NEWS

IMMAF seeks place on Olympic programme as UFC approaches 200th major event

Mixed martial arts - 26 Apr 2016

Author: Colin Stewart

Mixed martial arts has come a long way, its proponents say, from the early days of its ‘no-rules’ fighting image, a journey which has now been recognised by New York State lifting a near 20-year ban on hosting MMA events, and which is reflected in an ambitious plan to seek a place on the Olympic programme.

Senior officials of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, which represents about 1,000 amateur fighters from 53 countries, are seeking recognition for the sport from the likes of SportAccord (the international federations’ umbrella body) and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The IMMAF is awaiting WADA’s response to its application to become a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, the final barrier, it believes, standing between it and recognition by SportAccord (it has already held preliminary talks with the Alliance of Independent recognised Members of Sport, the organisation founded in 2009 by the 21 non- International Olympic Committee recognised members of SportAccord).

Asked why the sport wants to join the Olympic programme, Densign White, chief executive of IMMAF, said: “For the profile it would give to our sport. For the recognition, the stamp of approval, becoming part of the family of sport. At the moment we feel shunned. Not everyone wants to become professional. It’s the pinnacle to become an Olympic champion for many. For a lot of kids that could be their aspiration also.”

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Despite the emphasis on the amateur sport, IMMAF, which is based in Birmingham in the UK, relies for a large part of its annual $1.2-million budget on a contribution from UFC, the US professional mixed martial arts organisation. So what’s in it for UFC? “A recognition from the UFC that the sport needs a regulated grassroots base, an international federation to pull the national federations together,” according to White, who adds: “Also UFC wants to expand outside the US so it needs a landing pad, a body to perform a sanctioning role.”

UFC has built a strong fan base globally since its inaugural main event, UFC 1, in November 1993.

MMA to make long-awaited return to New York

In March 2016, New York State lifted a near 20-year ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) events, becoming the 50th and final US state to legalise and regulate the sport.

The legislation, approved by 113 to 25 votes by the state assembly, clears the path for the UFC to hold events at Madison Square Garden and other venues in the state.

UFC announced that its first event will be held at Madison Square Garden on 12 November 2016, with a smaller event also likely to take place in the state by the end of the year.

The state is not short on suitable facilities, with the Barclays Center in Brooklyn (also in New York City) and the First Niagara Center in Niagara, Buffalo possible alternatives offering gross seating capacities of nearly 20,000.

The state of New York previously held professional MMA events when the sport was in its infancy. Events included UFC 7 in Buffalo in 1995. Professional MMA events were subsequently banned in the state from 1997.

An economic impact report commissioned by the UFC in November 2013 indicated that professional MMA events in the state could generate $135 million in economic activity. www.sportcal.com | E: [email protected] | T: +44 (0) 20 8944 8786

The report, undertaken by HR&A Advisors, Inc. broke down the annual economic impact activity into the following: five annual UFC events in the state would generate $34 million; a further $34 million would be generated by other MMA events (i.e. other professional circuits/promoters other than the UFC); and the expansion and creation of new training centres would generate $67 million.

Upon the release of the report, , UFC chairman said: “We know what UFC events do for cities around the nation and around the world. And now we know what it’s estimated we can do in New York.

“And I’m convinced that UFC events will outperform these estimates and that we will set gate and attendance records in arenas around the state.”

USA leads the way in UFC events on international scale, while leads domestically

Of UFC’s 197 main events held thus far, USA dominates the international hosting landscape. A total of 149 events have been held on American soil since the first event in November 1993 in Denver, Colorado.

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Canada has hosted the next highest number of events to date, with 16, and the UK follows with 11.

Despite its US focus – which arguably, is unsurprising given the large fan base – UFC’s main events have been globally represented, with all but one continent (Africa) having hosted at least one.

Within USA, UFC events have been heavily centred on Las Vegas, . Of USA’s total 149 events held, the city has held 67 (45 per cent) of them.

California follows in second place with 14 events held in the state, with New Jersey (12), Texas (seven) and Louisiana (six) rounding off the top five.

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Of the top five, Nevada’s tally comprises only events held in Las Vegas. California’s tally is spread across five cities, while New Jersey and Louisiana’s tallies are spread across three cities.

Texas’ tally of seven events has been spread across two cities: Dallas and Houston.

Although all 50 states have legislation allowing UFC events to be held there, only 27 have actually hosted a UFC flagship event.

Four consecutive events in Las Vegas

The last four main UFC events (UFC 197, 196, 195 and 194) have been held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Both UFC 194 and 196 featured Conor McGregor, the Irish UFC star, as part of the main billing and both events have broken UFC records.

The attendance at UFC 194 in December 2015 totalled 16,516 – a record attendance for UFC events held in Las Vegas. The event also broke a US gate receipt record, with an estimated figure of just over $10 million being generated.

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Shortly after UFC 194, the UFC returned to Las Vegas with UFC 195. Featuring lesser known names in the MMA circuit compared to UFC 194 and UFC 196, the event attracted 10,300 spectators and recorded gate receipts of around $2 million.

Although UFC 196 failed to break attendance and gate records set by UFC 194, the event was the most successful pay-per-view event in UFC’s history. It was reported that the event sold 1.5 million pay-per-view buys.

The recent UFC 197 brought in 11,352 fans and gate receipts of $2.3 million.

UFC 200, expected to be the biggest MMA event of all time, will take place at the newly opened, 20,000-capacity, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on 9 July 2016.

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