NYS votes for mixed martial arts
ALBANY--Hours before the New York State Assembly passed a bill Tuesday to legalize mixed martial arts, the president of an MMA major league was already planning events with venues around the state.
Scott Coker , president of Bellator MMA, said he had waited long enough to capitalize on New York --the last state in the U.S. to move to legalize the sport.
"There's been a lot of false starts in the past, so now people really realize it's going to happen," Mr. Coker said. "The phone's been ringing today."
The Democrat-controlled Assembly passed the bill 113-25 after three hours of often raucous debate. The Republican- led Senate already passed a version of the bill. Gov. Andrew Cuomo , a Democrat, indicated he would sign it into law.
The move signaled an end to a yearslong battle in Albany for the forces of MMA. Many in the Assembly want nothing to do with what they describe as a unacceptably violent sport.
With the passing of the bill, many promoters, fighters and venue officials with connections to New York are ready to take advantage of the market for the first time since the sport was outlawed in the state in 1997.
"If you just look at the demographics and the martial-arts community there in New York City , I think it's going to be a big supporter of MMA and a big hit," said Mr. Coker, who added he has been talking in recent days to officials at Madison Square Garden , Barclays Center and arenas upstate.
He said Bellator, owned by New York -based Viacom , is targeting August for its first event in the state.
"We're in constant communication with the marquee MMA content providers and plan to bring the best of the sport to Brooklyn and deliver the fights that fans want," said Brett Yormark , chief executive of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, which oversees business operations and marketing for Barclays Center.
A spokesman from Madison Square Garden said MSG "will now have the opportunity to host the first-ever UFC event by year's end...."
For three hours on Tuesday afternoon, Albany legislators touched on everything from "fight clubs" to violent videogames, to slavery, to traumatic brain injuries. The topics of discussion incorporated even pornography.
"You have two nearly naked, hot men trying to dominate each other," said Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell , a Manhattan Democrat who is openly gay. "That's gay porn with a different ending."
But some politicians have supported MMA. Brooklyn borough President Eric L. Adams said legalizing the sport is " about dollars and making sense."
"All over, every state but New York has MMA, and for people to deny New York , it basically states that we're doing economic development for every state but New York state ," Mr. Adams said.
MMA will be under the supervision of the New York State Athletic Commission , which also supervises boxing. The legislation requires health insurance that covers life-threatening injuries and guarantees revenue for the state. Venues will be allowed to hold events 120 days after the bill is signed into law.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship--the biggest player in mixed martial arts--has said MMA would generate more than $68 million annually in economic activity in New York , nearly half of that in upstate cities.
" New York's amazing arenas--upstate and downstate--have worked with us to advocate passage of this bill," said UFC chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta . "So, too, have restaurants, hotels, businesses and others who recognize the economic value professional MMA can bring to New York ."
He said he UFC was aiming to hold up to two events in the state before year's end.
The regional director for SMG, a venue-management group, said he is planning to hold UFC events this fall at the Times Union Center in Albany .
"The first major event that comes into this facility, with our 17,000 capacity, I don't think there's any question if there's a championship-style event that will sell out all 17,000," said Bob Belber , who also oversees arenas in Syracuse and Rochester .
Mr. Belber said he would prioritize MMA over other sports, including the Albany Devils, the affiliate of the New Jersey Devils .
"If that means we have to go to our hockey team who might hold a weekend date, and ask them to move off the date so we can host an MMA event, we would provide the hockey team with a comparable date," Mr. Belber said.
Many promoters in New York City said the most important part of the bill is that it would regulate MMA at the amateur level, which has been legal but run without health requirements.
Mike Washington , owner of the New York Fight Exchange, a Long Island amateur MMA circuit, said the bill would get rid of "wild west promoters" who don't pay for ambulance crews and other health support for fighters.
Mr. Washington added that he is already getting calls from his former fighters who left the state to turn professional.
The current Bellator light-heavyweight champion, Liam McGeary , said he can't wait to fight in New York , where he resides.
"I've fought in the West Coast , I've fought in the middle of America," said Mr. McGeary, who lives in Brooklyn . "To be able to fight in the state I call my home would be incredible."
Write to Erica Orden at erica.orden@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-22-16 2058ET
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