综合格斗赛冠军如何年赚千万美元
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.”
在上周六于拉斯维加斯举行的UFC（终极格斗冠军赛）167期赛事的主赛中，综合格斗（MMA，又称混合武术）传奇人物、UFC次中量级冠军乔治·圣皮埃尔（Georges St-Pierre）接受乔尼·亨德里克斯（Johny Hendricks）的挑战。在上周进行这场比赛之前，UFC总裁达纳·怀特（Dana White）曾经滔滔不绝地向记者介绍圣皮埃尔对职业的热情：“当你像乔治·圣皮埃尔那样富有的时候，还能保持他那样的精神毅力、干劲和热情，这就是他与众不同之处。”当被问及这位现年32岁的加拿大人多么富有时，怀特毫不讳言地说：“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.
怀特应该是知道的。由他签字的薪水支票构成了这位绰号“拉什”（Rush）的人的大部分收入。据与这位格斗手关系密切的多位消息人士透露，圣皮埃尔在过去两场比赛中总共赚到了大约900万美元。他目前在八角型格斗场之外通过广告代言、纪念品和授予许可权获得的收入又为他的年收入增加了300万美元。圣皮埃尔在过去12个月的总收入为1,200万美元，这使他成为综合格斗界里收入最高的人。“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.
怀特最近表示：“乔治·圣皮埃尔是我们付费观赛电视节目的最大明星。”相关数据证实了这个说法。今年三月份圣皮埃尔痛打尼克·迪亚兹（Nick Diaz）的UFC 158期赛事，是这项运动三年来PPV（按次付费收看）最高的赛事——购买次数达95万。据网站统计，今年其他十次UFC赛事获得的购买次数平均为35万次。由于高清版UFC 167付费观赛电视节目的价格为55美元，圣皮埃尔的加入意味着付费观赛电视节目收入比没有他出场的赛事高出3,000多万美元。此外，圣皮埃尔还意味入场门票价格更高，以及赞助收入的提高。
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.
圣皮埃尔最近的格斗比赛每场都包括20万美元的出场费，再加上20万美元的获胜奖金。此外，在过去的四场比赛中，他还在两场比赛中分别赢得了价值7万美元和10万美元的“当晚赛事中的最佳比赛”奖金。但是最大的收入来自于PPV电视节目。UFC的顶级格斗手除了出场费和奖金之外，还能在PPV节目收入中获得分成。通过让顶级格斗手在PPV收入中分得一杯羹，怀特确保综合格斗明星们会提升UFC赛事，以帮助增加PPV节目的总收入。根据圣皮埃尔过去的PPV收视人数，他在步入八角型竞技场之前，实际上已保证获得每场比赛300万美元的收入，但这个数字可能会迅速攀升。UFC158期赛事获得的95万次PPV购买意味着拉什可赚到500万美元的收入。自2009年以来，由圣皮埃尔参加主赛的六次UFC赛事平均获得了82万次PPV购买。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.
拉什在八角型竞技场内外都是收入最高的UFC明星。他数额最大的代言协议是运动品牌Under Armour、隼牌（Hayaboosa）综合格斗服饰和可口可乐能量饮料NOS。这些代言协议都是多年期合约，而且每个都价值七位数。Under Armour创意/品牌资深副总裁史蒂夫·巴蒂斯塔（Steve Battista）在2009年该公司与圣皮埃尔签订一份协议时，曾经把他说成是综合格斗界的迈克尔·乔丹（Michael Jordan）。电视连续剧《胜利之光》（Friday Night Lights）导演彼得·伯格（Peter Berg）曾负责为Under Armour制作一系列广告，他在幕后观看Under Armour的一部广告拍摄时，把圣皮埃尔称作为“如今还活着的最伟大运动员之一。”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.
圣皮埃尔今年正在一系列行动中扩大自己的品牌。他推出了一款健康和健身应用Touchfit: GSP，圣皮埃尔在这款由Zolmo开发的应用中持有股份。他出版了一本书——《格斗之道》（The Way of the Fight），这本书叙述了他的人生故事和训练方法。该书在《纽约时报》非小说类精装版畅销书排行榜中排到第三十名。他正在最终敲定一项补充协议，不久将宣布的这项协议将成为他数额最大的代言协议。一部达到正片长度的纪录片——《扳倒对手：圣皮埃尔的基因》（Takedown: The DNA of GSP）将在明年春季上映。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.
在对于许多营销者而言仍然忌讳的一项运动中，圣皮埃尔已经建立起一个惊人的代言合作伙伴组合。当出生于魁北克的圣皮埃尔在2004年开始其UFC职业生涯时，他还不会说一句英文，但现在已经为一些全球大品牌主演广告了。他在世界各地都具有吸引力，拥有大量粉丝，其中包括在Facebook上的350万粉丝。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国美声音箱公司（Mission）、在线扑克网站888poker、服装品牌Affliction、美国艺电（Electronic Arts）、百加得（Bacardi）和麦克风公司罗耶（Royer）。去年，在为谷歌Nexus 7平板电脑制作的一部加长版广告中，他表现了自己的表演能力，他将在2014年上映的电影《美国队长2：冬天战士》（Captain America: The Winter Soldier）中露面，出演反派人物——雇佣兵（Batroc the Leaper）。预期圣皮埃尔将会通过在俄罗斯、菲律宾和英国等综合格斗运动拥有广大爱好者的国家签署海外授权协议，进一步提高自己的营销收入。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.
这位综合格斗界的大明星接下来会做什么呢？他不会退休，尽管最近传言他打算退休。据圣皮埃尔团队的内部人士透露，他计划在UFC167期赛事之后继续参加格斗比赛。UFC总裁达纳·怀特会很乐意继续为他开出那些薪水支票的。
