UFC says White House event lost about $30 million
UFC Freedom 250 at the White House cost $60M and lost $30M, TKO says See how the event still drew 34M viewers and boosted UFC brand exposure
TKO Group Holdings says its UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House in June cost about $60 million and ended with an estimated $30 million loss. The company disclosed the figure during its latest earnings call.
The event was staged on the South Lawn on June 14 to mark the United States' 250th birthday and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. TKO executives said the show still delivered strong exposure, with more than 34 million global viewers and significant earned media value.
Chief executive Ari Emanuel described the event as a success for the UFC brand and mixed martial arts, while other executives said it helped expand partnerships and commercial relationships. Dana White said the organization does not plan to repeat the event because of the high cost.