The COVID-19 pandemic crippled many companies with many movie show chains fearing chapter and eating places throughout the globe shutting down and by no means opening again up once more. Nevertheless it seems the pandemic often is the single biggest issue within the UFC’s latest success.
Over the previous few years, the UFC has loved large beneficial properties financially with revenues skyrocketing 12 months after 12 months. Whereas media rights such because the UFC’s take care of ESPN continues to be the largest issue with regards to general monetary beneficial properties, the promotion has seen an enormous explosion in general ticket gross sales and sponsorship offers not like something that’s ever been seen earlier than.
Whereas there are a number of things which have performed a hand within the UFC’s success, the worldwide pandemic might have been the largest single cause why the promotion is greater and extra widespread than ever now.
“Going by COVID undoubtedly didn’t damage us,” UFC CEO Dana White advised Bloomberg just lately. “There have been no sports activities on TV aside from us.
“Fights that ought to have been doing 300,000 buys have been doing one million. Our fan base grew one thing like 68 % throughout COVID.”
A 68 % development spurt is unreal, particularly contemplating the UFC had already been doing large enterprise with stay occasions and pay-per-view lengthy earlier than the worldwide pandemic.
Maybe the largest distinction now’s that the UFC has maintained the fan base gained from that point interval and solely continued to develop since then.
On Saturday night time, UFC 309 at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York produced a stay gate at over $16 million, which is the second highest for the promotion on the venue behind solely the debut card there that includes Conor McGregor in the primary occasion again in 2016 ($17.7 million).
A latest card in Edmonton bought out with over 16,000 followers in attendance with a stay gate over $2.6 million.
In January, the UFC travels to the brand new Intuit Dome simply exterior Los Angeles for a primary ever pay-per-view occasion on the state-of-the-art enviornment that serves as residence to the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Touring has additionally continued to repay for the UFC with occasions deliberate in places like Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia simply within the first two months of 2025.
The occasion in Saudi Arabia alone will produce an enormous monetary windfall due to web site charges paid by the federal government to carry the UFC to the Center Japanese nation. The earlier UFC occasion in Saudi Arabia got here together with a $20 million web site price and the following may develop even greater.
The subsequent main second in UFC historical past is available in 2025 when the promotion begins to barter a brand new TV deal that might fully change the sport in comparison with the present contract with ESPN that was valued at $1.5 billion over 5 years. Many analysts imagine the brand new UFC broadcast deal will crush the financials presently connected to exclusivity with ESPN and it appears like gamers reminiscent of Amazon, Netflix and lots of others are going to get into the bidding struggle.
In different phrases, the UFC isn’t slowing down any time quickly.
