Getting a CA promoters license.....is it hard ?

The licence is probably easy to get, it's about what you can do with it that's hard. Look at 50 cent, SMS looks like it's failing. You got to be connected to boxing in a major way somehow to have those connections whether you're a fighter, a commentator on a major network, a referee, judge, announcer etc.

 

As you well know, California is an incredibly difficult place to do business. Lots of red tape, fees and taxes.

I promoted tons of music festivals (raves back then) and some of them were actually permitted. It is easier to get a permit when you are renting out an underused government owned facility like the LA Sports Arena. At least nowadays. Just make sure your business license, LLC/partnership paperwork is air tight and that your federal, state, and local tax id numbers are current.

I used to work with a guy who promoted MMA cards. I'll hit him up and send you a PM if I find anything fight specific.

 

Freddy hit up your Chicano brother from another mother Oscar De la Hoya. That dude is the richest and most influential Mexican American Promoter in boxing today.

He from Cali, you from Cali, It makes sense to connect with him.

 

Good luck, freddy...

 

You need to read up on the rules of the state commission and Association of Boxing Commissioners.

Getting the license probably means jumping through a lot of hoops, but mostly it's the expense -- insurance and ring rental and renting gloves, etc. If you use local fighters from a gym that actually has a ring and gloves they will probably rent to you cheaper to get their guys on the card.

 

I imagine you would need serious money in the beggining.

 

I'm assuming you have your gym set up as a corporation of some sort, likely an LLC. If so, definitely have the corporation apply for the license. If not, do that first. No need to risk your personal assets.

The application through the State Commission looks pretty cut and dry. I'm sure they will take their sweet time processing it.

I'd love to help out in this venture if you are really serious. At least pass out fliers at events here in OC and LA for you. Perhaps more, depending on what you need.

 

The technicalities (IE: Licensing Fees etc.) are probably the easiest the hardest part is the amount of coin that it is required initially.

 

To put on an initial club-level fight, probably $20k or more.

I believe the commisson will require you to have up-front money to pay every fighter and official even if not a single ticket is sold.

Venue, advertising, etc., will also probably want money up front.

And you'll find this quickly enough: any fighter who can sell tickets, and will do so, you find a spot for on the card -- a winning spot if at all possible. It is not uncommon at the club level for fighters to fight for a small purse and 50 percent from each ticket they sell or something like that. A guy who can sell 50 tickets at $20 apiece and keep half is going to make himself a nice purse bonus.

I would suggest you start with smaller cards where every fight top to bottom is competitive, regardless of records. If you know a guy with a 4-6 record would would make an exciting fight against a 2-1 guy, make the fight. The important thing is that the crowd, however large or small, leaves entertained. The 20-1 guy against the 8-14 opponent looking for a soft spot to land won't bring people back.

Venue-wise, negotiate to keep all or part of the concessions. If you keep all, you'll have to buy the food and have people there to staff it, but if you get a decent crowd that's where a lot of the money is -- if you give it all away because it's a headache, you may find yourself regretting it. A hot dog and soft drink that cost you less than a buck that you sell for $4 or $5 is a lot of profit. You want to project how many people you think you can put in the arena and then how much you want to average per person to make a profit.

If it's not a large town, you'll want to chat up local media: take the sports editor and TV sport director to lunch, explain what you're doing, pitch them on good stories about local fighters -- not necessarily contenders, but people with interesting backgrounds. A local cop fighting part-time against a bricklayer, that sometimes will get more publicity than the boring guy who might oneday be a contender.