Legendary UFC promoter Dana White trashes NHL Draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas
UFC President Dana White eviscerated the NHL, calling them "kids playing with crayons" following a lackluster 2024 NHL Entry Draft presentation at The Sphere in Las Vegas last week.
For those who watched last weekend, the draft was very similar to what we've seen from the NHL in the past, with the key difference being that there was much more screen to work with inside of The Sphere, which is basically like an IMAX on steroids, with 360 degrees of screen, inside and out.
While the visuals were slightly improved, there was nothing about the event that really stood out. UFC President and CEO Dana White viewed it as a huge blown opportunity to better market the game.
The UFC will be hosting UFC 306 live from The Sphere on September 14th, 2024, and when White says it will be like "kids playing with crayons" compared to what the UFC has in store, he's not kidding. White revealed this week that he has already spent $17M on the production. He revealed during Saturday's post-fight presser for UFC 303 that it will be quite the spectacle.
"Our board of directors and a bunch of other people flew in (Saturday) and wanted to see where all this money was going. I walked everyone through what's going to be happening, and they were blown away. Everyone is so pumped about this thing. It's going to be the most incredible thing anyone has ever seen in sports.»
White also confirmed that the plan is to make UFC 306 greatest live sporting event in history.
Gary Bettman and the NHL have a lot to learn about the way they market the brand. Most of the special events, such as the NHL Entry Draft, the Winter Classic and especially the All-Star Game, could really use an overhaul in the production department. Hopefully White's comments will be a bit of a wake-up call for the NHL.
Source: Forbes.com
Dana White: Sphere Card Will Be 'Greatest Sporting Event Of All Time'
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 4 | 364 ANSWERS Legendary UFC promoter Dana White trashes NHL Draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas Do you enjoy NHL events like the draft the way they're currently being produced? | ||
| Yes, they're fine | 155 | 42.6 % |
| No, they need an overhaul | 109 | 29.9 % |
| The NHL is a step behind a lot of other promotions | 100 | 27.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
