"Billion Dollar Blood Sport" Forbes article

http://www.forbes.com/business/forbes/2008/0505/080_3.html

The Billion-Dollar Blood sport

In just six years Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta have turned ufc from a cash-bleeding loser into a $1 billion champ. Here's a look …

Price the Fertittas paid for UFC in 2001: $2 million

Value today: $1 billion-plus

UFC estimated 2008 sales: $250 million

UFC is estimated to control 90% of the mixed martial arts industry.

UFC pay-per-view buys in 2001: 145,000

UFC pay-per-view buys in 2007: 5.1 million

The average UFC pay-per-view event draws 3 million male viewers between 18 and 49--often the same as a big college football GAME.

UFC employs 275 fighters.

Most make more than $100,000 a year.

Superstars make millions.

The average ticket price of a live UFC event in 2007: $250

 thanks good read

"UFC employs 275 fighters.

Most make more than $100,000 a year."

I thought most fight at 10k/10k or under but I guess the bonuses make up for it

http://www.forbes.com/business/forbes/2008/0505/080_3.html

 The secret bonuses must be nice

It's amazing how TUF really saved the sport. If there is no TUF, the UFC probably either folds or is sold. No explosion of interest ever happens. Fighters are still barely scrathing out a living. So many people on this board might have never even discovered MMA.

Mad props to whichever Zuffa person who had the idea to do the show. Lorenzo and Frank really went out on a limb by paying for the show themselves, especially having lost so much money already. Turned the UFC from a money drain into a cash cow, and led directly to everything exploding.

 So I guess J-Lau is the richest kid on the UG.

2 years in the UFC + 100k a year + most of his time spent on the UG and not on hookers = Can I borrow some money?

 I see Haulport hasn't noticed this thread yet;) j/k

Great story!

Cindy

I'm waiting for all the nay-sayers and Zuffa-DW-UFC-bashers to weigh in on this. :)

 

IMO, great story, nice to see such a prestigious magazine like Forbes taking notice.

 Hi G-Bat;)

Cindy

 Hey CindyO!  :D


Yeah, but how much of that 100K goes to managers, trainers, agents, etc?

"UFC employs 275 fighters.

Most make more than $100,000 a year."

WTF? at 10k/10k? they must all fight between 5-10 times a year then... hmmm

According to the UFC's official website, there are only 166 fighters. Just glancing at the list, I can tell you that many of them do not fight for the UFC any longer. Well, at least Dan Severn does not anyway. And lol at "most make more than $100,000 per year. The big stars and the TUF kids do, but "most" of them do not.

 -UFC employs 275 fighters.

 

 

Should have said Zuffa because I'm sure they are including WEC fighters.  Dana has said more than once he has 250 fighters under contract

Like I said, the UFC site does include the WEC guys who have fought in the UFC. Still, they only list 166 including the hall of fame guys I guess cause Shamrock, Gracie and Severn type guys are listed. No way there is 250+ guys under Zuffa contracts.

Nice article

The media is getting lazy as hell nowadays. I thought it was just the local media but apparently not. They seem to just copy and paste press releases instead of contacting the sender and writing a real story that requires like...research and work and stuff. I send out press releases that look like articles cause I know they are not going to actually call me on anything. I can say whatever the hell I want and they just run with it all. evidently Forbes has adopted this practice as well.

It was good seeing Jesse "I don't understand dishwashers or anything else for that matter" Taylor get the 5k from Burger King for winning the fight and 5k for finishing.......well deserved.