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This year is filled with significant sporting events in the United States, including the first-of-its-kind UFC card at the White House.
However, the event, which is scheduled for June 14, is going to cost the UFC a pretty penny.
TKO Group Holdings president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro spoke about the event at the White House on a quarterly financial call, where he said the campaign expects a price tag “upwards of $60 million.”
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UFC President and CEO Dana White reacts during a bantamweight bout between Adrian Luna Martinetti of Ecuador and Mark Vologdin of Russia during Dana White’s Contender Series Season Nine, Week Nine at UFC APEX on October 7, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“I think when it’s all said and done with the event and what we pay the fighters and the fan fest that we’re going to have, it could move north,” Shapiro said of the projected cost of putting the event together, according to SB Nation. “It’s definitely not moving south. It can be moving north. Bottom line, it’s still a moving target.”
TKO Group Holdings is taking on all the costs of the event, which included building an arena on the South Lawn of the White House as well as paying its fighters. The UFC hopes to recoup at least half of that $60 million through sponsorships and other opportunities, but it’s still expected to be a big loss.
“We are working to establish, on a parallel track, a package of inventory in and around the weekend of events that we can monetize, primarily with corporate partners,” Shapiro continued. “[Business to business] players who will offset half of the expenses. Even if the $60 [million] goes up or rides up on us, we believe we can offset half of the expenses.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pakinomist Digital.
Shapiro said there are “several current and potential partners pursuing multi-year partnerships” with TKO that would be inclusive of the White House event.
Now, this isn’t a surprise to TKO and the UFC that the price tag is so high, with the promotion’s CEO, Dana White, previously stating that it would be one of his most expensive events in history.
UFC CEO Dana White (left) speaks with President-elect Donald Trump ringside during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Ultimately, everyone involved wants to do whatever it takes to make this event one of the biggest in American history, especially since it is heavily involved in the America 250 celebration this year.
“I want to be clear about something — we’re not going to take advantage of the White House event independently,” Shapiro said. “We don’t want to make money off America’s 250th anniversary.
“This is a long-term investment. This is about earned media. This is about sampling, new fans, casual viewers, a play on a stage that will ultimately expand our audience, our ratings and our success on Paramount+.”
UFC CEO and President Dana White during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
White has previously promised the “biggest fight card ever assembled” for this event. Many superstar fighters have publicly lobbied to be involved on the card, although negotiations have yet to begin.
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