New York State Athletic Commission Changes Guidelines For Pro Wrestling For 2017 — Changes Could Impact Independent Promotions In Major Way

PWInsider reports that the New York State Athletic Commission, which oversees pro wrestling in that state, is planning several guideline changes that will begin in January 2017. Many of the rules are due to the NYSAC updating their guidelines after MMA became legal in the state. It’s unlikely that they’ll effect WWE, Northeast Wrestling or Ring of Honor but could make it too expensive for some independent promotions to continue in New York.

The biggest change is that promotions can no longer lend or “rent” their promoting license to others. The revised guidebook states: “Engaging in fraud or fraudulent practices, or for dishonest or misleading advertising, including representing a professional wrestling event as anything but an exhibition, availing the entity’s license to another, or for demonstrated untrustworthiness or incompetency in relation to the promotion or conduct of professional wrestling exhibitions could result in the promoter’s license being revoked.”

In New York, one licensed promoter could promote an event under their banner while someone else ran, booked and promoted the event. This means, hypothetically, a promotion like House of Glory can’t be the promoter for WrestlePro when WrestlePro runs in the state. The loophole being closed prevents all “third-party sanctioning entities.” This would make it hard for certain promotions to even exist unless they either got bonded themselves (a $20,000 bond is required to become a promoter) and getting their own license. It will take away money from promoters who regularly run by being an umbrella for over promotions.

They will also require “one ambulance with medical personnel consisting of at least one paramedic with appropriate resuscitation equipment must be continuously present on the scene at all events.” If there is no ambulance, then there will be no event. The NYSAC usually has a doctor at events to check on talent before they wrestle, checking their blood pressure within three hours before signing off on them. There are also usually EMTs present. While it’s safer for talent, it will be quite expensive for promoters to rent an ambulance and EMTs. In some cases, the cost of renting those services may be more than renting the venue.

The new rules also suggest that wrestlers can’t play a heel by interacting with the audience. It said: “In no event shall a participant be permitted to threaten, molest, hit or abuse, physically or verbally, any spectator, or engage in any conduct endangering the health, safety, or well being of any spectator during the course of a professional wrestling exhibition.”

This follows changes the NYSAC made over the last year, including quietly bringing back an 11 PM ET curfew on wrestling events. This is why promotions will sometimes change to earlier start times and why indy promotions suddenly had shorter main events. It’s possible the shows could be stopped by the NYSAC. When WWE ran RAW in Brooklyn in August, that didn’t happen, but it does apply to other promotions.

PWInsider also revealed that the NYSAC has unofficially banned the use of tables after an incident in 2015. The Commissioner on duty for a show said he didn’t want weapons or tables used, then Sabu wrestled and did several table spots. It appears Sabu hasn’t wrestled in the state at all this year and no tables have been used at area events that happened in the last year, according to PWInsider.

The website also noted that there seem to be members of the NYSAC who don’t even know what the updated rules are. At an event in Brooklyn last August, Athletic Commission deputy commissioner Robert Orlando reportedly went to the ring to stop a match between between female wrestler Jessie “Bonesaw” Brooks and male wrestler Marc Hauss. He claimed that intergender wrestling was against the rules, but he mistook that for a rule about intergender boxing. The match was eventually restarted.

Children are also banned from attending wrestling events, although this isn’t enforced. However the “Law Book” states (Page 10 in the 2011 edition) that: “No person under the age of eighteen years shall participate in any professional boxing, sparring or professional wrestling match or exhibition, and no person under sixteen years of age shall be permitted to attend thereat as a spectator; provided, however, that a person between the ages of eight and sixteen shall be permitted to attend thereat as a spectator if accompanied by a parent or guardian.”

Of course, kids are regularly allowed to attend WWE events, so again, the rule doesn’t appear to be enforced.

We will provide more updates on this story as they come in.