UFC Will Show UFC 257, Conor Fight At Drive-In Theaters Across U.S. Jan. 23
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Las Vegas-based UFC will be showing its UFC 257 fight event on drive-in theaters across the U.S. to show case a rematch between UFC celebrity fighter Conor McGregor and former interim UFC lightweight champion and current number two ranked Dustin Poirier.
UFC is a master at monetizing its fight shows via pay-per-view, but this is a new take on showing its MMA events by selling vehicle passes at more than 32 drive-in theaters at a starting price of $59.
UFC is partnering with Joe Hand Promotions and Encore Live to offer UFC 257 to fans. The price starts at $59 for early bird admissions and admits one truck, car, or SUV with up to six passengers. Encore Live has more than 300 drive-in sites.
During these pandemic times, which has seen COVID-19 claim the lives of nearly 360,000 Americans, all participating theaters will adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended guidelines as well as state and local health mandates.
This is the first time that UFC has distributed one of its events at drive-in and outdoor theaters.
Encore Live introduced the Encore Drive-In Nights concert series during the pandemic era. The UFC partnership comes after Encore Drive-In Nights concerts that featured artists like Metallica, Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton and Kane Brown and entertained more than 900,000 fans.
“The massive turnout and overwhelmingly positive fan response to our summer drive-in concert series is proof that there’s a strong appetite for live communal events,” said Walter Kinzie, CEO and Founder of Encore Live. “UFC is one of the most innovative global sports brands and we’re thrilled to partner with them for this first-of-its-kind drive-in experience that will provide fans the opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy some awesome live sports in a safe way.”
“UFC’s pay-per-views are among the most popular live events in all of sports and significant customer attractions for commercial establishments everywhere,” said David Shaw, UFC senior vice president of International and Content. “By teaming up with Encore Live, we’re able to deliver this marquee event in a new, innovative way to broaden distribution and reach more UFC fans across the United States.”
