Clearing up the confusion around Conor McGregor’s NAC punishment

Finally, we seem to have received some clarity on the figures involved in Conor McGregor's recent fine from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

At a hearing a fortnight ago, McGregor was initially fined $150,000 for his part in the infamous bottle-throwing incident that closed out the UFC 202 pre-fight press conference. https://twitter.com/DarrMurphy/status/766012342635261952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw The Commission also instructed the Irishman to complete 50 hours of community service as punishment for the episode that grabbed headline news. The MMA community was disgusted by the significance of the fine as $150,000 for a few water bottles being thrown seemed excessive by even McGregor's critics' standards. It was perceived as the most recent example of power-abusing, money-grabbing and muscle-flexing from the much maligned NAC, who seemingly backtracked once they felt the weight of ridicule that followed the decision. NAC executive director Bob Bennett was apparently tasked with damage control as he gave an interview to MMA Fighting in which he claimed that McGregor would not in fact have to pay $150,000 and that the fine had been misconstrued.

"It appears the media and others got it wrong."

Bennett claimed that the actual financial punishment given to McGregor involved a $75,000 outright fine plus whatever it would cost to produce a public service announcement. https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/785565434103947264 "I understand that he's upset," Bennett said after McGregor posted the above message to Twitter and announced that he would no longer fight in Nevada. "I understand that he commands a phenomenal following and paydays and he's a world-renowned champ. I get that he's frustrated — $75,000 is a lot of money. But I think the remark is inappropriate. In fairness to Conor — and I say this with the utmost respect — I just don't think he understands how the system works when he's fined." So all of a sudden the fine went from $150,000 to $75,000 to $75,000 plus the cost of a PSA and nobody knew exactly how much was coming out of McGregor's pocket. But now it appears as though we've received some clarity. ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto contacted the NAC so that some light could be shed on the figures and he revealed that McGregor would indeed have to pay $150,000 but that it would be broken down in two halves, with $75,000 going into the state general fund and at least $75,000 going to fund the PSA that he would also have to star in. https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/789531579324391424 "It is what it is. Good luck trying to get it," McGregor said of the fine in an interview with Rolling Stone. Best of luck, commissioners. In the latest GAA Hour, we talk to Ken McGrath of Waterford and with Declan Brennan about a new club players' association.