Key Takeaways
- The UFC is hosting the Las Vegas Sphere’s first live sporting event on Saturday with its “Noche UFC” celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
- The fight could be the first instance of a new source of revenue for the Sphere, while the venue’s giant immersive screen gives UFC a chance to make a splash with a first-of-its-kind event.
- The UFC expects record-setting ticket sales, and CEO Dana White has said the event will be a “game changer”
The UFC is taking a step into new territory Saturday, hosting the first live sporting event at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
The event, titled “Noche UFC” and themed around Mexican Independence Day, is an experiment for the UFC. The combat sports league owned by TKO Group (TKO) is holding the event at the Sphere, run by Sphere Entertainment (SPHR). after a scheduling conflict prevented it from hosting at MGM Resorts’ (MGM) T-Mobile Arena.
UFC Expects Record Ticket Revenue Despite Soaring Costs
The UFC has said it expects Saturday’s event to break its 2016 ticket sales record of $17.7 million, which was set in New York’s 19,500-seat Madison Square Garden. UFC projected sales at the Sphere, which has 18,600 seats and a standing capacity of 20,000, will total at least $22 million, according to Bloomberg.
The higher ticket sales are also reportedly coming at a higher cost. The Sphere fight has cost an estimated $20 million to put on, compared to about $2 million to $2.5 million for most UFC special events.
If Saturday’s event is a success, more experimental fights like the one at the Sphere could be considered once the league’s contract with MGM is up. UFC CEO Dana White said he would “never say no to anything” in terms of holding more events at the Sphere, the Associated Press reported.
Sphere Provides Chance for ‘Game Changer’ Event
White called the event a “game changer,” and said he expects it to influence how other venues put on live events. UFC events, he explained to the AP, typically consist of two experiences: one for the live audience and one for fans watching at home. White said UFC would use the Sphere’s unique design to connect those two experiences.
The Sphere’s massive wraparound screen, which has been used to show films and complement performances from bands like U2 and The Grateful Dead, will display a different scene, or “world,” during each fight on the night’s card. Short films about Mexican Independence Day and the contributions Mexican fighters have made to the sport will play between the fights, according to the AP.
Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan, who owns the New York Knicks and is the chair of Madison Square Garden, said in a previous statement that the event is a “significant milestone” for the Sphere, which could leverage the success of Saturday’s event to host other sporting events.