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Affiliation Benefits
2 year(s) ago • 822 views • 11 replies
JMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
I know there are people here from a variety of different backgrounds and countries with journeys in Jiu-Jitsu with great variety as well.
For those of you who are black belts or business owners, what are the benefits of affiliation, and if you are no longer with your original instructor, what lead you to choose your current affiliate?
Opposite side of the coin, if you are no longer affiliated with any organization, what lead you to that decision as well?
Pros & Cons of both... I'm interested to hear the community share their thoughts?
For those of you who are black belts or business owners, what are the benefits of affiliation, and if you are no longer with your original instructor, what lead you to choose your current affiliate?
Opposite side of the coin, if you are no longer affiliated with any organization, what lead you to that decision as well?
Pros & Cons of both... I'm interested to hear the community share their thoughts?
JTBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
Jacob,
So for me my Professor died. After he died I left my affiliation. I was a long time Gracie Barra guy but I was not thrilled the way they handled things after my Professor died . Here is what’s nice about having an affiliation in my opinion. You have a network of people that can help you or bump ideas, handle promotions if you are not able to. Handle your promotions. The bad thing about affiliations today is most big schools want a stupid amount of money. Gracie Barra is basically a franchise now. So there is good and bad. Just make sure you are getting what you pay for.
So for me my Professor died. After he died I left my affiliation. I was a long time Gracie Barra guy but I was not thrilled the way they handled things after my Professor died . Here is what’s nice about having an affiliation in my opinion. You have a network of people that can help you or bump ideas, handle promotions if you are not able to. Handle your promotions. The bad thing about affiliations today is most big schools want a stupid amount of money. Gracie Barra is basically a franchise now. So there is good and bad. Just make sure you are getting what you pay for.
CGBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
The important question to ask is: Would there be affiliations in the same way if belt promotions didn’t exist?
VCBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
Opposite side of the coin, if you are no longer affiliated with any organization, what lead you to that decision as well? Pros & Cons of both... I'm interested to hear the community share their thoughts?
I chose to leave my previous affiliation last year. A number of things was snowballing in the background but mostly it was a personal health concern and financial issues that led to that decision.
CBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
There isn’t much benefit. It’s basically pimping.
VCBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
The important question to ask is: Would there be affiliations in the same way if belt promotions didn’t exist?
Most likely not. Paid belt promotions is another form of multi-level marketing business and is sadly disguised in many forms to establish control. I'm not saying that requiring payment for work, including officiating belt promotions, is wrong but it gets uncomfortably close to the line of ethics for my liking.
JBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
In Sweden, we have a tradition of non-profit sports clubs (not commercial BJJ academies, which there are very few around). So I don't think any of the large franchise teams are very influential here. Rather, the more stable long term affiliations you see are based on personal relations with an instructor and where there are possibilities of being more flexible than trying to squeeze in a non-profit club in a commercial franchising pyramid scheme. Or teams which have standards for both.
We haven't paid any affiliation fees in a long time. If our academy even has difficulties sponsoring instructor's training trips to neighbor countries, even though we've had to stop beginner intake because of a full group, it really can't be a priority to pool money upwards to people who 90% of our students wouldn't recognize if they bumped into.
We haven't paid any affiliation fees in a long time. If our academy even has difficulties sponsoring instructor's training trips to neighbor countries, even though we've had to stop beginner intake because of a full group, it really can't be a priority to pool money upwards to people who 90% of our students wouldn't recognize if they bumped into.
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SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
My school is not affiliated to any team (aside from BJJ Globetrotters, but as that doesn't involve any money changing hands, I see it more as a network than an affiliation). My instructor is awesome, he's never asked for any kind of affiliation stuff.
BMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
I'm a black belt gym owner, and our gym is completely unaffiliated. I felt this was necessary in order to be "neutral territory" in an ocean of various tribal affiliations.
I will say that not all affiliations are the same though, and it might make sense for a gym to affiliate for various reasons.
For example, if you don't know anything about teaching or running a business, there are affiliations out there that will basically do one or both of those things for you, just like you don't have to know how to make food to be an owner of a restaurant chain.
Some gym owners feel they can get more people in the door, simply by being affiliated.
I will say that not all affiliations are the same though, and it might make sense for a gym to affiliate for various reasons.
For example, if you don't know anything about teaching or running a business, there are affiliations out there that will basically do one or both of those things for you, just like you don't have to know how to make food to be an owner of a restaurant chain.
Some gym owners feel they can get more people in the door, simply by being affiliated.
JCPurple beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
I think an affiliation could be important for a new school. It's a way to establish credibility when you're getting started. The school I go to is a RTBJJ affiliate and has been since before I started 9 years ago. Do we need that affiliation to survive? No. Is it nice to have an "official" lineage to a multiple time world champion? Yes. We also have several schools affiliated under us. Most are to the point now that they could survive without the affiliation, but they maintain it. We've also kicked several out of our organization for not representing the association the way they should.
JMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
2 year(s) ago
I think an affiliation could be important for a new school. It's a way to establish credibility when you're getting started. The school I go to is a RTBJJ affiliate and has been since before I started 9 years ago. Do we need that affiliation to survive? No. Is it nice to have an 'official' lineage to a multiple time world champion? Yes. We also have several schools affiliated under us. Most are to the point now that they could survive without the affiliation, but they maintain it. We've also kicked several out of our organization for not representing the association the way they should.
Can you tell me more about how your affiliation works, and what proper representation looks like in your opinion, or from your knowledge. I've only heard good things about RT Association and have only had positive experiences with many of their affiliates and Black Belts.
JCPurple beltVerified
2 year(s) ago
Can you tell me more about how your affiliation works, and what proper representation looks like in your opinion, or from your knowledge. I've only heard good things about RT Association and have only had positive experiences with many of their affiliates and Black Belts.
Not really; I'm just a student at the gym and not really involved in any of that. I know Triton is a RTBJJ affiliate and we have 13 schools that are TFC affiliates under us. I'm sure there is some money passed up the line, but I don't know how much or how often.
Proper representation basically just means teaching good BJJ and being a good person. I think we've given one school the boot because the instructor was not teaching good BJJ. Three others have been booted because the instructors lacked character.
Proper representation basically just means teaching good BJJ and being a good person. I think we've given one school the boot because the instructor was not teaching good BJJ. Three others have been booted because the instructors lacked character.
