New York's UBS Arena reaches its second pitch in 2024 after Rocky Launch

How much changes in a year. After a difficult post-pandemic opening in late 2022, UBS Arena in Elmont, New York found its stride in its second year, nearly doubling its year-over-year gross Advertising sign2024 ranks mid-year and finds its footing in the busy New York City metro market.

As of mid-2023, UBS Arena had posted $22 million in concert grosses from 39 shows. This year, the venue has posted a gross of $42 million from 56 performances.

This success stems from the creation of 2023 sales that included two nights Bruce Springsteen, two SUGA nights and shows from Blink-182, Peso Pluma, Aerosmith and Billy Joel. In 2024, UBS has already seen sales from Stevie Nicks, Elevation Worship, Machel Montano, ENHYPEN, Aventura (two nights), Drake (two nights) and Zach Bryan (two nights).

Delayed by pandemic-related construction issues, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority missing a key date to connect the venue to the Long Island Rail Road, UBS Arena has struggled with early attendance.

“There was really no playbook for how to open an arena in the most competitive major market in the world during a pandemic,” he says. Mark Shulmansenior programming officer at the Oak View Group-managed arena, which was created in partnership with the New York Islanders.

“You can take everything we know about how to start a venue and throw it all out because so many of those strategies just weren't feasible at the time,” Shulman adds of the 745,000-square-foot, 17,200-seat hockey facility. and entertainment arena designed by Populos and built by Aecom Hunt. “But what was undeniable is that the UBS Arena is a world-class venue, stunningly beautiful and acoustically superior. And we had a very experienced team that we assembled. We had the right people for the challenge.”

The first order of business was to capitalize on the diversity of Nassau County and nearby Queens, “which are some of the most diverse areas in America,” says Shulman. “They have residents from 120 countries. They speak 130 languages. We spend a lot of time developing inclusive programming that reflects this diversity and have had great success not only with rock, pop and country, but also with Caribbean, soca, K-pop, C-pop and artists from India”.

UBS Arena's sprawling 430-acre campus in Belmont Park is a rare commodity in the New York market “that has become a fantastic activation space for artists and their fans,” says Shulman. During Zach Bryan's March 30 and 31 shows, the country star's father, Dwayne, “set up events outside for the fans and actually discovered a local artist who ended up performing at the show the next night.” adds Shulman.

Another example of this came on May 3, when UBS hosted K-pop group ENHYPEN and held “a full day of activities where fans could meet, play games, create art and dance to their favorite music,” Shulman says. “We love seeing artists and fans take advantage of all that the UBS Arena and campus has to offer.”

The hard work required to create the space is expected to culminate with two massive upcoming events. The first is the MTV Video Music Awards, which will take place at the UBS Aarena on September 10, marking the show's return to New York.

“The MTV team is planning a whole new show, and they're really going to use every space in the building and the park outside,” Shulman says, including the arena's full bowl, and the venue's seven club areas and the venue's two outdoor patios.

UBS Arena will also host the 2026 NHL All-Star Game, NHL Commissioner announced Gary Bettman during the NFL Winter Classic on Jan. 1.

A big selling point for UBS Arena, Shulman adds, is the different experiences that can be hosted in the building, such as the American Express Lounge speakeasy and the Heineken Terrace, which hosts large parties and group dinners. The arena even features sensory spaces designed by Northwell Health for visitors of any age who may have sensory processing sensitivities. Open to all arena events, each room features custom hand-painted murals, special sensory equipment such as a Vecta machine, overflow tunnel, heat-sensitive playback panels and gel floor tiles, as well as a customizable sound system and bean bag chairs.

Says Shulman, “Our goal is to create a space that is comfortable for everyone and meets all the needs of the community.”