Bellator MMA might not have the reach that the UFC has or the depth of talent, but the one thing that makes Bellator stand out is the way they handle fighter sponsorship. Bellator allows an open sponsorship situation where fighters can advertise companies in the cage. The UFC had the same system until they teamed up with Reebok.
This has been an issue with fighters who compete under the UFC banner, which is making some jump to Bellator. Obviously, Bellator president Scott Coker is using this as a big reason for fighters to cross the lines to join his company.
In the past, Coker has gone on record by saying how the Reebok deal has been great for Bellator. Now, he is questioning the legality of the UFC’s uniform situation.
“Listen, they’re independent contractors,” he said on the latest episode of The MMA Hour.“How they’re forced to wear uniforms, to this day, still baffles me. It should be against the labor laws or something. Because you have to wear this sponsor? You have to wear a certain uniform when you fight? To me, they should be contractual position to get whatever sponsor they want. If Ryan Bader went out and made a million dollars in sponsorship, good for you!”
Bader, who won the Bellator light heavyweight title from Phil Davis in the main event of Bellator 180 over the weekend, was one of many fighters who departed from the UFC to jump to Bellator. Bader has revealed that he is making three to four times more money on the smaller platform than he was with the UFC.
All of that is fine and dandy, but the question remains, is Bellator getting a piece of fighter sponsorship money? According to Coker, they are not.
“No,” Coker said flatly. In fact, he blamed the UFC’s sponsorship tax on killing the sponsor scene. “It was running out because the company was trying to impose a tax, and even if they could sponsor, they would have to pay the UFC the tax.”
For those who want to see the Reebok deal go away, well you are going to have to wait for that day to come as the deal is set to last several more years.
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