Benavidez opts to self manage following Reebok Deal
Joseph Benavidez on becoming self managed following Reebok Deal: “I felt like I could do it myself, and at this point in my career, save some money.”
Beginning this summer, fighters in the UFC will no longer be able to choose their in-Octagon sponsors that typically appear on banners, shorts, and tees. Instead, there will be a sole apparel sponsor, Reebok, with fighters being compensated by tenure:
0-5 fights: $2,500
6-10: $5,000
11-15: $10,000
16-20: $15,000
21+: $20,000
Champion: $40,000
Challenger: $30,000
In response, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez, who fight John Moraga Saturday night, has decided to become self managed for this fight, and will likely look for guidance in time.
“I felt like I could do it myself, and at this point in my career, save some money,” said Benavidez to Marc Raimondi for MMAFighting.com. “I think managers are definitely gonna have to change their business model a little bit. For one, they’re gonna have to step up outside [the cage]. It’s not going to be as easy as, ‘Hey, be on the banner and pay us money,’ because that’s easy to do.”
“I’m on the 15-grand pay scale for one or two more fights [with Reebok]. I don’t remember making 15-grand in a fight since my first title fight with Demetrious. It was well-publicized, the first flyweight fight, and I made some good money. Other than that, I never made 15-grand in a fight in sponsors.”
“Now you have to be like, ‘Hey, we want an actual endorsement. Like, year long. Because you can’t be in the cage. We put you to work and you put us to work. Hopefully that opens up more endorsements. Obviously we’re in the beginning level, but just like any sport if you’re sponsored by Vitamin Water you’re not rocking a Vitamin Water on your Cleveland Cavaliers jersey, but outside you’re doing it.
“It’s gonna put managers to work. They’re gonna have to put that much more effort in actually attacking sponsors if they want to keep a job in this industry.”