Zuffa LLC, parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has filed a law suit against the state of New York on Tuesday (Nov. 15, 2011), calling "The Empire State's" ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) "unconstitutional."
Here's a an excerpt from today's filing:
New York's live professional MMA ban violates numerous provisions of the United States Constitution, including the first amendment, equal protection clause, due process clause and commerce clause. The live professional MMA ban limits the liberty of those who would, but for the ban, attend live professional MMA events, as well as those who train in MMA and want to exhibit their skills as professionals before a live crowd. Indeed, for the many New Yorkers who devote endless hours of training in MMA and who cannot afford to displace their homes and families to fight elsewhere, New York's live professional MMA ban presents a serious infringement of their rights.
Full copy of the UFC VS NEW YORK complaint:
2011.11.15 Complaint
UFC President Dana White and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta stormed Madison Square Garden (MSG) earlier this year with New York assemblyman Dean Murray and MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil to present an independent economic impact study indicating the "Empire State" would generate about $16 million from the UFC alone based on just two pay-per-view (PPV) events per year, split between "The World's Most Famous Arena" and Buffalo's HSBC Arena.
And that doesn't include the jobs and additional income from regional or independent promotions also throwing their hat into the New York fight scene. Put simply, money talks … and the UFC has the numbers to back it up.
Unfortunately, no one is listening, which has prompted hem to take it to the next level.
by Jesse Holland /MMAMania