Ahead of their flagship return to ‘The Garden State’ this weekend, the UFC has lauded their own record-breaking business in Newark, following a more than profitable event in the region last year.
Returning to New Jersey this weekend, the Octagon leader brings with it a rather sizeable pay-per-view card, featuring a championship doubleheader. Taking main event honors is a massive bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Sean O’Malley.
To boot, in a championship setting for the first time in her brief Octagon run, Olympic gold medallist Kayla Harrison takes on the defending champion, Julianna Pena. Last summer, however, the promotion featured UFC 302 from the Prudential Center at the beginning of June as soon-to-be former lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, returned triumphantly against the veteran, Dustin Poirier.
And according to the promotion this week, that event brought not just massive success for them, but also for the state of New Jersey.
“Last year’s UFC 302 event marked the highest-grossing sporting event in Prudential Center history and generated over $26 million in total economic output,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a UFC press release.
“This milestone underscores the City of Newark and Prudential Center’s status as a premier destination for world-class entertainment, attracting visitors from across the country and around the globe,” the statement read.
“We are proud to welcome the UFC and its passionate fanbase back to New Jersey and look forward to building on this legacy of success,” Murphy continued.
Ahead of their return this weekend, the promoters are promising another seismic economic shift for the state brought by their UFC 316 event in Newark.
UFC 316 backed as economic shunt for New Jersey
However, while the state of New Jersey may be in for an estimated record haul, the promotion may differ in that regard.
According to ticket operator, Ticketmaster, just days from this weekend’s card, a host of seats and tickets to view UFC 316 at the Prudential Center are still up for grabs.
Those willing to splash the cash on the event can purchase seats ranging in pricing from $308 to a hefty $2,607 fee to be seated almost Octagon-side — just behind fighters’ row.
An interesting note that ties in with these record gates is the sizeable seating fees for fans. To this point, for months, UFC 306 has boasted the biggest gate in Octagon history, boasting a staggering $17.7 million payout for the promotion.
But in September of last year, that figure was gauged for the first time.
Hosting Noche UFC at the Las Vegas Sphere, the promotion recorded an eye-watering $21.8 million plus gate for the card, primarily due to massive increase in ticket prices for viewing spectators.
