Lift the Ban Watch: Vancouver Edition

by Luke Thomas on Oct 31, 2008 10:28 AM EDT in News Comment 14 comments

What's preventing Vancouver from legalizing MMA? Inertia:

That's according to UFC vice-president Marc Ratner, who says that his group has already talked to GM Place about hosting an event there.

"We would love to go to Vancouver," Ratner said. "The problem is that until the province can properly regulate the sport of MMA, we won't be able to come.

"It's legal in Montreal and Calgary, but not in Toronto or Vancouver

"Vancouver is very much on radar."

Vancouver city council banned MMA in September 2007, citing risk-management and liability issues. Peter Ladner, who is running for mayor in the Nov. 15 municipal election, said, via a spokesman, that he'd like to see "provincial body providing insight."

There's been some talk of that in the MMA and boxing communities, but it appears to have gained little traction.

Calls to various provincial government offices proved fruitless. Attorney-General Wally Oppal's office knew nothing of it and forwarded the MMA questions back to the municipality.

Of course they didn't, but give credit where credit is due: the UFC is putting a ton of effort into getting the sport legalized in every major territory in North America. Obviously the degree to which they are successful varies, but I do not recall other large promotions contributing this significant a push towards legalization.

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Am I dreaming....

or did BoDOG not already run one or two mma events out of Vancouver??

by Frank_Castle on Oct 31, 2008 9:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes

But the two Bodog events were held in August. Vancouver govt officials banned MMA the following month.

by Luke Thomas on Oct 31, 2008 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ahh…thanks for clearing that up.

I can’t imagine how insane an mma card in T.O. would be…it would be absolutely ridic.

by Frank_Castle on Oct 31, 2008 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Especially since a good chunk of those that bought the Montreal event were from Ontario.

by pud333 on Oct 31, 2008 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BODOG

no wonder they banned it after seeing bodog! they probably thought it was a joke. props to luke for for giving props to the ufc and all they have done in NA to legalize the sport, while all of the other so-called big-promotions are too busy trying to be like the ufc, without all the blood,sweat and tears.

by bdw on Oct 31, 2008 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vancouver is a tough place to get MMA legalized in.

I’m from Vancouver and in order to get MMA in, you have to really understand the people here. Vancouver is basically split into two groups: One that recognizes that it’s only a matter of time until Vancouver becomes a world-class city that will result in hosting world-class events (like the coming winter olympics). And another group that still sees Vancouver as a little-big city and works hard to prevent anybody from having any “fun.” This results in various events and concerts from being prohibited in certain areas, etc.

With MMA, it has to fight that, plus the image that it’s a brutal and violent sport no better than a street fight. Every time I read an article in local mainstream papers covering the UFC events, it inevitably focuses on the brutal nature of it, not the athleticism. And the only time outside of UFC events I see coverage on MMA is when it’s negative. But there does seem to be at least some attempts at even-handed journalism. For example, last week a local thug who happened to be an MMA fighter was gunned down and the big focus was on the fact that local gangs are pretty big into MMA. However, this article shows that there is at east an attempt by some papers to make a distinction between the gangs and regular folk who like MMA for the sport, and how regulation is required to help weed out the organized crime. (Here’s the article) So it is getting better. That being said, there are local promoters that are putting on shows outside of the city, and gyms are cropping up everywhere.

Also, apparently the Union of BC Municipalities called for the creation of a sanctioning body for combat sports last month. There’s a tiny blurb about it here.

I think what would help move up legalization, is if the UFC were to hold another blockbuster event, possibly in Calgary, because it’s gets harder and harder to ignore those dollar figures. Also, it would help if Toronto were to legalize it first. Vancouver has an odd relationship with eastern Canada, in that we are either jealous or pissed off by Toronto. This stems right through from politics down to hockey. Anything that Toronto can do, we can do better. It’s strange, I know, but it’s all part of the Vancouver psyche.

I don’t doubt we’ll see MMA in Vancouver, if not simply for the money aspect of it. I just hope it’s sooner rather than later, cause I’d kill to see the UFC up here.

by pud333 on Oct 31, 2008 10:48 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Oh, and another note: If the current Liberal government can stay in power in BC, the chances are better for MMA in Vancouver. The Liberal government is really big on helping business here (at the expense of other groups like the poor, but that’s another debate). If local businesses really embrace MMA, which I think they will, chances are better.

by pud333 on Oct 31, 2008 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There will be a lot of new infrastructure built for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I can’t wait for MMA to come to Toronto, its a huge market, and we’re ga-ga for MMA here. A bunch of people I work with were planning to go to Montreal for 83, but tickets sold out too quickly. UFC would be a lot better than watching the Leafs lose.

by Ubernoober on Oct 31, 2008 11:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

UFC would be a lot better than watching the Leafs lose.

lol. I could say the same thing about the Canucks.

by pud333 on Oct 31, 2008 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Leafs losing is the only reason that I started paying any attention to MMA in the first place. They were losing 7-1 to f-ing Boston! I changed the channel to Spike who were hyping Hughes-Gracie by showing all of Gracie’s old UFC wins. Instant new fan.

by Ubernoober on Oct 31, 2008 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Funny.

That BC is seen as this very liberal and progressive place, which it is for the most part, with it’s “legalizing” marijuana and all of their other drug programs, etc. but mma is seen as being “too radical”??

by Frank_Castle on Oct 31, 2008 12:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MMA ban in Van

It really sucks that MMA is banned in Vancouver.I really hope that it does get legalized soon.I would love to attend a live UFC event.
BTW I live on Van. Isl.

by TheLevi on Oct 31, 2008 2:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

From Vancouver

Yeah I’m from Vancouver and a lot of my friends are big fans and all the pubs and places that show UFC are packed when they air it, but Vancouver politics are tricky, and the people there are liberal and hippyish and thus are really quick to judge certain things. There’s an immediate suspicion towards anything that isn’t protecting parkland or whatever, and the little big city thing is very true. I’m in Seattle now though and people act like I’m crazy for moving to Seattle from Vancouver. Sometimes I think maybe I am but whatever.

It would sell big there if it came.

What about Seattle? In the meantime they could do an event here and many hardcore fans in Vancouver would come down for it?

by Dooda on Oct 31, 2008 3:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Funny thing is, they didn’t actually “ban” MMA in Vancouver… They just refused to sanction it on medical grounds – against the advice of their own medical commissioner – and now apply pressure to other places to do the same. I’ve written two articles about this:

http://tkoxtreme.com/2008/01/11/keeping-up-appearances/

http://tkoxtreme.com/2008/08/05/mma-across-canada-part-i-british-columbia/

by AJB on Oct 31, 2008 7:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs