Last month, Dana White revealed big news about his expenditures on the Las Vegas Apex arena. The company is spending somewhere around $30M in the expansion. The new improved Apex, as we know by now, will have more seating and toilet complexes for the attendees. But apart from the conveniences, what will be in store for the fans would be interesting to see.
UFC’s rise to the mainstream media in the last three decades has been very visible. From fighting to get the sport legalized at different sports commissions to educating the audience about various aspects of the sport, it has come a long way. However, when compared to about a century-old sports like the NFL, the UFC still has a long way to go and many milestones to achieve. And investments like these (Apex renovation) definitely play a part.
TKO Group Holdings is the banner under which WWE and UFC have operated since their merger in 2023. The COO of TKO holdings Mark Shapiro had some big words for the Apex arena in his recent address at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom conference. “When it comes to the UFC, our margin could be higher if we decided to do less international events. Maybe even less domestic touring events and do them in the Apex Arena at Las Vegas where you own the arena and when you are watching on tv, you can’t tell if you are in a stadium or in an arena or if you are at the small but mighty Apex that we have in Las Vegas,” revealed Shapiro.
Mark Shapiro at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on the UFC Apex:
And when you’re watching on TV you can’t tell if you’re in a stadium or in an arena or you’re at the small Apex, which we have in…small, but mighty Apex, which we have in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/raSz9RtVKP
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) March 3, 2025
Understandably so, Shapiro received some backlash from the fans as these remarks hint at lesser International and even National events. But from the business point of view, it is very clear that Apex will result in making more money for the company than venturing the production out to different venues.
UFC’s Apex Arena taking it to the ‘mighty Leagues’
According to Shapiro, Dana White is a visionary who thinks decades ahead for the businesses he is a part of. Comparing UFC’s run so far with the big leagues like MLB and NBA, Shapiro is very hopeful that UFC is on the right track. “When you compare it to MLB which has been around a 100 years, when you compare it with NFL which has been around for over a 100 years, we have a long way to go here. So we have to balance reach, engagement, brand strength, with ‘dollars’. Which of course, most folks in this room are more focused on. But we are playing a long game here.”
In comparison, one would realize that the bigger leagues are a result of so many years of embedding the sport into the culture. And so, it is a good decision to spend on a promotion as per the money it can generate. In 2024, UFC’s total revenue turned out to be $1.4B, which is way behind when compared to MLB ($12.1 billion) and NFL ($18 billion).
UFC CEO Dana White | via Imago
With investments like the Apex Arena, one can expect an enhanced experience by the production team, resulting in better revenues. But don’t you think it is a risk when you plan to cut your travel down? Especially when the UFC is now expected to be holding major events all over the globe and in various countries. It will be interesting to see if UFC and TKO decide to choose their moolah over the fans’ experience. What do you think Dana White’s stand would be? Let us know in the comments.
The post Despite Dana White Taking a $30M Hit With UFC Apex, TKO Boss Breaks Silence on the Importance of the Las Vegas Arena appeared first on EssentiallySports.