WWE

The new business will focus on growing media rights and sponsorship revenue, and will be lead by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Vince McMahon, executive chairman ...

"It's the right time to do the right thing. The company is also a social media powerhouse. The company, which changed its name to World Wrestling Federation and later World Wrestling Entertainment, hosted its first WrestleMania in 1985. The deal between Endeavor and WWE catapults WWE into a new era, after functioning as a family-run business for decades. The new business, which does not yet have a name, will be lead by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. taking a 51% controlling interest in the new company.

A new company will be formed that encompasses the UFC and WWE brands, with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc taking a 51% controlling interest.

The company is also a social media powerhouse. The new business will be lead by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Shares of Endeavor, based in California, rose 3%. Existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% stake. It surpassed 16bn social video views in the final quarter of last year. A new publicly traded company will be formed that encompasses the

Ultimate Fighting Championship owner Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. and WWE are combining to create a $21.4bn (£17.3bn) sports entertainment company.

Mr McMahon retired as WWE CEO and chair in July last year following the launch of an investigation into Last year, WWE booked revenue of $1.3bn (£1bn) and received more than 16 billion social video views in the final quarter of last year. The new company plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange and its board will have 11 members, with six appointed by Endeavor and five appointed by WWE. Mr McMahon said in a statement: "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 news comes after Vince McMahon, founder and majority shareholder of WWE, returned to the company in January and said it could be up for sale. Under the deal, Endeavor will hold a 51% controlling interest in the new company, which does not yet have a name, while existing WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) shareholders will hold 49%.

WWE, which is controlled by Vince McMahon, has spent months seeking a buyer.

The Wall Street Journal had reported about [federal probes](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/25/federal-prosecutors-sec-probing-ex-wwe-ceo-vince-mcmahon-hush-payments.html) into the matter. The elder McMahon recently locked in a [Comcast](/quotes/CMCSA/)'s NBCUniversal has an [existing cable TV ](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2065331-wwe-reaches-multi-year-deal-with-nbc-universal-for-rights-to-raw-and-smackdown)and [streaming deal](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2928214-wwe-network-to-be-exclusive-to-nbcs-peacock-wwe-reportedly-earns-1b-on-deal#:~:text=WWE-,WWE%20Network%20to%20Be%20Exclusive%20to%20NBC's%20Peacock%3B%20WWE,Earns%20%241B%20on%20Deal&text=WWE%20Network%20is%20coming%20to,Network%20in%20the%20United%20States.) with WWE. [retired from the company](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/22/vince-mcmahon-retires-as-chief-of-wwe-amid-probes-into-alleged-misconduct.html) in July following a string of revelations that he paid several women millions of dollars over the years to keep them quiet about alleged affairs and misconduct. In the universe of assets at this scale, the opportunity is rare and finite." Emanuel told CNBC he asked McMahon to stay with the combined company as executive chairman. McMahon, who bought the company from his father in 1982, is the controlling shareholder. Fox also has a [separate media deal with WWE.](https://www.foxsports.com/shows/wwe-friday-night-smackdown) The combined company may also explore new direct-to-consumer opportunities, Emanuel said. The board will consist of 11 people, six appointed by Endeavor and five by WWE. WWE has a market valuation of about $6.5 billion. McMahon, likewise, will be executive chairman, while Endeavor President and COO Mark Shapiro will also work in the same roles at the new company. The deal values WWE at $9.3 billion and UFC, which is owned by Endeavor, at $12.1 billion, the companies said

World Wrestling Entertainment is merging with Endeavor Group, the parent company of competitor UFC, to form a new publicly traded company.

[McMahon](https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/19/business/vince-mcmahon-settlement/index.html), the company’s largest shareholder, was forced to [retire as its CEO last year](https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/22/media/vince-mcmahon-retires-wwe/index.html) following a hush money and sexual harassment scandal. The WWE made more than $1.29 billion in revenue in 2022 and its shares up more than 30% for the year. [outright owner of the UFC in 2021](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2939077-endeavor-agrees-to-acquire-full-control-of-ufc-after-previously-owning-501). Monday’s deal marks the end of WWE as a family-owned business. Emanuel, a Hollywood powerhouse agent, will be the CEO of the new company and retain his chief executive title at the agency. Vince McMahon bought the company from his father in the early 1980s and transformed it into an entertainment empire with several weekly live events. I loved building the WWE. Vince McMahon will retain his current WWE title of executive chairman at the new company, which doesn’t yet have name. It will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TKO.” Revenue for its sports unit, which houses the UFC, grew 20% last year to $1.3 billion thanks in part to increased media rights fees. Endeavor shareholders will own 51% of the newly combined company, while WWE shareholders are getting 49%. WWE shares fell nearly 10% in early trading and Endeavor slumped about 2%.

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc will combine with Endeavor Group-owned mixed martial arts franchise UFC to form a new, publicly listed entertainment giant ...

Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, who ran the company on her own when her father exited, resigned a week after he [returned](/lifestyle/sports/wwe-co-ceo-chairwoman-stephanie-mcmahon-steps-down-2023-01-11/) in January. [Deals](/markets/deals/) The UFC has seen its revenue grow by more than one-and-a-half times and its adjusted EBTIDA double since 2017, a year after Endeavor took a controlling interest in the company. Endeavor bought out the remaining shareholders in 2021. Hollywood power broker Emanuel has transformed Endeavor, which has its roots in representing film and television talent, into a sports and entertainment powerhouse with more than 20 acquisitions. The complex, all-stock structure of the deal surprised investors who were expecting an all-cash transaction, according to analysts and sources familiar with the matter.

WWE AND THE company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship have announced plans to combine to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company. A new ...

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Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and WWE boss Vince McMahon are betting that traditional TV companies and video-streaming giants will continue to pay top dollar for ...

FORMER WWE superstar Cassie Lee took social media by storm with a steamy bikini snap.Lee burst onto the scene in 2015 when she joined WWE's developmen.

This fan said: "Definitely a 10 of 10." Lee burst onto the scene in 2015 when she joined WWE's developmental brand NXT and went on to become a star in professional wrestling. Ex-WWE star Cassie Lee ‘drops jaws’ in bikini as fans describe sizzling wrestler as ‘definitely a 10 out of 10’

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc will combine with Endeavor Group-owned mixed martial arts franchise UFC to form a new, publicly listed entertainment giant ...