Athletic Commission – Archives

Governor Scott signed both HB 773ER (Pugilistic Exhibitions) and 775ER (Public Records/Florida Athletic Commission) on June 13, 2014. The following changes are effective July 1, 2014.

HB 773ER Highlights:

1. Amends various provisions of ch. 548, F.S., regarding professional and amateur boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. It revises definitions, creates new exemptions from ch. 548, F.S. and amends the process for failure to submit to drug testing and purse forfeiture hearings pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act.
2. Repeals all language related to:
   • Concessionaires
   • Booking Agents
   • Representative of Booking Agents
   • Foreign Co-promoter
3. Amends post-event tax requirements, identifying circumstances under which certain post-event tax report documents are not required to be filed with the Commission, and revising the calculation of gross receipts, to include an exemption for complimentary tickets provided up to five percent of the seats designated for use at an event.
4. Provides an emergency license suspension procedure and that all hearings held under ch. 548, F.S., be held in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. 

HB 775ER Highlights:

1. Creates a public records exemption for information submitted to the Florida Athletic Commission by a promoter, licensed pursuant to ch. 548, F.S., or obtained by the Commission through an audit of the promoter’s books and records, which is deemed “proprietary confidential business information.”
2. “Proprietary confidential business information” includes:
   • The number of ticket sales for a match
   • The amount of gross receipts after a match
   • Trade secrets
   • Business plans
   • Internal and external audit reports

Section 548.007, Florida Statutes, Exemptions, is amended to read.

This chapter does not apply to any of the following:

1. A match that does not allow full contact* if the match is limited to amateur participants.
2. A match conducted or sponsored by a detachment of the Florida National Guard or the United States Armed Forces, if the match is limited to amateurs who are members of a company or detachment of the Florida National Guard of the United States Armed Forces.
3. A match conducted or sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police, if the match is limited to amateurs and is held in conjunction with a charitable event.
4. A match conducted by or between public postsecondary educational institutions or public K-12 schools, as described in s. 1000.04, if the match is limited to amateurs who are members of a school-sponsored club or team.
5. A match conducted by the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, the Special Olympics, or the Junior Olympics, if the match is limited to amateurs who are competing in or attempting to qualify for the Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics, or Junior Olympics.
6. A professional or amateur martial arts activity. As used in this subsection, the term “martial arts” means one of the traditional forms of self-defense or unarmed combat involving the use of physical skill and coordination, including, but not limited to, karate, aikido, judo, and kung fu. The term does not include mixed martial arts.

*”Full contact” means the use of strikes and blows during a match which:

1. Are intended to break the plane of the receiving participant’s or amateur’s body
2. Are delivered to the head, face, neck, or body of the receiving participant or amateur
3. Cause the receiving participant or amateur to move in response to the strike or blow

Effective immediately, boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts pro debut fighters must provide proof of five (5) amateur competitions prior to competing in the professional arena. Proof of the amateur competition, will consist of verification from an amateur sanctioning organization. Proof will need to be submitted with the pro debut form and bout card. The Executive Director will require the proof of competitions of the pro-debut fighter in order to evaluate his/her bout information prior to the scheduled event.