by Christian Duque
This can be a feud that’s been a longtime coming and it’s not essentially between Gregg and Fouad, fairly, it’s extra of a difficulty of the previous guard vs the brand new guard that depend on social media, well-liked influencers, and spearheading actions round clothes, dietary supplements, and podcasts.
Fouad isn’t only one man, not anymore. He’s on the helm of a motion selling the Hosstile lifestyle. Fouad constructed a highly-successful complement line and the most well-liked podcast on the planet, BroChat. Along with the dietary supplements and the podcasts, Fouad has had a number of the largest stars within the sport in his roster. They don’t all the time work out and the phrase is his contracts could be a little bit restrictive however I’m simply speculating. I don’t recall seeing any Hosstile contracts. Um.., yean let’s simply go along with that.
Nonetheless, even when contracts could be restrictive they’re completely legally enforceable in that either side comply with the phrases. Let’s simply say that Hosstile’s contract had exclusivity clauses, it is sensible for the signing firm to retain as a lot of the worth as attainable. That’s simply enterprise 101. I’ll expound shortly. However earlier than shifting onto that, restrictive contracts which are one-sided are generally known as illusory. If the phrases solely profit one aspect, then most courts received’t maintain the contracts legally enforceable. If the contract could be very restrictive however rewards the athlete with large pay, advantages (e.g. medical, dental, perhaps a proportion of gross sales, and so on), and perhaps provides some stability (renew choices, bonuses, and so on) then that restrictive contract is now not one-sided.
On the finish of day, what could also be a foul deal to you, could be a house run for another person. If Sam is making $20k-$50k a month from Hosstile do you actually suppose he cares about making appearances on podcasts for 1, 2, 3 or extra hours on platforms that neither promote his sponsor or make him any cash? We’re after all speaking about bodybuilding social media influencer Sam Sulek. This younger lifter instructions a subscription base of over 3 million on YouTube. He lifts, however doesn’t actually weight loss program. He additionally doesn’t compete and from what I collect has no need to earn a professional card. He lifts out of affection being within the health club and all the things he does is in pursuit of constructing the absolute best physique. He doesn’t declare natty and he doesn’t have one million sponsors. He’s a health club rat tried and true. Fouad Abiad noticed the writing on the wall and was most likely endorsed on how large this child is. So that they signed him. And the remainder is historical past.
Whether or not or not his contract is simply too restrictive actually isn’t the purpose. So long as Sam likes it, Sam indicators. And what obtained this entire factor began was over Sam doing a podcast at RX. It’s nobody’s fault, fairly, one podcaster requested Sam for a podcast look and Sam didn’t appear too . You’ll be able to blame that on the contract otherwise you take Fouad at face worth when he says the child doesn’t like doing podcasts – even BroChat. I imply once you cease to consider it why would Sam need to share the airwaves with a bunch of men? Whether or not these guys be on BroChat or RX or elsewhere. On his movies, he’s the one one speaking, and everybody’s listening.
And the one distinction between doing BroChat and another podcast is cash. With Hosstile he’s getting paid and he’s most likely getting different earnings streams like half proceeds from the $80 autographs on the Arnold Traditional. If he goes and sits on his laptop on somebody’s web site he’s making them cash. In any case, they get the hits reside, they preserve the video, monetize it and their advertisers earn a living. Nobody will get paid to go sit on a podcast in bodybuilding. The pay is “in publicity,” however when you’ve 3,000,000 subscribers somebody must be one hell of a hustler to recommend that publicity is a viable tradeoff.
Sam may get extra hits from puking in a garbage can after coaching legs than doing a podcast on some random web site. That’s simply details. Whether or not it’s Sam or The Tren Twins, their bread and butter is in coaching movies and speaking about their journey on their platforms. They don’t want a man two or 3 times their age asking them how they cook dinner their rooster breast. It’s attainable that Sam couldn’t do these podcasts due to contractual obligations. It’s additionally attainable he simply didn’t need to.
Earlier than anybody begins calling me a Fouad fanboy, I can guarantee you I’m not. I don’t like or dislike him. I don’t know him on a private degree. He looks as if he’s killing it on the enterprise aspect and he looks as if a Federation man. I’ve been there and executed that too. I get how all the things works and once you’re that profitable you drift. I’m not calling him a sellout, however he does the enterprise of bodybuilding. I’ve by no means shied away from talking my peace. So imagine you me, if I’ve one thing to say, I’ll say it.
