綜合格鬥賽冠軍如何年賺千萬美元
Mixed martial arts legend and UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre takes on Johny Hendricks Saturday night in Las Vegas in the main event of UFC 167. Leading up to the fight this week, UFC boss Dana White gushed to reporters about the passion of GSP: “When you’re as rich as Georges St-Pierre is, to stay that mentally tough and to keep having the drive and the passion to win that he does, that’s what separates him from all the rest.” When asked how wealthy the 32-year-old Canadian was, White didn’t mince words: “He’s rich. He’s very rich.”
在上週六於拉斯維加斯舉行的UFC（終極格鬥冠軍賽）167期賽事的主賽中，綜合格鬥（MMA，又稱混合武術）傳奇人物、UFC次中量級冠軍喬治·聖皮埃爾（Georges St-Pierre）接受喬尼·亨德里克斯（Johny Hendricks）的挑戰。在上週進行這場比賽之前，UFC總裁達納·懷特（Dana White）曾經滔滔不絕地向記者介紹聖皮埃爾對職業的熱情：“當你像喬治·聖皮埃爾那樣富有的時候，還能保持他那樣的精神毅力、幹勁和熱情，這就是他與衆不同之處。”當被問及這位現年32歲的加拿大人多麼富有時，懷特毫不諱言地說：“他很富有，非常富有。”White should know. He is the one that signs the checks that make up the bulk of the income for the man known as Rush. GSP made roughly $9 million combined for his past two fights, according to multiple sources close to the fighter. His current annual income outside the octagon from endorsements, memorabilia and licensing adds another $3 million. St-Pierre’s total income of $12 million over the last 12 months makes him the top earner in MMA.
懷特應該是知道的。由他簽字的薪水支票構成了這位綽號“拉什”（Rush）的人的大部分收入。據與這位格鬥手關係密切的多位消息人士透露，聖皮埃爾在過去兩場比賽中總共賺到了大約900萬美元。他目前在八角型格鬥場之外通過廣告代言、紀念品和授予許可權獲得的收入又爲他的年收入增加了300萬美元。聖皮埃爾在過去12個月的總收入爲1,200萬美元，這使他成爲綜合格鬥界裏收入最高的人。“Georges St-Pierre is our biggest pay-per-view star, ” White said recently. The numbers back it up. UFC 158 in March where GSP pummeled Nick Diaz, racked up the sport’s biggest PPV numbers in three years with 950, 000 buys. The ten other UFC events in 2013 averaged 350, 000 buys, according to . With the HD version of UFC 167 costing $55, the addition of GSP can mean more than $30 million in PPV revenue compared to a non-GSP event. GSP also means a bigger gate, as well as added sponsorship revenue.
懷特最近表示：“喬治·聖皮埃爾是我們付費觀賽電視節目的最大明星。”相關數據證實了這個說法。今年三月份聖皮埃爾痛打尼克·迪亞茲（Nick Diaz）的UFC 158期賽事，是這項運動三年來PPV（按次付費收看）最高的賽事——購買次數達95萬。據網站統計，今年其他十次UFC賽事獲得的購買次數平均爲35萬次。由於高清版UFC 167付費觀賽電視節目的價格爲55美元，聖皮埃爾的加入意味着付費觀賽電視節目收入比沒有他出場的賽事高出3,000多萬美元。此外，聖皮埃爾還意味入場門票價格更高，以及贊助收入的提高。
St-Pierre’s recent bouts have each included a $200, 000 guarantee, plus a $200, 000 win bonus for the fighter. He also earned “Fight of the Night” bonuses in two of his past four fights that were worth $70, 000 and $100, 000 respectively. But the big money is in PPV. Top UFC fighters receive a cut of PPV revenue on top of their guarantees and bonuses. By cutting the champion fighters in on the PPV action, White ensures that the stars of MMA will promote the UFC events to help drive up the PPV gross. St-Pierre is practically guaranteed $3 million per fight before stepping into the octagon based on his past PPV audiences, but the numbers can climb quickly. The 950, 000 PPV buys for UFC 158 meant a $5 million payday for Rush. The six UFC PPV events featuring GSP since 2009 averaged 820, 000 buys.
