How did COVID-19 help the UFC become more popular?

It might seem that it’s been quite a while since the strict COVID-19 measures were implemented. People slowly got used to the pandemic situation, and frankly, many are getting quite bored, expecting things to get normal very soon. How did Сovide-19 affect the UFC?

Where Are All the Sports? 

The amount of sports that are returning to full operation around the globe is still very limited. Up until recently, only the Korean Baseball League and All Elite Wrestling were running their gears at full capacity. NASCAR and Golf made their return on May 17th – and that’s about it.

UFC is Behind Closed Doors

UFC is among the few competitive sports that made its comeback – and even though Dana White doesn’t allow any fans in the arenas, the popularity of the UFC Jacksonville was outstanding, reaching millions of live viewers in the US.

Usual Numbers

The numbers for 2019 have been much better than the 2018 viewership, climbing more than 60% in both ratings and number of viewers. But it’s not all roses.

Just recently, UFC 241 brought a disappointing amount of 817,000 viewers on ESPN. UFC 242 followed with an insanely low 222,000 (second-lowest in 2019), while UFC 243 came at 559,000 viewers. 

Needless to say, Dana White and company definitely needed a rejuvenating boost, and it seems like the COVID-19 situation, however devastating, opened up a window of opportunity for the MMA.

What about UFC Jacksonville Numbers?

UFC returned with three events in Jacksonville, and the UFC 249 averaged a whopping 1.15 million viewers. This might not sound spectacular, but considering that the event didn’t just have a short two-hour broadcast window but was shown in full, it’s an impressive number. 

If we take the regular 8-10 PM viewerships, the average becomes 1.46 million! On top of that, the peak number was 1.6 million. 

Conclusion

Dana White’s persistence with making the UFC one of the first sports to return has been fruitful. During the eight days in Jacksonville, both viewers and the fighters got to enjoy the thrill of the fight – and it’s quite likely to only snowball from here, as those who might have forgotten about the UFC’s appeal have now rekindled the fire of excitement. 

What do you think about it? What next fight will you watch? Write your answers in the comments.