After Receiving Ultimatum, California DCA Working to Resolve Unpaid Database Fees

Run by Mixed Martial Arts, LLC, the database is used by all athletic commissions under the ABC umbrella to verify event results and fighter suspension information as a safety measure, so that fighters issued a medical suspension in one state cannot fight in another before serving the term of that suspension.

On order of the ABC, Kirik Jenness, President of Mixed Martial Arts, LLC, reportedly sent an email to CSAC executive Che Guevara that was made public by FightOpinion.com. The email states that CSAC commissioners and California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization (CAMO) representatives will have their access removed from the database effective Nov. 1. Additionally, the database will no longer accept event results from California after Nov. 11 if the situation is not resolved.

“This unprecedented step was taken in response to California’s several-years-long failure to either pay for the records and suspension service, or to direct California promoters to pay the fee,” Jenness wrote.

“California is the sole athletic commission in the United States that is grossly failing to pay the fee. We have worked with every single state and tribal commission in the U.S. to get fees paid, and yet remain open to working with the CSAC. The account is deeply, deeply in arrears -- the last quarter alone was $3,600.

“On the [Nov. 1 and Nov. 11 deadlines], we will notify the office of the State of California Attorney General about these changes, as the legal repercussions are significant. We will as well contact both California and MMA media. Despite the late hour, should California be able to make arrangements for each of their events to pay the results fee going forward, we can yet forego the access-restricting process.

“I understand and appreciate that the California state government is facing tremendous financial challenges at present and recommend that the CSAC joins the vast majority of regulatory bodies across the U.S., and rather than pay for the service out of state funds, direct that promoters do so, as a condition for promoting an MMA event California. Cost to your office is zero.”

According to ABC President Tim Lueckenhoff, California’s Department of Consumer Affairs -- the government body that oversees the CSAC -- has been notified of the ultimatum and is presently making efforts to resolve the issue with the ABC.

“The directors at DCA have been advised, and we are working together to resolve this situation," Lueckenhoff told Sherdog.com on Thursday. “It is my understanding they were not aware of the situation until they received the email from Kirik, which was a directive of the ABC Database Committee. I must commend DCA at this time for understanding the seriousness of this situation and hope to resolve this problem very quickly.”