Exclusive: Former Fifth Season film head Alexis Garcia has launched CAT5, an action film label that will be backed by his former employers, who are among other investors and partners to be announced at later date. As one of its first projects, CAT5 has signed on to co-finance Black Bear’s Levon’s Trade. The film is in production, with David Ayer-directing the Jason Statham vehicle that was adapted from the Chuck Dixon novel by Sylvester Stallone, with revisions by Ayer. Garcia joins as an executive producer. The film is in production in London and slated for wide theatrical release in the U.S. by Amazon MGM Studios on January 17, 2025.
Garcia spent seven years with Fifth Season and Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, helping build it from its 2017 launch as Endeavor Content. Before that he spent a decade at Endeavor/WME under Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, where he...
Garcia spent seven years with Fifth Season and Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, helping build it from its 2017 launch as Endeavor Content. Before that he spent a decade at Endeavor/WME under Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, where he...
- 5/2/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Endeavor chief Ari Emanuel received a roughly $84 million pay package last year — between his base salary, bonus, stock awards and other compensation — the company disclosed in its proxy filing on Thursday.
President Mark Shapiro received $38.8 million, by those same measures, in 2023, while executive chairman Patrick Whitesell saw $13.2 million in pay, the filing disclosed.
The Endeavor pay for Emanuel and Shapiro include their paydays at Tko Group Holdings, the owners of WWE and UFC, where Emanuel’s compensation package was valued at nearly $65 million last year.
After a three-year run as a public company, Endeavor is set to go private in a reversal for Silver Lake and the executives running the company. But Emanuel, Whitesell and Shapiro will all be the beneficiaries of some generous deal-related bonuses.
For starters, they are incentivized to be sellers. While a source says that no major asset sales are imminent and there is no rush to sell anything off,...
President Mark Shapiro received $38.8 million, by those same measures, in 2023, while executive chairman Patrick Whitesell saw $13.2 million in pay, the filing disclosed.
The Endeavor pay for Emanuel and Shapiro include their paydays at Tko Group Holdings, the owners of WWE and UFC, where Emanuel’s compensation package was valued at nearly $65 million last year.
After a three-year run as a public company, Endeavor is set to go private in a reversal for Silver Lake and the executives running the company. But Emanuel, Whitesell and Shapiro will all be the beneficiaries of some generous deal-related bonuses.
For starters, they are incentivized to be sellers. While a source says that no major asset sales are imminent and there is no rush to sell anything off,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ari Emanuel, in his capacity as CEO of Tko Group Holdings — the parent company of UFC and WWE — had a compensation package last year that hit nearly $65 million.
Tko granted Emanuel, who also is CEO of Endeavor, a base salary of $911,538, plus a $24 million cash bonus and stock awards worth $40 million in 2023, per a regulatory filing by Tko. All told, the exec’s pay package totaled $64.91 million.
Tko previously disclosed that Emanuel received stock grants worth $40 million, vesting over a four-year period, in conjunction with the closing of the UFC-wwe merger in September 2023 (which is majority owned by Endeavor).
Among other Tko execs, WWE president Nick Khan had a 2023 compensation package worth $32 million. That included a salary of $515,385, a bonus of $15 million, stock grants worth $12.1 million and a cash incentive compensation of $4.5 million. Vince McMahon, WWE’s former CEO who resigned from Tko’s board earlier this year in the...
Tko granted Emanuel, who also is CEO of Endeavor, a base salary of $911,538, plus a $24 million cash bonus and stock awards worth $40 million in 2023, per a regulatory filing by Tko. All told, the exec’s pay package totaled $64.91 million.
Tko previously disclosed that Emanuel received stock grants worth $40 million, vesting over a four-year period, in conjunction with the closing of the UFC-wwe merger in September 2023 (which is majority owned by Endeavor).
Among other Tko execs, WWE president Nick Khan had a 2023 compensation package worth $32 million. That included a salary of $515,385, a bonus of $15 million, stock grants worth $12.1 million and a cash incentive compensation of $4.5 million. Vince McMahon, WWE’s former CEO who resigned from Tko’s board earlier this year in the...
- 4/24/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Ari Emanuel, CEO of Tko Group as well as the soon-to-be-private Endeavor, saw a pay package valued at $64.9 million in 2023 as CE0 of Tko Group, the home of WWE and UFC. Tko is a relatively new company that started trading on the New York Stock Exchange last September.
