UFC CEO Dana White and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have both publicly stated they will not be influenced or controlled by sponsors or advertisers, with both using strong language to express their stance.
Well, would you look at that. Dana White and Elon Musk, two peas in a pod.
Just the other day, Dana White, the big boss of UFC, spilled the beans on a little tiff he had with a sponsor. The sponsor had the audacity to tell him to delete a social media post where he was showing some love for ex-president Donald Trump. White’s response? A big, hearty “go f*** yourself”. He swore he’d never bow down to such pressure, no matter how fat the paycheck.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Elon Musk, the head honcho of Tesla and Twitter, echoed the same sentiment. This happened right after a bunch of advertisers packed up and left the social media site due to some antisemitic posts.
Musk, while at the Dealbook Conference, said, “If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f*** yourself. Go f*** yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”
White was all for Musk’s comments. He voiced his support during the UFC Austin post-fight press conference. He reckons that other business bigwigs probably feel the same way.
“There’s more people than just me and Elon now that feel that way,” White said. “It’s like, just because you sponsor us doesn’t mean you run this business, and you’re definitely not telling me what to do. That’s a fact. That’s never going to happen, ever.”
White’s had his fair share of sponsor issues. He once had a spat with Peloton after comedian Theo Von claimed that the exercise company told him to take down a podcast episode. The episode featured an interview with presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.
White’s response? He demanded that all Peloton bikes be removed from the UFC gym.
White’s got a simple rule when it comes to UFC business. He’ll only deal with folks who share his beliefs. That’s why UFC inked a new multi-year deal with Bud Light. Everyone else can take a hike.
“I’ve got this new mindset,” White explained. “I look at sponsorships like relationships. Like being in a relationship with somebody. If I’ve got to be in a relationship with somebody for six years, we better be aligned and we better think and feel the same way or you do your thing, do whatever you do.”
White’s got one thing clear. He doesn’t want any exec telling him what to say or do with his company. No matter how much they’re paying.
Just like Musk, White’s ready to give a colorful response to any such demands.
“Don’t ever f****** call me and tell me what you want me to do because you sponsor us,” White said. “That is never going to happen. So if that’s the type of person that you are, don’t even bother trying to sponsor the UFC.”