UFC owners reported a substantial financial loss of approximately $30 million from staging the Freedom 250 event at the White House in June. Andrew Schleimer, chief financial officer for TKO Group, disclosed the figures to investors, stating that the event incurred "significantly higher than normal costs."
The event, which coincided with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and featured a long-standing friendship between Trump and UFC president Dana White, was held on the South Lawn of the White House. While TKO Group was able to "partially offset" the expenses with sold-out global partnerships, the overall financial impact was significant. Schleimer noted that the loss "meaningfully impacted" both UFC's margins and the consolidated results for TKO Group.
The Freedom 250 event was broadcast exclusively on Paramount+, a subscription streaming platform owned by Paramount. This partnership is part of a larger seven-year deal worth $7.7 billion between TKO Group and Paramount, which designates Paramount as the new U.S. home for UFC content starting in 2026.
Despite the financial setback for the Freedom 250 event itself, UFC's overall financial performance remains strong. TKO Group reported a 29% year-over-year increase in UFC's revenue for the second quarter, reaching $535.7 million. This growth was partly driven by a $64.7 million increase in media rights revenue, attributed to the new deal with Paramount. The Freedom 250 event itself drew an average of 34 million viewers globally, making it one of the most-watched mixed martial arts events in history.