Why BJJ & Related Arts will NEVER Popularize

[pstevens]

I read an article a while back explaining why Brazilian Jiu-jitsu will never become popular enough to grow as an industry. The reason is simple – IT COSTS TOO MUCH!!! For the amount of money you pay to train with the top names in BJJ, you could train a professional sport that will yield 10 folds more in returns! For parents, deciding whether their child will spend $1250/week (5 days x $250/hour) on BJJ from a Gracie, Machado, etc... or tennis lessons at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where the likes of Andre Agassi and other tennis stars trained, for $930/week year-round (http://www.tennisresortsonline.com/t...sortID=345June -August, 2005), most parents will pick tennis.

All great sports like baseball, basketball and football grew slowly from pioneers who didn’t charge a whole lot of money and geniunely wanted the sport to grow. It’s called the rule of supply and demand. That’s not the case with BJJ. In BJJ, it seems the instructors just want to cash-in while they can and move on. I know there are good and honest BJJ instructors out there, I’ve known a few. But these guys aren’t producing big names, neither are they big names. For a sport to grow, influential people need to make a difference. Unfortunately, in the case of BJJ, these influential people are the guys overcharging us.

According to this thread, Renzo charges $350/month for beginners and there’s no sparring.http://www.sherdog.net/forums/archiv.../t-244137.html

I’m not sure what Rickson charges, but I’m sure it’s a lot.

The bottom line is that BJJ is a niche... It’s target market is very selective and small. The average person would be turned off by its ridiculous prices, considering supply and demand.

People would rather send their kids to TKD. It’s affordable, fun and mainstream. There aren’t people bleeding from scab wounds, or nursing a torn shoulder muscle limping around the gym. Heck, I left my first BJJ gym because there were several guys bandaged from head to toe that kept rolling with everyone, smearing blood all over the mats. Imagine what a parent would think...

[OmaPlata]

$250 an hour for a BJJ class? you musta got hit on the head or its hiding somewhere in your ass

[lopezma]

Something to think about:
BJJ - cost ON AVERAGE anywhere from $70 - $120 per month.
Yes! You can pay the price you quoted, but it will be private lessons, one on one or at most two people and one instructor. That is only from my experience with the Gracies. I don't know about the others. I have never paid $250 per hour.

[IPON]

Pstevens - I must say your info is wrong the $250 is for private clases and the reality is the NYC typically has some of teh highest prices (see below). But Judo prices are typically higher than stand-up striking arts as well. teh spread of BJJ is not slowing down price is not a hinderance.


Renzo Gracie NYC
2x per week: $140
3x per week: $185
unlimited: $250

Machado NYC
$169 1 yr unlimited

Fabio Clemente NYC
1x/week.......$140
2x/week.......$180
3x/week.......$220
UNLIMITED.....$250(without contract)
Single class $40
Private classes available by appointment: $120 one hour

[lopezma]

I need to move to NYC! Start spreadin the news......

[Armadon]

man i pay 120 a month and you can go to as many classes as you want monday through saturday. i definatly get my money's worth going to 5 classes a week. i know when a tournament roles around guys go to the morning and afternoon classes all 6 days.

[Ronson]

pstevens, your thread will NEVER popularize.

Your quotes are b_ullshit bc it's misleading. Those $$$ are for privates, training with the "biggest" names in BJJ, and in downtown New York.

BJJ is more or less the price of a good gym/fitness center membership.

Go up the ranks in a TKD club and you''ll pay up your ass in "promotion" fees. Lots of parents get taken with promotion and other fees. At least with BJJ, the charge is clear and upfront, plus you're learning a MA that doesn't suck ballz.

If you trained at BJJ as hard as you hate on it, then you might actually be good at it (I don't like to assume, but in this case I'm pretty confident that you suck)

[OmaPlata]

Originally Posted by Ronson

pstevens, your thread will NEVER popularize.

Your quotes are b_ullshit bc it's misleading. Those $$$ are for privates, training with the "biggest" names in BJJ, and in downtown New York.

BJJ is more or less the price of a good gym/fitness center membership.

Go up the ranks in a TKD club and you''ll pay up your ass in "promotion" fees. Lots of parents get taken with promotion and other fees. At least with BJJ, the charge is clear and upfront, plus you're learning a MA that doesn't suck ballz.

If you trained at BJJ as hard as you hate on it, then you might actually be good at it (I don't like to assume, but in this case I'm pretty confident that you suck)

-with this, Im in agreement, this stevens guy hates on it, he must tap more than a Buddy Rich drum solo

[SamuraiGuy]

Hey im not PStevens....

err wait.... oh maybe more than me tap as much as a Buddy Rich drum solo.

Now to preserve my internet toughness..

JUST JOKING ILL SLAUGHTER YOU ALL, THATS RIGHT YOU TAP OUT IN 3 SECONDS OR YOU PASS OUT, NO ONE CAN BEAT ME, IM THE BJJ KING, IT SHOULD BE CALLED SAMURAI GUY JIU JITSU..... ..... .... werd...

[cakegirl]

I pay $90 Australian a month (maybe about $60US), for 5 classes a week.