HOW TO FIND A MMA MANAGER?
Friday, January 11, 2008
Article By Tom Supnet
How to Find an MMA Manager
by Tom Supnet
I’ve been involved in mixed martial arts (MMA) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) for over 10 years and have known Tedd Williams for much of that time and had my fighters in many of his shows. I actually started out as a jiu-jitsu student in Boise, Idaho. Now you might not think of Boise as a hotbed of jiu-jitsu activity 10 years ago…and you’d be right. But I was as shocked by the first UFC as the next guy and was driven to find out more about the style that dominated all other styles.
I helped my first instructor coordinate a trip for our Primal Tribe team to the Bas Rutten Invitational in Denver where we competed in front of the UFC matchmaker and made a great showing! So great, in fact, that we were offered two matches in the UFC. I wish I could claim I was chosen because of my high intelligence and classic good looks. But the truth is I was “drafted” to be the manager because I had sweet telephone skills (I could dial long distance), a credit card (Sears) and the stupidity…uh, I mean the willingness…to take on tasks everyone else considered impossible. If you’re going to be a manager why not be bold and let everyone know you’re on the playground? So I just took a deep breath and went for it. I’ve learned a ton since then and have also discovered just about every pitfall there is to managing fighters.
Some of the most important topics in MMA, which get overlooked 90 percent of the time, are things like fighter management, cornering, scouting, rules interpretation, fight preparation, athletic commission relations, team politics, and negotiating with promoters, matchmakers, sponsors, reporters, and magazines…the nuts and bolts of the sport in other words. New fighters thinking about a career in MMA should do extensive research before seeking management. However, you’re not going to find a book on this in your local library. It’s only through talking to people who been through it before that you’ll gain any kind of insight into these very confusing issues.
Your first decision as a fighter, however, is whether or not you REALLY need a manager. If you’re one of those super-organized people who can multi-task, have the capacity to balance everything in your “real” life AND train AND negotiate deals with promoters then good for you. Maybe you don’t need a manager and maybe the only thing that can hurt you is kryptonite.
If you’re one of the 99.99 percent of the people in this world who DON’T fit that description then don’t feel bad. It’s nearly impossible to work full time, pay bills, take care of the yard, and make time for the family in addition to training and scheduling/negotiating good matches for yourself in legitimate shows with trustworthy promoters (yes, there are trustworthy promoters). This is where a good manager comes into play and can be instrumental in helping a fighter advance their career.
Another important decision is how long to stay an amateur. It’s pretty easy to schedule professional fights. The guidelines are still under construction and regulations aren’t forced. Are you good enough to compete against the professional fighters you’ve seen? Watch some amateur fights and be honest with yourself. You can make money as a pro right now while the opportunities are there. If you’re young and/or patient, maybe you should wait a year or two and get to a level you’re comfortable with before going pro.
These are things an experienced manager can help you decide. They can assess your skills and advise you. If you’re just getting started, why not leverage off of someone who has helped a lot of fighters and has working relationships with many of the most influential people in the sport? This doesn’t just include promoters and matchmakers but also sponsors, publicists, video producers and magazine editors.
My best advice is to find a manager who is honest, reliable and hard working. Whether you like the affable and friendly type or the straight-up serious business man is another issue to consider. But regardless of their personality, you should find a manager who knows how to negotiate contract terms, evaluate fighter pay, and avoid pitfalls. If you have questions on any of these topics feel free to shoot me an email by visiting www.PrimalTribeFighting.com.
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