Anheuser-Busch Warns UFC About Offensive Comments
By Chris Leslie on April 26, 2012
Anheuser-Busch, parent company of Budweiser and major UFC sponsor, has apparently warned the UFC about offensive remarks made by some fighters, and other employees. Anheuser-Busch has stated that if the UFC does not start taking appropriate action that there will be repercussions.
AdvertisingAge reports that multiple advocacy groups have complained to the company about sexist and homophobic comments made by UFC employees.
Anheuser-Busch did not elaborate on the actions that would be taken but stressed that as a company they “[embrace] diversity and [do] not condone insensitive and derogatory comments rooted in ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, etc.”
AdvertisingAge was given a statement on the matter from the UFC:
“With over 425 athletes on our roster, there have unfortunately been instances where a couple athletes have made insensitive or inappropriate comments. We don’t condone this behavior, and in no way is it reflective of the company or its values.”
The advocacy groups have also become a major voice in New York, where they have lobbied against the UFC for “permitting” homophobic, misogynistic, and violent language. One group, National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, specifically mentioned separate incidents involving fighters Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, and UFC analyst/comedian Joe Rogan.
The UFC responded to the website stating:
“Unlike most other sports leagues, we encourage our athletes to engage online. It is part of our company culture, and whenever you are at the forefront of a trend or initiative, it comes with its own pitfalls. We will continue to embrace social media while looking for better ways to stay in front of the issues. This includes a mandate for our athletes to attend sensitivity training and a seminar on proper use of social media.”
While hardcore fans may blow this off, it is important to realize that the UFC is in a precarious position as it sits at the edge of becoming a mainstream sport with its network and large sponsorships. Issues like these can be very damaging to both the perception of the sport as well as the financing of the sport. In short, this is not something the UFC can literally afford to ignore anymore.
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This is where the UFC needs to get control ……….. of Dana .
Even the boss gets in trouble sometimes
Dana aint goin nowhere
he’s pissed all of us off once or twice but u still gotta love him
No. You don’t.
UFC has to play by the politically correct rules like everyone else.. Don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
It’s more about not losing sponsorship money.
I see that you’re trying to spin this into a freedom of speech issue – when that argument doesn’t fly (nevermind that it ONLY applies to government restriction – not Zuffa’s).
Anyone who is employed in any fashion by the UFC is free to say anything they want. Free to say it doesn’t mean free from consequences for saying it, though.
And just as UFC fighters/employees are free to say offensive, degrading, mysoginistic, sexist, and homophobic things, Anheuser-Busch is free to stop giving the UFC money as a sponsor as a result.
The reason for this statemnt is that, clearly, Anheuser-Busch believes that women and gays buy their beer and don’t want their customers to be alienated by someone who is speaking in a venue with a Budweiser or Bud Light logo. There is no political correctness, there is business savvy.
fighters are not full time employees, niether is Joe Rogan. these guys work a few DAYS out of the YEAR! and now…. Anheuser-Busch wants to tell the ufc to tell these men what to and what not to say on there free time?
if i were the ufc or anyone they came to with this b.s, i would tell them to kiss my grits!
fighters fight and talk sh!t.
sponcers come and go, they pay you for your time they should not tell you how to run your company in any way. whats next?? we don’t like when your fighters talk about having sex with different women… it affends femminist gruops! these fighters and the ufc are not trying to make everyone happy, sponcers are. THIS IS NOT WWF, WE DON’T WANT A FAKE “COMERCIAL” SHOW. DON’T TELL FIGHTERS WHAT TO SAY?
Anheuser-Busch has no right to make a request like this!
IMO
They aren’t saying what people can say. They are telling Zuffa what its fighters and employees can’t say….IF THEY WANT AB’s SPONSORSHIP.
Zuffa is free to tell them to pi$$ up a rope. The fighters are free to say whatever they please. But speech has consequences. For fighters that can mean angering their employer. For Zuffa that can mean losing a sponsor. It’s all about choices.
I actually enjoy the trash talking, and comments from fighters, even if they are inappropriate at times. Yes, those comments may offend some, but there are always going to be overly-sensitive people that don’t see the humor, the sick twisted mind at times, or can’t take a joke.
