It's an interesting arrangement that came about today, as the UFC and Reebok announced a massive partnership that looks to homogenize the sponsorship aspects of MMA into one unified front. By establishing a uniform, so to speak, for all of the fighters, the UFC is effectively standardizing the way fighters will look for weigh-ins, press conferences and actual fights. This brings all of the fighters under one banner, as they will all be paid money based on their rankings but also for how well their individual uniform sells. They will be allowed some level of coloring and customization, which explains the varying royalties for unique fighters.

This seems to mark an end to individual athletes going out and securing sponsorship deals to go on their shorts and fight banners, which certainly provided amusing eyeball exposure for fringe companies and weird brands. The UFC was clear that fighters could still pursue individual sponsorships with other non-Reebok companies, but they couldn't have those sponsors seen on UFC TV or pay-per-view events.

There was a caveat that other sponsors could be allowed on TV, but only with the UFC's blessing. This seems like an awfully slippery slope, as big-name stars like Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have highly lucrative deals with Nike and Burger King, respectively. I'm sure Nike is feeling real great about Reebok freezing them out. This also likely spells an end to longtime brands such as Headrush, Bad Boy and Tapout, which will likely find themselves relegated to training attire for UFC fighters. Then again, Bellator and indie circuits are still an option for these companies.
 

It's a curious move all around, as the UFC claims that this is one of their biggest agreements ever, and they say it will mostly go back to the fighters. The thinking is that now fighters will all get guaranteed sponsorship money, which leaves them in better shape as they train for a fight. MMA athletes have long had to wheel and deal in order to get funding to fight (unless you're named GSP, Spider or Bones), and it's not uncommon to see fighters hold down regular jobs while they train. Even the recently retired Shane Carwin was still an engineer at the same time as he was the (interim) heavyweight champion.

What does this mean for EA's UFC products now and into the future? Well, it certainly means that you'll see a regression in the sponsorship aspects of any career mode, as now Reebok holds most of the cards. The UFC did say that other companies would possibly join Reebok as part of the official uniform (think of a soccer kit), but it would almost certainly be a brand with the international heft and recognition of a Reebok.

On the one hand, you can see what the UFC is trying to do — legitimize the sport as a safe, digestible, regulated product that fits into the lexicon of "major sports." By reigning in some of the wackier outfits and sponsors, the UFC gains control over the wild west of fringe fighters and their antics while winning a PR war in that they're supposedly paying out fighters for shilling Reebok's wares. How much money these guys and gals will receive remains to be seen.

Still, for me, I think it's kind of disappointing for both the sport and the games, as you lose some of the character of these fighters when they're forced into a rigid template. There will certainly still be differing colors and styles of fighting attire, and each athlete will be able to leverage their brands if they still have the clout, but it limits the possibilities in something like a career mode, as now you can't go after tiered sponsorships or brands. You just get assimilated into the Reebok borg that is now the UFC.
 

Part of the fun of something like EA Sports UFC or the Fight Night games is unlocking new gear that not only looks and feels unique but that also suits your fighter's character. Not all brands are created equal, and it's sort of fun picking companies and styles that feel distinct. That can't really happen now — not to mention the fact that fight banners will all look pretty much the same.

In terms of the actual payout structure, I find the metrics for that fairly dubious. For one, the fighters are locked into whatever deal the UFC negotiated — one in which they had no say — and the money in that deal could lessen in the coming years. Sort of annoying to be told you can't go elsewhere for in-ring sponsorships and have to attach yourself to something that (1) might not be profitable and (2) doesn't suit your personality. On top of this, fighters who are granted exemptions are allowed to bring in big sponsors separately, which just feeds into the notion that the UFC plays favorites, which they clearly do.

For the rankings, the goal is to pay fighters a stipend based on where they are in the rankings but also relative to how much their unique kit is selling. Again, it's great if you're all about climbing the ladder and capitalism, and some people will make it work, but what about the people that are currently unranked? These are the people that need the help to maintain a fighting career. Jon Jones and GSP don’t need any additional help. To top it off, these rankings are currently picked by the media, and that seems like a really weird way to decide whether some folks can pay a mortgage or not.

This whole uniform and synergy thing is one that makes a lot of sense for a company like the UFC who is still trying to find a firm foothold in the modern sports landscape. They're a company that's basically expanding to keep their value high. They can keep outrunning any geographical problems by going to places that have never had much MMA before, but once that starts tapping out, they have to find ways to ingratiate themselves to the average viewer. This is one of those ways. Hopefully it ends up working out for the fighters as much as it seems to be for the UFC.