# ufc in albany( the vote is on 1/7/09 ) **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\ **Created:** [January 6, 2009, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211 "2009-01-06T09:33:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smithsteg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/smithsteg/32/6379_2.png) [@smithsteg](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/smithsteg)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/1 "2009-01-06T09:33:05Z")
UFC’s Battle to Legalize MMA in NY Begins (Again) Tomorrow ![http://photos13.flickr.com/15194854_9be7fe9736.jpg](http://photos13.flickr.com/15194854_9be7fe9736.jpg) (MSG: You don’t know excitement until you hear 20,000 Long Island accents howling in unison. Photo courtesy of [OneLouderNYC.com](http://OneLouderNYC.com).) Though a previous UFC-led effort to legalize mixed martial arts in New York State fell apart last year, the cause is not lost. A legislative session will re-address the issue tomorrow in Albany, which could lead to MMA being placed under the regulation of the New York State Athletic Commission, and open the doors for a historic fall UFC show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. And why might the current push for NY legalization be more successful than the last one? For one thing, New York State now has an Athletic Commission chairperson who’s sympathetic to the sport. Also, the state’s economy is in the crapper and they need every dollar they can get. As ESPN writes: [Governor David] Paterson is cutting programs and paychecks to address a $15 billion deficit in the state budget, and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered $1.4 billion in budget cuts last month. Ignoring the income MMA and the UFC could bring to the state and city would seem fiscally irresponsible. “At a time when the New York economy is in crisis, it would be a mistake for the state to miss out on the considerable revenue that our events would generate,” said Marc Ratner, a UFC vice president for Government and Regulatory Affairs. “We are eager to bring both the excitement of our new sport as well as its major tax and tourist revenue to New York State.” An independent economic impact study commissioned by the UFC showed that a UFC event would generate $11.5 million for New York City in tax and tourist revenue — which could be just the right amount of grease for the wheels to start turning. The bill (#S02858, FYI) will need to pass through New York’s House and Senate, then get a signature from Gov. Patterson. If all goes well, the UFC will hit Madison Square Garden in the fall, then Buffalo, then Albany. ---
**Author:** ![Hooked\_on\_240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Hooked\_on\_240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hooked_on_240)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/2 "2009-01-06T10:49:32Z")
MMA at the pepsi? WOOT! ---
**Author:** ![Boost\_Creep](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boost_creep/32/6366_2.png) [@Boost\_Creep](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boost_Creep)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/3 "2009-01-06T10:57:33Z")
Good luck with Patterson, what a dolt. ---
**Author:** ![GranMassaX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/granmassax/32/6299_2.png) [@GranMassaX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GranMassaX)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/4 "2009-01-06T11:06:02Z")
They do events in Canada, England, Ireland, and Vegas. Albany would be at the way end of the list of places to do an event. MSG for sure, but the times union center? I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![smithsteg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/smithsteg/32/6379_2.png) [@smithsteg](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/smithsteg)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/5 "2009-01-06T11:20:08Z")
i think that albany is a great place to hold an event. think about it, its driving distance from toronto, buffalo, boston, NYC, rochester, syracuse, this make it easier for fans that dont have the money to fly to an event but dont live in a big city either to see it. I have gone to see an event in the hard rock flordia and what a great time, that also why i want it to come to albany. ---
**Author:** ![GranMassaX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/granmassax/32/6299_2.png) [@GranMassaX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GranMassaX)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/6 "2009-01-06T11:31:21Z")
MMA is becoming more accepted. Therefore more places will make it legal and that increases the places that can hold an event. This will only hurt Albany’s chance of getting a UFC event. I can easily see WEC and other smaller organizations making it here, but thats about it. MSG would probably get at least two shows a year though. There are a ton of places more desireable than Albany. Believe me though, I would LOVE if UFC came to Albany. ---
**Author:** ![JRubino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jrubino/32/6285_2.png) [@JRubino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JRubino)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 11:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ufc-in-albany-the-vote-is-on-1-7-09/241211/7 "2009-01-06T11:35:22Z")
> [@FS: 1g dsmlink](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-1g-dsmlink/12227/3): > > MMA is becoming more accepted. Therefore more places will make it legal and that increases the places that can hold an event. This will only hurt Albany’s chance of getting a UFC event. I can easily see WEC and other smaller organizations making it here, but thats about it. MSG would probably get at least two shows a year though. There are a ton of places more desireable than Albany. Believe me though, I would LOVE if UFC came to Albany. I agree. As much as I would love to see it come around here, it probably won’t. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for it to get passed. It’s BS they haven’t legalized it here yet.