EXPECTATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PROMOTERS & VENUES
The following information is for review by individuals or companies inquiring about getting licensed to hold events of professional boxing, kickboxing and/or mixed martial arts in Nevada. The information is being provided solely for guidance, and does not modify any statutes, regulations or policies of the Nevada Athletic Commission. If you have any questions or want any additional information, please contact the commission office at (702) 486-2575 or
[email protected].
First you must get licensed by the commission. Below are the requirements and a brief explanation of the process.
1. Completed ORIGINAL application and one copy of the entire application package. Failure to answer all questions and submit backup documentation and/or give an explanation in writing as to why they are not included as part of the application will result in your application not being placed on a Commission agenda for consideration.
2. One fingerprint card for each officer of the corporation, partnership or the sole proprietor. Each card must be filled out completely. Along with each card you must submit a Civil Applicant Waiver and a CERTIFIED CHECK or MONEY ORDER made payable to Department of Public Safety in the amount of $37.50. The card is submitted to the Department of Public Safety and FBI for background checks and require 60 to 90 days for the information to be returned to us. Please submit immediately if you want to cut down on the time required to obtain a license.
3. Two years income tax returns, corporate or individual depending on business structure. If your company does not have two years of tax returns you may be required to submit personal tax returns on all officers of the company.
4. You must submit any additional information requested by the commission.
5. $500 Application fee will be collected upon approval of the application and completion of bond requirement.
6. $10,000 dollar Refund and License bond.
7. A representative of the organization to be licensed must be present at a scheduled commission meeting when the application for licensure is discussed.
8. All requests for dates to promote must be made in writing and submitted to the commission office as far in advance as possible, as they require commission approval on a Commission agenda. The letter to request a date must include the venue, type of event, date of event, any information regarding title fights on the card and what network(s) the event will be televised on.
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The following costs are associated with promoting an event in Nevada.
• OFFICIALS
Official’s fees start at $3,625 for the smallest boxing show and $4,050 for a small MMA event. Any title fights and/or a greater number of bouts on your card will increase the official’s fees invoice accordingly. If the commission assigns ring officials from out-of-town to your event, you are responsible for their travel, lodging, per diem and ground transportation.
• DRUG AND STEROID TESTING
Every event will have fight-night drug and steroid testing of contestants. It is the responsibility of the promoter to pay for those costs. The total cost of the testing depends on the total number of bouts, and the total number of title bouts, if any. The overall cost to the promoter usually runs between $1,000 and $2,000.
• INSURANCE
Primary medical insurance on the participants must be in the minimum amount of $50,000 per unarmed combatant. The promoter is responsible for any deductible. The average cost for the required NSAC insurance is about $2800 for 20 boxers. Most venues require liability insurance which is about $400.
• AMBULANCE
The promoter must have paramedics and an ambulance at the site. There must be oxygen, a first aid kit and a stretcher at ringside. The average cost is $500 depending on the length of time of your show.
• TICKETS FEES
You pay a 6% ticket fee on the gross sale of tickets. You also pay a 6% fee on your complimentary tickets if they exceed 4% of the gross seating of the house, or are used to trade for services.
• TELEVISION/BROADCAST FEES
You pay 3% of the first million dollars in television/broadcast revenue and 1% of the next two million. The television/broadcast fees cap out at $50,000.
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The following items are the responsibility of the promoter to complete in the time frame given.
• ADVANCE NOTICE SHEET
We will provide you with an advance notice form that needs to be submitted to the commission office as soon as you start making matches. You must provide the commission with records on the fighters from approved sources. For boxing shows, you must submit records from Fight Fax (856) 396-0533. For mixed martial arts (MMA) shows, the promoter must register the card at abc.mixedmartialarts.com and keep it updated and inform us when changes are made.
• CONTESTANT CONTRACTS
You must use the NSAC bout agreements. Bout agreements for the main event contestants or a title fight contestants must be submitted to the commission office at least 5 working days before the show. All other bout agreements must be turned in at or before the weigh-in.
• TELEVISION/BROADCASTING CONTRACTS
Copies of all the contracts for the sale, lease or other exploitation of broadcasting, television and motion picture rights need to be submitted to the commission office at least 3 working days before the event. This includes national, foreign, cable, pay-per-view and radio sales, including any and all rebroadcast rights.
• TIMES AND PLACES OF EVENTS
We will need to know the date, time and room or arena locations for the following leading up to the event and the event:
Press Conference(s), if any
Rules Meeting, if any (usually held only if title bout(s) on card)
Weigh-in
First fight
Order of bouts
Title fights
Television times/window
• LICENSES
All contestants will need at the minimum the following items completed at or before the weigh-in.
Application, two pictures and $25 fee
Report of Physical Examination w/ HIV, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C Virus antibody test results
Ophthalmologic exam
MRI and MRA of the Brain without contrast
Bring Federal Id. Card to the weigh in
Signed Nevada bout agreement
All seconds and managers need to be licensed if they are going to work in the corner. Only 3 licensed people may work in the corner (although up to 4 seconds may work a corner for a title bout or main event). Also, a manager must be licensed to receive an authorized percentage paid from the contestant’s purse. Applications can be obtained at
http://boxing.nv.gov/licensing/License_Basic
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• RING ANNOUNCER
You must hire and pay a licensed ring announcer.
• CAMERA
We will have a digital camera available at the weigh-in for those licensees who do not bring passport size photographs for their applications. You will be charged $2 per photo taken by commission staff.
• DRESSING ROOMS
The promoter must provide, or must make sure the venue provides the dressing rooms with ice, tables, towels and blankets. There also needs to be a sufficient amount of drinking water in the dressing rooms.
Dressing rooms need to be located where there is easy access to the ring. If you have female contestants on the card, they will need to have separate dressing rooms.
• EQUIPMENT
The promoter must provide, or must make sure the venue provides, three tall stools for the judges, a sufficient number stools in each corner for the seconds and inspectors, spit buckets, ice buckets, and bell or horn for the event.
• SCALE
The promoter must provide a calibrated scale for the weigh-in.
• GLOVES
The promoter is responsible for supplying all gloves for the event. All gloves used must be on the approved list. The current list of approved gloves is available on our web site under Frequently Asked Questions - Events Questions.
• SECURITY
Security will be needed to walk the fighters to the ring and at ringside after the fight. Security also needs to be stationed at the entrance to the dressing rooms.
• CREDENTIALS
If credentials are to be used, the commission will need to know where to send our list, and where and when the credentials can be picked up by the officials and staff. If credentials will not be used, the officials will use their photo identification badges for admittance. The commissioners, commission staff, ringside physicians and inspectors have silver identification badges that grant them full access to all areas pertaining to the event and do not need credentials.
• PARKING
Parking passes will be needed for the commissioners and staff, unless ample public parking is available at the venue.
