National CineMedia (NCM) Fathom Events announced that in conjunction with the UFC it will be showing UFC 154: GSP vs. Condit in select movie theatres. The event schedule for November 17th will be shown in over 350 theatres across the U.S.
The UFC has worked with NCM Fathom Events in the past as it sponsored UFC 143: Diaz v. Condit in 3D. Tickets for the event are available online and are about $15.
Payout Perspective:
It will be interesting to see if the concept of watching live events will catch on. It’s another platform that the UFC is offering for fans to watch it’s product. It’s been done in the past for the UFC, wrestling and even concerts. But I wonder how many people actually go to the movies to watch. Definitely, the price point is cheaper than purchasing the PPV but if you are used to watching it at a sports bar, it may detract from the experience. Of course, a theatre setting probably means better sound and picture.
Good for marketing the event. Rarely ever translates into sales.
Wonder what would keep someone from buying a cheeper movie ticket and sneaking into the UFC theatre like kids used to do to get into R rated movies?