CHARLESTON, W. Va. — The organization in charge of the direction, management and control of the jurisdiction in boxing, MMA and other fighting events held in the state is asking the legislature for resources.
“We’ve been operating this thing out of a shoe box,” Steve Allred, Chairman of the state Athletic Commission said to members of the Government Organization Subcommittee B during the December interim meetings. “I’ve been around boxing for 35 years-plus and I’ve never seen the Athletic Commission in the state that it is now.”
Currently, the operation has no part-time or full-time staff and is run out of Allred’s house.
State law dictates, among other responsibilities, the commission must have a representative present at every event, handle the registration of fighters, secure the officials at the event and work with promoters when the apply to stage a fight.
With more promoters looking to hold their events in West Virginia and the legalization of MMA fights in recent years, the commission is requesting some sort of a staff be formed and an office for the staff be provided.
“I can’t operate it out of my house anymore,” Allred said. “I’m just at that point. I work 60 hours a week in a day job and to spend in boxing season, which is starting right now, it probably puts another 20 hours a week on me, minimum. We need some clerical staff, we need some support staff.”
Another challenge facing the commission is funding, especially when it comes to securing fight officials.
Current state laws dictate that the expenses must not surpass $5,500 and also provides what officials should be paid. However, the rates are not competitive.
For the ringside judges, statute sets a $50/day payment for each of the three. The commission is having to instead pay $100 instead to entice officials to work the events.
Based on how many events held in West Virginia on average in a year, the cost of judges’ pay, even at the set price, could exceed the commission’s budget.
“We will probably have between 50 to 60 nights of boxing in the state of West Virginia,” Allred said.
On this issue, the commission is asking that the budget limit and official fees be revisited.
Then there’s the matter of funding the requests.
According to Allred, “You’re average size event, I’m going to guess, [brings in] between $45,000 to $55,000 in gross ticket sales.”
Of that money, the state collect a six percent tax on ticket sales which goes into the general revenue fund.
The Athletic Commission requested the state Lottery Commission look into methods used by other state Athletic Commissions to make their operations self sufficient.
The organization suggested the creation of a permit fee for promoters to hold an event, or for a percentage of gross receipt, ticket sales or money earned from TV contracts go directly to the commission.
Increasing ticket prices was also an idea the commission would entertain, but because of a decrease in attendance due to the economy –particularly in the southern part of the state, where two events were canceled recently– in the past few years, it would be done as a last resort.
“I’d like to do a balance act,” Allred said. “Yes, there needs to be an increase for the commission in some way shape or form, but we don’t want to hurt the promoters and we don’t want to hurt the industry. We don’t want to hurt the people out there buying tickets. Where that fine line is, I’m not sure.”
Allred hoped the legislature would be willing to work with the commission to find the best solution so that people could continue to enjoy the sport of fighting in West Virginia.