UFC officials still have sights set on NYC, Boston

(via MMAjunkie.com) · July 3, 2009 · 1 AM

Despite some real headaches, UFC officials have not given up on MMA legislation passing in both New York and Massachusetts in the near future.

Vice president of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner told MMAjunkie.com Radio Network that it's just a matter of time before the big two states (39 states have passed or will soon pass MMA legislation, while seven states, NY and Mass. included, are in the discussion phase) hop on board. Ratner said there's too many reasons not to.

"The pay-per-view numbers, percentage-wise, are huge in New York, as are the television numbers," Ratner said. "When they say they're protecting the people of New York, they're not protecting anything. All the people can watch it. We know they're watching it. The economic impact is so big, why would you say, 'Well, take it to New Jersey; take it to Philly.' It makes no sense, and there's no reason that I can fathom that the state of New York should not have the sport regulated there."

The process in New York certainly seemed to be going good on June 3, when the New York State Assembly's Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports garnered a favorable vote for Bill 2009-B — which would call for the New York State Athletic Commission to regulate MMA. But things never advanced past the committee and fizzled out before the legislation session ended.

"This is really an unfortunate thing that happened there," Ratner said. "This has nothing to do with the sport. They had a political upheaval there. A couple of Republican senators decided to vote with the Democrats, so it's complete chaos. It's dysfunctional as can be, and the Senate has not come back into session."

"It's not dead yet, but there's so many bills they have to pass that will keep the state of New York running, and ... we were caught up with everything else," he said. "I really believe we would have gotten out of committees this year and on to the Senate floor, on to the Assembly floor, and got to the Governor's desk. But, unfortunately they're not meeting. We're still going forward, and hopefully there will be a special session and they'll listen to it.

"I certainly am not (giving up on 2009). I'm very cautiously optimistic, but we may not be heard."