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By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

The Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission has proposed Bill 413 to the Georgia Senate that seeks to regulate pro wrestling lumped together with legitimate forms of sports such MMA, boxing, and amateur wrestling.

The Senate bill has identified pro wrestling as: “any performance of wrestling skills and techniques by two or more professional wrestlers to which any admission is charged. Participating wrestlers may not be required to use their best efforts in order to win; the winner may have been selected before the performance commences; and contestants compete for valuable consideration”.

The bill is seeking to amend a prior bill passed in 2005 that distinguishes between pro wrestling as a worked form of entertainment against the MMA/boxing/amateur wrestling forms of legitimate individual competition.

“I believe certain risks were taken in how it was written,” says TNA bookings director Bill Behrens. “To pass this the Senate must equate the entertainment form of Professional Wrestling with the legitimate and dangerous sports of Boxing, MMA, and kickboxing.”

If the new Senate bill is passed, promoters will have to pay a $1,000 fee per show, which is 10 times the amount identified in the 2005 bill. WWE and TNA would be affected by a proposed bill, as the bill is requiring a five percent tax of gross receipts.

The bill defines gross receipts as: “The gross price charged for the sale or lease of broadcasting, television, and motion picture rights without any deductions for commissions, brokerage fees, distribution fees, advertising, or other expenses or charges; The face value of all tickets sold and complimentary tickets issued, provided, or given; and The face value of any seat or seating issued.”

The bill also requires an ambulance, medical personnel, and a physician to be present at all pro wrestling shows, at the cost to the promoter. Included in the bill is strict requirements related to wrestlers using drugs. The licensed wrestlers may not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and the Commission may require urine samples to be tested randomly. If a wrestler refuses a urine test, the wrestler would have his license suspended in the state.

- Read the full bill online.

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