UFC 316 represents a tremendous economic opportunity to Newark and the surrounding communities, as demonstrated by a study conducted by research firm Applied Analysis and released today by UFC. Last year’s UFC 302: MAKHACHEV vs POIRIER, 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.
“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,” said Lawrence Epstein, UFC Chief Operating Officer. “Simply put, the demand for UFC events in the Garden State has been overwhelming. We thank Governor 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.”
“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,” said Governor Murphy. “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.
UFC 302 Newark Economic Impact
- $26.8 million total economic output
- 207 jobs supported in the Newark area
- $12.0 million in salaries and wages paid (not including athletes’ purses)
- $652.3 million total media value generated for the event, which featured global exposure for Newark and Prudential Center
- $1.1 million in combined state and local taxes paid by UFC and collected through purchases on visitor spending
On Saturday, June 7, UFC® 316: DVALISHVILI vs O’MALLEY 2 will feature another explosive card in Prudential Center, as UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili faces UFC superstar Sean O’Malley in a highly anticipated rematch less than a year after their first encounter. In the co-main event, women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña defends her title for the first time since regaining it in October, facing rising star Kayla Harrison.
