Deal unites two of the largest names in wrestling and leisure and caps a months-long sale course of for WWE.
World Wrestling Leisure (WWE) and Final Preventing Championship (UFC) have introduced they may merge to create a $21.4bn sports activities leisure big.
A brand new publicly traded firm will home UFC and WWE manufacturers, with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc (UFC’s homeowners) taking a 51 % controlling curiosity within the new firm.
Present WWE shareholders will get a 49 % stake.
The deal unites two of the largest names in wrestling and leisure and caps a months-long sale course of for WWE, overseen by its co-founder and government chairman Vince McMahon, who returned to the corporate’s board in January.
McMahon will retain his function within the new firm, which doesn’t but have a reputation.
The businesses put the enterprise worth of UFC at $12.1bn and WWE’s worth at $9.3bn.
“This can be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative to convey collectively two main pure-play sports activities and leisure firms,” Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel mentioned in an investor presentation, describing the deal as a “transformational step” for Endeavor.
Emanuel mentioned he’ll lead as chief government officer whereas persevering with in his function at Endeavor.
In the present day, @Endeavor introduced it has signed an settlement to kind a $21+ billion world dwell sports activities and leisure firm made up of @UFC and @WWE. https://t.co/lPrkBmKJXm pic.twitter.com/ZBk95c5exU
— Endeavor (@Endeavor) April 3, 2023
Shares of WWE fell 4.5 % in buying and selling earlier than the bell, whereas Endeavor was up 4 %.
The brand new firm might be listed below ticker image “TKO” on the New York Inventory Change, the businesses mentioned.
Hollywood energy dealer Emanuel has reworked Endeavor, which has its roots in representing movie and tv expertise, right into a sports activities and leisure powerhouse with greater than 20 acquisitions.
He has invested in bull-riding occasions, style exhibits and the Miami Open and Madrid Open tennis competitions.
Endeavor mentioned it will run the identical playbook it employed with the UFC, the world’s largest martial arts organisation, enhancing working effectivity, negotiating profitable media offers and placing licencing offers.
The UFC has seen its income develop by a couple of and a half instances and its adjusted EBITDA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) double since 2017, a yr after Endeavor took a controlling curiosity within the firm. Endeavor purchased out the remaining shareholders in 2021.
Beneath the deal {that a} supply mentioned was internally known as Challenge Stunner, UFC and WWE will even contribute money to the brand new firm so it holds almost $150m.
The settlement values every share of WWE at $106, representing a premium of 16 % to the corporate’s Friday closing and giving WWE an enterprise worth of $9.3bn.
In January, WWE mentioned it will discover strategic choices that would embody a sale, shortly after McMahon’s return to the corporate.
McMahon had retired in July final yr as the corporate’s CEO and chair following an investigation into alleged misconduct. Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, who ran the corporate on her personal when her father exited, resigned per week after he returned in January.