Tim Spriggs, is a BJJ black belt competitor from the USA. He is a black belt under Julius Park from Crazy 88 academy. Spriggs was brown belt World, Pan, World Expo GP champion at brown belt in 2014. At black belt, he won the Five Super League.
Spriggs took to his blog to call out BJJ Gear companies, who he feels are exploiting BJJ athletes. For Spriggs, these companies should be offering much more than just free gear to their athletes. They should financially compensate the athletes (pay for competition registration, travel costs, hotel), especially some of the famous black belts that compete and do Jiu-Jitsu for a living.
The truth is, some of the major Gi companies do pay the elite athletes and they pay them reasonably well. BJJ is still an amateur sport and Gi companies are not making big money themselves. Very few companies are profitable. There are many small companies and very few major ones.
Spriggs stated:
The big names in the sport are making the jiujitsu companies mad money. And what do most of them get in return? Free merchandise. I’m no nutritionist, but last time I checked you can’t eat a gi. And when it’s cold outside and you got kicked out of your apartment because you can’t pay rent, a gi will not keep you warm. It’s bad enough most of the major events in the competitive calendar don’t give cash prizes, now the companies we promote and represent refuse to financially compensate us. In other sports, sponsorship deals rival salaries from the teams and winnings they earn. Us as Jiu-Jitsu athletes are getting played from all sides and we have yet to do anything about it. WE HOLD THE POWER! Especially the elite fighters, gym owners, and affiliations. If one of us accepts a terrible deal, it gives them power and lowers our bargaining ability. They at least can pay for our registration, flight, and hotel. We need to take a stand together and let these companies know we’re not going to accept being low balled anymore. They can’t exist without the competitors and everyday practitioners.
