Dana White says Power Slap is making money while PFL is hoping to 'stay alive and relevant'
By Amy Kaplan
UFC president Dana White says his new Power Slap league is already making money, unlike other sports start-ups.
White's slap-fighting promotion got a lot of publicity in 2023, the first year of operation, though it wasn't always good. The slap-fighting concept has made the media wonder about the safety of the athletes, despite numerous reports from neurologists co-signing the sport.
“We’re building another new combat sport like we did with the UFC,” White told SI.com. “This is only the first year. The velocity of growth and the amount of traction in business is remarkable. I don’t want to sh*t on these guys because they’re both my friends, but if you look at The Rock and Eric Shanks, they’re joining forces with the XFL and the UFL to build this new United Football League. PFL just bought Bellator. They’re all trying to make traction, but they’re not making money.”
White also noted that the PFL fundraises for their product, and recently announced a massive investment from Saudi Arabia. White says Power Slap doesn't need that.
“This is different. The PFL, those guys are out there trying to raise money trying to stay alive and relevant. We have a small, tight group of owners with no outside investors. High margin with high cash conversion. This sport, it’s going global."
White has spoken out about the social media numbers the promotion brings in and the Power Slap YouTube is just shy of 1 million subscribers, thanks, in part, to the highlight reels the sport is famous for.
“We’re rapidly approaching 100 million subscribers. And look at the Eviahn Scott video. This sh-- went viral. It’s gone f------ crazy, and it’s the fifth video that beat the number-one video for the UFC," White said. "People say Slap is just about knockouts, but two of the most popular videos, including this one, aren’t knockouts, This sport is on fire. It’s the fastest-growing sport on the planet.”
The secret to the success when it comes to Power Slap is that White's already figured out the formula via the 20 plus years running the UFC.
“It reminds me of when we started with the UFC in 2001. But the difference is, 23 years later, I’m a lot smarter. That’s why we are where we are entering 2024," he said.
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