There are a number of completely different metrics to measure the success or failure of a fight sports activities promotion however maybe one of many largest indicators comes all the way down to ticket gross sales. For BKFC, that is perhaps probably the most telling signal that the bare-knuckle outfit has surpassed virtually each different competitor on the market.
With a debut card scheduled in Spain on Saturday, BKFC is embarking on a large stretch of occasions that probably culminates with the group going to Philadelphia for the primary time ever in December. Whereas organizations just like the UFC proudly tout the reside gate after an occasion, ticket gross sales for different promotions are not often ever talked about.
BKFC founder and president David Feldman has a sense he is aware of why.
“The UFC sells tickets,” Feldman defined when talking to MMA Preventing. “The large, huge boxing matches, they promote tickets. The smaller ones, the mid-ones don’t. The mid-MMA firms, they’re not promoting tickets. Clearly the smaller [MMA promotions] are, they’re promoting 1,000 tickets. Not likely promoting.”
When to BKFC, Feldman proudly talks concerning the promotion’s ticket gross sales as a result of these numbers of steadily elevated ever because the first present launched again in 2018.
There have been quite a few sellouts through the years with BKFC 63 in Sturgis, S.D. setting a brand new document with 15,000 in attendance for a card headlined by strawweight ladies’s champion Britain Hart.
Feldman admits BKFC’s means to promote tickets has turn out to be certainly one of his proudest achievements, particularly in relation to drumming up extra curiosity in potential traders trying to guess on a fight sports activities promotion.
“It’s truly my pitch to traders,” Feldman stated. “I am going ‘hear, we’re truly one of many solely promotions on this planet that sells tickets.’
“We simply bought 5,400 tickets this previous weekend. We’re projected to promote 6,700 tickets in Spain after which Denver, we’ll most likely do 4,000 tickets there after which we’re doing Poland in December, Montana, All these reveals developing, they need to actually be a minimal of 4,000 tickets bought. Truly bought and that’s an enormous deal proper now in fight sports activities as a result of they’re not all bought. Loads of them are papered up.”
“Papered up” means tickets being given away without cost to fill an area, which occurs very often in fight sports activities.
Feldman admits there was undoubtedly a time when BKFC gave away extra tickets than the group bought however that’s simply not the case any longer.
“I gained’t mislead you — I may need lied to you 5 years in the past and stated we bought 3,000 tickets once we solely bought 1,000,” Feldman stated. “However now we’re truly promoting all our tickets.
“We’d give away three or 4 p.c of our tickets proper now however we’re promoting all of it.”
With ticket gross sales on the rise, a brand new broadcast deal in place with DAZN and Conor McGregor on board as a co-owner now, Feldman expects 2024 to be the largest yr but for BKFC and he’s anticipating a good larger 2025.
“We thought we have been out of enterprise 10 completely different instances and we simply discovered a method to make it occur and make it work,” Feldman stated. “I don’t see any finish in sight. I believe we received a very nice shot proper now of knocking on the No. 1’s door.”