Emanuel’s compensation included a $911k base salary, a cash bonus of $24 million, and stock awards valued at $40 million.
Tko chief operating officer Mark Shapiro’s package totaled $16 million for last year, according to Tko’s proxy statement filed with the SEC last year. Shapiro holds the same role at Endeavor.
The compensation committee noted revenue, adjusted ebitda gains, cost reduction, strong turnout for UFC and WWE live events, and a set of media rights deals for WWE, including a long-term deal with Netflix. “The effective leadership of our named executive officers was critical to our success in achieving these financial results and strategic activity milestones and,...
Emanuel’s compensation included a $911k base salary, a cash bonus of $24 million, and stock awards valued at $40 million.
Tko chief operating officer Mark Shapiro’s package totaled $16 million for last year, according to Tko’s proxy statement filed with the SEC last year. Shapiro holds the same role at Endeavor.
The compensation committee noted revenue, adjusted ebitda gains, cost reduction, strong turnout for UFC and WWE live events, and a set of media rights deals for WWE, including a long-term deal with Netflix. “The effective leadership of our named executive officers was critical to our success in achieving these financial results and strategic activity milestones and,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Endeavor’s $21 billion deal to merge its UFC with the WWE and create Tko Group Holdings last year created a live sports powerhouse. The deal, orchestrated by the Ari Emanuel-led holding company, also delivered rich compensation packages for its top executives.
Emanuel took home a package valued at nearly $65 million last year, including a $911,538 salary (it is prorated to reflect only Sept. 12, 2023 to the end of the year), a $24 million bonus, and $40 million in stock awards, per Tko’s 2023 proxy filing disclosed on Wednesday.
As always with CEO pay packages (including Emanuel’s $300 million-plus package in 2021), that number is dependent on the company hitting key metrics, and the share price consistently moving upwards.
Tko president and COO Mark Shapiro earned a package valued at $16.1 million last year, while CFO Andrew Schleimer took home an $8.8 million package. WWE president Nick Khan, who is also a board member of the company,...
Emanuel took home a package valued at nearly $65 million last year, including a $911,538 salary (it is prorated to reflect only Sept. 12, 2023 to the end of the year), a $24 million bonus, and $40 million in stock awards, per Tko’s 2023 proxy filing disclosed on Wednesday.
As always with CEO pay packages (including Emanuel’s $300 million-plus package in 2021), that number is dependent on the company hitting key metrics, and the share price consistently moving upwards.
Tko president and COO Mark Shapiro earned a package valued at $16.1 million last year, while CFO Andrew Schleimer took home an $8.8 million package. WWE president Nick Khan, who is also a board member of the company,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At Wrestlemania 40 this past weekend, WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque took to the stage at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and opened the events by declaring it a “new era” for the company.
It was the first Wrestlemania to be held under the ownership of Tko Group Holdings, formed when Endeavor spun out its UFC business and merged it with the WWE last year. And it was the first Wrestlemania in the WWE’s history without Vince McMahon behind the curtain, with the executive exiting the company in January after being hit with a lawsuit alleging battery and sex trafficking.
Now, McMahon – who remains the largest outside shareholder in the company – is taking another step toward a more complete break from the sports entertainment firm.
On Monday, Tko and Endeavor disclosed that McMahon is selling some $311.2 million worth of stock in the company, $165 million to Tko in...
It was the first Wrestlemania to be held under the ownership of Tko Group Holdings, formed when Endeavor spun out its UFC business and merged it with the WWE last year. And it was the first Wrestlemania in the WWE’s history without Vince McMahon behind the curtain, with the executive exiting the company in January after being hit with a lawsuit alleging battery and sex trafficking.
Now, McMahon – who remains the largest outside shareholder in the company – is taking another step toward a more complete break from the sports entertainment firm.
On Monday, Tko and Endeavor disclosed that McMahon is selling some $311.2 million worth of stock in the company, $165 million to Tko in...
- 4/8/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Social media influencer and YouTuber Logan Paul is also a professional wrestler signed to WWE and is competing on the SmackDown event. The entrepreneur currently holds the title of WWE United States Champion. Paul is one of the highest-paid YouTubers and is also regarded as one of the most influential people in the industry.
Logan Paul co-founded Prime Beverages alongside Ksi, which is created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. The company produces a variety of energy drinks, sports drinks, and drink mixes containing varying levels of caffeine, electrolytes, and added micronutrients. Prime Hydration’s recent appearance on WWE sends fans into wondering if Vince McMahon’s leadership was better.
Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration to be advertised in the center-ring Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration center-ring sponsorship deal with WWE
According to reports by WWE, professional wrestler and social media influencer Logan Paul, along with Ksi who co-founded Prime Hydration,...
Logan Paul co-founded Prime Beverages alongside Ksi, which is created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. The company produces a variety of energy drinks, sports drinks, and drink mixes containing varying levels of caffeine, electrolytes, and added micronutrients. Prime Hydration’s recent appearance on WWE sends fans into wondering if Vince McMahon’s leadership was better.
Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration to be advertised in the center-ring Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration center-ring sponsorship deal with WWE
According to reports by WWE, professional wrestler and social media influencer Logan Paul, along with Ksi who co-founded Prime Hydration,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Avneet Ahluwalia
- FandomWire
Vince McMahon, the ex-WWE impresario who abruptly left parent Tko Group Holdings’ board in the wake of a graphic sexual abuse lawsuit “is not coming back to the company,” Tko President Mark Shapiro affirmed Wednesday.
Speaking at a conference in San Francisco hosted by Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley, Shapiro said Tko “did not participate in the recent sale of Vince McMahon’s load that he dropped off.” He was referring to McMahon’s decision, revealed Monday in an SEC filing, to sell $412 million in Tko stock. The company was formed last fall as a holding entity for the WWE and UFC, controlled by Endeavor.
Shapiro said the most recent stock sale cut McMahon’s holdings to 15 million shares. He had sold an even bigger tranche several weeks ago and his position in the company is down from an initial level of 28 million shares, Shapiro said, giving him 8.5% of all shares.
Speaking at a conference in San Francisco hosted by Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley, Shapiro said Tko “did not participate in the recent sale of Vince McMahon’s load that he dropped off.” He was referring to McMahon’s decision, revealed Monday in an SEC filing, to sell $412 million in Tko stock. The company was formed last fall as a holding entity for the WWE and UFC, controlled by Endeavor.
Shapiro said the most recent stock sale cut McMahon’s holdings to 15 million shares. He had sold an even bigger tranche several weeks ago and his position in the company is down from an initial level of 28 million shares, Shapiro said, giving him 8.5% of all shares.
- 3/6/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
WWE founder Vince McMahon, who stepped down from his posts as executive chairman and board member of Tko Group amid renewed scrutiny around sexual misconduct, is selling a substantial chunk of his stake in the company.
According to a securities filing Tuesday, McMahon plans to sell 5.4 million shares in Tko, which comes out to roughly $412 million. The value of the shares could end up being worth as much as $25 million more, with the company’s stock price closing at $81.67 at market close on Monday.
The shares comprise roughly 25 percent of his remaining stake in Tko. The sale comes after McMahon in November moved to sell 8.4 million shares in the company, with a street value of just over $700 million. Notably, Tko bought back $100 million worth of the shares. Endeavor and Tko chief executive Ari Emanuel, as well as president and COO Mark Shapiro, also collectively purchased $2 million of stock.
The transaction...
According to a securities filing Tuesday, McMahon plans to sell 5.4 million shares in Tko, which comes out to roughly $412 million. The value of the shares could end up being worth as much as $25 million more, with the company’s stock price closing at $81.67 at market close on Monday.
The shares comprise roughly 25 percent of his remaining stake in Tko. The sale comes after McMahon in November moved to sell 8.4 million shares in the company, with a street value of just over $700 million. Notably, Tko bought back $100 million worth of the shares. Endeavor and Tko chief executive Ari Emanuel, as well as president and COO Mark Shapiro, also collectively purchased $2 million of stock.
The transaction...
- 3/5/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated with call: Endeavor opted not to take questions on a call with analysts after quarterly earnings today, citing a strategic review process announced last fall.
CEO Ari Emanuel said the process is ongoing to “maximize value for our shareholders” and the company “will provide an update when there is more information to share.”
The full-year/fourth-quarter calls typically focus on guidance and outlook for the current year, which the company didn’t provide given the ongoing review, which seems to indicate it believes some transaction is indeed on the way.
Previous: Endeavor grew revenue 25% last quarter to $1.58 billion, beating forecasts, and shrunk losses to $29 million from $226 million as CEO Ari Emanuel reminded Wall Street that it’s still looking at strategic options – four months after the company said it was evaluating its businesses, and its largest shareholder Silver Lake floated the idea of taking the company private.
