Supporters behind the renewed push to legalize professional mixed martial arts in New York say the Empire State could be looking at millions in new annual revenue if they succeed.
MMA supporters — including Ultimate Fighting Championship women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey — have been lobbying the New York State Assembly this year to vote on legalizing the sport, which is allowed in the other 49 U.S. states.
The sport brings together a combination of fighting disciplines that include the martial arts, boxing, kickboxing and wrestling; the contestants face each other in a ring or fenced area.
The high-profile UFC sanctions fights and championships for men and women in different weight classes.
Optimism for MMA legalization is high this spring after the indictment of longtime Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who for years refused to bring up a bill for a vote.
Silver's replacement as speaker, Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, has previously co-sponsored bills to legalize MMA and the state Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation on March 25 for the sixth straight year.
"We feel like momentum is there," said UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein. "We are cautiously optimistic."
The UFC released an
The study said $68 million would result from mixed martial arts contests including Ultimate Fighting Championship events, at venues like Manhattan's Madison Square Garden and the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.
The HR&A Advisors report also estimates $67 million would be generated from the expansion of UFC training centers, which would include 35 clubs with 69,000 members and 955 total employees, generating $960,000 in income taxes.
Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, D-Irondequoit, has sponsored a bill that as of April 2 had garnered at least 64 co-sponsors among the Assembly's 150 membets, from both Democrats and Republicans.
"There is a growth in our house to pass the bill," said Morelle, who is hoping UFC will include Rochester's Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial in his district as one of their upstate New York event stops. "I am hopeful."
New York banned professional mixed martial arts events in 1997 -- forcing the cancelation of a major UFC event in Niagara Falls.
Resistance to legalizing MMA has largely stemmed from concerns that the sport promotes violence. Epstein said new safety measures instituted in recent years have helped garner more support in Albany.
Epstein noted that MMA's popularity has soared in the last decade with Fox television agreeing to a seven-year deal for UFC bouts in 2011; such events would help the visibility of cities like Buffalo and Syracuse if they could stage them there, he said.
"Every time we do an event we always highlight the host city,' said Epstein. "Not only are we going to create enhanced economic activity, but we are also going to be a marketing engine for the cities."
Anthony Figliola, vice president of Uniondale, N.Y.- based consulting firm Empire Government Strategies, said he would design MMA legalization bill so that a third of all events were held upstate as a way to draw more outside visitors to the struggling region.
The HR&A Advisors study was based on holding three UFC events upstate and two in New York City, along with smaller events from other organizations.
"Maybe that would draw outside visitors and provide some of that $135 million in economic stimulation to communities which Albany has forgotten," said Figliola. "I don't see any negative reasons for not approving MMA in the state."
Robert Boland, a sports business professor at New York University, says when factoring in taxes, the state's revenue from MMA would likely only be around $13 million, but like Epstein sees potential from the national exposure cities like Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany would receive from hosting events.
Boland said UFC events at Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn would not likely impact an already tourist-heavy New York City economy too much, but other arenas upstate and Long Island's Nassau Coliseum could get an added boost from ticket sales and increased hotel occupancy.
He also added that MMA could also lead to increased popularity and attendance for other physical sports such as college wrestling matches.
"MMA has become a very popular sport and there could be some opportunities for revenue," said Boland. "It has a lot of potential."
HR&A estimated that roughly 35% of fans who attended three UFC events at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. were from New York State. While the study pointed out that the majority of these New York attendees were likely "day trippers", the statistics demonstrate spending that the Empire State would recapture should MMA become legalized.
Epstein noted that the amount of events UFC would plan annually for New York would be similar to five events typically held each year in Las Vegas, which he said has helped boost the Nevada economy from increased tourism dollars.
The HR&A Advisors analysis found that 88% of fans who attended UFC 168 in Las Vegas were from out of state, including 8% from other countries, and similar numbers would be expected for UFC events in New York City.
Another factor that could lead to additional revenue for New York from MMA events is the state's close proximity to Canada, where Epstein says the sport has many devoted followers who would be within driving distance of UFC events.
The state would also get a boost from successful MMA stars from New York including current UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who wrestled at Hofstra University on Long Island.
"We have local heroes and local fighters that resonate with these communities," said Epstein. "Everything that we're trying to do in New York will be enhanced by these great athletes in the state."
