WHY DO BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, AND HOCKEY ALL HAVE ASSOCIATIONS?
Historically, owners have taken advantage of the athletes until they created a unified association to combat the owners’ greedy ways. Professional sports history shows how the formation of an association to collectively bargain employment terms has dramatically increased the compensation and working conditions of an organized membership. These associations have helped players financially and given them control over their careers and their life after they finish competing. The MMA business is a billion dollar industry where all fighters, even the ones at the top, receive only a fraction of what they deserve.
This will continue unchecked until there is a unified front on the part of the fighters in order to level the playing field and stop those at the top from taking advantage of the fighters in the Octagon. Remember – the fighters generate the revenue.
Solidarity
“As Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, I support the efforts of the fighters to organize. The solidarity and commitment of the group will be essential to their ability to protect and advance their workplace rights.”
Tony Clark
Executive Director | Major League Baseball Players Association
“I have been privileged to represent elite athletes for nearly 40 years, and believe now more than ever in the benefits of collective bargaining to secure and enhance terms and conditions of employment. That is why I fully support and encourage efforts of the fighters to organize a union to represent them.”
Donald M. Fehr
Executive Director | National Hockey League Players Association
Executive Director 1983-2009 | Major League Baseball Players Association
“The MLS Players Union supports the efforts of UFC fighters. By standing together, the men and women of UFC will have the best opportunity to ensure that their collective rights are protected.”
Bob Foose
Executive Director | Major League Soccer Players Union
“Professional athletes long ago proved the value of collectively organizing to protect their rights and share fairly and appropriately in the success of their respective sports. The NBPA fully supports these fighters in their efforts to form a union and receive all of the benefits and protections that a union can provide.”
Michele Roberts
Executive Director | National Basketball Players Association
“As a strong labor union, the NFL Players Association recognizes the need for a collective voice among athletes and supports the efforts of the UFC fighters to stand together as a team to advance their rights as working men and women.”
DeMaurice Smith
Executive Director | National Football League Players Association
Revenue Split of All Major Sports
In the four major sports that have unions, the revenue split is approximately 50/50 whereas the UFC, which has no union, has an inequitable share of the pie.
Benefits
| BENEFITS | MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL | UFC |
|---|---|---|
PensionIn the four major sports, if you play a certain number of years you become eligible to receive a pension (a regular payment after an athlete’s career) when you retire. In the UFC, no matter how long you’ve fought or how many fights you have on your record, you get nothing. Every working individual is entitled to plan for his or her retirement – you deserve this. |
Yes | No |
Minimum GuaranteesThe four major sports in America all have minimum salaries, and so should the UFC. In some cases fighters are forced to pay for their own fights out of pocket. This is unacceptable. |
Yes | No |
Health CareUnlike the four major sports, the UFC does not provide its fighters with comprehensive medical and dental insurance. Comprehensive medical and dental insurance, what was once thought to be a human right, the UFC withholds from its fighters. This is of vital importance — especially in a sport such as this one – where you risk your health every time you step in the Octagon to generate more revenue for the UFC. |
Yes | No |
Grievance ProcedureCurrently if there is a dispute with a fighter, the UFC unilaterally determines the fate of said fighter. This current system can and has cost fighters millions after one oversimplified decision by the UFC. |
Yes | No |
Disability BenefitsIn the four major sports, when an athlete gets put on the disability or injured reserved list, he still gets paid. This is not the case for UFC fighters – they receive no compensation as they recover in order to fight another day for an organization that works against them. |
Yes | No |
Physical Therapy and TrainingIn other sports, the cost of training is covered; but in the UFC, the fighter pays for 100% of his or her camp. Sometimes the cost of a fighter’s camp is more than the actual earnings from the fight. |
Yes | No |
Agent SupervisingAs it stands now in the UFC, anyone can be an agent and there is no certification or educational process for agents to go through. Just like in the other major sports, there needs to be a governing body of these agents to ensure that fighter interests are protected. |
Yes | No |
Share in Licensing, Merchandising, and Media RevenueCurrently, the UFC has full control of how much–if any–revenue from licensing, merchandising, and media goes to the fighters. In other major sports, the revenue is usually shared amongst the talent (the backbone of the industry) and their respective organizations. |
Yes | No |
Federal Law Protection Against Retaliation From ManagementOnce the Association is certified by the National Labor Relations Board, it is unlawful for the employer (the UFC) to retaliate or discriminate against any fighter for his or her participation in the Association. In addition, federal law guarantees that in any meeting with management where discipline is possible, the fighter is entitled to a representative from the Association. |
Yes | No |
Additional Needs
- Uniform Fight Contracts
- Life Insurance
- Ranking System
- Drug Policy
Our Team
Jeff Borris
Jeff@profighters.orgJeff earned his degree in political science at California State University, Northridge in 1985. He then attended Southwestern Law School and received his Juris Doctor in 1989. From1993 through 2001 Borris was an adjunct professor of Sports Law at Southwestern Law School.
Borris started his career as an athlete agent in 1986 where he began as an intern at Beverly Hills Sports Council and ended up becoming the owner with two other partners. Throughout Borris’ career as an athlete agent, he has experienced numerous work stoppages including strikes, lockouts, unfair labor practices, and collusion. He has represented over 500 professional baseball players including Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Rickey Henderson.
Callie Mendenhall
Callie@profighters.orgCallie Mendenhall is the administrator for the NBA Referees Union. She graduated in 2013 from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications. After graduation Callie began her career in Dallas, Texas in client services and marketing for two years prior to working with the NBA Referees Union. While working in client services, she became certified with the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Andrew Zimbalist
Zimbalist received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in 1969 and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1972 and 1974 respectively. He has worked in the Economics Department at Smith College since 1974. Zimbalist has consulted in Latin America for the United Nations Development Program, the United States Agency for International Development and numerous companies, and on behalf of players’ associations, teams, cities, companies and leagues.
He has published twenty-four books and several dozen articles. He provided biweekly commentary on the business of sports for National Public Radio’s Marketplace between 2002 and 2005, and appears regularly with commentary on sports and public policy in the national media. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Sports Economics. He is the author of “Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup”.