Dana White Details Massive Cost of UFC COVID-19 Testing In 2020
UFC President Dana White has been able to put on a multitude of UFC cards in 2020 despite the pandemic, but it hasn’t been very cheap for the company.
Speaking to TSN on Thursday, White opened up on the crazy volume of COVID-19 tests the promotion has facilitated this year, and on the massive cost of those tests.
“Per Dana White, the UFC have conducted roughly 26,300 COVID-19 tests to date with a positivity rate of 0.8%,” TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter wrote. “The cost is in the neighbourhood of $17 million.”
It’s clear that the UFC has facilitated a massive number of COVID-19 tests this year based solely on the amount of positive tests that have come up, especially most recently a surge in positive tests for fighters.
Over the course of the pandemic year of 2020, dozens of fighters have tested positive for the virus, resulting in a long list of adjusted, rescheduled and cancelled matchups. This Saturday’s UFC 256 card alone, has lost 11 scheduled matchups due to positive tests since it was originally announced.
White recently made comments about the recent spike in cases of COVID-19, referring to not being too worried about it.
“Who knows?” White said at the post-fight press conference for last weekend’s UFC Vegas 16 card (via BJPENN.com), which was hammered by the virus. “I have no idea; the COVID thing is more rampant now. Another friend that I talked to today, who lives on an island in Alaska, somewhere where they have a population of 4,000 people, over 40 people have COVID there now, and it’s like a big, huge deal.
“This stuff is definitely spreading,” White added. “When we were first going through this stuff, I didn’t know anybody that had it, and then, you know, one employee came up with it and got through it quick. But personally, somebody that I was friends with hadn’t had it yet, and now everyone’s got it, you know what I mean?
“People show up with it, or I think what happened this time, somebody had had contact with somebody else and was training their fighter and then gave it to them,” White said. “I don’t know exactly what the deal was, but – yeah, I don’t know”
Its certainly a chaotic time in the UFC and the world in general. But one thing is clear, the UFC has been the global sports leader during this pandemic, trucking through it all as best they can.
What do you make of Dana White’s comments about the massive costs of COVID-19 Testing?
