Official Fight Week for the annual UFC 306 Noche UFC PPV is in full roll. When the second-ever Noche rolls in, it’d be a thematic multi-million-dollar Mexican Tribute. Not just at any place but also in the LV ‘Sphere’ of all places. It’s quite a thing between the 160,000-square-foot LED screen, the in-house movie, and the 16k resolution spectacle of prize fighters.
The championship double-header has the potential to live on in history as one of the best cards ever. Or it could also fall flat as a multi-million promotional effort that goes into the “not to do” list. Speaking during a UFC 306 Q&A media session, Chief Content Officer and Executive Producer Craig Borsari told tall tales about things to learn from this venture.
Let there be light…
UFC CEO Dana White recently had on-site test shots with Borsari and his production team at the ‘Sphere.’ Another perspective comes with White billing this Noche UFC as a ‘once in a lifetime’ PPV. One is that this will be a one-and-done event; hence, the foot on the gas to make it such a big show. Hitting off with a $8m budget on the already ready $2.3 billion spot, UFC has now ponied more than $20m into the effort.
Noche UFC mega-show lighting rigs will be one (Source: X/eluniversal.com.mx)During a half-quarter TKO Group Financial call press statement, Mark Shapiro said that there’d be further financial constrictions on venue-based cards and more focus on roadshows instead. However, Borsari nudges that it doesn’t mean they could not borrow from the success.
First up, regarding the new lighting rigs, Borsari was quick to praise veteran reporter John Morgan for pointing out experimentation with different lighting setups over the past few nights. The visual spectacle is the clear star of the UFC 306 Pay-per-view. One that also includes the 16k resolution custom LED panels and haptic feedback inside with sustainable lighting for a sports effort. These are to go on further.
Lights-Action-and-definitely-Camera
Cameras are the second biggest Noche UFC element on the retained list for future pay-per-views and fight nights. Many of these new cameras will be used for the first time at the upcoming PPV. The setups are also extravehicular.
Camera technology capturing UFC 306 will prevail (Source: Instagram-threads.net › @ufc/billboards.com)Two separate media trucks will be alongside the regular A and B-unit fight trucks for the Noche event. To manage the media, the promotion has hired a director and a director of photography. White plans to use the UFC 306 PPV footage as a monetizable post-fight media package. Fans can visit the venue and have a full haptic experience by watching the fight again in the LED dome venue. Much like watching media shows and featurettes in auditoriums.
Some of the promotional recordings will also function later on as usual for FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) / UFC.Live fight snippets. ESPN is reportedly also making a documentary on the card that goes along with this, in callback fight montages and Mexican celebrations. Cameras are a big parcel of all these. Yet, the third and final act isn’t even gizmos. It’s rooted more in the man behind the machines – more and more collaboration with media filmmakers.
Filmmakers filming Haymakers
The UFC 306 PPV – aka the extended Riyadh Season Noche, is to be a true ‘love letter’ to Mexican fans and staple fighters. To that end, it won’t just celebrate Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno, Cain Velasquez, Yair Rodriguez, Irene Aldana, Manuel Torres, boxer Canelo Alvarez, and others. It is also to feature a ‘movie’ that is set to be broadcast this weekend.
The minds behind the event matter (Source: X)Craig Borsari and White already mentioned 90-second 360-degree tribute films in between fights that are to celebrate Mexico. Along with their contribution to the combat sport. At least one of these six will reportedly go through the entire history of combat sports in Mexico.
Glenn Weiss, famous for directing live TV events such as the Oscars and Emmys, and director Carlos Lopez Estrada, who was nominated for an Academy Award, are involved. In the future, the creative panel will look to book such talents for future events. White and Co. are already hoping their talent helps UFC 306 be nominated for a Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar even.
Subsequently, these could be for location-specific, in-house film production when UFC travels out of APEX. Debut ventures like UFC Spain and UFC South Africa could hugely benefit from such productions in the future. So champs like Ilia Topuria and Dricus Du Plessis would not shoulder the fandom and extravaganza all alone. It would be a joint effort to promote the landscape and the card.