The giant...
CEO Ari Emanuel said the process is ongoing to “maximize value for our shareholders” and the company “will provide an update when there is more information to share.”
The full-year/fourth-quarter calls typically focus on guidance and outlook for the current year, which the company didn’t provide given the ongoing review, which seems to indicate it believes some transaction is indeed on the way.
Previous: Endeavor grew revenue 25% last quarter to $1.58 billion, beating forecasts, and shrunk losses to $29 million from $226 million as CEO Ari Emanuel reminded Wall Street that it’s still looking at strategic options – four months after the company said it was evaluating its businesses, and its largest shareholder Silver Lake floated the idea of taking the company private.
The giant...
- 2/28/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Tko Group Holdings exec Mark Shapiro said the company is “on the sideline” waiting to see if former Executive Chairman Vince McMahon will sell any more of his massive stock holding in the company.
Shapiro, who is president and COO of Tko and holds the same title at its majority owner, Endeavor Group Holdings, noted that McMahon still owns about 20 million shares in Tko despite selling more than 8 million last November. The proceeds from that sale exceeded $700 million.
McMahon abruptly exited as board chairman last month after a graphic lawsuit was filed by a former employee, accusing him of sex trafficking and sexual assault. Having built the WWE into a lucrative global business and cultural force over more than four decades, McMahon oversaw the merger of it with the UFC in a $21.4 billion combination that created Tko this year.
“He’ll do whatever he’s going to do, and we’re all on the sideline,...
Shapiro, who is president and COO of Tko and holds the same title at its majority owner, Endeavor Group Holdings, noted that McMahon still owns about 20 million shares in Tko despite selling more than 8 million last November. The proceeds from that sale exceeded $700 million.
McMahon abruptly exited as board chairman last month after a graphic lawsuit was filed by a former employee, accusing him of sex trafficking and sexual assault. Having built the WWE into a lucrative global business and cultural force over more than four decades, McMahon oversaw the merger of it with the UFC in a $21.4 billion combination that created Tko this year.
“He’ll do whatever he’s going to do, and we’re all on the sideline,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In the first full quarter to incorporate WWE earnings since its formation, Tko Group Holdings reported revenue of $614 million and adjusted Ebitda of $223.2 million, laying a roadmap for growth in 2024 and beyond as the company seeks to capitalize on its media rights renewals, as well as live events and sponsorship growth.
Tko was formed last September when Endeavor spun out the UFC and merged it with the WWE. Its first earnings report was in November, with the caveat that it only included numbers from the WWE beginning September 12, 2023.
UFC reported Q4 revenue of $282.2 million, up from $271.1 million a year earlier, while the WWE reported revenue of $331.2 million. The majority of revenues for each brand came from media rights, followed by live events.
The company also released guidance for 2024, telling investors that it is targeting revenue of $2.575 billion to $2.650 billion; adjusted Ebitda of $1.150 billion to $1.170 billion; and free cash flow conversion in excess of 50 percent,...
Tko was formed last September when Endeavor spun out the UFC and merged it with the WWE. Its first earnings report was in November, with the caveat that it only included numbers from the WWE beginning September 12, 2023.
UFC reported Q4 revenue of $282.2 million, up from $271.1 million a year earlier, while the WWE reported revenue of $331.2 million. The majority of revenues for each brand came from media rights, followed by live events.
The company also released guidance for 2024, telling investors that it is targeting revenue of $2.575 billion to $2.650 billion; adjusted Ebitda of $1.150 billion to $1.170 billion; and free cash flow conversion in excess of 50 percent,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix and the parent company of World Wrestling Entertainment have struck a deal that will see the WWE’s flagship program “Raw” stream live on the service for the first time ever.
The deal is valued at over $5 billion and includes live domestic and international telecast rights to Raw over the course of 10 years. The agreement is set to take effect in 2025, when WWE’s broadcast contract with NBC Universal expires.
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” WWE President Nick Khan said on Tuesday. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base.”
The rights deal includes international distribution of several other WWE programs, including “Smackdown!,” “Nxt” and the pay-per-view events “Royal Rumble,” “SummerSlam” and “WrestleMania.” In the United States, those events will continue to...
The deal is valued at over $5 billion and includes live domestic and international telecast rights to Raw over the course of 10 years. The agreement is set to take effect in 2025, when WWE’s broadcast contract with NBC Universal expires.
