Posted on: January 6, 2025, 07:35h.
Last updated on: January 6, 2025, 07:35h.
UFC President and CEO Dana White is one of three new appointments to the Meta (NASDAQ: META) board of directors, marking the first time the UFC boss has joined a corporate board.
White, widely viewed as the architect of UFC’s growth and one of the most influential figures in sports, joins John Elkann and Charlie Songhurst as the new appointees to the social media giant’s board.
I’ve never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta’s board. I am a huge believer that social media and artificial intelligence (AI) are the future,” said White in a press release. “I am very excited to join this incredible team and to learn more about this business from the inside. There is nothing I love more than building brands, and I look forward to helping take Meta to the next level.”
Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, California-based Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
White Appointment Signals New Direction for Meta
The appointment of White to the Meta board was announced just days after the social media company announced the promotion of Joel Kaplan to president of global affairs. Kaplan held various in the President George W. Bush administration prior to joining Meta in 2011.
Kaplan has deep ties to the Republican party and White is a personal friend of President-elect Trump. The UFC chief executive officer spoke at the Republican National Convention last year and in 2020 and has been a longtime donor to Trump.
Political pundits have speculated that the promotion of Kaplan along with the addition of White to the board signals that Zuckerberg is eager to work with the incoming Trump administration and that he wants to put the company’s reputation for left-leaning bias behind it.
“Under White’s leadership, UFC has become a global sport powerhouse, producing more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. Over the course of his career, White has received numerous industry and business accolades for his impact and influence in sports,” according to the Meta statement.
White’s Gaming Ties Run Deep
In Las Vegas circles, White isn’t just known as the UFC boss. He’s also known as a big-time bettor and one that’s barred from many of casinos in the city. White has a proclivity for making six-figure bets and often leaving a casino after winning two or three consecutives, sometimes with seven-figure paydays.
Caesars Entertainment and Red Rock Resorts still accept White’s business although he claimed he “clipped” Caesars Palace on the Strip for $26 million or $27 million in early 2024.
Speaking of Red Rock, that company is controlled by Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who were early UFC Investors. They’re also Trump donors.
