There's a lot going on in the news now, so this might all get memory holed sooner than later. Still, does this run the risk of adding headwinds to the UFC's ongoing streaming negotiations? If the UFC doesn't take any real action here, that's akin to tacit approval, especially if the worst that can happen is Dana calls you an idiot during an unrelated presser. If more of their roster then decides to air similarly abhorrent views in the meantime, that could temper any offers for a ten-year streaming rights deal, especially if the product is *that* unpredictable. Call me old-fashioned, but you know what advertisers tend to want to avoid? Running ads alongside folks spouting racist or pro-Nazi rhetoric since it chases your average consumer away. Sure, the (extreme) right is having a moment now, but racism and Nazism is generally still pretty polarizing and doesn't help sell detergent pods or mac and cheese.
taking a stand means loss of money and the feared possibility of setting precedents. creating for themselves a more difficult future in deciding where and when to take a stand. easy strategy for them is to give lip service to the right things and wait for the news cycle to move on. maybe ufc tells Bryce to tone it down. regardless, they will take the cynical self serving route. whatever that may be. this is the way of the world. mostly always has been. i hold on to the idea that it doesn’t have to be.
Also, I agree with Luke Thomas. If Bryce said the UFC was a monopoly or insulted Dana he’d be cut. The UFC should have just cut Bryce but then that will offend their current MAGA right wing fan base.
Great piece here. Truly truly sad this is. For me if the UFC punishes Bryce, I was thinking, it’s the whole argument you’re treating the independent contractor fighters like an employee. Which is a no no. It’s just the UFC lawsuits are over now. I like the points brought up here. Ari Emanuel should be taken to task about Bryce Mitchell.
It's funny that you brought up the independent contractor issue, which is Endeavor is clearly sensitive about. The only legal roadblock right now in their way is Judge Richard Boulware.
And we thought the flat earth rants were way out there - oh how the worm has turned. Thuggy is going to go 0-2 or 3 and that will be that - BKFC is a long shot. Don't think our guy David F will be down.
Dave F would definitely be interested in the Bryce Mitchell business. I think there were some BKFC fighters that were neo Nazis or openly sympathetic to that cause.
He's NOT a bad guy he tried to solve a problem, messed up , it caused a lot of hurt & we're all safer around drills now.
Consequence of free speech let's us evaluate their ideas and implied values I hope he has Nate Levy on the pod and all the new Nazi viewers learn something.
The NYT did pick this up, via The Athletic (they killed their sports department remember) and there is not a single mention of Ari Emanuel, Endeavor or even TKO. There is this hard-hitting reporting however: "Natan Levy, a UFC fighter who publicly embraces his Jewish heritage, responded to Mitchell’s comments in a pair of Instagram posts Thursday, telling Mitchell he is “welcome to have a real conversation and actually learn about Judaism our history and culture, firsthand.”
I think Ari's PR teams have sent a message that UFC is by goons and for goons and nothing they do short of physically carrying Trump into the White House is newsworthy
There's a lot going on in the news now, so this might all get memory holed sooner than later. Still, does this run the risk of adding headwinds to the UFC's ongoing streaming negotiations? If the UFC doesn't take any real action here, that's akin to tacit approval, especially if the worst that can happen is Dana calls you an idiot during an unrelated presser. If more of their roster then decides to air similarly abhorrent views in the meantime, that could temper any offers for a ten-year streaming rights deal, especially if the product is *that* unpredictable. Call me old-fashioned, but you know what advertisers tend to want to avoid? Running ads alongside folks spouting racist or pro-Nazi rhetoric since it chases your average consumer away. Sure, the (extreme) right is having a moment now, but racism and Nazism is generally still pretty polarizing and doesn't help sell detergent pods or mac and cheese.
yup it's hard to see how their supposed alliance with Trump is worth putting up with this shit.
taking a stand means loss of money and the feared possibility of setting precedents. creating for themselves a more difficult future in deciding where and when to take a stand. easy strategy for them is to give lip service to the right things and wait for the news cycle to move on. maybe ufc tells Bryce to tone it down. regardless, they will take the cynical self serving route. whatever that may be. this is the way of the world. mostly always has been. i hold on to the idea that it doesn’t have to be.
there's no way he could've gotten away with open Hitler advocacy ten years ago.
Also, I agree with Luke Thomas. If Bryce said the UFC was a monopoly or insulted Dana he’d be cut. The UFC should have just cut Bryce but then that will offend their current MAGA right wing fan base.
Great piece here. Truly truly sad this is. For me if the UFC punishes Bryce, I was thinking, it’s the whole argument you’re treating the independent contractor fighters like an employee. Which is a no no. It’s just the UFC lawsuits are over now. I like the points brought up here. Ari Emanuel should be taken to task about Bryce Mitchell.
It's funny that you brought up the independent contractor issue, which is Endeavor is clearly sensitive about. The only legal roadblock right now in their way is Judge Richard Boulware.
And we thought the flat earth rants were way out there - oh how the worm has turned. Thuggy is going to go 0-2 or 3 and that will be that - BKFC is a long shot. Don't think our guy David F will be down.
Dave F would definitely be interested in the Bryce Mitchell business. I think there were some BKFC fighters that were neo Nazis or openly sympathetic to that cause.
He's NOT a bad guy he tried to solve a problem, messed up , it caused a lot of hurt & we're all safer around drills now.
Consequence of free speech let's us evaluate their ideas and implied values I hope he has Nate Levy on the pod and all the new Nazi viewers learn something.
Why don’t the New York Times pick this up? Is Ari so insulated?
The NYT did pick this up, via The Athletic (they killed their sports department remember) and there is not a single mention of Ari Emanuel, Endeavor or even TKO. There is this hard-hitting reporting however: "Natan Levy, a UFC fighter who publicly embraces his Jewish heritage, responded to Mitchell’s comments in a pair of Instagram posts Thursday, telling Mitchell he is “welcome to have a real conversation and actually learn about Judaism our history and culture, firsthand.”
I think Ari's PR teams have sent a message that UFC is by goons and for goons and nothing they do short of physically carrying Trump into the White House is newsworthy