Everything you need to know about Hard Rock Stadium, the venue for Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (top left); Logan Paul (bottom left); Hard Rock Stadium (right)
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (top left); Logan Paul (bottom left); Hard Rock Stadium (right)

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, is set to host the much-discussed exhibition boxing match between combat sports icon Floyd Mayweather Jr. and YouTube megastar Logan Paul.

Several cities, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, and Atlanta were considered potential hosts for the fight between Mayweather and Paul.

One of the most talked-about cities was the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas. The consensus was that the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul matchup would be hosted at the Las Vegas Raiders Stadium this year (2021) with more than 80,000 fans attending the event.

Regardless, the venue for Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul has now been finalized as the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. Today, we briefly examine this stadium, taking a closer look at the venue that’s set to host one of the most discussed sporting events of the 2021 calendar year.

How did the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul fight end up in Florida?

UFC 261 was the UFC’s first event with a full-capacity crowd in attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic first gripped the US. The event took place at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

Apart from this, several other noteworthy sports and entertainment events have been organized in Florida during the pandemic.

In a nutshell, the consensus is that Florida has been one of the most business-friendly states in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering that, it isn’t all too surprising to see one of the potentially biggest fights of 2021, Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul, land in Florida.

Floyd Mayweather is widely regarded as one of the smartest businesspersons in the world today. The Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul matchup being finalized for Florida during the pandemic is another testament to Mayweather's outstanding business acumen.

Hard Rock Stadium is multi-purpose, has a decorated history, and is located ideally to host a Floyd Mayweather fight

The Hard Rock Stadium is located in Miami Gardens in the beautiful US state of Florida. It’s a multi-purpose stadium that has hosted different sports and entertainment events over the years.

Be it American football, soccer, baseball, tennis, motorsports (Monster Jam events), combat sports (professional boxing), professional wrestling (WWE events), concerts, college football, or even as a set to shoot movies, this stadium has it all.

The stadium has a maximum recorded attendance of 80,120 people. Its capacity for football is 64,767, tennis is 14,000, and its original seating capacity, regardless of what sports event it’s hosting, is 75,000 people. One ought to note that these numbers are known to vary with each event.

The stadium has hosted six Super Bowls, several top-tier MLB games, international soccer games, WWE’s blockbuster WrestleMania XXVIII, the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Avni Yildirim professional boxing match, and many more notable events.

Furthermore, a few days back Formula 1 made a major announcement in relation to the stadium, confirming that it’d signed a 10-year contract to host races in the area around the stadium.

Another notable point concerning the stadium is the multiple name changes it has experienced over the years. The stadium's construction began in December 1985, and the opening ceremony took place in August 1987. The cost of constructing this massive stadium was $115 million back then.

It was first known as the Joe Robbie Stadium, named after the founder and then-owner of the Miami Dolphins NFL team. The stadium later went through a series of name changes – namely Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Land Shark Stadium, Sun Life Stadium, and Hard Rock stadium.

In August 2016, the team sold the naming rights to restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe Inc. for $250 million over an 18-year time period. Presently, the stadium is known as the Hard Rock Stadium. The current owner of the stadium is billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist Stephen M. Ross.

The stadium is known for being an important revenue generator for Florida, given the myriad of high-profile events it hosts all year round.

Speaking of money, one of the biggest box office attractions in combat sports history, Floyd Mayweather Jr., has now chosen to bring his upcoming event to Hard Rock Stadium. Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul is scheduled to take place at the stadium on June 6th, 2021.

Which fighter do you see emerging victorious in the exhibition boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul? Sound off in the comments.

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