UFC 169 Will Be Moved To Sunday If The Super Bowl Is Rescheduled For Saturday
(Dana White, pictured here before the $5 PPV rise)
UFC 169 is set to go down in Newark, New Jersey, on February 1, where the UFC Bantamweight champion will be decided. Renan Barao and Urijah Faber will fight for Domnick Cruz’s vacated strap, accompanied in the co-main by Jose Aldo and Ricardo Lamas for the 145lb. belt.
Another big event on the very same weekend is the Super Bowl, and UFC President Dana White is very aware of the implications this may have. The biggest football event of the year is set to go down in East Rutherford on the Sunday, but inclement weather conditions may lead to it being rescheduled for the Saturday.
Such a move could spell big trouble for the UFC for many reasons; firstly it would mean rescheduling a PPV event, also it would be an absolute nightmare for the ticket holders and mainly it could make a big dent in the profits of UFC 169. Going up against the Superb\ Bowl is just not an option; especially considering it is the single most watched event in the U.S annually.
You might ask why the UFC would plan a pay-per-view event on the same weekend as the biggest sports show that America has to offer, especially with a card that isn’t looking to be a record-breaker for buys. Although there are other issues to consider, the monetary effects are likely at the forefront of the UFC brass’ concerns.
PR director for the UFC, Dave Scholler, confirmed the plans at the Fox 10 post fight conference by saying “If, and only if, they move the Super Bowl to Saturday, we will move UFC 169 to Sunday,”. Another consideration is how many fans will already be unable to attend because of the bad weather.
Not only could the UFC suffer a PPV hit with this potential change, but their gate buys would likely have a bite taken out and also rescheduling and updating the fight pass prelims, media shows, promo videos and posters. All in all, the UFC is truly at the mercy of the elements here.
Let’s hope the weather clears up and the Super Bowl can go down as planned, otherwise things might start getting a bit messy for Zuffa. I’ll keep you updated as more news emerges, so stay tuned!
