Dana White, CEO of the UFC, will take the lead in selling the blockbuster boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, scheduled for September 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The announcement, made by Turki Alalshikh, marks a major crossover for White, who is thought for his outspoken aversion to internet hosting fight sports activities in massive stadium venues.
Dana White on Alvarez vs. Crawford being at Allegiant Stadium: ‘I hate it’
Regardless of the magnitude of the occasion, Canelo Alvarez, the reigning undisputed tremendous middleweight champion, will defend his titles in opposition to the undefeated Crawford, who’s transferring up a number of weight courses. Dana White has made it clear that stadium exhibits usually are not his choice. “I hate it. I hate it. So, as a result of I hate it a lot, you realize I’m gonna must attempt to determine the way to make it an unimaginable expertise inside Allegiant,” White mentioned not too long ago, doubling down on his long-held perception that arenas present a superior environment for struggle followers.
Dana White’s reluctance stems from his concentrate on the fan expertise. He has repeatedly said that he prefers the vitality and intimacy of arenas, believing they ship a extra partaking atmosphere for each attendees and viewers at residence.
“I don’t need to take the expertise away from folks,” Dana White defined. “We’ve finished stadiums earlier than. It’s simply not my favourite factor. I like arenas. Yeah, I actually like arenas.” He added that his aim is for each fan to depart an occasion feeling it was value attending, slightly than being let down by the spectacle or scale of a stadium present.
The UFC’s historical past with stadium occasions is proscribed however notable. The group has held simply 5 stadium exhibits in its historical past, together with UFC 129 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in 2011, UFC 193 and UFC 243 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, UFC 198 in Curitiba, Brazil, and UFC on FOX 14 in Stockholm. These occasions drew large crowds however haven’t turn into the norm for the promotion. White has persistently maintained that the UFC won’t make stadiums an everyday a part of its occasion calendar, emphasizing his dedication to arenas for the foreseeable future.
Nonetheless, White has embraced the problem of constructing the Allegiant Stadium occasion memorable. “This is likely one of the largest fights ever, and clearly I’m honored to put it up for sale,” he mentioned, promising that his workforce will deal with all features of the manufacturing, occasion operations, and promotion with the identical depth as a serious UFC card. The struggle may also coincide with UFC Noche, making a packed weekend of fight sports activities in Las Vegas.
Whereas White’s private distaste for stadium exhibits is nicely documented, he acknowledges the distinctive scale and significance of Alvarez vs. Crawford. “I search for unimaginable experiences, distinctive experiences, and issues which have by no means been finished earlier than,” he mentioned. “That’s what I’m into. I’m not like, ‘Oh, I’ve to do Allegiant Stadium.’ I don’t must do Allegiant Stadium. I need to give followers an important expertise each time.”
