• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 22, 2025

The Sphere Wasn’t Built For Sports. The Biggest Players Want In Anyway

  • Immersive venue sets new standard, but big questions remain for sports
  • Fast-growing number of properties showing interest in Dolan-controlled building
Rich Fury/Sphere Entertainment Co./Instagram
draftkings
Exclusive

DraftKings Is Paying Up to $250M for Prediction-Market Railbird

The deal was announced Tuesday, but financials weren’t disclosed.
Read Now
October 22, 2025 |

After just one U2 concert at Las Vegas’ new $2.3 billion Sphere, UFC president Dana White described himself as “obsessed” with the venue and the prospect of getting the mixed-martial arts property there as soon as possible.

“The Sphere is a whole other level,” White said. “I don’t run the Sphere, and it’s not my company, but it’s so good that for at least the first year, they should do nothing but incredible experiences. … I will put on the greatest live combat sports event anybody has ever seen at the Sphere. I’m so in on this, it’s not even funny. The first live transmission from there should be us.”

White is far from alone.

Beginning with a highly successful 25-concert run this fall by the Irish rock superstars, the Sphere has ushered in a dramatic new era of live entertainment — one that has put every sports team, league, and venue operator firmly on notice.

Measuring 366 feet high and 516 feet wide — as the world’s largest spherical building — the Sphere also boasts the largest and highest-resolution LED screen on the planet with fully immersive video and audio capabilities, instantly lapping the technical standards of any conventional sports arena or stadium.

The initial shows at the Sphere have drawn numerous sports executives looking to bring key takeaways from the venue back to their own settings, but are genuinely excited at the venue’s potential for live sports.

In addition to the UFC, the NHL has also been linked to the Sphere, as have multiple boxing entities, and F1 will utilize the building as part of next month’s high-profile debut of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. 

The brainchild and passion project of New York Rangers and Knicks owner Jim Dolan, the Sphere has become a key marketing template for other sports entities. The NBA, ESPN, YouTube, and Formula 1 have each prominently promoted themselves — reportedly at a cost of $450,000 per four hours — on the building’s massive exterior LED, which thanks to its nearly limitless ability to render colors and images has become perfect fodder for social media feeds. 

Peter Stringer, a former digital and social media executive with the Boston Celtics and UFC and now a digital marketing consultant, was more than impressed by the U2 show. “The bar has now been set so high,” he told Front Office Sports. “You can definitely see this opening up a whole new era in immersive video.” 

Unprecedented Scale

In a traditional sports setting, scoreboards and other LED fixtures have always sought to strike a tenuous balance between entertaining and informing fans while still prioritizing the live action. 

The Sphere offers an entirely different proposition: audio and video so consuming, it can completely overwhelm what’s happening among the live performers — and is often specifically designed to do so. In an age where “more” is always a driving mantra for venue technology, the Sphere has delivered in unprecedented fashion.

U2 spent more than a year developing their run of shows, in part commissioning a series of artists to create visuals accompanying the songs. For live sports, the unique challenge remains of how to learn from and use the Sphere, but still keep the focus on the athletes.

“The big question I have for sports is who is going to have the content to really take advantage of this, particularly when sports aren’t choreographed like a concert,” Stringer said.

White intends to stage the UFC event at the Sphere in September 2024. The timing is partly to coincide with Mexican Independence Day, but also aimed to provide a sufficient window to understand the venue’s full capabilities and how best to deploy them.

“It’ll take that long for us to really work this thing out and figure it out,” White said. 

To aid in that process, several sports properties including UFC have also toured a separate production facility in Burbank, California, where Dolan’s Sphere Entertainment Co. develops content for the Sphere.

Despite that needed lead time, there’s still some competitive juice in there as White fervently wants to be the first sports entity in the Sphere, and he took particular aim at boxing entities also interested in the venue.

“You know I will spend the money to make it right,” White said. “Boxing is going to f— around with them on the tickets. They don’t have the money to do it. None of those bums got the money to do it. I’ll do it.”

Crowded Market

For some sports properties, however, working with the Sphere isn’t quite so simple. 

Despite all the excitement the venue has immediately generated, existing contracts with other Las Vegas venues can stand in the way of striking a deal with Dolan.

“There are other long-term relationships to which we need to be sensitive,” a league source told FOS. “But we also want to be at the forefront — innovation and disruption is in our DNA, and the Sphere brings something really exciting and different. So these are things that we will sort through.”

There’s also another potential long-term threat to sports team and venue owners: a siphoning of concerts that are critical revenue drivers on days without games. 

Dolan hasn’t yet announced any other concerts for the Sphere after U2 completes their dates in December. Once he does, though, any musical act playing there might forego other opportunities at a stadium or arena also used for sports.

But even without a single sports event held there yet, the Sphere has created a buzz within the business of sports that has no direct precedent.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Christie's

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Joey Bosa

Joey Bosa’s L.A. Home for Sale for $3.7 Million

The Bills defensive end purchased the home last July.
October 16, 2025

Steelers’ Shared Stadium With Pitt Comes Under Fire for Bad Turf

The conditions at Acrisure Stadium have been subpar this season.
October 21, 2025

Jazz to Get New Training Facility on Same Campus As Mammoth

The company is developing a sports campus in Sandy, Utah.
Sponsored

Michelle Wie West: Women’s Sports Doesn’t Need Charity

The LPGA legend on redefining women’s sports and the future of golf.
October 15, 2025

Bears Hit Another Speed Bump for New $5B Stadium in Suburbs

A new state bill would impose several conditions on the NFL team.
October 13, 2025

Browns, Cleveland Reach $100M Deal to Clear Team’s Move to Suburbs

The surprise truce includes financial payments and the dismissal of lawsuits.
Nov 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of a Cleveland Browns helmet on a time out against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome.
October 7, 2025

Cleveland Takes New Shot at Blocking Browns’ $2.4B Stadium

A new lawsuit challenges a permit for the NFL team’s planned stadium.
October 7, 2025

Rays Owner Eyes New ‘Forever Home’ Like Atlanta’s Battery

The club’s new owners target a new ballpark opening in 2029.