Fouad is sitting on a goldmine however that success wasn’t constructed in a single day. He needed to actually work at it and he wants to guard his investments. He can deny he’s doing that, however as a enterprise proprietor it’s his obligation to maintain his enterprise worthwhile. In the event that they signed Sam to a giant contract and he’s out diluting the product, that’s dangerous for the corporate.
I’ll be sincere with you. After I ran IronMag TV, we forbade Gregg (who was our largest star) from showing on RX Muscle and Muscle Sport Magazine. We had no difficulty with GI as a result of that was grandfathered in, however we noticed RX and MSM as rivals to what we have been making an attempt to do with our exhibits at IronMag TV and Muscular Growth. We have been paying Gregg the best charge out of all the celebs which included Massive Frank, Jessica Padilla, Theresa Ivancik, the late nice Ric Drasin and others. We didn’t need our high man doing podcasts on rival platforms as a result of we felt that diluted the exhibits he did for us and since we wished his attain for use to push IronMag Labs merchandise, not the businesses sponsoring the opposite exhibits he may sit at for hours on finish without cost. Possibly that was draconian of us. Possibly we have been shortsighted to some, nevertheless it was my perception that everybody who actually missed seeing Gregg on RX or MSM may take pleasure in all his nice content material by watching on IronMag TV (which we owned) or Muscular Growth (which we sponsored Gregg and my exhibits completely). In any case, the secret then and the secret right this moment, is and all the time can be, ROI (Return On Funding).
Like I stated, I haven’t seen Sam’s contract, however I don’t know Fouad to be a idiot. If his firm is paying high greenback for the most well-liked bodybuilding influencer on this planet, they’re not going to encourage him to do numerous free appearances. And that’s even when the contract permits for it. It’s simply not a great look.
Gregg is aware of how the business works, however Gregg can be a New Yorker and a man who has no filter. When he made the comment that Fouad was pimping Sam out, that made the legendary Canadian bodybuilder flip the fuck out. It made it seem to be Fouad was exploiting Sam. That’s what pimps do. They reap the benefits of individuals. That’s should you take the phrase on the literal worth. Gregg was simply bullshitting. I do know him and have been on loads of 3-4 hour-long telephone calls with him to know that he simply says stuff. He is aware of what he’s saying, however he doesn’t essentially imply it within the worst attainable means. If you happen to name sure of us pimps or hustlers, they’ll say thanks. If you happen to name it to others, they could be furious. It’s all concerning the context and the subjectiveness at hand.
And whereas Gregg could seem lighthearted and to not have a care on this planet about Abiad saying nobody ought to imagine something he says, one thing like that actually will get beneath his pores and skin. Whereas Gregg was most likely saying one thing innocently, for Fouad to say Gregg is principally an unbelievable supply is all however a complete declaration of conflict. Gregg wrote his Ramblin Freak column for MD for 15 years, he’s a co-founder of Heavy Muscle Radio with Dave and John, and he’s labored with all the massive websites in bodybuilding. He’s been in numerous motion pictures, television exhibits, and discuss exhibits. He was the primary attraction at IronMag TV. To put in writing Gregg off as principally being a no person most positively will get beneath his pores and skin and I believe Fouad knew precisely methods to fireplace a nuke that might seemingly preserve this feud going for lots longer than it did. By nuking Gregg, now Palumbo needed to intervene as properly. It has all of the makings of a brand new rivalry to exchange that of RX and MD. I can see this changing into the brand new drawn out battle. RX vs Hosstile/BroChat, no less than for a great lengthy whereas.
In all honesty, perhaps Sam isn’t into podcasts, and perhaps Gregg by no means goes on BroChat, and neither Gregg nor Fouad apologize to one another. Possibly issues simply keep as is and everybody strikes on. Which may definitely work most anyplace else, however in bodybuilding, particularly within the weeks earlier than the Arnold Traditional, I think the troublemakers received’t let up on this for no less than one other week or two.
I don’t have a aspect within the combat between Fouad and Gregg. I believe they need to squash it. Nevertheless, if I used to be working Hosstile and I signed Sam, I can let you know that I’d discourage him doing different podcasts. Whether or not it will be prohibited within the contract or I might strongly discourage it will finally be the identical factor. He must earn a living and make his sponsor cash. Past that – there isn’t any past that.
Ideas?