For the second straight year, the UFC has been recognized with a Sports Business Award nomination.
This past April's UFC 129 event – a first-ever stadium show that set a North American and UFC attendance record with 55,724 – earned a nomination for "Sports Event of the Year."
However, unlike 2011, the UFC wasn't nominated for "Sports League of the Year."
Officials today announced the nominations. The awards, which the industry publication "SportsBusiness Journal" launched in 2008, celebrate excellence in sports business. This year's winners will be unveiled as part of a ceremony on May 23 at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square in New York City.
UFC 129 took place on April 30, 2011, at Toronto's Rogers Centre. The landmark event – which saw title defenses from Canadian welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo – sold out on the first day tickets went on sale to the general public. In addition to attendance records, the event, which also included a two-day UFC Fan Expo, set a UFC and North American live-gate record with $12.1 million. It was also one of the biggest PPV draws in recent years.
In the "Sports League of the Year" category, UFC 129 faces competition from the 2011 Carrier Classic (NCAA basketball), 2011 Humana Challenge (PGA), 2011 NBA Finals and Super Bowl XLVI (NFL). The 2010 ING New York City Marathon is the reigning division winner.
Unlike the 2011 Sports Business Awards – when the UFC received its first-ever nomination – the organization was shut out this year in the "Sports League of the Year" category. The nominations went to MLB, the NFL, NHL, the Pac-12 and the PGA Tour.
Additionally, despite successful UFC Fan Expo events and the UFC Octagon Nation Tour, the UFC didn't receive a nomination in the "Best in Sports Event and Experiential Marketing" category. Nominees included Intersport, Jack Morton Worldwide, LeadDog Marketing Group, Major League Baseball/Fan Cave, Momentum Worldwide, and Team Epic.
Additionally, UFC president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta weren't among the nominees for "Sports Executive of the Year," though FOX Sports head David Hill was. He joined Tim Finchem (NFL), Roger Goodell (NFL), Larry Scott (Pac-12) and Bud Selig (MLB). George Bodenheimer of ESPN/ABC won the award in 2011.
Editors, writers and researchers from the "SportsBusiness Journal" and "SportsBusiness Daily" determined the list of nominees based on excellence, growth, creativity, innovation, sound planning, implementation and outcomes. An external panel of judges from the sports industry and "SportsBusiness" staffers ultimately will decide the winners.
