that there is still a lot of change that needs to be done.
The UFC may have fulfilled all or most of White’s lofty dreams to get to where he is today. But if recent history is any indication, the cooldown is over and hot water is imminent for a company whose response to four serious problem for the position it carries.
Many UFC fans blame President Dana White for owning the UFC, but he is not the owner. He built the UFC over the years, but the name of the manager belongs to someone else. Dana White became the president of the UFC in 2001 and developed the company into what it is today.
How many pubs does McGregor own?
Conor McGregor has added another Dublin restaurant to his empire after reportedly buying the Waterside Bar in Howth. This may interest you : Bally Sports Plus, ESPN + And Others Could Continue Burning Fan Strings. The Dubliner, who was named the world’s highest-paid sports star in 2021 by Forbes, has long owned the Black Forge Inn in Dublin 12 and the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh.
Who owns the most shops in Dublin? The Louis Fitzgerald Group is one of Ireland’s leading private equity firms. Oozing with Irish culture, the group has more than 19 restaurants, cafes and hotels located in Dublin and its surroundings.
Who owns Marble Arch pub?
Conor McGregor has reportedly bought a third Dublin restaurant with the acquisition of the Waterside Bar in Howth. The UFC star already owns the Black Forge Inn in Dublin 12 and the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh.
What pubs does McGregor own?
CONOR McGREGOR is the proud owner of the Black Forge Inn. The Irish superstar bought the property – located in his hometown of Crumlin, Dublin – in 2019 for $2. On the same subject : Netflix expands its push into video games, but few subscribers are playing the game.2 million. This is the same place where he delivered bottles of his Proper No Twelve whiskey at Christmas 2018.
How much did Conor get for Proper Twelve?
How much did Conor McGregor sell the Proper Number Twelve whiskey company for? UFC superstar Conor McGregor and his business partners have sold their majority stake in Irish whiskey brand Proper No. To see also : Top 16 Northern Nevada Sports Stories of 2022. Twelve to Proximo Spirits, earning $600 million.
How popular is UFC compared to other sports?
An estimated 17,253,425 people attended NFL games in 2017, but less than half a million UFC people were exposed to live events (452,743). In other words, UFC fights in America in 2017 had more than thirty-eight times the number of people who went to soccer games.
Is the UFC the most popular sport? The UFC has surpassed all other major sports in terms of popularity, consistently selling more pay-per-view tickets than boxing and surpassing the WWE.
Where does MMA rank in sports popularity?
MMA is the third most popular sport in the world, behind soccer and basketball. MMA has 451 million fans, according to Nielsen Sports DNA (soccer has 901 million fans).
How popular is MMA compared to other sports?
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is one of the most popular, and fastest growing, sports in the world. A new study shows that big steps are also being taken in financial matters.
Who is the most successful UFC fighter?
- Georges "Rush" St. Pierre. 26-2-0. …
- Jon "Bones" Jones. 26-1-0, 1 NC. Recent fights:
- Anderson "The Spider" Silva. 34-11-0, 1 NC. …
- Demetrious "Strong Nose" Johnson. 24-4-1. …
- Khabib "The Eagle" Nurmagomedov. 29-0-0. …
- José Aldo "Junior" 31-8-0. …
- "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko. 40-6-0, 1 NC. …
- Daniel "DC" Cormier. 22-3-0, 1 NC.
Who is the greatest UFC fighter of all time? Russian heavyweight Khabib Nurmagomedov is often considered the greatest UFC lightweight fighter of all time, and it’s easy to see why. The man known as âThe Eagleâ retired with a perfect record of 29-0, undefeated in his professional boxing career, including 13 UFC.
Who is the number 1 UFC fighter?
| Condition | Warriors | Another fight |
|---|---|---|
| What happened | ||
| 1 | Alexander Volkanovski | UFC 284 |
| 2 | Islam Makhachev | UFC 284 |
| 3 | Leon Edwards |
Who is the king of UFC of all time?
Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov (born 20 September 1988) is a Russian former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he became the longest reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, holding the title from April 2018 to March 2021.
Which fighting style is the most brutal?
Bacom or Vacon is one of the most dangerous martial arts in the world. This Peruvian martial art was developed in the ways of Lima for the development of the Peruvian military. A Bacom doctor can injure opponents in a short amount of time.
