I picked up this article last night and is very troubling to me, as someone who is pro union for pro wrestling but still a WWE fan I feel my stomach turning

[Breaking News] WWE Threatens To Boycott Georgia
The following article is from the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Pro wrestling group threatens to leave Georgia
Group balks at regulations from state's boxing commission

World Wrestling Entertainment says it will pull out of the state if subjected to state regulation.

"If those regulation are applied to us, we won't do Georgia," WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt warned Monday afternoon.

The threat came on the eve of Tuesday morning's scheduled 11 a.m. meeting of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission in which the state governing body is expected to discuss abuses in professional wrestling.

The body, which is better known as the state boxing commission, regulates the state's boxing and mixed martial arts, as well as ticket brokers.

Professional wrestling also falls under the group's jurisdiction, but the WWE had been exempt thanks to a 2005 statute that excluded groups with total assets or more than $25 million. Only the state Legislature can undo the exemption.

"Almost every state knows, and has known for years, that wrestling is entertainment and not a sport," he said. "It's like Ice Capades."

Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission chairman Kelly Farr declined comment when reached at his office.

One of the board's commissioners, Atlanta-based attorney Cary Ichter, represents the father of deceased wrestler Chris Benoit, whose murder of his wife and son and subsequent suicide at their family home in Fayettville precipitated the series of events leading to this point.

Ichter, who has championed for the better care of wrestlers since the Benoit tragedy in late June, said he wasn't surprised to hear of the WWE's threat to pull out.

"What else would you expect a bully to say?" he said.

Tuesday's meeting of the boxing commission is expected to focus largely on small-time wrestling events and not the conglomerate that is the Connecticut-based WWE.

The commission is expected to take public comment before considering a number of amendments to its rules.

Ichter has said he would love to see the WWE's loophole eventually rescinded and have its performers subject to drug testing and other regulation just like participants from other sports in Georgia.

The WWE will be back in town next week when it hosts its "Raw Live" show at Phillips Arena on Dec. 28.

thats bull****

I'm gonna see wwe on the 27th

I've always loved Vince Mcmahaon, but he needs to get his head out his backside & start making some changes. Chris Benoit suffered severe brain damage & they weren't even aware of it, is it even ethical to run athletes 300 days a year? I'm sick of defending him as I have been up to now, wrestling is no "ice capades", these guys are top notch athletes and they deserve a little regulation to protect them;^]

i agree with you turtle.....vince mcmahon is letting the money and publicity get to him instead of focusing on his athletes....before you know it we wont be able to afford going to these events and if we do its going to be death matches due to all the injuries sustained

I agree that pro-wrestling needs a little regulating.

Stun there azz!

Can barely afford it now, even the PPV's are $40 a piece. I'm torn, if the WWE goes through with this I almost have to boycott them, but I love watching the WWE. Oh well, I guess if they do we still have TNA, not that Dixie Carter is much better..lol;^]

Just thought, maybe it's time for a petition from us fans threatening to boycott;^]

its cheaper to go live then see the ppv on tv. I went to No Mercy in 04 and tickets were like 30 bucks

I took my son to summerslam,,,,,,,,,,,,,60 each

I saw a UWF/ TNA show here localy some time back for $25 ringside row 3. Yeah, it was at a high school but it had some great matches and superstars. The casket match between Abyss and Sabu was my personal fav;^]

well ive never been in person but i want to go but with all this bullsh*t who knows

I like supporting regional companies by going to local shows, it's surprising how many legands you can meet. I saw Kamala at a TNT event in waynsborough VA, he fought like three guys one after the other..lol. For now I say, if you're gonna see a live show or order a PPV, make it TNA. Dixie Carter may not be much better but right now is looking like the lesser of the evils. I really hope congress gets off their arses & does something about the lack of worker rights in pro wrestling;^]

For years WWE (then WWF) and WCW wouldn't run in the state of Oregon.

Why?

Simple. Oregon had laws saying that every athlete working in the state must first pass a drug (steroid) test.

WWF, who kinda tested in the mid 90s, and WCW, which was known at the time as "party central" (much like TNA is now), and had NO testing (like TNA as well), wouldn't DARE come to Oregon till the late 90s, when the state recinded the testing laws.

Good Lord. I grew up watching wrestling in the late 60s and 70s. Sure, a few guys were on the juice then, but for the most part, the wrestlers then looked like relatively normal people-and seemed to put on a FAR better show than these guys can today. Two important elements of wrestling have long been forgotten:

1.Ring psychology
2.Knowing how to "work the crowd".

As far as the original post goes, here's my final word on it:

This situation simply proves exactly how serious WWE is about cleaning up their act. Which, apparently, is not at all.

TNA has appeared from me from the beggining to basicaly be WCW without the name, that's kinda the reason I like it though, a bit more progressive wrestling. At least TNA still has a lighter schedule, but still all pro wrestling needs to be regulated in my humble. Unions have worked elsewhere why not in pro wrestling, if something like the Benoit tragedy happens again I'm gonna be really upset;^[

Update;^]

[News Update] State Commission Delays Decision on Regulations for Wrestling
From the Associated Press:
ATLANTA -- In the face of opposition from the industry, the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission has delayed a decision on whether pro wrestling should be regulated.

About 70 current and former wrestlers and their promoters voiced their opposition to the proposed regulations at the commission meeting Tuesday. The board decided to delay consideration of the issue for 60 days.

The proposed regulations, such as having paid medical personnel on hand for all events, would apply only to smaller wrestling operations such as Clarkesville-based NWA Anarchy Wrestling. The board also wants to increase inspection of wrestlers and their organizations as well as banning physical or verbal threats toward the audience and the use of too much grease lotion or foreign substances on a wrestler's body.

"Asinine," is what NWA Anarchy wrestler Eddie Chastain called the proposed measures.

The commission already regulates the state's boxing and mixed martial arts, as well as ticket brokers. Professional wrestling also falls under the group's jurisdiction, but Stamford, Conn.-based World Wrestling Entertainment has been exempt due to a 2005 statute that excludes groups with total assets of more than $25 million.

NWA Anarchy owner Jerry Palmer said the new rules would put financial strain on small wrestling organizations. Furthermore, Palmer and others said, the proposed regulations would endanger wrestlers who would resort to performing in outlaw shows under no constraints.

"I think it went positive," commission chairman J.J. Biello said after the meeting. "We were looking for feedback. We're open to looking at the rules and changing some things as long as it fairly represents the interest of the state and the fighters, or entertainers in this case. Our main concern is the health and safety of the performers."

WWE representative John Taylor also was pleased.

"It's good they listened to people who know the business," Taylor said. "These rules they proposed are ridiculous."

The WWE would not be affected by the new proposals, but said earlier this week that it would pull all events out of Georgia if it's exemption were rescinded by the Legislature.

The pro wrestling industry has come under increased scrutiny after wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife, son and then himself in their suburban Atlanta home in June.

Investigators have not given a motive for the killings, but the question of whether steroids played a role has lingered. Anabolic steroids were found in Benoit's home and tests showed Benoit had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system when he died.

Some experts believe use of testosterone can contribute to paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage." Benoit's father, Michael, believes years of head trauma his son suffered in the ring contributed to the killings.

i used to love wrestling back when we had the WCW but Vince has turned it into a damn soap opera.my eyes bleed when i try to watch the crap they do now