MMA Forum - UFC Forums - UFC Results - MMA Videos - UFC targeting 20th anniversary show at MSG, NY

- UFC (http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/)

- - UFC targeting 20th anniversary show at MSG, NY (http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/108142-ufc-targeting-20th-anniversary-show-msg-ny.html)

UFC targeting 20th anniversary show at MSG, NY

Quote:

LAS VEGAS – If UFC President Dana White's latest prediction if correct, the UFC's 20th anniversary show will take place at New York's famed Madison Square Garden.

Following Saturday night's UFC 155 post-event press conference, White revealed the company has gone so far as to reserve a November 2013 date at the Garden in hopes that MMA will finally be legalized in New York in time for the event.

"I plan on being in New York in 2013 for the UFC's 20th anniversary," White said. "That's my goal, so we'll see."

New York state has long been one of the holy grails in the movement to legalize MMA across the country, but efforts to legalize the sport in the state have consistently stalled out in the New York State Assembly.

Earlier this year, a bill to regulate the sport passed the New York Senate before New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver declined to bring a bill to the floor.

Following that decision, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner declared the Speaker's decision as "un-American."

"I feel 150 percent if we had a vote on the floor of the Assembly, we would win," Ratner told the New York Daily News. "Not to get a vote is un-American."

White declined to discuss precisely why felt confident enough to take the step of reserving a date at the venue other than citing his company's continued efforts at regulation.

"We're just working hard on it like we always were," White said.

White and the UFC, of course, will continue to face stern opposition from Las Vegas' Culinary Workers Union 226 and its parent organization UNITE HERE. UFC co-owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta also own Las Vegas' Station Casinos chain, the largest non-union hotel group in Sin City. In an effort to force the chain to unionize, Culinary Workers Union reps have long rallied against the UFC, especially in the promotion's efforts to move into New York.

"It's all dirty union s---," White said. "Dirty, rotten, scummy union. The Culinary Union of Las Vegas. UNITE. Scumbags. That's what's stopping it."

The UFC's first event was held Nov. 12, 1993. White declined to name specifically what date he was targeting for the proposed 20th anniversary show, but he seemed optimistic it was not simply a pipe dream.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it was (realistic)," White said. "That's our goal is to get in there in November for the 20th anniversary at Madison Square Garden."

White said he's even got a proposed headlining matchup penciled in.

"We've got a card planned," White said with a smile. "We've got some stuff planned. We've just got to get past these scumbag gangster union guys and see what happens."

Source: MMAjunkie.com

So those planned matches - Jones vs. Silva one of them? :p

Other sites are saying that the Ufc has booked a date in Nov, (in anticipation of MMA legalization)

If the first fight was Nov 12, we are looking at Nov 9 or Nov 16..

Obviously being the first card in NY the prices are going to be well out of the range of the casual fan, likely topping the Ufc 100 and Ufc 148 price ranges ($125- $1200)

Ufc 100 had a gate of $5.13 mil for 10,871 ($471 avg ticket price)

Ufc 129 had a gate of $12.075 for 55,724 ($216 avg ticket price)

Ufc 148 had a gate of $6.90 mil for 13,606 ($507 avg ticket price)

The capacity at MSG is listed as 20,789 for boxing...Ufc would be similar unless the screens and rigging take up more sections,

If we are thinking a GSP vs Silva or a Jones vs Silva, (either would get 55,000 in Toronto or close to that in Dallas) the price avg in New York would probably be north of $600 (Ufc 148 the most recent comparison, add a room in New York and wow!!

Jones would have to be in the main event. Jones vs. Silva in MSG would be the biggest fight of all time and that'd sell out the Garden for sure. They could even throw another title on the line since it'd have to be at 205.

Not to mention New York just opened up the Barclays Center and they have Yankees Stadium they could do for an out-door show in the summer. Tons of arenas in New York they can use but I don't think it'll happen in 2013.

The lack of NY regulation is the epitome of American government inefficiency. An epic fight at MSG needs to happen, but now the UFC needs to focus on a superfight at Cowboys Stadium. They need to load the card top to bottom and have Anderson fight Bones in the main event. They'll oversell the stadium, with 100k+ fans and Jerry and Dana will be able to throw around the ridiculous gate number for years to come.

it doesn't matter, gangsters from the culinary union and co will keep it out until some of them drop dead.