Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White says he hopes politics isn’t keeping fans away from his combat sports league.
During an interview with CBS News, White — who is friends with President Donald Trump and has been publicly supportive of him during campaigns — said he hopes fans will just be “authentic” and not let their political beliefs get in the way of enjoying the UFC.
“Just be authentic,” he told CBS Sunday Morning in an interview that will air later this week. “You don’t have to agree with me, and you don’t have to like it, and I don’t have to agree with you, but we can all still just get along. That’s how this is supposed to work.”
CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, recently secured a 7-year, $7.7 billion deal to be the exclusive broadcaster for all UFC events.
White has hosted Trump at his events, has spoken at multiple Republican National Conventions, and managed to snag a seat at Trump’s second inauguration. His closeness with the current president is no secret, but the UFC boss insists that he respects the president, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office.
Despite that insistence, it’s clear the Trump and White have a relationship that extends beyond just business. According to White, he speaks to Trump once a month, and they don’t talk politics.
“I don’t talk politics with him,” White told the Wall Street Journal. “And the only time I talk business with him is fights.”
According to that report, he has a painting of slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in his office and was gifted a pair of handguns by Kid Rock, who recently appeared in a bizarre shirtless workout video with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr.
In June, White and his operation will be closer to the White House than ever before. The UFC will host a fight on the South Lawn of the White House on Trump’s 80th birthday, June 14, as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. White said he has confirmed the event is happening with the Trump family.
“So, the fighters will walk out of the Oval Office to come to the Octagon,” he told CBS News’ 60 Minutes in November. It’s unclear if that is still the plan.
According to Mark Shapiro — the president and COO of TKO Group, which owns UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment — TKO is actually expecting to lose money on the White House event.
During a fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, Shapiro said that company was probably going to lose “in the neighborhood of $30 million” on the White House event, Sportico reports. He said the opportunity would be a “one-timers.”
The White House fight is expected to cost UFC approximately $60 million. He justified the loss to shareholders by calling the event an “investment for the long term.”
“We will not profit from the White House event independently,” Shapiro said during the call. “We will not be making money on America’s 250th anniversary. This is an investment for the long term. This is about earned media.”
White said his primary focus for the upcoming White House fight will be putting on a good show up up-and-coming talent.
“My focus is to find the best up-and-coming talent in the world, do the best matchmaking to put on the best fights possible, give people the best live event in-house and on TV,” he said.
“And as long as I don’t mess those up, it’s tough to blow it.”
