This year Zuffa offered its 400 fighters in the UFC and Strikeforce health insurance beginning this past June. Zuffa is paying the premiums for all of its fighters under contract.
The accident-insurance coverage covers up to $50,000 (annually) of medical costs for each fighter. Its an unprecedented move to cover fighters and its a sign that the organization is moving in the right direction if it wanted to be thought of as a major league sport.
So far, fighters have taken advantage of the health insurance without any issues. Cub Swanson became the first fighter to utilize the health insurance one day after it went into effect.
While insurance may not be the most exciting business story of the year, it is one of the more important ones for the fighters covered. A fighter’s health is very important from the business side of things as we know from this year’s constant reshuffling of main events. Insurance may alleviate some of the concern for the mid to low tier fighter that is concerned about what happens if they are hurt while training for a fight. While the $50K may not cover a serious surgery or procedure, it still helps with the financial burden placed on fighters that likely fought without insurance prior to Zuffa’s coverage. In a related story, this week, Combat Sports Insurance announced an accident-related insurance policy that would allow any pro MMA fighter to receive insurance for just “a little over $20 month.”
No thoughts on how this may have added to the RASH of PPVs affected by injuries???
I’m just saying… It was a VERY MUCH needed benefit for these guys who take years off their life to entertain fans. But now that they have it… they will for sure use it. Especially when we have all heard the stories and EXCUSES (if you’re Tito Ortiz) on how a guy wasnt 100% but fought anyways cause he needed to put food on the table. Just sayin… you give it to them and they will use it.
And coincidentally… was a HUGE feather in the cap of Zuffa to squash any mention of fighter organization DURING the two biggest organized labor crisis in professional sports history in recent memory (both the NFL and NBA Lockouts). Again… these guys may not understand marketing… but they sure as hell arent stupid!
@Chris: No spoilers here…j/k
@Mossman: I’m actually on vacation while I’m doing these posts so its not as in depth as it could be. But, “11 for 11” is a review of the year’s business stories. A sort of “Best of” before 2012.. I did neglect to include in this post whether the fighters should unionize from late April and the original post from May with the Zuffa health insurance announcement. Randy Couture was interviewed by ESPN a couple weeks before the health insurance announcement about whether fighters should unionize. He thought that something should be done but wouldn’t commit to a fighter’s union.
UFC on Fox is number 1 clearly.
That is a good point Mossman. Guys started dropping like flies once the insurance come into effect. I, myself, have a hard time believe most of them. Everyone is banged up when they fight. Every fighter will tell you that. No one fights at 100%.