Email This Article - Printer-Friendly Pages - Contact Us

---

FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST

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.

Link to Original Source Article

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.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE UFC NEWS AND MMATORCH EXCLUSIVE FEATURES

Help support MMATorch by answering a brief anonymous demographic survey: CLICK HERE

Comment on this article below ad...

CLICK TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING
OR CHOOSE SPECIFIC CATEGORY LISTING FROM DROP MENU

UFC QUOTABLES: Rich Franklin says his focus is on making another Title run

UFC NEWS: Tito Ortiz denies rumors he left TUF early, says he's still fighting Chuck

UFC NEWS: UFC 114: Evans vs. Jackson officially announced for May 29th in Las Vegas

UFC NEWS: UFC no longer counter-programming Strikeforce: Nashville on CBS, rumored event a no go

UFC QUOTABLES: Shane Carwin says the Interim Title doesn't mean anything to him, excited to take on the "best Frank Mir we have ever seen"

UFC NEWS: Pop Culture Reference - Stephen Colbert derisively references Ultimate Fighting tonight

UFC QUOTABLES: Georges St. Pierre says it's a big mistake to underestimate Dan Hardy, says he performs better under pressure

UFC QUOTABLES: James Irvin discusses getting past his painkiller addiction and currently being in the happiest time of his life

UFC VIDEO: New trailer for UFC Undisputed 2010 featuring B.J. Penn

UFC NEWS: After hosting Pacquiao vs. Clottey, Cowboys Stadium could see the UFC in 2011

UFC NEWS: UFC touts full line-up and announces autograph session for NYC viewing party, plus fight previews

UFC NEWS FLASHBACK (2 Yrs. Ago): Dana White says EliteXC deal with CBS isn't concern to him, says Mark Cuban doesn't care about MMA

UFC QUOTABLES: B.J. Penn talks a possible move to welterweight and which lightweights could take his spot

UFC QUOTABLES: Thiago Alves looking for revenge against Fitch at UFC 111, GSP next

UFC NEWS: Zuffa brings lawsuit to two more websites offering illegal UFC streams

UFC QUOTABLES: Jon Jones says we've seen only 20 percent of what he's been training, feels free to do more in his stand up against Brandon Vera

UFC QUOTABLES: Dan Hardy says he'll knock out GSP at UFC 111, says the ending round depends on GSP

UFC QUOTABLES: Frank Mir says Shane Carwin is more dangerous for him than Brock Lesnar

UFC NEWS: Dana White says Liddell vs. Franklin not happening, says Franklin's fighting Couture

UFC NEWS: Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin, not Tito Ortiz, in the works for UFC 115 in June