According to Thom Loverro’s latest in the Washington Times, the UFC is strongly considering an event in the Maryland-D.C. area in 2010.
Here’s a snippet:
Good times, bad times – the dollars seem to be the same for UFC, the mixed martial arts juggernaut that made its Philadelphia debut as 45,000 people were across the street at Citizens Bank Park watching the Phillies.
The show – coming about a year after the state’s athletic commission approved the licensing of mixed martial arts – is the closest UFC has gotten to the District. Ratner said UFC will bring an event to the Baltimore-Washington area next year.
“I have had discussions with people at the Verizon Center, the Patriot Center, and had several inquiries from the people at the Baltimore Arena,” Ratner said. “What it comes down to is economics for us also. Is the tax structure good? Is it more expensive to be in one place than another. What are the pay-per-view numbers there? Those all factor in.
“I feel very strongly we will be in that area sometime in 2010.”
Payout Perspective:
It’s becoming increasingly evident that holding a live event in a particular area may, in fact, be the best way to market and expand the sport of MMA. The exposure that local media provide for a UFC event, such as in Philadelphia last week, is far superior to that of any UFC Countdown or other piece of corollary programming. Live event exposure is simply much more concentrated and intense; an area is literally inundated with information regarding MMA and the UFC from every angle including print, television, radio, and live events such as meet & greets or press conferences.
Yet there is another reason why live events are so crucial for the expansion of the both the sport and the UFC: competition. In bringing a live event to Philadelphia, the UFC has stirred up a great deal of interest in the surrounding areas including D.C. The fans, businesses, and governments alike see from a nearly first-hand account how great a product the UFC is (and the potential for all of MMA), and are thus more eager to get in on the action.
Cross your fingers for D.C. in 2010.
Also: Read the entire article. It was interesting to read Marc Ratner talk about some of the factors the UFC takes into account before moving into a new area. Taxes are one of them, which is something of an issue in Oregon right now as the organization prepares to make its debut in Portland.
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