Can MMA be a legitimate sport if...

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

...the pay scale is tilted toward drawing power over talent?

In "legitimate" / team sports...the highest paid tends to be dictated by the best players (there are exceptions...but lets not miss the forest for the trees) not necessarily the best draws. However, they at times are one in the same.

Regardless...

The question remains...with a pay scale based on drawing power over talent, can MMA break through and become as legitimate as major team sports?

To the first person that says "look at boxing"...boxing has one of the longest histories and lineages to maintain its legitimacy right now, despite the sport being for merely hardcore fans outside of major fights. MMA doesn't quite have backbone of boxing.

So, thoughts?

[Warner2BruceTD]

I have alot to say, and the answer is obvious, but I don't have time because i'm late for work.

[EmpireWF]

You can't directly compare the big sports to MMA as far as athletes pay. MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL make their money off ticket sales, sponsorships, stuff like that. They have to pay their players based on perceived quality of play and based on comparable contracts around the league at the time.

With MMA, (for the most part), athletes will get paid based on how many people they attract to the show whether it's ticket sales, TV ratings or PPV #s. Eddie Alvarez may be one of the top lightweights in the world, but there is no way he should be making anywhere in the same vicinity as Penn right now.

[Liquidrob]

Unless MMA goes to a tournament based format it will always be like this, now even more than ever with todays ADD kids watching the sport and most of them coming from Pro Wrestling, I don't see it ever happening

It's not 'good business' to have the sport be 'legitimate'

Bellator is the only legit MMA org right now out of the bigger one's (if you even want to call bellator big), what is funny is the first UFC's were more legit than what we see now and The Ultimate Fighter is close to it, the fights, not the 50 minutes of junk thats on before the fights

Also, when it comes down to it, fighting in general is more spectacle than sport

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Unless MMA goes to a tournament based format it will always be like this, now even more than ever with todays ADD kids watching the sport and most of them coming from Pro Wrestling, I don't see it ever happening

It's not 'good business' to have the sport be 'legitimate'

Bellator is the only legit MMA org right now out of the bigger one's (if you even want to call bellator big), what is funny is the first UFC's were more legit than what we see now and The Ultimate Fighter is close to it, the fights, not the 50 minutes of junk thats on before the fights

Also, when it comes down to it, fighting in general is more spectacle than sport

This is what I am mostly leaning toward, coupled in with the pay scale based on drawing power...

I don't need "seasons" or anything...but it just doesn't have a level of legitimacy that the more team oriented sports have (sans NBA, which is basically the WWE).

[Liquidrob]

This is what I am mostly leaning toward, coupled in with the pay scale based on drawing power...

I don't need "seasons" or anything...but it just doesn't have a level of legitimacy that the more team oriented sports have (sans NBA, which is basically the WWE).

Yeah, you don't need seasons, but there needs to be some organization in the sport, right now its the wild wild west

I made a thread on VSN or TGL basically about tournaments and no one wanted to here it, everyone is happy with the way it is, oh well

You take a look at a guy like Jon Fitch, he has won and won and won, only lost to GSP and will more than likely get passed up for a title shot again, other sports you keep winning you go to the 'finals'

I think when it comes down to it, boxing and MMA will always be based on drawing power and the pay scale will reflect that because thats better for business

Unless there is a complete restructuring of the sport, from TV deals, to a union, to owners compared to promoters, a legit amateur system, etc...it will be like this

[Warner2BruceTD]

I've said this many times, when the currrent generation of people whho grew up as fans replace the grumpy old men in the media, MMA will rise a level. Until then, UFC could do 4M buys and there will still be bias and denial from the people in charge who don't understand the sport and will never take the time to do so (Michael Wilbon, for starters).

[Liquidrob]

I've said this many times, when the currrent generation of people whho grew up as fans replace the grumpy old men in the media, MMA will rise a level. Until then, UFC could do 4M buys and there will still be bias and denial from the people in charge who don't understand the sport and will never take the time to do so (Michael Wilbon, for starters).

I don't think this really pertains to what the topic is, sort of, but not really

[Warner2BruceTD]

I don't agree that MMA isn't structured, or this "wild wild west" theory. MMA is much better off split into orgs, otherwise you have the boxing model which is awful for fans. No set up is perfect, but the current set up is worlds better than the boxing model, which is really "wild wild west", disoriginzed, chaotic, and killing the sport.

People promote fights to be in business and make money, of course bigger draws will always make more, what do you fools expect?

[Rush]

I don't really care if people don't perceive it to be a legitimate sport, I love it and if other people don't...they can fuck off.

I would like to see them capitalize more on talent then drawing power just based off the principle of it.

If MMA grows and gets more shine, that's awesome. If not, I am fine with how it is now as a fan myself.

[Bigpapa42]

For one, I think that comparisons between MMA and team sports are difficult. They are very different animals in so many ways.

Second, I think that in contemporary team sports - football, baseball, basketball, and hockey - it is rarely as simple as "best player equals best paid". Free agency (and the draft in football) have complicated things. Parity and revenue sharing, positional value, availabity and team need, market trends, coaching philosophy, and even player age all become factors to some extent.

[Steel Mamba]

How does Brock Lesnar making more money than say Anderson Silva, make the sport less legitimate?

What makes a sport legitimate vs not legitimate?

To me it's legitimate if it's real (no scripted outcomes, no tampering) & well regulated. MMA fits that bill.

Look at racing, skills matter, but if you're more marketable you'll earn more money. But, I don't think anyone would say that NASCAR or Indy is not legitimate because of that.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

You take a look at a guy like Jon Fitch, he has won and won and won, only lost to GSP and will more than likely get passed up for a title shot again, other sports you keep winning you go to the 'finals'

He kept winning and got a shot and lost. End of story.

Attendance,PPV buys , salary* don't keep you from winning.
Unless your doing a Shields/Arona impression you will get your shots.
You cant cry about not getting your shot when you lost.


I dont give 2 shits that Brock would get 10x more than Carwin in a fight.
No more or less than I care about a first rounder getting paid 5x as much as a veteran in the NFL. Only when it restricts my team from making moves do I care. That doesnt effect MMA thus I dont care.

At the end of the day if the MMA guys are in such bad shape form a union.
Dana White isnt any more scummy for underpaying guys than grimy NFL owners charging for PSL's. I know theyre all scum and they give me ((usually)) what I want.
Long as the outcomes and happenings inside the boundaries are legit the rest usually handles itself.

*so long as salary is enough for you to train FT.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I agree with KOF, I never get wrapped up in player salaries, so I really don't care who's banking more than who in MMA, although I do find it interesting.

8 also agree with mamba, pay scale has nothing to do with how the sport is precieved or how big it can be.