UFC 306 at Sphere Sets Record for Highest-Grossing Event in UFC History and Highest-Grossing Single Event at Sphere

Rhea-AI Summary

UFC 306 at RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC, held on September 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas, set multiple records, including the highest-grossing UFC event ever with a $22 million gate and a sold-out crowd of 16,024. The event also marked the highest-grossing single event at Sphere.

Notable achievements include:

• Highest-grossing sponsorship sales for a UFC event
• First UFC event with a title partner (Riyadh Season)
• Record merchandise sales and per-cap for both UFC and Sphere
• 89% of ticket buyers from outside Nevada

The event featured innovative technology, including live fighter heart rate tracking, novel Octagon lighting, and haptic seats. It also showcased a premiere film, 'For Mexico, For All Time', celebrating Mexican culture and history.

Positive

• Record-breaking $22 million gate, highest-grossing UFC event ever
• Sold-out crowd of 16,024 at Sphere in Las Vegas
• Highest-grossing sponsorship sales for a UFC event
• Record merchandise sales and per-cap for both UFC and Sphere
• 89% of ticket buyers from outside Nevada, indicating strong tourism draw
• Innovative use of technology, including live heart rate tracking and haptic seats
• First UFC event with a title partner (Riyadh Season)

Negative

• None.

Insights

Sports Business Analyst

The record-breaking success of UFC 306 at Sphere is a significant milestone for both UFC and the sports entertainment industry. With a $22 million gate, it surpassed the previous record set by UFC 205 in 2016 by over $4 million. This demonstrates UFC's growing popularity and ability to command premium pricing.

The event's success extends beyond ticket sales. Record-breaking sponsorship, merchandise sales and VIP packages indicate strong brand value and consumer demand. The 89% out-of-town attendance highlights UFC's power as a tourism driver, which could lead to more lucrative venue deals in the future.

The innovative use of Sphere's technology, including real-time biometrics and immersive audio-visual experiences, sets a new standard for live sports events. This could spark a trend of high-tech venue partnerships, potentially increasing production costs but also opening new revenue streams through enhanced viewer experiences and data monetization.

For TKO Group Holdings, this event demonstrates the value of the UFC brand within its portfolio and may positively impact investor sentiment regarding the company's growth potential and market position in the evolving sports entertainment landscape.

Media Technology Expert

UFC 306 at Sphere represents a quantum leap in sports broadcasting technology. The integration of 48 cameras, including high-speed and wireless options, along with six broadcast mobile units, showcases an unprecedented level of production complexity for a UFC event. This technical prowess allows for more immersive and detailed coverage, potentially setting new standards for sports broadcasts.

The innovative use of Sphere's features, such as the haptic seats responding to real-time action and the 360-degree audio beams, creates a multi-sensory experience that could redefine audience expectations for live events. The AI-tracked advanced metrics and real-time statistics integration demonstrate the growing role of data analytics in enhancing viewer engagement.

The successful deployment of these technologies at such a high-profile event may accelerate adoption across the sports industry, potentially leading to increased demand for advanced venue technologies and specialized production services. This could create new market opportunities for companies in the sports tech and media production sectors.

For investors, this event signals UFC's commitment to technological innovation, which could drive future revenue growth through enhanced broadcast rights and fan engagement initiatives.

Sold-Out Spectacle Also Sets Numerous Other Records While Raising the Bar for Live Sports and Entertainment with Tech and Production Innovations

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UFC^®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), and Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) today announced that UFC 306 at RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC held on September 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas set a number of records, including highest-grossing UFC event of all time and highest-grossing single event at Sphere, with a gate of $22 million and a sold out crowd of 16,024.

UFC 306 at RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC held on September 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas set a number of records, including highest-grossing UFC event of all time and highest-grossing single event at Sphere, with a gate of $22 million and a sold out crowd of 16,024. (Photo: Business Wire)

UFC 306 AT SPHERE LIVE EVENT RECORDS AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Highest-grossing UFC event ever ($22 million), besting the landmark UFC 205: ALVAREZ VS MCGREGOR at Madison Square Garden in New York in November 2016 ($17.7 million).
• Highest-grossing single event at Sphere.
• Highest-grossing sponsorship sales for a UFC event and the first UFC event with a title partner (Riyadh Season).
• Highest-grossing merchandise sales and highest per cap for both a UFC and Sphere event.
• Highest-grossing UFC event for On Location VIP Experience packages.
• 89% of UFC 306 ticket buyers originated from markets outside of Nevada, one of the highest ever for out-of-town ticket sales for both a UFC and Sphere event, reaffirming UFC’s power as a live event attraction and tourism draw for the cities that host its events.

UFC 306 at RIYADH SEASON NOCHE UFC celebrated Mexican Independence Day weekend and served as a passionate tribute to the Mexican people and their culture, as well as a celebration of their fighting spirit and contributions to combat sports. UFC 306 featured the premiere of the film For Mexico, For All Time as told in six 90-second chapters woven into the event presentation shown on the interior display plane of Sphere – the world’s highest resolution LED display – throughout the Pay-Per-View portion of the event, with each chapter focusing on a different period in Mexican history and its influence on the makeup of Mexican identity. The film was created by Carlos López Estrada, produced by Valerie Bush for Antigravity Academy, and co-produced by Emmy-Award winning Nexus Studios.

