Jan 6, 2009 - 9:55:51 PM By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
ESPN.com has a story today from George Willis about the UFC's efforts to gain regulation for MMA in the state of New York and hopefully run an event in 2009. The story presents the fact that there is a session in the New York legislature beginning tomorrow on the matter, and the hope within the MMA community is that it will be "only a matter of months before the governor signs Bill No.S02858, legalizing the sport in the Empire State and putting it under the regulatory of the New York State Athletic Commission."
A similar bill was shot down last year by the Assembly Committee on Tourism, Arts and Sports Development due to uneducated concerns over the sport's supposed "brutality." The article presents that the UFC has been playing the economic stimulus angle in the months since that bill was defeated and at the same time have been actively trying to educate those who will vote on this upcoming proposal as to the legitimacy of the sport.
As Dana White is quoted in the piece, "Our events have brought millions of dollars in tax and tourist revenue to nearly every city we have held an event...We are constantly breaking arena records for concession sales, merchandise and ticket sales. We're thrilled about the prospect of bringing our sport to New York and hope that legislators will recognize the tremendous economic opportunity it represents."
Marc Ratner, the UFC's vice president for Government and Regulatory Affairs also provides another fair argument on the economic side for New York, "At a time when the New York economy is in crisis, it would be a mistake for the state to miss out on the considerable revenue that our events would generate...We are eager to bring both the excitement of our new sport as well as its major tax and tourist revenue to New York State."
MMA has a supporter in the New York legislature in Melvina Lathan, who was appointed chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission last July, and was a boxing judge for 18 years. As the article states, she "is a proponent of MMA and supports it legalization in New York, but she would like to see her staff increased to handle the additional responsibility of regulating the sport."
The article also quotes former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture defending against the negative image that seems to be held by some in decision making power.
Finally, the article states that the bill needs to be put through the state house and Senate before reaching the Governor.
Penick's Analysis: This is a good article on the UFC's efforts to gain legalization for this sport in New York. It would be stupid for the state of New York to stretch this MMA ban any further than it has, and as the arguments were presented it would provide a definite boost in the local economy when the event comes to town. If this gets done sooner rather than later, could we see UFC 100 at Madison Square Garden? As Barney Stinson would say, that would be legen...wait for it...and I hope you're not lactose intolerant because the second part of that word is Dary. Legendary.
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