Part of Governor Paterson’s proposal to close New York’s $7.5 billion budget gap is to legalize and tax mixed martial arts more awesomely known as “ultimate fighting” which has been banned in the state since 1997. As our colleagues at The Sports Section wrote earlier this month, the argument is that the sport isn’t much more violent than boxing, and could rake in $11.5 million per event for the government. But a new Marist poll shows that New Yorkers are overwhelmingly not in favor of the idea. A lowly 22 percent, in fact, approve of Paterson’s plan, while 68 percent are opposed. If our athletes are going to beat the shit out of each other, they should do it wearing gloves, like civilized people.
Marist: New Yorkers KO Ultimate Fighting (Updated) » [Daily Politics/NYDN]