Anheuser-Busch can “suck it” and I mean that in the most respectful, professional, politically correct way possible. Your beer and energy drinks are crap. I’m sick of your stupid Clydesdale horses, do us a favor, and give them to Alistair for lunch.
Damn I’m in a bad mood this morning. Coming from a country where oppression was the norm, I thought the USA championed being able to speak your mind freely? As such, Anheuser-Busch has every “right” to pull their sponsorship depending on their contract with the UFC.
Fighters can speak their minds freely. And their employer can fire them for doing so. Or, if a sponsor is not happy with the UFC’s dealings in certain cases, they can pull their sponsorship. There is no issue, in regards to the 1st Amendment.
Just look at it this way. MMA is a sport. Look at what happens to other athletes in other sports when they say offensive things. Fines, suspensions, etc. Yes its a business, but with all sports its a business very much in the public eye. Just because any single person out there dosen’t have a problem with what an athlete says dosen’t mean thousands of other people won’t find it offensive. Its not a matter of being pc or not. As other people have already stated its about the business and the money corporate sponsers generate for said sport. And if anyone has a problem with that, they should ask themselves if their business would survive a boycott.
its up to zuffa not its sponsors!
a boycott of homosexuals with signs? at the ticket counter :) at an event :) at a press confrence :)?
if anyone is offended by an form entertainment,
they should:
a) whine about it :’(
b) tell their friends so they can whine together :”(
c) shut up and focus on something else
i think the answer is c! but i have been wrong before?
Losing their biggest sponsor would hurt the UFC a lot more than you the other short-sighted complainers here are realizing. And that is up to the sponsors. If the UFC doesn’t punish speech, they are condoning it. If a sponsor doesn’t like that, they can pull support. that is all this is about. If the UFC doesn’t clean up Dana’s mouth as well as the fighters, they stand to lose a large sum of money.
money or keeping control of your company, which is more important? no corperation should let its sponcors dictate ANYTHING! you put your logo on some stuff, they have their show, you sell your product, and thats it!
Dana White shouldn’t bow down to any sponsor, fighter or homosexual that wants to tell him how run his show!
he/they started this mma thing, and it will continue with or without busch or any 1 entity.
do people really think it is ok for sponsors to make comments like this? they should not have made it puplic! maybe AB is ok with homosexuals telling them how to run their company? ufc target audiance is (stright) men 15? – 45ish?
and the majority of us are not cofortable with homosexuals or feel like homosexuallity should be celibrated!
some people need to realize they don’t get thier way becuase ther feelings are hurt :’(
if Dana bows down i will lose a lot of respect for him and their org.
if you lose a sponsor then that leaves room for another one… just like a fighter or a state that won’t approve mma!
AB is gay! its not offencive to them because they like that stuff…
imo
I’m going to just let you stew in your bigotry and ignorance.
homosexuals have rights! i really do beleave that! they don’t have the right to tell other people what to say or how to act or feel!
isn’t that their whole deal? no one is allowed to tell them how to act what they can say or how to say it?
bigotry and ignorance… i’m rubber your glue
we disagree that doesn’t make me anything you think homosexuallity is cool (i assume) i don’t.
if i don’t like barking dogs and don’t think they should be allowed at UFC events… does that mean i am a dog hater?
pro homosexuals are always making themselves victims… everyone has people that don’t approve of the way they carry themselves, most of us don’t whine about it and right letters and “boycott” because people don’t like us.. we continue with the rest of our lives?
THE UFC IS A MMA PROMOTION NOT A SCHOOL FEILD TRIP NOR RETAIL BUSINESS.
I AM NOT A BIGOT NOR AM I IGNORANT!
IMO
for everyone bringing up freedom of speech here, it does not apply since congress is not involved… also, what people have a reasonable problem with is when these guys cross the line. Evans using the Sandusky thing to talk trash isn’t funny to most people in the US, nor is Rogan blasting a respected female reporter (which proved her point more ironically), or even when Dana ripped Loretta Hunt.
You guys may not care about AB but the money they pour into the UFC (no pun intended) is more than enough to get the UFC’s attention. Sports cannot survive without sponsors, even the major organizations that dwarf the UFC know that. It’s even more true here since the fighters often rely on sponsorships themselves. So if a big gun like AB backed out, let’s just say they wouldn’t be the only one nor would future big sponsors find the company as appealing.
do you really think the ufc will have a promblem finding sponsors????
