The owners of the UFC reported they lost a staggering amount of money putting together the Freedom 250 event at the White House in June.
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As reported by PEOPLE, Andrew Schleimer, the chief financial officer of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the mixed martial arts league, said producing the event was significantly higher than a typical UFC event.
How Much Did the UFC Lose Producing Freedom 250?
The UFC was expected to take a loss on the Freedom 250 event, which took place on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
"Given the event's profile, which as anticipated, resulted in an approximate $30m loss, our margins at UFC as well as on a consolidated basis were meaningfully impacted," Schleimer said
The event hosted 4,300 attendees. They included Vice President JD Vance, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and comedian Shane Gillis. Zac Brown performed the national anthem.
Why Did the UFC Lose So Much Money?
Other than its high-profile location, there were differences between the Freedom 250 event and a typical UFC event that may have affected the bottom line. For starters, tickets were not available to the general public. However, it was reported that "high-roller" packages were available.
The fights took place in an octagon built specifically for the event. However, sponsors such as Bud Light and Polymarket were prominently featured. Fans could also stream Freedom 250 live on Paramount+.
"They're building a great arena. And June 14, which by happenstance is my birthday. It was not set up that way," President Trump said in an interview back in May. "Everyone said, 'Oh, he did it for his birthday.' And it's Sunday night, June 14. It happens to be Flag Day. That happens to be my birthday, but that happened to be the best night for it."
While ESPN reports that no direct taxpayer funds were used to pay for production, federal agencies were used to support the event. It is estimated that over $10 million of taxpayer funds were used for security alone.
