Ever since it was first announced last summer, many have speculated about how much money the June 2026 UFC show at the White House will cost U.S. taxpayers.
But according to UFC president Dana White, it’s his organization that will be footing the bill, at a cost that will exceed the previous most expensive show in the organization’s history.
“No, we’re eating the whole thing,” White told Sports Business Journal last week. “So yeah, it’s going to be a historic one-of-one fight, and just like I talked about with the Sphere, we’re going to make the Sphere look like f*cking ash tray money.”
That “ash tray money” comes in the form of the reported $20 million price tag it cost UFC to run The Sphere in Las Vegas for its UFC 306 show in 2024. Despite the lofty price tag, the event proved to be a success both critically and commercially, garnering the biggest gate in UFC history, in addition to setting records for merchandise and sponsorship sales.
But if White’s comments are any indication, UFC 306 will pale in comparison to the White House show, which is set to be a part of the America250 Semiquincentennial celebration. With the June 14 event now less than six months away, plans are beginning to crystalize, including fights taking place on the South Lawn, which White says will cost UFC $700,000 to replace.
In addition to 5,000 seats being available on the South Lawn, another 80,000 seats are expected to be made available at a nearby park, The Ellipse. According to White, that setup will also include a stage, concerts, and big screens for the fights, with the longtime UFC president likening the week-long experience to International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
As for the other costs, White pointed to the overall setup, noting that he doesn’t want a traditional presentation filled with screens and lights. Rather, the 56-year-old said he wants the only visible backdrop to be the White House on one side and the Washington Monument on the other, creating a unique experience unlike any other in the MMA giant’s history.
In order to do that, UFC is going to have to write some sizable checks, some of which should help shield the company from the P.R. hit that would have inevitably come if taxpayer funds were being used. It’s also worth noting that the TKO subsidiary certainly has plenty of money spend with its $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount having now taken effect, with UFC’s media partner expected to air the highly anticipated White House event on CBS.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.