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Minnesota Agencies

Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library


Athletic Commission

Also known as:
State Athletic Commission
Active dates:1915 - 1973
Function: The commission shall have, and hereby is vested with, the sole direction, management, and control of and jurisdiction over all boxing and sparring matches and exhibitions to be conducted, held or given within the state, pursuant to its authority and in accordance with the provisions of this act. The commission may, in its discretion issue and at its pleasure revoke, a license to conduct, hold or give boxing and sparring matches and exhibitions to any club, corporation or association within the state.
History: The State Athletic Commission was established by the legislature in 1915 (Laws 1915 c363) to regulate and control all boxing and sparring matches and exhibitions. It has the authority to issue or revoke licenses to promoters, boxers, managers, and referees and to investigate complaints concerning boxing licenses. Every organization that holds a boxing or sparring event is required to submit a full report of the event to the commission within twenty-four hours of its occurrence. When the commission was created, it was ordered to collect ten percent of all the gross receipts from the sale of tickets and deposit it in the state treasury (Laws 1915 c363). The money was credited to a fund used by the Commission of the State Sanatorium for Consumptives and by counties for the maintenance of tuberculosis sanatoriums.

In 1953 the percentage collected was reduced to five (1953 Minn. Laws Chap. 704) but the sources of funds were expanded to include receipts from the sale of radio, motion picture, and television rights to boxing and sparring exhibitions. Since 1965 the money collected for deposit in the state treasury has not been designated for a specific purpose other than supporting the administration of the commission (1965 Minn. Laws Chap. 832).

The commission originally consisted of three members appointed by the governor. In 1933 it was expanded to five members (Laws 1933 c7) who were also responsible for appointing a boxing commissioner.

The commission's name was changed to the State Boxing Commission in 1973 and its membership expanded to seven (1973 Minn. Laws Chap. 638 Sec. 52). In 1975 it became the Board of Boxing (1975 Minn. Laws Chap. 271) and existed under this name until expiring in 2001.

The state's Boxing Board was recreated as the Minnesota Boxing Commission in 2006 (2006 Minn. Laws Chap. 282). It was officially renamed the Combative Sports Commission in the 2008 legislative session. The new name reflects the commission's expanded oversight of mixed martial arts events that was added to the commission's purview in 2007 (2007 Minn. Laws Chap. 135 Art. 3 Sec. 30 Subd. 8).
Membership: 5 members; 3 year terms; senate confirmation not required.
Documents/Articles:
News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1956-1974.
Record last updated: 10/18/2011
 

All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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