Kevin Marshall's America
BJJ legend Renzo Gracie (sitting up) puts on an exhibition with UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (on the ground) at the Washington Ave. Armory on Tuesday. Both were in town for the Senate Committee's vote on a bill to legalize MMA in New York State.
Disclaimer: yours truly is a fan of MMA and occasional contributor to UFC.com.
From staff reporter Rick Karlin:
The UFC is perhaps the largest franchise for mixed martial arts — a sport that was banned in New York under the Pataki administration, which criticized its violence.
Since, then, however, more regulations and safety precautions have been added, White said. And the sport, which can be seen on cable TV and pay-per-view has continued to grow.
Mostly though, supporters spoke of the revenue it would bring in not only to sports venues in cities from New York to Buffalo but to surrounding restaurants and hotels.
“Our New York fans are sick of traveling to Newark or Canada for sold-out shows when they could be watching their hometown favorites right here at home,” White said.
David Weinraub, one of several lobbyists working for MMA promoters, said legalizing mixed martial arts in the state could generate $50 million in economic activity, including $5 million in tax revenues. He said promoters would agree to an 8 percent “gate tax” on event tickets, a full 5 points more than boxing events currently charge.
I found out about the existence of this article by someone at the TU linking me to it directly. I poked around for the site for several minutes while on my first break earlier today and could not find mention of it anywhere.
I’m on my second and still can’t find it, which is a shame. It’s an issue that warrants coverage, particularly in the Sports section, although this instead fell under the jurisdiction of the TU’s political coverage. Edit 11:11am – after me making a stink all morning through Twitter, Facebook and everywhere in-between, it’s finally on the home page.
The Albany Times Union, like so many other print outlets, are looking for ways to engage and acquire new readership. They’re willing to do it through various means, such as multi-media presentations and SEEN photos of everything from Northern Lights concerts to pre and post-riot drinking & debauchery on Hudson Street. But apparently not through MMA coverage.
Which is and isn’t surprising. It is surprising because any visit to Buffalo Wild Wings, Jillian’s, or any other place that becomes packed for even the lowest rung of pay-per-view shows would tell you that there’s a market for it. On the other hand, it’s not surprising given that despite its growth in popularity in the mainstream and dramatic rules changes since the New Jersey Athletic Commission drafted the universally adopted Unified Rules of MMA in 1997, the sport still has a very negative stigma attached to it, particularly by those at the editorial level whose feet don’t hit the pavement very often.
It’s just frustrating to see when an outlet like the Times Union makes the right moves (for example finally terminating the leases on bureaus whose necessity was effectively nullified by the existence of cellphones and laptops over a decade ago) in some areas and move so slowly in others.
If the Albany Times Union was smart, they’d have someone covering MMA as a beat, and they would have made mention of Dana White’s visit (along with UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Matt Hamill) on the site’s front page.
Instead, I have to rely on a desperate game of phone tag and shouts on Facebook to get one of its staffers to let me know if there’s going to be coverage for the visit of a household name and huge media figure (not to mention biggest sports figure since the Giants left town), let alone where that coverage is.
It’s 2011. New York, time to join the over forty states with Athletic Commissions in legalizing MMA. And Times Union, it’s time to start covering that sport that has more fans than you have readers.
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22 Responses to UFC President Dana White’s visit to Albany and MMA coverage in print media
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STALK ME
very well said….
There’s also a market for strippers, but the Times Union doesn’t promote that activity either. The number of people who watch an activity doesn’t legitimize it.
However, if the Times Union created a new section called “depraved human activities we should be embarassed about” I would then support including covering MMA. It would also clear the front page of a lot of politics.
Jango Davis:
Nah, just the facts, statistics, people involved, and nature of the spirit behind the sport do. Not that you seem too interested in that sort of thing, though.
Oh, Lordy.
“The number of people who watch an activity doesn’t legitimize it. ”
^^ I disagree with this entirely, especially if said activity takes place in a democratic society.
“depraved human activities we should be embarassed about”
^^ Also you can find the section you’re proposal under “Capitol Confidential”
Jango Davis, party of 1.. Jango Davis, party of 1..
While not a huge fan of MMA, it would generate a great deal of income and it’s absurd that it’s still banned..
@Jango, your comment displays your clear ignorance about the sport and how it has evolved over the years.
Kyle - Fun fact since you’re a HS student: 90% of UFC’s contracted fighters have college degrees.
@kyle bryans, he said absolutly nothing negative about the sport what so ever
mpage - Yes he did. Read again.
“depraved human activities we should be embarassed about”
Jango – I’m actually embarassed for you. I hope that you have first watched an MMA competition, witnessed the talent and athleticism, and seen the amount of respect that these opponents typically share for eachother. If and when you do, you will likely realize that MMA is a highly evolved full-contact competitive sport employing top-level athletes that dedicate their lives to training. In my opinion (and in the opinion of hundereds of millions of fans), it is far from depraved. Thanks for judging though :)
Nicely done, Kevin.
I can’t believe there wasn’t more media coverage on this. I’m a boxing fan as well and I think there needs to be more local media coverage on that too. Mike Rivest does a great job with his blog but I don’t think you should have to go to a blog to read about great athletes that are right in our back yard.
Kevin - Agreed, especially about the boxing.
Kevin: Did any of the contracted fighters go to Siena? No?
Nevermind.
Great points throughout the article.
But if I were you, I’d be planning a defense in anticipation of Rick Karlin or a TU editor trying to get you in a triangle-choke.
Will Gilchryst – I’m drilling my takedown defense as we speak, and there’s no way they can match my sprawl.
I’ll never understand why MMA is banned here. Boxing is completely legal yet the MMA, the safer of the two is not. Some have even argued that MMA is safer than other sports such as football and rugby.
The amount of revenue it could bring to our state would certainly help us too. There is a huge following here and if more people took the time to understand what MMA is and what it’s about, they may actually appreciate the skill and dedication involved.
I would personally love if the ban was lifted here. Sadly, if it is, I don’t know if the UFC would come to a venue like the TU Center when it could easily sell out a much larger venue. Either way, it would be nice to not have to travel to CT, NJ or Candada to see a fight.
That was a lot of links to MMA stories from a paper that doesn’t ever write about the sport. And it doesn’t even include the piece on a sports poll in which I highlighted the MMA component …
As for assigning a beat writer, fine. But tell me what should not be covered as a result: College basketball, hockey, high school sports. Choose wisely, for this is a zero-sum game.
That said, as I wrote three years ago (again, in the TU), there is no logical reason for the sport to remain banned in New York.
Mark – Seven links. Five of which are TU links. Two of them are mine, one of which was the one mentioned in this article.
That’s not exactly overwhelming, nor is mention of the SRI poll thrown into a hodge-podge of other questions. That’s not coverage, that’s mention.
If it’s really a zero-sum game where two to three articles a week would eliminate coverage for high school sports, then yes, I suppose you do have a pretty big problem there.
Hi Kevin I had the great honor of meeting Renzo 2 weeks ago , He knows my teacher at my school in NJ . its also a Serr-Affiliated school Renzo is just outstanding. !
check out my blog ! its really an awesome article! , I am looking to start a career writing MMA articles ! :)
thanks
Rich Finaldi
My honest take on MMA being legalized in NY
http://fairfieldnorthjerseymixedmartialarts.com/
Thanks for sharing, Rich!