I will start off by saying this is a personal rant and I do know there is probably a really good reason why New York State is so ass backwards that it makes me sick.
With everyday that NY keepsprofessionalMMA out of New York they are losing money. I mean let’s face it if UFC came to our area, not only would the venue make big money but the restaurants, hotels, motels among other retail and professional services that would be needed and with all that comes tax money for the state. I will even look past just the UFC and say any professional MMA organization that came to the Empire State will bring the same results. Imagine with me if you will. UFC brings UFC 200 to Madison Square Garden, where boxing greats have fought and being one of the biggest sports venues on the planet. New York State would not make money or enough money that it’s worth the trouble of legalizing MMA in our state? I think not! Just the licensing fees for the fighters and promoters would bring income as well and we haven’t even touched on sanctioning fees. I know some still see the sport of MMA as barbaric, but let me compare gambling (that is legal in New York) to MMA.
With gambling comes a lot of backlash. Now I am not an opponent of gambling as I like the occasional scratch-off when I feel lucky, but what about those that are addicted to gambling. Here is an exert from HelpGuide.org:
Understanding gambling addiction and problem gambling
Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, is a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can’t “stay off the bet.”
Gamblers can have a problem, however, without being totally out of control. Problem gambling is any gambling behavior that disrupts your life. If you’re preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences, you have a gambling problem.
Now that I have bored you with gambling addiction, what the hell does this have to do with MMA. Well with addiction comes a lot of other problems for those addicted. Losing ones job for one, which then would make them dependent on the state or other resources. Losing the families savings, your house, your car once again brings that someone or entire family dependent on other means. Now I feel for those that are addicted to any vice and am not putting them in a group that opposes MMA, I am just making a brief statement because as some of us know a casino might be popping up in your area and if MMA is so barbaric, why not think of those people that are or become addicted to gambling. New York State has more lottery tickets than you can shake a stick at. They range from $1-$50 but don’t worry about that New York let’s keep our professional athletes at bay and make them travel to another state so they may compete in the sport they train so hard for, but gambling is just ducky.
I was told when I was a worker for NY State that when I will be able to figure out why NY State does things the day I retire. Well I am retired and still don’t get NY State at all. I haven’t been around MMA for as long as some of those out there, but I have been allowed to attend a lot of amateur MMA events in different regions in NY and one thing I can say safety has been paramount for those events. Even those promoters that are self-sanctioned make sure the fighters safety is paramount. I do know some promotions could care less about safety but the ones we attend are on the money when it comes to safety. *Just because we don’t attend a certain event we do not know if their promotion takes safety precautions*
So now that I am done with my personal rant, I hope that one day I will be able to watch professional MMA in the state I live in or at least hope my kids do…
Gambling Legal - Professional MMA Illegal
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