聖皮埃爾最近的格鬥比賽每場都包括20萬美元的出場費，再加上20萬美元的獲勝獎金。此外，在過去的四場比賽中，他還在兩場比賽中分別贏得了價值7萬美元和10萬美元的“當晚賽事中的最佳比賽”獎金。但是最大的收入來自於PPV電視節目。UFC的頂級格鬥手除了出場費和獎金之外，還能在PPV節目收入中獲得分成。通過讓頂級格鬥手在PPV收入中分得一杯羹，懷特確保綜合格鬥明星們會提升UFC賽事，以幫助增加PPV節目的總收入。根據聖皮埃爾過去的PPV收視人數，他在步入八角型競技場之前，實際上已保證獲得每場比賽300萬美元的收入，但這個數字可能會迅速攀升。UFC158期賽事獲得的95萬次PPV購買意味着拉什可賺到500萬美元的收入。自2009年以來，由聖皮埃爾參加主賽的六次UFC賽事平均獲得了82萬次PPV購買。Coca-Cola energy drink NOS. These deals are all multi-year contracts and each one is worth seven-figures. Under Armour exec Steve Battista described St-Pierre as the “ Michael Jordan of MMA, ” when the company signed Rush to a deal in 2009. Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg, who headed up a series of commercials for Under Armour, called GSP “one of the greatest athletes alive today, ” in a behind the scenes look at a UA commercial shoot.
拉什在八角型競技場內外都是收入最高的UFC明星。他數額最大的代言協議是運動品牌Under Armour、隼牌（Hayaboosa）綜合格鬥服飾和可口可樂能量飲料NOS。這些代言協議都是多年期合約，而且每個都價值七位數。Under Armour創意/品牌資深副總裁史蒂夫·巴蒂斯塔（Steve Battista）在2009年該公司與聖皮埃爾簽訂一份協議時，曾經把他說成是綜合格鬥界的邁克爾·喬丹（Michael Jordan）。電視連續劇《勝利之光》（Friday Night Lights）導演彼得·伯格（Peter Berg）曾負責爲Under Armour製作一系列廣告，他在幕後觀看Under Armour的一部廣告拍攝時，把聖皮埃爾稱作爲“如今還活着的最偉大運動員之一。”GSP is expanding his brand this year in a series of moves. He launched a health and fitness app, Touchfit: GSP, developed by Zolmo that includes an equity stake for St-Pierre. He released a book, The Way of the Fight, which covers his life story and training methods. The book hit No. 30 on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestsellers list. He is finalizing a supplements deal, to be announced shortly, that will rank among his biggest endorsements. A feature length documentary, Takedown: The DNA of GSP, will be released in the spring.
聖皮埃爾今年正在一系列行動中擴大自己的品牌。他推出了一款健康和健身應用Touchfit: GSP，聖皮埃爾在這款由Zolmo開發的應用中持有股份。他出版了一本書——《格鬥之道》（The Way of the Fight），這本書敘述了他的人生故事和訓練方法。該書在《紐約時報》非小說類精裝版暢銷書排行榜中排到第三十名。他正在最終敲定一項補充協議，不久將宣佈的這項協議將成爲他數額最大的代言協議。一部達到正片長度的紀錄片——《扳倒對手：聖皮埃爾的基因》（Takedown: The DNA of GSP）將在明年春季上映。GSP has built a staggering portfolio of endorsement partners in a sport that is still taboo for many marketers. The Quebec-born St-Pierre did not speak a word of English when he started his UFC career in 2004, but is now featured in commercials for major global brands. His appeal is worldwide with a massive following that includes 3.5 million Facebook fans.
在對於許多營銷者而言仍然忌諱的一項運動中，聖皮埃爾已經建立起一個驚人的代言合作伙伴組合。當出生於魁北克的聖皮埃爾在2004年開始其UFC職業生涯時，他還不會說一句英文，但現在已經爲一些全球大品牌主演廣告了。他在世界各地都具有吸引力，擁有大量粉絲，其中包括在Facebook上的350萬粉絲。Google Nexus 7 tablet and he’ll be on the big screen in the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier playing Batroc the Leaper. Look for GSP to add to his marketing income through licensing deals overseas in countries that are big on MMA like Russia, the Philippines and the UK.
拉什的其他合作伙伴包括英國美聲音箱公司（Mission）、在線撲克網站888poker、服裝品牌Affliction、美國藝電（Electronic Arts）、百加得（Bacardi）和麥克風公司羅耶（Royer）。去年，在爲谷歌Nexus 7平板電腦製作的一部加長版廣告中，他表現了自己的表演能力，他將在2014年上映的電影《美國隊長2：冬天戰士》（Captain America: The Winter Soldier）中露面，出演反派人物——僱傭兵（Batroc the Leaper）。預期聖皮埃爾將會通過在俄羅斯、菲律賓和英國等綜合格鬥運動擁有廣大愛好者的國家簽署海外授權協議，進一步提高自己的營銷收入。What’s next for MMA’s biggest star? Not retirement, despite recent rumors. He plans to keep fighting after UFC 167, according to those inside his camp. Dana White will be happy to keep writing those checks.
這位綜合格鬥界的大明星接下來會做什麼呢？他不會退休，儘管最近傳言他打算退休。據聖皮埃爾團隊的內部人士透露，他計劃在UFC167期賽事之後繼續參加格鬥比賽。UFC總裁達納·懷特會很樂意繼續爲他開出那些薪水支票的。
