UFC lost US$30 million on Trump’s Freedom 250 event at the White House

TKO Group Holdings said it lost US$30 million on the UFC Freedom 250 mixed martial arts event held in Washington on June 14, but gained in other ways in terms of media exposure and partnership deals.

The event, part of US President Donald Trump’s celebrations for the nation’s 250th birthday, was controversial. It was the first time a combat sports contest had been staged on the south lawn of the White House.

Executives with TKO, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) league, called the event a “roaring success” on a conference call with analysts on Aug 3, saying it would pay off in the long term in terms building the sport’s fan base and in business relationships.

The event generated US$1 billion in “earned media”, publicity from press coverage, as well as 25 new marketing partners, many of them signing multi-year deals, the executives said. The UFC and broadcast partner Paramount Skydance had previously said the event attracted 34 million viewers globally.

TKO, which also owns the WWE wrestling league, reported second-quarter sales and profit that beat analysts’ estimates. The company boosted its 2026 forecasts for both due to higher expectations for the year. BLOOMBERG