Mixed Martial Arts UFC Endeavor Buys Vince Mcmahon World Wresting Entertainment WWE for $9.3 Billion in an All-Share Swap Transaction, Creating a $21
World Wrestling Entertainment Hulk Horgan Caproasia.com | The leading source of data, research, information & resource for financial professionals, investment managers, professional investors, family offices & advisors to institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs. Covering capital markets, investments and private wealth in Asia. How do you invest $3 million to $300 million? How do you manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets? Caproasia - Learn more Caproasia Access | Events | Summits | Register Events | The Financial Centre The 2023 Investment Day | 2023 Family Office Summits | Family Office Circle This site is for accredited investors, professional investors, investment managers and financial professionals only. You should have assets around $3 million to $300 million or managing $20 million to $3 billion. 
Mixed Martial Arts UFC Endeavor Buys Vince Mcmahon World Wresting Entertainment WWE for $9.3 Billion in an All-Share Swap Transaction, Creating a $21 Billion Live Sports & Entertainment Group 7th April 2023 | Hong Kong
Mixed martial arts UFC Endeavor has announced to buy Vince Mcmahon World Wresting Entertainment (WWE) for $9.3 billion in an all-share swap transaction, creating a $21 billion live sports & entertainment group (3/4/23). Upon close, Endeavor will hold a 51% controlling interest in the new company and existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% interest in the new company. The transaction values UFC at an enterprise value of $12.1 billion and WWE at an enterprise value of $9.3 billion. The transaction represents a contribution price of WWE of approximately $106 per share (before any post-closing dividend). The new company will be led by Emanuel (Chief Executive Officer), who will also continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor, McMahon (Executive Chairman of the Board) and Mark Shapiro, who will be President and Chief Operating Officer of both Endeavor and the new company. Dana White will continue in his role as President of UFC and Nick Khan will serve as President of WWE. Vince Mcmahon had worked for his father wresting business in the 1970s, and bought the company (Capitol Wrestling Corporation) in 1982. Capitol Wrestling Corporation is known as World Wrestling Federation and renamed as World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002. World Wrestling Entertainment most popular stars include Hulk Horgan, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Randy “Macho Man” Savage, The Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and John Cena. Vince Mcmahon is a billionaire and has an estimated fortune of $3 billion.
“ Mixed Martial Arts UFC Endeavor Buys Vince Mcmahon World Wresting Entertainment WWE for $9.3 Billion in an All-Share Swap Transaction, Creating a $21 Billion Live Sports & Entertainment Group “
- Article continues below - Web links may be disabled on mobile for security. Please click on desktop. Quick Links, Ads & Announcements Caproasia Access | Events | Summits | Register Events | The Financial Centre The 2023 Investment Day | 2023 Family Office Summits | Family Office Circle New to Caproasia Sign Up | Subscribe | Register Events The 2023 Investment Day | 6/6 HK & 13/6 SG Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Private Markets & more. Taking place on 6th June 2023 in Hong Kong, 13th June 2023 in Singapore. Visit | Register here
Mixed Martial Arts UFC Endeavor Buys Vince Mcmahon World Wresting Entertainment WWE for $9.3 Billion in an All-Share Swap Transaction, Creating a $21 Billion Live Sports & Entertainment Group 
World Wrestling Entertainment Hulk Horgan 3rd April 2023 – Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) (“Endeavor”) and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) (“WWE”) today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a new, publicly listed company consisting of two iconic, complementary, global sports and entertainment brands: UFC and WWE. Upon close, Endeavor will hold a 51% controlling interest in the new company and existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% interest in the new company.
Together, UFC and WWE will have global reach, impressive scale and omnichannel distribution. On a combined 2022 fiscal year-end basis, UFC and WWE achieved revenue of $2.4 billion and a 10% annual revenue growth rate since 2019.
“This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed,” said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor. “For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together.”
