Recently, Yahoo.ca‘s Andrew McKay took to his platform to argue against the UFC returning to Toronto just eight months after their debut in the city which drew a record 55,000 to the SkyDome (I will NOT call it the Rogers Centre). You can read the article yourself here. I’m sure Mr. McKay is a nice guy and big MMA fan, but the argument he presented in this case is extremely flawed and he seems to be severely underestimating both the population factors of southern Ontario and that population’s appetite for the sport of mixed martial arts.
Mr. McKay’s lead point is that the novelty of the sport has worn off. He says this despite quoting UFC Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright as saying “On a per capita basis, there isn’t a stronger market for mixed martial arts or the UFC in the world (than Toronto).” Toronto is regularly at the top of the list when it comes to PPV buys by city. The province has a voracious appetite for the sport as seen from the grassroots groundswell that pushed for legalization to the record numbers for the Skydome show (which despite the size, left many without tickets) and the amount of promotions including MFC and Bellator that have been quick to capitalize on the emerging market. There are no indications that the appetite for the sport in Ontario has been whetted, in fact it appears to be the opposite.
One factor Mr. McKay seems to be overlooking is the sheer size of the GTA. The 2006 census puts the population of the area at over 5.5 million people. That’s not even counting other cities within an easy driving distance such as Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, and London. Those cities add over a million people to that total. That puts it to over three times the population of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It’s also far and away Canada’s premier tourist destination. Further to the Vancouver comparison, Toronto MMA fans would also not be forced to choose between UFC and a once a generation trip to the Stanley Cup finals. For that matter, Toronto fans will never have to choose between anything and a Stanley Cup final.
The argument made that Montreal fans may feel spurned and not buy tickets to the Toronto event is possible, but I’m not sure it would matter. Montreal has a passionate MMA fanbase to be sure but there is 505.52 kilometres between the two cities. That’s just under the distance from New York City to Richmond, Virginia. Having support from 500 kilometres away from the nation’s largest and most densely populated city would be a nice thing, but is ultimately unnecessary. Especially when the target attendance is 36,000 less than the last time out.
Having the event in December is also questioned, as Mr. McKay states that while in April there is little else of consequence happening but December will face heavy competition from the NHL’s Maple Leafs and NBA’s Raptors. While on its surface the argument seems plausible, closer inspection tells another side. NBA labour woes notwithstanding, there is no doubt the Leafs are the city’s first love. The building has been packed for a generation despite the fact there has been little in the way of winning teams within. But that is well known to any Torontonian, especially to one who tries to get Leafs tickets. The demand is so strong that there have been calls for a second NHL team in the GTA (greater Toronto area) and the statisticians confirm that the city could support the demand. If the city could support two NHL teams and one NBA franchise for 40+ games during the winter, why could it not support UFC for one night in that timeframe? Hockey season also doesn’t scare away large entertainment events like rock concerts and the WWF from hosting shows at the ACC, I fail to see why Zuffa could be overshadowed.
The most salient point raised pertains to the unknown fight card. There will be no Georges St. Pierre this time around to fill a stadium. Fortunately, there won’t be need for anyone to fill a stadium this time around. While a Brock Lesnar return has been rumoured, a title fight and an undercard packed with Canadian talent such as Mark Hominick and Rory MacDonald would likely excite the Toronto faithful and pack the ACC. While media attention isn’t likely to be as concentrated as it was for the Skydome event, Toronto is the media mecca of the nation and worrying about getting coverage in Toronto is like worrying about coverage in New York; the media is omnipresent. They may even be looking to distract them from mid-season losing skids from the Leafs and Raptors.
Mr. McKay wrote an article that has spurred much in the way of discussion and I thank him for that. But Canada’s largest city is more than capable of handling two UFC events a year and I’m sure MMA fans from Toronto and around the province are looking forward to showing him that.
