UFC Among Sports' Big Spenders With D.C. Lobbyists

[sunnyd]

Story : http://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/post/2012-05-18/ufc-among-sports-big-spenders

Anti-piracy aims have driven the Ultimate Fighting Championship lately to spend more on federal lobbyists than any other sports organization except the NFL, a new report says.

UFC spent $110,000 in the first quarter of this year on firms that lobby at the federal level, according to a report released this week by First Street Research Group, which tracks spending on lobbyists. Only the NFL exceeded that figure, giving $300,000 to companies that lobby Congress.

Last year, UFC was third at $410,000, behind the NFL's $1.62 million and Major League Baseball's $520,000.

Two companies -- Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck and SB Strategic Consulting -- currently do lobbying work for UFC in Washington D.C., said Alex Bronstein-Moffly, a First Street analyst.