UFC, WWE combine to create $21.4B entertainment company

Jasen777 · Post #1 » by **Jasen777** » Mon Apr 3, 2023 8:53 pm

https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/35968852/former-clemson-qb-kelly-bryant-baylor-mark-vital-50-attend-wwe-tryout-ahead-wrestlemania

WWE and the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship will combine to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company.

A new publicly traded company will house UFC and World Wrestling Entertainment brands, with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. taking a 51% controlling interest in the new company. Existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% stake.

The companies put the enterprise value of UFC at $12.1 billion and WWE's value at $9.3 billion.

The new business, which does not yet have a name, will be led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Vince McMahon, executive chairman at WWE, will serve in the same role at the new company. Dana White will continue as president of UFC, and Nick Khan will be president at WWE....

cowboyronnie · Post #2 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu Apr 6, 2023 12:08 am

Probably good for MMA fighters, who can now moonlight and/or retire into the WWE.

But surely bad news for MMA fans, as fighters will spend more of their time hustling for the WWE (safer, more lucrative) than the UFC.

Susan · Post #3 » by **Susan** » Fri Apr 7, 2023 11:23 pm

Didn't Shane consult with the UFC in the late 2000s to help make sure that the fighters were all 1099s and couldn't get health insurance?

Jaabo · Post #4 » by **Jaabo** » Mon Apr 10, 2023 9:01 am

cowboyronnie wrote:Probably good for MMA fighters, who can now moonlight and/or retire into the WWE.

But surely bad news for MMA fans, as fighters will spend more of their time hustling for the WWE (safer, more lucrative) than the UFC.

Would be pretty odd if they don't regulate it in some way then, pretty obvious loophole after all.

I'm kinda interested if they gonna ramp up ads prices and stuff, WWE already was pretty expensive for sponsor iirc.