UFC 316, to be held Saturday night at the Prudential Center, will mean more than just settling the score in Dvalishvili-O’Malley 2 – it will mean a big economic boost for Newark.
History has shown that the event represents a tremendous economic opportunity to Newark and the surrounding communities, as demonstrated by a study conducted by research firm Applied Analysis that was released Tuesday.
Last year’s event, UFC 302 (Makhachev-Porter), which marked UFC’s tenth event at Prudential Center dating back to 2007, generated $26.8 million in economic impact for the Newark metropolitan area, according to the study.
UFC Chief Operating Officer said those numbers are the reason the Prudential Center is a regular stop. “Thanks to UFC’s incredible fans in New Jersey, we have set records for ticket sales and attendance in back-to-back years at Prudential Center,” he said. “Simply put, the demand for UFC events in the Garden State has been overwhelming. We thank Gov. Phil Murphy, the city of Newark, and the amazing team at Prudential Center for welcoming UFC with open arms, being great partners and helping us bring these unforgettable events to New Jersey.”
The event is made possible through the support of Murphy, along with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority.
The good news for fans – a limited number of seats still are available.
UFC 302’s impact
A look at the economic impact of UFC 302 on Newark:
$26.8 million: Total economic output
$12 million: Salaries and wages paid (not including athletes’ purses)
$1.1 million: Combined state and local taxes paid by UFC and collected through purchases on visitor spending
207: Jobs supported in the Newark area
Murphy appears ready to welcome all attendees.
“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,” he said. “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. 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.”
On June 1, 2024, UFC 302 attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 17,800 attendees to the Prudential Center and recorded a gate of $7.3 million, making it the highest-grossing sporting event in Prudential Center history.
Fans watched as Islam Makhachev defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier in the main event, while the co-main event featured a five-round middleweight bout between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa.
Attendance at UFC 302 reflected a wide range of ticket buyers, with approximately 79 percent originating from markets outside of New Jersey. Visitors from 48 U.S. States and 34 other countries, including Canada and the U.K., traveled to the event.
This record gate of $7.3 million, coupled with additional visitor spending sourced to out-of-town attendees, resulted in substantial impacts within the Newark area and surrounding local communities.
Direct spending attributable to the event exceeded $14.3 million. After accounting for the ripple effect generated from vendor purchases (indirect impact) and employee spending (induced impact), total economic activity sourced to UFC 302 reached a total of $26.8 million.
As a result, the event supported 207 local employees and $12.0 million in salaries and wages (not including athletes’ purses). An additional combined total of $1.1 million in fiscal (tax) revenue was collected for the benefit of the regional economy, including ticket and pay-per-view taxes paid by UFC and taxes on visitor spending (sales, lodging, etc.). Finally, the event created significant media exposure for the area, with 36.2 billion impressions (the majority of which stemmed from Instagram) valued at more than $652.3 million.
