Jon Fitch will be sponsored by a digital currency company when he fights next week for the WSOF as it makes in debut on network television on NBC. The sponsorship is the first of its kind for an MMA fighter.
The news was disseminated on CNBC’s web site via commentary produced by Brian Kelly, who owns Nautiluscoin. According to its web site, it “is a next generation digital currency and free payment network designed to process transactions faster than Bitcoin with reduced volatility.”
Via Kelly’s CNBC article:
…I’m sponsoring Jon Fitch (www.jonfitch.net), the No.2 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) World Ranked Welterweight, in his upcoming fight on July 5 on NBC. Like many of us, Jon has recently caught the digital currency bug and with this sponsorship, he will become the first professional athlete to be paid in a digital currency.
Fitch takes on Dennis Hallman in the main event of WSOF 11 which will air on NBC next Saturday.
Fitch is not the only MMA fighter thinking about digital currency, Rory MacDonald talked about wanting to be paid in Bitcoin on his Instagram account. However, that may be just a joke.
Payout Perspective:
For Nautiluscoin, this is a great sponsor opportunity considering it wants publicity for its company and with WSOF being on network television, it will get eyes on its company logo. As for Fitch’s side, it’s an interesting investment opportunity. You may recall Fitch’s complaints about his pay while in the UFC. He had talked about the financial impact when not fighting and that sponsors were tighter with money. So, one might wonder why he would want to receive payment in digital currency if he had issues with fighter pay in the UFC. At this point, the digital currency market is in its infancy and who really knows where that might go. Perhaps due to the tightening of sponsor dollars, Fitch is taking the calculated chance. Being on network television had to help Fitch with attempting to get sponsors, but maybe this opportunity will go beyond a mere patch on his shorts.
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