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Dana White: UFC will rule the world — and bring Vegas along for the ride
UFC president Dana White talks about “The Ultimate Fighter’s” latest addition, Kimbo Slice, during “TUF” media day Tuesday at the UFC training center in Las Vegas.
Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Dana White
What's Your Vision?
Sun Coverage
UFC will be the biggest sport in the world by 2020.
People were saying I was a lunatic 10 years ago when we first got this going, but the stuff we’re working on right now on so many levels is mind-boggling.
The UFC will be on network television in the coming years, but we’re not going to go out and do a stupid deal because we don’t need them. We built this thing without help from anybody, and that’s why the UFC has been able to flourish even in these hard times.
The sport was just sanctioned in Massachusetts and Vancouver. We’re going to get it done in Ontario and New York in 2010. And we’re already working on taking the UFC global. We’ve already done Germany, England and Ireland, and we just sold 22,000 seats for an event in Australia in 15 minutes.
Think about this: Right now in the United States, there is nothing bigger than the NFL. It is huge. But the NFL has been spending billions of dollars trying to break into other countries and it’s not working. You know why? Because these people in other countries don’t care about American football. They didn’t grow up playing it and they’re not invested in American teams.
I take two guys and put them in an octagon and they can use any martial art they want — that transcends all culture barriers. Right now we are on some form of television in over 175 countries. We’re all human beings and we all “get” fighting.
That said: Las Vegas is a Mecca for fighting.
Between the UFC and our sister company the WEC, World Extreme Cagefighting, the economic impact fighting has in Las Vegas is astronomical. And I’m from here. I lived in Boston for a while, I love it too, but the reality is I’m from Las Vegas.
Every time I walk through the back of the MGM Grand or Mandalay Bay, valet parkers and waiters will stop me and say, “Dana, thank you for bringing the event here this weekend.” That’s when these guys make their money. We bring a lot of people into town for these events, and we bring them regularly.
So, in the next 10 years, Las Vegas will benefit even more from UFC’s success.
Me and Lorenzo Fertitta will sit down and figure out a game plan for the next 10 years, and we’ll execute it.
So, is 10 years enough time to make this the biggest sport in the world? Hell, yeah.
Dana White is the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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Big plans. Good luck, Dana. I'm not gonna bet against you. Now since you're a local, how about your weight/support behind UNLV sports?
^^^ WELL SAID..AS FOR ME, NOT A CHANCE TO SPEND ANY MORE THEN 40 BUCKS FOR HD PAY PER VIEW.,,KEEP RAISING THE PRICES AND I WONT BE THE ONLY ONE.ANOTHER GREEDY FERTITA BUSINESS..IMO
Apparently White remains clueless in regard to how the Fertitta family works. White's usefulness to the brothers already has an "expiration date" and, I'm not sure if he's bright enough to read or recongnize it. . .
What, no swearing in your article? Wow, that's a first.
The Fertitta's are businessmen, White has no idea how to actually *run* a business. He's the carnival barker, a promoter, that's it. And like wtholt1 points out, the Fertitta's are smart enough to know this, and will happily push you aside, most likely gracefully and quietly (until you open your loud mouth to complain) because that's how real businessmen do things.
UFC will definitely continue to be a popular sport, but it won't ever be more popular than the NFL. Think about it White, how many kids and women attend your events or buy your PPV's? Not *nearly* as many as those that attend or watch the NFL.
Some guys need to understand that they aren't the second coming...hint hint.
Dana, are you kidding me. You are saying your sport will fill stadiums each week with upwards of 75,000 plus fans for the equivalant of 16-games -- 16 stadiums around the globe each week? Or you will rival the sport of soccer in the world with loyal crowds filling stadiums of 80,000 or more 3 days a week around the world? Live sport is the foundation of any sport; not TV. Dana, one too many blows to the head?
How about giving Mr. White a break? The US doesn't show a national pride in a sport (soccer) with an international audience. Our country supports our game of football.
I think when Mr. White says he endeavors to have UFC as the biggest international sport, IT IS going to happen. Countries can indulge their pride in their fighters, i.e, Brazil, the United Kingdom.
If our community can model itself after the UFC successes and turn our attention back to our own infrastructure - then the sky is the limit. Our successful business owners need to reinvest in alternative energy, i.e, solar and wind. Tap into alternative draws to our city, create a river walk downtown. Retrain our workforce, invite troubled auto manufacturing into the community, i.e, GM or Saturn. Capitalize on our location for travel to other western hubs.
Las Vegas can be the model city of our great country. We just need leaders with eyes wide open and not willing to sit idly by while the nation recovers from our current recession and only react. Learn to not gauge our future on only gaming. Las Vegas is a DIAMOND in the rough. Let gaming become one of the luxuries of this great community.
Some of you hate him, but Dana White made the UFC what it is today. For those of you that think the Fertitta's could just push him aside when they feel like it, obviously haven't realized that A) he would have to majorily screw up the sport he built B) they are college buddies C) they'd have to buy him out because he's a part owner with a sizable share of the business.
HATE HATE HATE, he's the one laughing at the end of the day.
GOOD JOB DANA!
Keep it rocking buddy. UFC will dominate the world and VEGAS will be, and is, the epic center for America!
I love all these haters on Dana first off you are too old to get the generation Dana comes from (and my self) It'S called it like you see it and not play games.generation...He had an idea he had friends with deep pockets he knew what people wanted and boom UFC... are the fighterS under paid....I say NO...its more like the rest of sports is overpaid....Baseball for sure Football some what..basketball....i'm falling asleep just thinking about baseball and basketball... bottom line.....I come to vegas for UFCand WEC....you can hate all you want but that man is part of the reason you guys are even eeking out a living right now.....GO DANA
People were saying I was a lunatic 10 years ago
No, people are saying Dana is a jerk.
I have to disagree about women not enjoying UFC as much as the NFL. In fact in our neighborhood every time there is a PPV UFC fight a bunch of couples get together and watch it. I enjoy watching those fights just as much as the men there. Personally I enjoy the UFC much more than the NFL. I think once people are exposed to UFC they will like it. Before I knew what it was all about I was skeptical because I pictured a boring boxing match. When I saw what it was I was a fan. I don't know much about Dana White, but he's done something right to bring the sport this far.
Dana White has done things his way and been very successful. Some people can't take it and dump on him, that's life. I don't believe UFC will ever be bigger than the NFL, but Dana White is a winner and I congratulate him.
Dana may know how to promote fighting, but he's not refined enough to take the company to a higher level. They need someone with refined business skills. It doesn't mean Dana has to go anywhere, he can still do what he does best.....but leave the real growth plans and strategy to people who know how to execute on a bigger stage.
S711
As funny as this sounds its true...the UFC is already bigger than the NFL globally cuz they have international fighters they can promote. The NFL I think will always be the biggest sport in the United States I don't think UFC will surpass them in US but I think UFC will be or already is bigger than MLB NBA or NHL. Internationally soccer is still biggest but I think UFC can surpass it eventually. That being said I think people are fools to rip Dana he is the one that made UFC into what it is today. He is also part owner so I don't think anyone will just brush him aside it aint happening.
The UFC certainly has serious global potential BECAUSE of its ability to transcend culture barriers but it'll never enjoy universal acceptance of such a barbaric sport.
Dana rocks,how can u put him down with all that he has done for the UFC?