Mark Shapiro, the president of Endeavor and TKO, has declared that the UFC has become one of the four major sports in the United States, surpassing traditional sports leagues in popularity. This statement is supported by comparisons of viewership ratings on ESPN and ESPN2, where the UFC has outperformed the NHL, even during playoff seasons, with Shapiro noting, ‘Against the NHL, we dwarf them’. The claim suggests a significant shift in American sports culture, positioning the UFC alongside the likes of the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
TKO president Mark Shapiro declares UFC now one of the 4 major sports: “UFC is now not only mainstream, but it’s one of the four majors. The ratings on ESPN and ESPN2, apples to apples against the NHL — even including the playoffs, we dwarf them” https://t.co/Qj4pmCSQDG
TKO president declares UFC now one of the 4 major sports: ‘Against the NHL, even including the playoffs, we dwarf them’ https://t.co/nQiXSkM6Yn
Has the UFC surpassed the NHL as the 4th most popular sport in the US? https://t.co/6693cbHrES
President of Endeavor, Mark Shapiro, says the UFC is now one of the four majors. https://t.co/z56uXdKCPw
Endeavor president Mark Shapiro: UFC is now one of the four major sports https://t.co/oyCgvaGyFY https://t.co/pQjTaIahkN