President Donald Trump has booked a conference call for Saturday, and UFC president Dana White is among the participants.
The call, which is set to take place at noon ET, features White and nine other headmen of major league sports organization. The White House announced the call would take place just hours prior to its scheduled start time.
The call comes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shut down nearly all major sports organizations.
Joining White will be NBA commissioner Adam Silver, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, CEO of WWE Vince McMahon, NASCAR commissioner John Middlebrook or founder Jim France, and MLS commissioner Don Garber. The NCAA will not be included in the call. This, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Saturday’s conference call comes in the midst of an uncertain UFC schedule. Despite White stating he plans to move forward with events in the coming months, the logistics have proven to be difficult. The UFC has canceled three events thus far, and the promotion’s next pay-per-view event, UFC 249 on April 18, does not currently have a host city. Travel restrictions have also made it unlikely that planned card headliner and UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, among other international fighters, will participate.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to participate in a phone call with all major-league sports commissioners today at noon, according to the @WhiteHouse.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
Scheduled participants on call with Trump:
NBA – Adam Silver
WNBA – Cathy Engelbert
MLB – Rob Manfred
NFL – Roger Goodell
NHL – Gary Bettman
PGA Tour – Jay Monahan
UFC – Dana White
WWE – Vince McMahon
NASCAR – John Middlebrook or Jim France.
MLS – Don Garber.Notice: No NCAA. https://t.co/ZqKhN6sdGO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2020
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