Dana White Confirms UFC Event at the White House
UFC CEO Dana White announced that a mixed martial arts event at the White House for July 4th of next year “will definitely happen.” White is scheduled to travel to Washington this month to meet with former President Donald Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, to discuss the logistics of the event. Former President Trump had expressed his desire to organize a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House, with the possibility of hosting more than 20,000 spectators to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence.This initiative contrasts with the beginnings of the UFC, when the Fertitta brothers acquired the company for $2 million in 2001 and appointed White as their leader. White has played a crucial role in the company’s growth, culminating in its sale for $4 billion in 2016. In addition, he negotiated broadcast deals with Fox and ESPN, before finalizing TKO Group’s most lucrative deal, a seven-year contract with Paramount, which begins in 2026 and is worth an average of $1.1 billion annually. This agreement covers the transmission of all UFC fight cards in the United States through the streaming platform Paramount+, and the broadcast of select numbered events on CBS.“It’s absolutely going to happen. Imagine that, the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, the UFC will be in the South Lawn of the White House live on CBS,” White stated.
Dana White
Paramount intends to explore UFC rights outside the United States “as they become available in the future”. The UFC programming managers will meet this week to define the debut card at Paramount, which, according to White, will be of high caliber. The UFC executive noted that it is still premature to discuss the main event for the fight night at the White House.“We have the NFL, the NBA, the UFC, and soccer worldwide. We’re going for everything,” White stated.
Dana White
The UFC’s transition to the Paramount era will also involve adjustments to broadcasts and other television programs under its control. White mentioned that the agreement could require the search for new channels for “The Ultimate Fighter”, “Road To UFC”, and “Dana White’s Contender Series”. In addition, it is not guaranteed that the traditional start time of 10 p.m. for pay-per-view events will be maintained, especially on nights when the cards are also broadcast on CBS. “We haven’t figured it out yet, but we will,” White assured. Dana White Regarding the recurring topic of fighter compensation…“This is a unique event,” White emphasized.
Dana White
