More Battle for the Buck
Unleashing the UFC On-Premise

Pay-per-view events always have offered bar owners a way to increase revenues and promote their bars. Boxing has been the traditional draw, with heavyweight fights promising to pack even the largest bars. But hot boxing matches are hard to come by and usually out of the price range for smaller bar owners. In the last few years a new event has become available. It is longer, more exciting, and cheaper for bar owners to show. Once banned in the United States, Ultimate Fighting Championship has been restructured with more rules, divisions, and a much broader mass appeal. The results have turned what once was thought of as human dog fights into a legitimate athletic competition. UFC has enjoyed an enormous comeback and isgrowing rapidly with each event. 

Packing With Punches
From a revenue standpoint, promoting a UFC Fight Night on-premise is very profitable. Al Romershauser, owner of Al’s Sports Bar in Houston realized this and began promoting UFC in his bar a couple of years ago. “I am a huge fan,” he says. “For years I would try to get boxing in my bar, but the fights were so expensive. One day, I checked into getting a UFC fight and found that it was fairly reasonable and I should make my money back. The first night I showed a fight we were packed and even had to turn people away. “Where I may break even if I show a boxing match, I actually make money on the UFC fights. The place is packed. With 10-12 fights per card, the fights last longer than boxing bouts, and that keeps the people at the bar. “After all, it is all about selling liquor.” UFC fights are loose monthly events, so operators can expect to draw a larger, more diversified crowd. Younger, healthier patrons who smoke less and spend more than the average fan are the demographic for a UFC fight. “Since the fights are events, the fans are going to spend more than my average patron,” Romershauser says. ”Even if you are not a fan, you are going to have fun because the energy is so high.” 

Value Victory
Promoting UFC events is also inexpensive for bar operators. Romershauser uses his bar’s Web site, an e-mail campaign and some bar posters to promote UFC fights and consistently packs his bar during each event. “For the dollar, it is probably my best value,” he says. “Better than any of the bands, better than boxing, it’s just the best moneymaker. I definitely recommend showing UFC fights in your bar.”