The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the preeminent mixed-martial arts (mma) organization in the world. As the market for mma grows, many deliberate the efficacy of the UFC's strategic tactics.
UFC And Their Use of Exclusive Contracts
Undoubtedly one of the main reasons that the UFC has been become the world's leading mma company and league, is the management of their talent.
There are many organizational tactics used to great effect by the company, but perhaps nothing is as significant as their implementation of exclusive contracts.
Fighters that are under a UFC contract are not only barred from competing in other mma organizations, but are actually disallowed to compete in any other combat sports as well. In addition, the UFC is very reluctant to consider co-promotional opportunities.
This is quite a departure from traditional mma practices. Most other companies have been very willing to cross or co-promote, and in some instances, are happy to freely exchange talent on a whim.
The UFC does none of this and it was worked to great effect for them.
By so closely managing their talent, they are able to breed a corporate culture and develop their brand. This brand development has made them far and away the most recognized mma institution out there.
For all the positives, however, there is a very noticeable drawback that could be unnecessarily holding the UFC back.
By virtue their exclusive contracts, the UFC has failed to sign some of the important mma talent in the world.
The UFC has sometimes struggled managing their talent that branches off to do major projects which the UFC has no control over. Most notably, superstars and former champions Quinton Jackson and Randy Couture have gone off to make major Hollywood movies.
By doing this, it created some incredible tension between them anda the organization. Often outspoken president Dana White has publicly mentioned these frustrations.
Yet despite the arguments, Jackson and Couture ultimately have great relationships with the UFC and brought in considerable amounts of good publicity for the sport and its athletes.
If the UFC could learn its lesson about working with talent on certain issues, they could bring in such top ranked athletes as Alistair Overeem and Fedor Emelianenko.
Now I know there is more too it than just exclusive contracts, but one of the main reasons Overeem or Emelianenko were not signed is because they have considerable obligations to other combat sports.
Overeem is a world champion kickboxer and Emelianenko is a world champion combat sambo competitor.
I can understand the UFC not wanting young fighters to go out and trying to kickboxing on the side, but these are special circumstances that the UFC should bend on. It is just like in any sport.
No coach, on any level, wants one of their athletes competing in other sports, but when you are talking about all-stars, you have to make exceptions.
Deion Sanders is a Hall of Fame football player from the NFL and also played in nine baseball seasons for the MLB.
Even though he played part-time, you can bet that the NFL did not like the idea initially, but they had to concede.
I do not see a major difference between that and Alistair Overeem, Fedor Emelianenko, or any other star athlete who is world class in multiple combat sports. It can certainly be applied to Olympic level wrestlers as well.
"Exclusive contracts" are absolutely appropriate in terms of competing organizations.
When "exclusive" keeps top ranked fighters from joining because they would be prohibited from competing in other sports that they love, I think there might be an issue.
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