: ) come on mang
Sponsors that aren’t struggling financially or that Zuffa does not own themselves? Oh yeah, I really do.
the fastest growning sport/sport org. in the world needs to tell its employees to pretend they feel a certain way and be false..
or they won’t be sponsored..
ok i don’t agree but thats cool
Would they have trouble finding sponsors? No.
Would they have trouble finding sponsors willing to spend as much as AB? Uhhh… Yes.
Chris i understand how Joe Rogan’s Comment about the reporter being a C*nt can be seen as sexist, but i think people need to understand that Joe and his comedian buddies throw that term around like its going out of style. To me women need to get over that word because if they can get away with calling a guy a d!ck or Pr!ck then we should be allowed to call them C*nts. I mean if AB wants equality then they should be supporting Rogans use of the word ;).
In other words It would be AB loss if they were to end their sponsership. Sure Zuffa would take a hit with add revenu but how long do you think it will take for Coors/Miller brewing Company to call them? Maybe Bud light is the biggest chitty beer in the market right now but things change and maybe Coors light or Miller light will become the offical beer of the Octagon. Plus UFC is the largest growing sport and maybe Gatorade or Powerade will become the offical drink of the UFC, which would be more fitting considering they are a sport.
From listening to Rogan on his podcast if things were to change in how he was able to be with ZUffa im sure he wouldnt stick around. Sure he loves combat sports but if i know him like i think i do, he likes being able to be himself at all times more. I.E. his rant about FOX telling him to simmer down in his ear peice. Which would be Zuffa’s loss considering Rogan is the best commentator in the business.
This sport would suffer with censorship. Fighter being able to be genuine and real sells the sport and have to P.C. verbage is not what the fans want, so i wonder what is more important to zuffa ad revenue or PPV revenue?
I wonder what makes Zuffa more money? Bud light or Chael talking chit on Brazilians? Because im sure Chael sells more PPV talking chit on Brazilians then keeping quiet. How many more people around the world want to see the Spider beat CHael or Vise versa? how many people around the world were even interested in Chael before he started talking chit?
The issue with Rogan’s comment is pretty simple in my opinion and that is situational context. I love stand up comedy, it’s one thing I really enjoy and yeah, it’s pretty vulgar. I mean if he says it in Comedy show, then my feelings are the same on that as they are with the Maher comments on Palin in a comedy show, it’s fair game. However, when you step outside of that and blatantly go after someone for what they said. You have crossed a line, especially considering that Maggie was correct with what she was saying. The fact that it took forever for the UFC to say anything about it, and then the fact they did finally say something about it rather than ignore it, shows that obviously many people did not see Joe as a comedian there but as a UFC employee.
AB losing the UFC would be a loss, but I would be willing to bet they make more per Cardinals game than they do off the UFC. They have deals with multiple teams and leagues, so a sport that is still relatively young is not going to cripple them. People aren’t going to stop buying crappy beer just because they don’t sponsor the UFC, because the beer price will stay the same.
As far as censorship, the irony in your statement is that multiple fighters have admitted they only say things to sell fights. So that means they are, in fact, not being genuine.
Add revenue is becoming increasing important due to the increased amount of shows on Fox networks (that’s how non-ppv works, ever notice all the non-local commercials have spots in the octagon?) and with PPV sales declining over the last years, they become even more paramount than before.
Chael sells more, but even his events have not done particularly well outside of UFC 117, which to me shows that there’s only so much trash talking gets you.
sponcers are sponcers not partners…. are they saying it needs to stop, or saying that they will pull out?
“Anheuser-Busch has stated that if the UFC does not start taking appropriate action that there will be repercussions”
sounds like a threat? a business partner or boss would make?
its just like a fighter giving an altimatom, the UFC is the UFC with or without any 1 entity!
Anheuser-Busch can go sponcer the gay parade if thats their main concern! with they want UFC fans to see their logo then sponsor th UFC and be sponsering and sell beer and let the ZUFFA do what they do.
as a UFC fan i am upset that Anheuser-Busch would even make a statement like this! so stupid
imo
My guess is that AB gives more in sponsorship money than the rest of the UFC’s sponsors combined.
