UFC President Dana White is setting massive expectations for this weekend’s event. He believes Sunday’s UFC Freedom 250 will draw viewership numbers comparable to the Super Bowl.
What We Know: UFC Freedom 250 takes place Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House. The event marks a historically unique setting for a major UFC card. Fans can tune in to watch the action live on Paramount+ but not CBS television. It is one of the most unconventional broadcast opportunities in the sport’s history.
What They Said: UFC President Dana White (via TNT Sports UK): “For UFC fans all over the world, this is a very unique experience for everybody. We’re expecting Super Bowl-type numbers for this fight.”
What Remains Unclear: The UFC Freedom 250 event currently is scheduled to only air behind the paywall of Paramount+. Not on CBS television. While there has been some back-and-forth about where the broadcast could end up, the UFC nor CBS has announced any additional distribution outside of Paramount+.
What It Means: Dana White’s job as a promoter is to hype up his event. Throwing out a notion of this UFC Freedom 250 event drawing “Super Bowl” type numbers is just ludicrous on its face. However, if the event does find a way to CBS television, the event could pull a larger audience than a potential Stanley Cup Final game six viewership number. The promotion is staging a once-in-a-lifetime event, but it doesn’t compare to the cultural phenomenon that is the Super Bowl.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
