BJJ Missionaries or BJJ sellouts?

[Mickey Finn]

I have noticed a trend in a number of local ‘Mcdojos’ in my vicinity. There are a lot of these schools that are now bringing in BJJ blue belts to teach a grappling class here and there. A few of these blue belts claim affiliation with a certain well-known Gracie. Whether this is true or not, (the affiliation) I don’t know. (I am such a skeptic)

My question is this:
Is it considered kosher for a blue belt to head out and start teaching to other styles for $$ or is this going on behind someone’s back?

Don’t get me wrong, I think its cool that it is happening, but I am somewhat amazed that BJJ politics allow this to go on.

[Lacrymosa]

My opinion: If he can make some revenue out of the lessons he shelled out good money for......more power to him.

Plus, better for a blue belt to teach these classes than a novice McTKD guy who thinks he's capable of doing so.

[Tony10]

Uh, well Mickey: I've studied with a Rickson blue belt who's awesome and a Royce blue belt who was a good teacher too.

They both have their respective Gracie's blessing to do so. I don't believe, though, that they award belts. Only the black belts can do that, if I'm not mistaken.

I can assure you at no time have I ever felt like: boy, if only this were a black belt, I'd be learning so much more!

For whatever it's worth...

So yes, I'd say missionaries.

[Mickey Finn]

I wasn’t questioning whether I could learn a lot from a blue belt nor was I expecting a blue belt to grant rank. One of these places is willing to let me come in and pick up the one class. (Grappling only, I don’t have much use for what they do in a standup context) I am seriously considering it.

I was just wondering if these guys had the organizations blessing to do what they are doing or if it was something they did on the side for a little cash. A lot of organizations would see it as giving up power, control and money.

[dan downard]

I would think it would be a good thing.You wont get a belt ,but you will get good introductory training.Then if you want to progress you go to a blackbelt who can give rank.
Good way to weed out the serious from the curious.
JMHO.

[Tony10]

I think you could go either way.

If you want to teach as a member of, say, Rickson's Association, I'm sure you pay the Association what amounts to a franchise fee to be able to use the name: either a flat fee or a percentage of the take.

For instance, the guy I studied with last is in a Kung Fu school, only there to provide students with Rickson Jiu Jitsu training.

If you just wanted to teach on the side because you are a blue belt under so-and-so, I'm guessing you could do it but you couldn't advertise as being their rep. They (one of the associations) would prefer that you be an "official" rep, because that brings money to them. Plus, it's a selling point, the name.

I'll bet somebody like Hawk knows the fine points of this; I'm flailing here...