Former New York State Athletic Commissioner Changes Stances on Mixed Martial Arts

And does so in an op-ed via the New York Daily News:

Sixteen years ago, I led the charge to ban MMA in New York. At the time, I was New York State Athletic Commission chairman – the boxing commissioner. When I took my first look at MMA, I saw it as a street fight minus the beer bottle. I stood in front of the sports and tourism committee in the state Legislature and used the most powerful evidence I could find, videos of brutal fights and graphic photos of injuries, to plead for it to be banned here.
I still believe I was correct back then. But the sport we banned in the mid-’90s has virtually nothing in common with the MMA of 2009. Given its remarkable evolution, it’s time we welcomed MMA to New York – so we can enjoy and profit from this fast-growing entertainment.

The former official, Randy Gordon, then goes on to explain to how the Unified Rules were included as well as sufficient safeguards that protect the health of the fighters. He ends the piece by telling his fellow New York state residents how window shopping as other states profit from allowing MMA becomes too much to bear:

I got an upclose and personal view of just how popular the sport has become when I went to UFC 101 at Philadelphia‘s Wachovia Center in August. The event brought in a $3.55 million gate, more than any boxing or combat event ever held in Pennsylvania. The sellout crowd of 15,007 poured into the city early and stayed late, making purchases at arena concessions, staying in hotels, dining at restaurants and taking taxis around the city.
The UFC commissioned an economic impact study to show how much money one of their events would generate in New York City. Of course, it’s not objective, but the numbers are powerful: The study found a single UFC event here would create $11.5 million in “net new” economic activity, including roughly $1 million in state and local tax revenue.
It breaks my heart to see our neighboring states welcoming, enjoying and benefiting from such a great sport, while all we can do is watch from our living rooms.

Lift the ban, New York. The time is now.

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Former New York State Athletic Commissioner Changes Stances on Mixed Martial Arts