UFC CEO Dana White already promised that the upcoming card at the White House on June 14 is going to be one of the most expensive endeavors in company history.
While exact expenditures haven’t been revealed, a new report from Puck suggests the UFC could spend “as much as $60 million” to produce the once-in-a-lifetime event, which is part of President Donald Trump’s America 250 celebration. It’s unclear if that cost also factors in fighter salaries for the event.
The UFC previously counted UFC 306 at
the Sphere in Las Vegas as one of the costliest shows to produce with the promotion spending over $20 million.
White previously stated the UFC White House card will definitely cost more.
In addition to how much the UFC is spending, there are still logistical issues to figure out including a final seating arrangement for the event along with the total number of people in attendance.
The number of those allowed to watch the fights in person has fluctuated, but around 5,000 people has been the most common answer. Apparently space and weight are both a concern due to “an extensive network of tunnels and bunkers and security stuff” that sits beneath the south lawn at the White House.
To stage the show at the White House, the UFC will build an octagon on the south lawn with bleachers and seating added for the audience. Fighters are expected to make a walk to the cage from the Oval Office.
White said the cost just to replace the grass on the south lawn will run around $700,000.
There’s also no word yet on who will be permitted to attend the White House card, although around 1,000 seats are reportedly being reserved for members of the military. Anyone attending the event—whether invited or through tickets provided by the UFC—will have to undergo extensive security checks.
There are also plans to host an event at the nearby National Mall where the UFC expects to put big screens up for viewing with more than 60,000 fans able to attend.
Final plans haven’t been announced, but the weigh-ins are reportedly rumored to take place at the Lincoln Memorial, which is also where a pre-fight press conference could also happen.
“President Trump looks forward to hosting what will go down as one of the most monumental sporting events in history at the White House,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Puck.
The card itself is going to air on Paramount+, although there have been talks that at least part of the show will also air on CBS. Final broadcast plans are still undecided.
Matchmaking for the event is underway, but the UFC is yet to officially announce any fights. TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel previously stated the card is expected to have “six to seven fights” in total rather than a much larger event usually produced by the UFC.
With June 14 getting closer by the day, the UFC is expected to work feverishly to get all the details sorted out ahead of the historic event at the White House.
