Sports agents earn their value due to a unique ability to negotiate deals at the higher end of the market.  The main tool used is leverage.  Leverage is often formed when there is some sort of competition and an agent can pit one entity up against at least one other.  Let’s use basketball as an example.  An average NBA player in free agency can have his agent work potential deals with the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.  If both teams are interested in the player, the price may be driven up.  Additionally, with going overseas as a viable option, an additional form of leverage may be used.

Now take that example and try to apply it to MMA.  The IFL is gone and EliteXC quickly followed the path to doom.  What’s left?  With little competition, Zuffa, LLC has been able to dictate most of the terms to its UFC and WEC fighters.  The end result could be something very similar to what is currently happening in the bowling world.  There, the PBA is supreme.  If you do not want to sign their standard boilerplate contract, then peace out.  Now do you understand why Faber is concerned?  He is making $40,000 per fight, but is smart enough to realize that such figures are not set in stone.  With competition dwindling down, his salary may fall along with it.

Unfortunately, there is little that an agent can do in this space.  Typically, an agent can negotiate endorsement/sponsorship deals for any athlete, but terms of “playing” contracts are usually only dealt with for those athletes who participate in team sports.  You do not see Mark Steinberg of IMG negotiating Tiger Woods’ deal with the PGA.  There really is no deal to broker.  However, since MMA fighters are paid per fight, perhaps they could use an agent to negotiate those individual prizes with guys like Dana White.  I see MMA as a large opportunity for agents in the future.  Their role will be enhanced if some form of legitimate competition to the UFC and WEC arises.

MMA Fighters Yearn For Competition from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

While CAA was busy getting involved in the successful UFC, CBS decided to invest in EliteXC, which turned out to be a failure.  It looks like another SportsAgentBlog.com contributor’s (Jared March) post was right on in his mock letter from WCW’s Eric Bishoff’s to EliteXC’s Gary Shaw.  I really loved fake Bishoff’s parting advice,

My only other real advice is to enjoy it while it lasts. I had this moment you’re at right now. I did this NWO thing and had a good run beating the ratings of WWF. Really, our products just aren’t as good but it sure makes for a fun ride while we are out ahead. If you need someone to book fights, I’m actually available to work now. That’s it for me, but keep up the great work. WCW and Elite XC, like brothers separated at birth.

With Kimbo Slice, Down Goes EliteXC from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

While other organizations are beginning to challenge the UFC for some of the top fighters, MMA’s growth can be closely tied to the excellent job Dana White and the Fertitta brothers have done with the UFC. White took a brand that had almost no current value, legitimized it by working with legislating bodies, added more safety elements and rules and made some excellent decisions marketing the new product. The result was an organization North American fans looked to as the leader in the MMA world and largely recognized the UFC champions as the best in the world. While the now defunct Pride organization had arguably just as good or better fighters, it competed in a separate market from the UFC and did not confuse North American MMA fans during the sports rebirth.

While MMA and boxing fans love to argue about which is better, another controversial topic is the instant attention being paid to two new stars. Kimbo Slice is EliteXC’s poster boy and a Youtube sensation. Kimbo (Real name Kevin Ferguson) made a name for himself through tapes of him brawling in backyards and parking lots in Florida and being the toughest guy in the neighborhood. EliteXC wanted to capitalize on his Youtube popularity and helped put him in touch with MMA trainer and former UFC champion Bas Rutten. Kimbo holds a 2-0 professional MMA record with wins over little known Bo Cantrell (10-11) and fan favorite David “Tank” Abbott. However, Abbott’s last professional win was over two and a half years prior to his fight with Kimbo and his best days as a fighter are behind him. Fighters such as Chuck Liddell have gone on the record either expressing their distain for the attention being heaped at Kimbo or to say that if put in the octagon against them, Kimbo would be no match.

The UFC has its own version of Kimbo Slice in Brock Lesnar. Lesnar, the former WWE champion (not real fighting) was the co-main event of a UFC card in his first UFC fight and only his second professional MMA fight, losing the fight to Frank Mir, an expert in submissions and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, Lesnar’s collegiate athletic experience separates him from Kimbo. In 2000, Lesnar was the NCAA Heavyweight Division 1 champion in wrestling, one of the critical elements in MMA competition. Lesnar is such a great athlete that the Minnesota Vikings welcomed him to try out for the team. While he did not make the team, the fact that an NFL team would welcome an athlete to try out for their team with limited football experience speaks to his raw athletic talent.

Kimbo Slice vs. Brock Lesnar is an interesting comparison. Round 1, being a comparison of the way they have been managed to date goes to Kimbo Slice. Kimbo has been matched up against opponents he can beat who are willing to play to what we can only believe is his strength, his standup game and power. The first televised MMA card on a major network is on May 31 and features Slice against James Thompson. This fight is set up to show what may be MMA’s largest ever television audience a devastating Kimbo Slice knockout. Thompson has lost 7 times by either knock out or technical knockout. Thompson usually likes to trade punches and definitely will be under pressure to do so here.

By contrast, the UFC matched Lesnar up with one of the worst possible opponents for him. If it was a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lesnar’s strength and take down abilities make him rock. However, the UFC put him up against a Jiu-jitsu expert who was able to submit him. Frank Mir in this case is paper. While usually pretty great at matching and marketing fighters, this particular fight left many scratching their heads. Possibly, the UFC was trying to recoup the large investment they made on Lesnar and figured a fight against someone as well known and as talented as Mir would make him legitimate for a monster fight if he won or, if he lost, he would be able to withstand it and remain a large box-office pull while Mir would once again become a headliner. Round 1 goes to Kimbo.

Round 2, based on intimidation, goes to both fighters. If you put either of these guys into a bull-fighting arena, they would probably charge at the bull and the bull would be wise to run away. If either of them hit an average person, the average person would be lucky to ever get up.

Round 3 is purely potential as a fighter. Both are insanely strong. Lesnar though is one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of the past decade. Kimbo was a brawler before being a technical striker but has picked up the skill set quickly and looked much more pure than Abbott in his last fight. However, Kimbo would want to stay on his feet and strike against Lesnar, while Lesnar would be able to use his wrestling to take the fight to the ground. Ultimately, Lesnar would be able to ground-and-pound Kimbo and win the fight. Lesnar is also a younger fighter who has more time to learn the complexities of the sport. While Kimbo may have a great career, and Lesnar stumbled out of the gate, look for Lesnar to be a legitimate champion before Kimbo Slice. Lesnar, Round 3, KO.

Kimbo Slice Vs. Brock Lesnar from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules