There are many unknowns about the new UFC-Paramount broadcasting deal that have raised concerns in the MMA community. However, UFC star Michael Chandler assures there’s nothing to worry about.
Monday, the UFC announced their new broadcasting deal – a seven-year partnership with Paramount worth $7.7 billion. There were no details on whether the UFC fighters will get a share of that money, but they’re not expected to, as shown in past UFC broadcasting deals. A new concern, that didn’t exist in previous deals, is the money UFC champions earned through pay-per-view buys, as the promotion is set to air their numbered events for free on Paramount. The UFC has not clarified if there will be a compensation for pay-per-views no longer being a revenue stream for fighters.
Chandler, a former Bellator champion now fighting in the UFC lightweight division, believes the UFC-Paramount deal is good news for fighter pay, and is confident the promotion will take care of its champions. He calls for patience as more details on the new UFC broadcasting deal emerge.
“I think the UFC is a lot more fair than people give them credit for,” Chandler explained on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “That’s what I would say. I think there’s going to be public pressure, there’s going to be corporate pressure, there’s going to be media pressure when you sign a deal of this magnitude. I do think so. I’m sure the phone has rung off the hook. Managers are calling, fighters are calling, ‘Hey, you’re signing billions of dollars a year per deal. I want to renegotiate my contract.’
“Things take time. This thing just got announced a little over 24 hours ago. Let a little of the dust to settle. Everybody worry about the thing they can control, which is taking care of themselves right now and training right now, but ultimately I think this is nothing but good for the sport for everybody involved. I think the fighters ultimately just like 30 years into the NFL, just like 30 years into the MLB, just like 30 years into every major sport, the money will continue to grow, but it can’t just grow overnight. So a little bit of patience. The best thing you can do for yourself is make yourself an indispensable asset to your promoter, making yourself a indispensable asset to the people that have put money behind you when it comes to endorsements, when it comes to getting on microphones, when it comes to using your platform, when it comes to building a fan base oust die of just punching people in the face in a cage. And if you can do that, and you can do it with class and integrity, the money will continue to multiply.”
The UFC’s lack of clarity around what the new Paramount deal means for champions’ pay-per-view points and fighter pay in general does not bother Chandler. He says that’s how UFC operates, and remains confident that he and his fellow fighters will get taken care of.
“There’s a lot more money happening inside the UFC and the sport of mixed martial arts than the UFC will ever gloat about, than the UFC will ever brag about,” Chandler said. “That’s just the way they like it. That’s just the way they run their business. I think a lot of us are doing pretty fine.”
