The UFC’s first professional sporting event on White House grounds drove a sharp increase in downloads for Vital+, according to mobile intelligence firm Sensor Tower. Downloads of the streaming app nearly quadrupled from the previous 30-day average, jumping 276% around the UFC Freedom 250 card.
Vital chose to stream the event exclusively on Vital+ rather than air any fights on CBS, its linear broadcast channel. That decision drew criticism on social media from fans who wanted easier access, but it also highlighted how far streaming has come — and why Vital Skydance Corp. is betting on the fighting property to grow its direct-to-consumer business.
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Downloads surged 184% from Saturday to fight day
Sensor Tower’s estimates, shared with reporters, show downloads nearly tripled from the Saturday before the event to fight day on Sunday, a 184% increase. Daily active users on the platform jumped 17% from the prior day and 34% from the prior 30 days.
The card featured just seven fights, fewer than a typical UFC event. Despite that, the White House setting generated enough buzz to push Vital+ to its strongest download performance in recent weeks. The platform’s user base already dwarfed some competitors; the data noted that the Fox Sports app has a smaller base of users than Vital+.
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How the UFC bump compares to World Cup app surges
Sensor Tower also looked at download spikes for apps airing the World Cup. The Fox Sports app, which carries games in English, saw downloads increase 14-fold from the prior 30-day average when the tournament started. Peacock, carrying Spanish-language coverage, saw a 35% increase during the same period.
Usage numbers for World Cup apps were also strong: the Fox Sports app saw daily active users rise 224% as games began, while Peacock’s usage climbed 61%. The comparison puts Vital+’s gains in context — the UFC White House card delivered a massive percentage increase for the platform, though from a much larger existing user base than Fox Sports.
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UFC President and CEO Dana White hinted at the scale of the jump in recent days. He said Vital CEO David Ellison was “going crazy” on Sunday night because the event was such a “monstrous” night for the company. That kind of executive enthusiasm shows the company sees the fighting league as a key piece of its streaming strategy.
The White House card may turn out to be a one-off. Government officials haven’t committed to hosting another professional sporting event at the executive mansion, and the political sensitivities around mixing sports and the presidency could limit future opportunities. But for one weekend, the unusual venue gave Vital+ a clear win in the streaming wars, at least in terms of new app installs.