Mark Shapiro Says TKO Will Not Make Money On UFC White House Event, Views It As A Long-Term Investment

The UFC is set to hold a special event at the White House on June 14. No fights have been announced, and the logistics of the event are still being worked out.

Speaking on the TKO earnings call, TKO President Mark Shapiro gave further insight on the financial aspect of the event.

“At the moment, the UFC event at the White House is slated to cost upwards of $60 million dollars. By the time all is said and done, and what we pay the fighters and the fanfest, that could move north, it’s definitely not moving south. It’s still a moving target. We’re working to determine, on a parallel track, a package of inventory in and around the weekend of events that we can monetize, primarily with corporate partners, which will offset half of the spending. Even if that 60 goes up, we believe we can offset half of the spend. Today, we see it as 60 offsetting 30. We have several interperspective partners that are pursuing multi-year partnerships with TKO assets that will likely be inclusive of the White House event. They are inquiring about inventory as part of their greater partnership deals that they either already have or are negotiating in the future. We will not profit from the White House event independently. We will not be making money on America’s 250th Anniversary. This is an investment for the long term. This is about earned media, sampling new fans and casual viewers, a spectacle on a stage that will ultimately expand our audience, our viewership, and our success on Paramount+,” he said.

Fightful will provide more details on the event when they are known.

Fans can read more about the 2025 TKO financials here.

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