“Given the incredible work that Ari and Endeavor have done to grow the UFC brand – nearly doubling its revenue over the past seven years – and the immense success we’ve already had in partnering with their team on a number of ventures, I believe that this is without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders,” said Vincent K. McMahon, Executive Chairman of WWE.
McMahon continued, “Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity. The new company will be well positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights, enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms of content and pursue other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable of brands. I, along with the current WWE management team, look forward to working closely with Ari and the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses to the next level.”
The new company will be led by Emanuel (Chief Executive Officer), who will also continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor, McMahon (Executive Chairman of the Board) and Mark Shapiro, who will be President and Chief Operating Officer of both Endeavor and the new company. Dana White will continue in his role as President of UFC and Nick Khan will serve as President of WWE. The Board of Directors will consist of 11 members who will be appointed at a later date, six of whom will be appointed by Endeavor and five of whom by WWE.
Together, UFC and WWE expect to deliver an estimated $50 million to $100 million in annualized run rate cost synergies by leveraging, among other things, Endeavor’s back office and robust infrastructure. Endeavor also expects significant growth across revenue areas including domestic and international media rights, ticket sales and yield optimization, event operations, sponsorship, licensing and premium hospitality. Endeavor’s success at UFC, including increasing commercial opportunities that have driven more than 2x Adjusted EBITDA growth since its acquisition in late 2016, demonstrates the significant value creation opportunity and upside potential of having UFC and WWE under one roof.
Transaction Details and Approvals
The transaction values UFC at an enterprise value of $12.1 billion and WWE at an enterprise value of $9.3 billion. The transaction represents a contribution price of WWE of approximately $106 per share (before any post-closing dividend). Additionally, UFC and WWE will each contribute cash to the new company so that it holds approximately $150 million. At closing, Endeavor intends to sweep all excess cash at UFC, and shareholders of the new company (other than Endeavor) are expected to receive a post-closing dividend. Under the terms of the transaction, existing WWE shareholders will roll all existing equity into the new entity that will be the parent company of UFC and WWE (“NewCo” until it is named at a later date) and intends to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TKO”. The listing of NewCo will expand the collective investor base to allow for broad market participation across Endeavor and NewCo.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Endeavor and by the Board of Directors of WWE. The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023.
This marks the successful conclusion of WWE’s strategic alternatives review process. WWE embarked on this process to take advantage of the company’s unique position in the entertainment ecosystem as well as the inflection point coming with its media rights renewals, both of which were widely recognized in the marketplace through this process.
Advisors
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are serving as financial advisors to Endeavor, and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor to Endeavor. The Raine Group is acting as lead financial advisor to WWE. J.P. Morgan and Moelis & Company LLC are also acting as financial advisors to WWE. The Raine Group, J.P. Morgan, and Moelis & Company LLC each rendered fairness opinions to the Board of Directors of WWE. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as legal advisor to WWE, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor to WWE’s controlling stockholder, McMahon.
Webcast
Endeavor and WWE will make public a recorded audio webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET today discussing this transaction. The event and accompanying presentation materials can be accessed at investor.endeavorco.com or corporate.wwe.com/investors. The link to the webcast, as well as a recording, will also be available on those websites after the call concludes.
About Endeavor
Endeavor is a global sports and entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most dynamic and engaging storytellers, brands, live events and experiences. The company is comprised of industry leaders including entertainment agency WME; sports, fashion, events and media company IMG; and premier mixed martial arts organization UFC. The Endeavor network specializes in talent representation, sports operations & advisory, event & experiences management, media production & distribution, experiential marketing and brand licensing.
About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.
