Dana White often says the public only know a tiny percentage of what’s really going on behind the scenes at UFC. Well, today we know a little bit more because White shared some wild stories about business deals gone wrong during an interview with FOX News.
According to White, the UFC had a deal signed, sealed, and delivered in 2007 to broadcast events on premium cable network HBO. Then the suits tried to meddle with the UFC product.
White reflected on their deal with HBO, sharing, “We had an agreement with HBO to broadcast fights. However, things took a turn when HBO tried to impose their own rules by requesting us to lower the music and make other changes. We firmly opposed this interference, asserting that they cannot dictate how we run our production.”
After finalizing the agreement, we were under the impression that everything was settled. However, I urgently contacted Lorenzo Fertitta and expressed that we could not proceed with the deal. He was confused and asked why we couldn’t move forward since the deal was already completed. I insisted that we needed to find a way out of it. Fortunately, Ari Emmanuel managed to resolve the situation and successfully canceled the HBO deal.
That’s Endeavor head Ari Emanuel, who bought the UFC in 2016 and continues to hold executive control over the promotion through TKO Group Holdings. Emanuel has been involved with UFC since he represented them during a 2007 contract renewal with Spike TV. And how did he land UFC as a client? By getting White a meeting with HBO Sports.
White stands by his decision to end the HBO deal without any regrets.
White expressed his belief that allowing HBO to have complete control over their actions would have had negative consequences for their organization and its reputation. He stated that it would have resulted in a stagnant and outdated image, similar to the state of boxing.
White’s ability to veto significant business deals was not limited to one instance. On a separate occasion, he recounts how a substantial $1 billion offer from CBS to acquire UFC disintegrated after he engaged in a heated argument with Showtime executives, who were owned by CBS, during a conference call.
White explained that he joined the call promptly, and to his surprise, the Showtime representatives were also present. He had initially expected to speak with Les Moonves, the head of CBS. Consequently, when Moonves and Lorenzo, another participant, eventually joined the call, White and the Showtime team were already engaged in a heated argument, exchanging profanities. Despite their arrival, they could hear the ongoing dispute, ultimately leading to the abrupt conclusion of the call.
Lorenzo immediately returned my call and expressed his realization that we were no longer pursuing a deal with CBS. I acknowledged his statement and apologized for the outcome. Our conversation escalated a bit as I openly expressed my strong dislike for the individuals at Showtime. Many of them were previously affiliated with the UFC during our early days, and I firmly believed that their production quality was subpar and their skills were lacking. I didn’t hesitate to voice my criticism.
“With a laugh, White mentioned how coincidentally the topic of discussion shifted to CBS presenting a one billion dollar offer for the potential acquisition of our company. As Lorenzo and Les Moonves joined the conversation, a fierce battle ensued over the phone.”