As the first live sports event at Sphere, the revolutionary new entertainment venue, UFC 306 captured the imagination of the sports world and raised the bar for sports and entertainment. Its innovative use of production technology capitalized on Sphere’s state-of-the-art audio and video capabilities to deliver a live experience never before witnessed in the history of sports.

UFC 306 PRODUCTION OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS:

• Live Fighter Heart Rate Tracking. Select fighters’ heart rates were tracked, analyzed, and displayed in real time on Sphere’s interior media plane and on the broadcast-- the first time such heart rate-tracking technology has been used for combat sports.
• Innovative Octagon Lighting. UFC made use of Sphere’s “pass-through” lighting capability by installing 80 light fixtures behind Sphere’s interior media plane that projected light on the Octagon to replace UFC’s traditional hanging lighting truss.
• Novel use of Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT. UFC and Sphere’s audio team deployed audio beams 360 degrees for the first event held in the round at Sphere.
• New Use of Sphere’s Haptic Seats to Enhance the Sensory Experience. UFC and Sphere’s audio team worked together to provide force feedback to the venue’s haptic seats based on the action in the Octagon using both automated and manual cues—a first for a UFC event and the first time Sphere used haptic effects that were triggered by physical action and translated into haptic feedback in real time.
• 48 Cameras, Most Ever for a UFC Event. To capture all the action, UFC utilized 48 cameras, including: four hi-speed cameras; seven RF (wireless) cameras; one high-frame rate Fletcher Nucleus camera inside the Octagon integrated into the fence padding; one Navcam four-point cable camera with a Sony HDC-P50 camera; two Trinity hybrid camera stabilized systems; and two MovieBird 45 Techno Crane systems.
• 6 Broadcast Mobile Units, Most Ever for a UFC Event. Due to the complexity of the event, UFC used six mobile units to produce UFC 306 for broadcast partners around the world, including the first 1080p native production and transmission of a UFC event by ESPN in the U.S.
• 37 Total Mics Deployed in Sphere. 32 directional microphones were installed in the seating area of the venue to pick up ambient sounds and five “thump” mics were placed under the Octagon to power Sphere’s haptic seating experience.
• Real-Time Fighter Statistics Integrated into the UFC “Worlds.” A custom curated live feed featuring fighter statistics and information was integrated seamlessly into Sphere’s LED media plane during the “worlds” of the original film, For Mexico, For All Time, that served as the setting for each bout.
• AI-Tracked Advance Metrics. UFC’s technology partner, Combat IQ, applied AI computer vision stat tracking to standard broadcast cameras to capture new striking statistics such as strike target zones, left punches vs. right punches, strikes by stance, and other advanced metrics that were displayed on Sphere’s interior media plane during the bouts.
• Four In-Arena Streaming Audio Channels, Including Spanish. UFC utilized the LiveVoice app to provide event attendees with the option to listen to four live streaming audio channels featuring Spanish, English, Red Corner, and Blue Corner commentary via their personal cellular devices. This marked the first time that fans in attendance were able to listen to live audio of an entire UFC event in Spanish.
• First use by UFC of TAIT’s Automated Camera System to capture wide shots and convey the grandeur and fully immersive visual environment of Sphere’s 160,000 sq. ft. and 16K x 16K resolution interior media plane for viewers watching the broadcast on television.
• Four unique transmissions to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and France produced live from a single control room at the Broadcast Operations Center at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
• Film narration and fighter features transmitted into four languages. Each chapter of the original film For Mexico, For All Time and the fighter features were transmitted in four separate languages for UFC’s international broadcasts, including English, Spanish, French Canadian, and Portuguese.
• First use of ‘Shure Digital Microphone Array Technology.’ In lieu of not being able to rig mics over the Octagon due to the absence of the traditional UFC lighting truss, UFC installed ‘Shure Digital Microphone Array Technology’, an innovative audio product not yet available on the market, under the four camera platforms on the Octagon.

UFC 306 at Sphere Photos and Videos Link

About UFC®

UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 283 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

About Sphere

Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment. A venue where the foremost artists, creators, and technologists create extraordinary experiences that take storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. The venue hosts original Sphere Experiences from leading Hollywood directors; concerts and residencies from the world’s biggest artists; and premier marquee events. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September 2023, and is a new Las Vegas landmark, powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and enable audiences to share experiences at a never-before-seen scale. More information is available at thesphere.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240924076472/en/

UFC

Lenee Breckenridge

lbreckenridge@ufc.com



Chris Bellitti

cbellitti@ufc.com



Sphere

spherepr@thesphere.com

Source: UFC

FAQ

What records did UFC 306 at Sphere set?

UFC 306 set records for the highest-grossing UFC event ever ($22 million gate), highest-grossing single event at Sphere, and highest-grossing sponsorship sales for a UFC event.

How many people attended UFC 306 at Sphere?

UFC 306 at Sphere had a sold-out crowd of 16,024 attendees.

What percentage of UFC 306 ticket buyers were from outside Nevada?

89% of UFC 306 ticket buyers originated from markets outside of Nevada.

What innovative technologies were used at UFC 306 in Sphere?

UFC 306 featured live fighter heart rate tracking, innovative Octagon lighting, haptic seats, and the use of 48 cameras, the most ever for a UFC event.

How did UFC 306 celebrate Mexican culture?

UFC 306 premiered 'For Mexico, For All Time', a film shown on Sphere's interior display plane, focusing on different periods in Mexican history and its influence on Mexican identity.