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Attempts at Free Agency One prominent writer wrote in an email to me about promoters' fear of free agency, "Of course they're afraid of it. With free agency a promoter has no control over the athlete. The way things are now, they sign a fighter up and even if he's put in a tough fight that he could lose, they get options on the opponent so they always have control of the winner. And with the promoters holding TV dates, they can freeze out anyone they want to who doesn't want to sign on the dotted line." The few prominent fighters who have tried to operate as free agents have found themselves auctioning their contract to a narrow market of one or two promoters. They're unable to get the best paying fights until they sign up. As free agents, they don't get fights with fighters who have marquee value. They either play ball by giving options to the major promoter, take what they say is their best offer, or they don't fight fighters under contract to them. That's the way it is. Fighters currently have no other options. The most prominent MMA and boxing promoters currently control directly or indirectly through controlled corporations virtually all of the prominent fighters and their marketable opponents. Promoters has tremendous leverage over the fighters. FightersOnline's patented model will enable fighters to develop their careers as free agents. Fighters currently under contract will let their contracts expire when they discover they have an option to make their own fights, sell their fights to the highest bidder, and share revenue under a new revenue-sharing model. They will have direct access to a broad and deep market of the world's promoters and venues who will buy their fights under this new incentive-based revenue sharing model. Marquee fighters' earnings from percentages of advertising, live gate, and pay-per-view revenue will skyrocket just like the baseball players' salaries did when they got free agency. Because of Internet technology and accelerating market forces the likes of Fedor and Couture, all fighters will eventually choose to become free agents, learn to use the features of FightersOnline as well as they use their sophisticated cell phone features. They will quickly learn to use GetAFight.com to challenge and accept challenges, and make and market their own fights on MadeFights.com, FightAuction.com, and PurseBid.com. Articles on free agency for boxers and MMA fighters: 1. "Everybody wanted to promote us once we began free agents. I have talked to a number of people, especially (from) overseas," observed Thomas. full article 2. "Free agent Winky starts bidding war" full story 3. "De La Hoya attempts to sever his ties with Top Rank's Arum" "He is, in effect," said attorney Stephen B. Espinoza, "declaring his free agency." full story 4. "Finding Fedor" "Fedor Emelianenko, the top heavyweight in mixed martial arts, was a free agent. A bidding war ensued." full story 5. "It's a Good Time to Be a Free Agent in Mixed Martial Arts" "It's a good time to be a free agent, and I think St. Pierre will end up getting a very good deal." full story 6. "Don't consider a UFC fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture dead just yet. The Magazine: M-1 Global and Emelianenko will part ways some time in the next week, making the Russian a free agent." full story 7. "Ruling On Randy Couture’s “free Agency” Looming" full story 8. "Top MMA Free Agents" full story 9. "Aleksander Emelianenko Expects to Fight Sought After Free Agent Josh Barnett" full story 10. "Babalu was recently granted free agency status and seeks to bring his heavy hands and ground game to an organization where he can pursue a title opportunity." full story |