UFC Won’t Make Money From White House Card, TKO Exec Confirms

The UFC's plan to move forward with the White House card remains intact, but some interesting developments have since arisen regarding the normalcy of the event, or lack thereof.

For starters, the event will take place on Sunday, June 14, commemorating Flag Day, America's 250th birthday, and President Donald Trump's birthday, from the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., with the White House serving as the main backdrop.

The event's unusual Sunday date hasn't been executed since Feb. 2019, an uncommon practice during the ESPN era, while infrequently executed during the promotion's Fox stint.

UFC Answers Whether It Will Receive ROI After White House Card

Dana White talks through the Octagon fence. — Jun 29, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC president Dana White during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In a recent teleconference, TKO president Mark Shapiro not only reconfirmed the lofty price the event will cost the UFC, but also revealed a surprising reality: the money is an investment in the event itself, with no direct return for the promotion.

"We have a lot of current and prospective partners that would like to be involved, and are inquiring about inventory, as part of their greater partnership deals they either already have, or are negotiating with us for the future," Shapiro said. "But I want to be clear about something: we will not profit from the White House event independently. We will not be making money on America's 250th anniversary."

Shapiro said there are several factors needing to be ironed out before all is said and done than simply the fights, none of which have been officially announced or reportedly confirmed.

"Bottom line is, it's still a moving target," Shapiro said of the monetary figure. "We are working to determine, on a parallel track, a package of inventory, in and around the weekend of events, that we can monetize primarily with corporate partners – B2B players, which will offset half of the spend. Even if that $60(M) goes up, or rides up on us, we believe we can offset half of the spend. Today, we see it as $60(M) offsetting $30(M)."

UFC White House Event Purpose Explained

Dana white beside Donald Trump at UFC 30 — Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; President-elect Donald Trump speaks with Dana White (left) during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Shapiro said the White House event is unlike any other. It is the furthest from a typical event, let alone an event where the UFC makes an old habit of continuously delivering the same numbered event product month in and month out. It is much more than that, he said.

"This is an investment for the long term," Shapiro said. "This is about earned media, this is about sampling new fans, casual viewers, a spectacle and a stage that will ultimately expand our audience, our viewership and our success on Paramount+."

We'll see how the event unfolds, but it seems the UFC is aware of its immediate risk and potential reward.