New Boxing Bill Would Require Broadcast Contract Disclosures
By The Associated Press
February 08, 2007
(Broadcasting & Cable) – The Senate Commerce Committee next week will mark up S. 84, the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2007, which would impose a raft of reporting requirements.
According to the bill broadcasters need to provide the newly created U.S Boxing Commission with severapieces of informatiobefore broadcasing a professional bout of ten rounds or more.
According the the bill, which has been pushed for several years by Commerce Committee Member Senator John McCain of Arizona, they must provide the license fee figure, including any advance of guarantee; a copy of the contract with the boxer, manager, promoter or other entity; and a list of “sources of income” from the broadcast.
The commission would be required to keep the information confidential, with the caveat that it can publish analysis of that data “in aggregate”–so long as it does not disclose confidential information about individual broadcasters.
Broadcaster is defined as broadcast, cable or multichannel video provider.
A similar bill has passed in the Senate before, but it got caught up in the House.
McCain has wanted to establish the USBC to protect the “health, safety and general interests” of professional boxers, while “ensuring uniformity, fairness and integrity.” in the sport. The bill was co-sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.).
