Tweet
MMA legislation won't be coming to New York state in 2011.
A years-long fight to get the sport sanctioned in one of the most potentially lucrative markets again has hit a roadblock in the New York State Assembly.
For the third straight year, the bill ? A04146 ? stalled in the assembly's Ways and Means Committee.
After clearing the New York State Senate, the assembly's Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee ? as well as the assembly's Codes Committee ? the bill ultimately stalled in the assembly's Ways and Means Committee.
That committee's final legislative session of 2011 takes place today, and Bill S1707A isn't on the agenda. Barring a special session ? which the MMA bill likely wouldn't be part of ? it'll have to wait until next year.
The news isn't too surprising; the bill was expected to stall in the committee following critical MMA comments from chairman Herman Farrell and other influential parties.
However, the bill, which received much mainstream attention in recent weeks, passed the two previous committees in convincing fashion, and many politicians spoke out in favor of it. Freshman State Assemblyman Dean Murray questioned Farrell's public comments that the bill had little support. Additionally, Senator Kevin Parker, who cited the safety record of MMA in comparison to other sports, argued that much of the brutality described by those against regulation in New York date back to a time before the institution of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
Grassroots organizations even campaigned for the bill over the past few months.
New York state long has been one of the holy grails in the movement to legalize MMA across the country. UFC president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta were some of the most vocal proponents, and many fighters ? especially those from New York ? spoke out in favor of legislation.
For now, though, they'll have to turn their attention to 2012.
A years-long fight to get the sport sanctioned in one of the most potentially lucrative markets again has hit a roadblock in the New York State Assembly.
For the third straight year, the bill ? A04146 ? stalled in the assembly's Ways and Means Committee.
After clearing the New York State Senate, the assembly's Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee ? as well as the assembly's Codes Committee ? the bill ultimately stalled in the assembly's Ways and Means Committee.
That committee's final legislative session of 2011 takes place today, and Bill S1707A isn't on the agenda. Barring a special session ? which the MMA bill likely wouldn't be part of ? it'll have to wait until next year.
The news isn't too surprising; the bill was expected to stall in the committee following critical MMA comments from chairman Herman Farrell and other influential parties.
However, the bill, which received much mainstream attention in recent weeks, passed the two previous committees in convincing fashion, and many politicians spoke out in favor of it. Freshman State Assemblyman Dean Murray questioned Farrell's public comments that the bill had little support. Additionally, Senator Kevin Parker, who cited the safety record of MMA in comparison to other sports, argued that much of the brutality described by those against regulation in New York date back to a time before the institution of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
Grassroots organizations even campaigned for the bill over the past few months.
New York state long has been one of the holy grails in the movement to legalize MMA across the country. UFC president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta were some of the most vocal proponents, and many fighters ? especially those from New York ? spoke out in favor of legislation.
For now, though, they'll have to turn their attention to 2012.
Comment