Im guessing Fox gives more money then AB, but is fox consider a sponser on top of a network the UFC is on?
AB is a huge ad buyer for Fox.
Obviously they don’t wanna lose sponsorship, but I’m sorry…..the tin F**K does budweiser think they are???? Same scum bags who shoved their beer down my throat when I was a kid, glorifying beer and drinking as the obvious normalcy that we should all take up, and blatantly marketing to high school kids, which they still do today. Obviously Dana should have control of his fighters, but are we acting like no other sports stars or celebrities have popped off on twitter, etc? Even kobe made a gay slur. Anyway, I’m sure bud doesn’t wanna lose ufc, just as ufc doesn’t wanna lose bud, so this is basically just lip service imo now that I think about it, and hardly worth mentioning.
So AB has no problems sponsoring sports that glorify a convicted felon for running a dog fighting operation, a guy that shoots himself in the d!ck, brawls that involve the crowd, players that are testifying before congress due to steroid use, and the list goes on and on. But, they won’t tolerate comments about homosexuality and sexism, gotcha AB.
a bunch of people with too much time whined to AB, so they are pretending to care by making that statement to the UFC. UFC is pretending to care by releasing their statment and going through whatever other motions like sensitivity training for fighters. It’s all just BS politics. Nobody involved really gives a damn, except the advocates that could probably be doing something more productive with their time.
Things are never said or written in a vacuum. This latest turn of events reinforce that. Just like there are female and gay Bud drinkers, there are female and gay MMA fans.
Zuffa needs to watch itself. Things like these can have a cumulative effect that can open the door for a rival down the line.
The UFC need AB more than vice versa. Pretty simple.
AB has no real morality just money sense.
That being said.
There is nothing wrong with teaching fighters as well as well all folks how to be respectful of others – when they seem to flounder.
there’s a word for it.. ‘civilization’.
if u wanna live alone one a mountain top go do it. but if you wanna be part of a bigger whole, drive on roads, live in a house, have clothes that others made, drive a car…. don’t say disgusting denigrating stuff.
Here here!!
Don’t agree with you often, but you hit this one on the head.
yo WILL::
Yes the NFL has convicted players that have ran dog fighting rings, shot themselves and convicted of manslaughter to name a few. But guess what, the NFL suspended them for all that dumb shi* that they did, and not on the legal front but on the NFL side.
The UFC from what I know has never fined or suspended their fighters for whatever dumb shi* they may have done outside the ring, or for something they have said.
Also you dont hear Bettman, Giddel, Stern or Seile calling their employees dumb as$es, f’ing retards, a fuc*ing joke etc…
About the only thing UFC has ever done has been dropping a guy like Miguel Torres and then rehiring a fews later for some tweet (no fine or supension of my knowledge)
@Christian – The UFC cut Torres initially and only re-signed him after he made amends on some levels for his rape van tweet.
What you don’t know is how much of a financial hit Torres took when he signed that new contract after being dropped. You also don’t know which sponsors he may have lost.
The NFL/NBA/MLB/NHL can fine and suspend because they have the legal ability to. It’s called a collective bargaining agreement. The UFC really doesn’t. AFAIK the UFC has no legal ability to modify a fighter’s pay after the contract is signed – it is essentially a personal services contract. No fines, in the NFL, etc sense. The only fines you read about after events are not levied by the UFC, they are done by the athletic commissions and are in effect agreed to by the fighters as a condition of being licensed by the AC.
judging by the reported salaries Torres was given a 2K raise in base pay
The UFC from what I know has never fined or suspended their fighters for whatever dumb shi* they may have done outside the ring, or for something they have said.
Chris Leben (diving drunk) and Chael Sonnen (real estate scam)
Im pretty sure AB niche market condones insensitive and derogatory comments rooted in ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, etc. Have they not seen the people who drink their chitty beer?
AB is no niche market, it controls not only both Bud and Michaloeb but also Beck’s, Stell Artois, Bass, Labatt, etc. They’re the world’s largest brewer and also have non-alcoholic ventures like Monster energy. They made over $36 billion in just beer brewing profit last year alone… whereas the Station Casinos, the Fertitta’s main venture, just exited bankruptcy last June.
Haha Chris it was just jokes, though white trash does buy Buttweiser and butt light. Inbev actually owns AB which is a Belgain company. Belgain’s make good brew not to mention InBev’s accusition of craft brew companies like Goose Island.
