Dana White has put a staggering $50 billion valuation on the UFC, using the reported $12.5 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers as the benchmark for his eye-catching claim.
The UFC CEO explained his thinking during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, comparing the value of the promotion today to the $2 million purchase price from 2001.
Dana White Says The UFC Is Worth $50 Billion
White, alongside Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2001 when the promotion was still far from becoming the global sports powerhouse it is today.
More than two decades later, White believes the UFC belongs in an entirely different financial category. He pointed to the reported $12.5 billion Lakers sale as a reference point for his valuation.
The UFC was purchased for $2m. And if the Lakers sold for $12.5bn, then the UFC is worth $50bn,” White said.
It is important to note that the $50 billion figure is White’s own comparison rather than an independently established valuation of the UFC. Still, the claim underlines just how dramatically he believes the promotion has grown since its $2 million acquisition.
The UFC head honcho also argued that the MMA promotion has reached a point where its biggest competitors are no longer other combat sports promotions.
“Nobody’s nipping at my heels,” White said, before naming the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA as the organizations he considers to be competing with the UFC for the attention of American sports fans.
