For this blog lets try to take Vinny Mac’s WWE out of the equation and look at the regulatory system for lower professional wrestling promotions in the United States. In some states there are commissions that enforce rules and regulations for smaller independent promotions. Take for example the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission’s regulation of professional wrestling, a commission with a unique relationship to one of the state’s biggest subcultures. According to the Pennsylvania Independent, pro wrestling falls under the category of taxation without regulation.
The Pennsylvania
State Athletic Commission oversees boxing, mixed martial arts and pro
wrestling. Many people don’t understand
why a form of entertainment with predetermined outcomes should be regulated and
I say - get with the program! The blood
is very real, the injuries are very serious and the substance abuse is very
high. However, the real reason that the
state governs this form of sports entertainment is money. The state of PA leads the country in putting
on over 350 shows a year.
All the shows that run in the state are through smaller Indy
promotions sanctioned by the Wrestling Act, a specific section in the state
athletic code. The problem with the code
is that it is short, only a 6th of what boxing has and doesn’t
really address safety, just the 5% tax increase that needs to be added to
ticket prices.
It seems as if the regulation
is more concerned with tax incentives rather than the performers health and
well being. Furthermore, it is
frustrating to know that Mixed
Martial Arts is regulated on a higher level than wrestling. When MMA fighter Nate Marquadt was found to
have elevated testosterone levels in his blood he was subsequently pulled out
of his championship match. A question to
ask the fans and more importantly, the commission, is UFC is regulated and
commissioned stricter in light of its adaptability to gambling? In opposition
to the “predetermined outcome,” element of professional wrestling.
So the state of Pennsylvania
does have a commission on professional wrestling, but whom do we blame when we
see fatal wrestling incidents? After
looking at the recent tragedies of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit and his
family, it is clear that some of these athletes/entertainers have substance
issues that need to be addressed by a regulatory commission.
If you are to have a
regulatory commission in a sport for tax incentives, regardless of what you
believe, real or fake, there also needs to be some sort of regulation on the
drug problem associated with the injuries in professional wrestling. While most states continue to ignore the
reality of pro wrestling, Pennsylvania will pretend to be the first to spine
buster this issue by taxing it as if it were.
Due to the shady commission regulations, ultimately the wrestling
industry is the one left responsible for all injuries and other problems going
unnoticed by any authoritative commission.