UFC can grab sponsor money from soooooo many different companies now. Now that they’re with FOX it would be very easy for them to drop AB and go with some other beer. AB doesn’t want to cut ties, they’re just making a threat before it “gets out of hand” If anyone here has been to any of fights you’d realize how much money AB would really lose if they cut their ties with the UFC. Other then the kids, how many fans do you see walking around at whatever venue they’re at NOT holding a beer??? Not to mention you’re paying anywhere from what, $5-$12 a beer? I live in the midwest so I don’t know what inflation is like anywhere else.
AB is basically doing this as a warning. Something so the public is aware that AB is “on top of things” I can think of 1 incident recently that is worse press for a team/league/person/community……Ozzie Guillen. The day the Cuban community finally learned of what happened (a mear 3-5 weeks after it was actually said) and what was unintentionally said (we can discuss if interested lol).
The good and bad thing right now with the UFC is there’s nothing on ESPN other than a short 20-30 sec blurb of who won a title fight and the occasional update on the ticker. This is VERY good for the UFC because if they both got along…….this would’ve gotten wayyyyy outta hand.
I’m just typing away with no rhyme or reason so I’ll just say what my point is lol. AB had to cover there backsides by saying something to the UFC. You wont see anything too severe other than a small fine probably to those who don’t censor themselves on freakin twitter. AB’s not going anywhere, like some have said, “AB needs the UFC just as bad as UFC needs AB” UFC can go out and get another sponsor to replace AB but likes the “partnership/relationship” they’ve built up and wont let it go to waste.
I think its absurd to even ponder whether Bud would drop ufc, which they would never do. Unless males age 18-30 suddenly stopped being a needed demographic. This is a worthless subject to discuss. But made their “warning” which I heard nowhere on the news, ufc will “take a stern stance against it” and we’ll never hear about it again.
my whole opion is.. sponsors have no right to tell anyone how to run their show period.
and homophobic? “phobic” is a fear…. i don’t think Joe Rogan or any UFC fighter is afraid of homosexuals?
its similiar to the word “faggot” do homosexuals or anyone think we are AFRAID of homosexuals?
imo
You need to talk to someone about your issues with homosexuals.
You may actually be gay.Not that there is anything wrong with that.I know what you’re doing, but let’s give this whole thing a rest… Chris L.
if i was Dana White i would agree in the respect that it is not apropiate. but niether is useing steriods or mushing your head into an apponents face when they square up!
but the UFC is not scripted or fake! fighters should and will not be told what to say or not say. They should be themselves. DEAL!
One more reason not to drink anything from AB. this whole PC thing is crap.
Hot topic,
My 2 cents (without reviewing UFC AB contract) is UFC probably makes big money from AB and will want to continue to do so. And since AB pays this big money they have every right to say ‘we don’t like when you or your employees say unfunny insensitive sh!t and if they keep doing it we won’t pay anymore.’ Freedom of speech has nothing to do with this.
I also agree with whoever said AB shamelessly promotes its products to kids. I’m sure part of that is because tobacco execs have moved to the alcohol industry.
@Windmiller I’m not sure what argument youre going along in but you do make some great points. People can like or dislike what they want. And its not actually slurs being said typically but instead words with other intended uses, so its actually even worse censorship. its funny how sheep like we can all really get in society with groups tryin to throw their weight around until they get group agreement on the way everything is supposed to be. Again, really good points. At the end Bud doesn’t have a right to force ufc to act a certain way, but they can stop sponsoring them if they want (which will never happen ever, at least not for the reasons of their complaints), and they can at least warn ufc. Bud doesn’t actually promote homosexuality or even metrosexuality in any way, so I really doubt they want to come off as progay..anyway like I said before this is all lip service and no possibility of happening. It was really questionable to even post about, because it just causes this kind of rabble.
I dont think Zuffa will be too bothered by this. If A.Busch wants to pull out then another big name sponsor will just fill the gap. They will only be shooting themselves in the foot.
Ive seen many Movies where Budweiser is advertised in a bar whilst the actors are swearing etc. That is no different.
Isnt John McCain married into the A.Busch company? The same John McCain that wanted MMA banned… Seems like he has an influence.