About WWE®
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Managing $20 million to $3 billion. Investing $3 million to $300 million. For Investment Managers, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Professional Investors, Family Offices, Private Bankers & Advisors, sign up today. Subscribe to Caproasia and receive the latest news, data, insights & reports, events & programs daily at 2 pm. Join Events & Find Services Join Investments, Private Wealth, Family Office events in Hong Kong, Singapore, Asia-wide. Find hard-to-find $3 million to $300 million financial & investment services at The Financial Centre | TFC. Find financial, investment, private wealth, family office, real estate, luxury investments, citizenship, law firms & more. List hard-to-find financial & private wealth services. Have a product launch? Promote a product or service? List your service at The Financial Centre | TFC. Join interviews & editorial and be featured on Caproasia.com or join Investments, Private Wealth, Family Office events. Contact us at [email protected] or [email protected] Caproasia.com | The leading source of data, research, information & resource for financial professionals, investment managers, professional investors, family offices & advisors to institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs. Covering capital markets, investments and private wealth in Asia. How do you invest $3 million to $300 million? How do you manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets? Quick Links Caproasia Access | Events | Summits | Register Events | The Financial Centre The 2023 Investment Day | 2023 Family Office Summits | Family Office Circle 2021 Data Release 2020 List of Private Banks in Hong Kong2020 List of Private Banks in Singapore 2020 Top 10 Largest Family Office2020 Top 10 Largest Multi-Family Offices2020 Report: Hong Kong Private Banks & Asset Mgmt - $4.49 Trillion2020 Report: Singapore Asset Mgmt - $3.48 Trillion AUM For Investors | Professionals | Executives Latest data, reports, insights, news, events & programs Everyday at 2 pm Direct to your inbox Save 2 to 8 hours per week. Organised for success Register Below For CEOs, Heads, Senior Management, Market Heads, Desk Heads, Financial Professionals, Investment Managers, Asset Managers, Fund Managers, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Analysts, Advisors, Wealth Managers, Private Bankers, Family Offices, Investment Bankers, Private Equity, Institutional Investors, Professional Investors Get Ahead in 60 Seconds. Join 10,000 + Save 2 to 8 hours weekly. Organised for Success. Sign Up / Register You are:
InvestorProfessionalFamily OfficeExecutive
Select:
TrialSubscriptionMembershipEvents
Interests / Events / Summits / Roundtables / Networking:
Professional InvestorPrivate WealthFamily OfficePrivate BankingWealth ManagementInvestmentsAlternativesPrivate MarketsCapital MarketsESG & SICEO & EntrepreneursTax, Legal & RisksHNW & UHNWs Insights
Your Name*
Company*
Job Title*
Email 1 (Work / Personal)*
Email 2 (Work / Personal)
Country
New to Caproasia Learn More | Sign Up | Subscribe | Register Events Caproasia Users - Manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets
- Invest $3 million to $300 million
- Advise institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs
- Caproasia.com
- Caproasia Access
- Caproasia Events
- The Financial Centre | Find Services
- Membership
- Family Office Circle
- Professional Investor Circle
- Investor Relations Network
- Professional Investor
- Family Office
- HNW Partnership
- Family Office Circle
- Family Office Networking
- Family Office Roundtable
- The Family Office Summit
- 28th March 2023 - Hong Kong
- 4th April 2023 - Singapore
- April 2023 - Virtual
- 6th June 2023 - Hong Kong
- 13th June 2023 - Singapore
- Sept 2023 - Hong Kong
- Oct 2023 - Singapore
- Oct 2023 - Hong Kong
- Visit: The Investment Day | Register: Click here
- The Investment Summit
- The Private Wealth Summit
- The Family Office Summit
- The CEO & Entrepreneur Summit
- The Capital Markets Summit
- The ESG / Sustainable Investment Summit
Owl Media Group takes pride in providing social-first platforms which equally benefit and facilitate engagement between businesses and consumers and creating much-needed balance to make conducting business, easier, safer, faster and better. The vision behind every platform in the Owl Media suite is to make lives better and foster a healthy environment in which parties can conduct business efficiently. Facilitating free and fair business relationships is crucial for any thriving economy and Owl Media bridges the gap and open doors for transparent and successful transacting. No advertising funds influence the functionality of our media platforms because we value authenticity and never compromise on quality no matter how lucrative the offers from advertisers may seem.