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” WWE President Nick Khan said on Tuesday. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base.”
The rights deal includes international distribution of several other WWE programs, including “Smackdown!,” “Nxt” and the pay-per-view events “Royal Rumble,” “SummerSlam” and “WrestleMania.” In the United States, those events will continue to...
- 1/23/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
In “Downwind,” a documentary executive produced by Matthew Modine, directors Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller chronicle the lethal effects that nuclear testing on American soil has had on U.S. citizens.
The Oscar hopeful reveals that from 1951 to 1992, Mercury, Nevada, was the site for the testing of 928 large scale nuclear weapons. Wind dispersed radioactive fallout from those atmospheric blasts (mushroom clouds) and underground testing (venting) in a seemingly unpredictable manner to people living “downwind.” The United States Department of Justice defines “downwinders,” also known as lab rats, as human beings who live in counties located downwind from Nevada Test Site in the states of Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
The film explains that the radiation led to various diseases, mainly cancer. Shapiro and Miller also highlight how Hollywood star John Wayne and numerous members of the cast and crew of the 1956 movie “The Conqueror” died, arguably, of cancer due to...
The Oscar hopeful reveals that from 1951 to 1992, Mercury, Nevada, was the site for the testing of 928 large scale nuclear weapons. Wind dispersed radioactive fallout from those atmospheric blasts (mushroom clouds) and underground testing (venting) in a seemingly unpredictable manner to people living “downwind.” The United States Department of Justice defines “downwinders,” also known as lab rats, as human beings who live in counties located downwind from Nevada Test Site in the states of Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
The film explains that the radiation led to various diseases, mainly cancer. Shapiro and Miller also highlight how Hollywood star John Wayne and numerous members of the cast and crew of the 1956 movie “The Conqueror” died, arguably, of cancer due to...
- 12/14/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Vince McMahon will sell 8.4 million shares of Tko Group Holdings, the sports and entertainment company announced on Thursday. McMahon is the former owner of World Wrestling Entertainment and current executive chairman of Tko. Those shares make up approximately one-fourth of his current holdings in the company, with an estimated worth of $700 million.
Endeavor ‘s Ari Emanuel, Tko’s CEO and director, is interested in purchasing up 1 million of those shares, according to a press release. Per a Thursday securities filing, Tko plans to buy back $100 million worth of the shares in the sale.
The company’s president, COO and director Mark Shapiro is also committing to a $1 million purchase. An unspecified number of Tko directors are interested in buying $850,000 worth of the stock at the public offering price. These moves have been seen as a vote of confidence in the company’s future.
Tko was formed just two months ago when WWE,...
Endeavor ‘s Ari Emanuel, Tko’s CEO and director, is interested in purchasing up 1 million of those shares, according to a press release. Per a Thursday securities filing, Tko plans to buy back $100 million worth of the shares in the sale.
The company’s president, COO and director Mark Shapiro is also committing to a $1 million purchase. An unspecified number of Tko directors are interested in buying $850,000 worth of the stock at the public offering price. These moves have been seen as a vote of confidence in the company’s future.
Tko was formed just two months ago when WWE,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Vince McMahon, the longtime former CEO of WWE, is selling nearly one-third of his stake in Tko Group Holdings.
The wrestling impresario is unloading 8.4 million shares, which had a market value of around $700 million as of Thursday’s close. Last summer, McMahon was listed as owning 28 million shares in Tko, the newly formed parent of WWE and UFC. Endeavor, which owns the UFC, holds a 51% controlling interest in Tko, which began trading last September.
In connection with McMahon’s sale, an SEC filing said, Tko as a company intends to acquire $100 million in shares. CEO Ari Emanuel and President and COO Mark Shapiro; and other members of Tko’s board of directors have “indicated an interest” in picking up $1 million in stock apiece, with a number of additional directors ticketed for another $850,000.
No shares are being sold by Tko as part of the transaction, a press release noted. The purchases...
The wrestling impresario is unloading 8.4 million shares, which had a market value of around $700 million as of Thursday’s close. Last summer, McMahon was listed as owning 28 million shares in Tko, the newly formed parent of WWE and UFC. Endeavor, which owns the UFC, holds a 51% controlling interest in Tko, which began trading last September.
In connection with McMahon’s sale, an SEC filing said, Tko as a company intends to acquire $100 million in shares. CEO Ari Emanuel and President and COO Mark Shapiro; and other members of Tko’s board of directors have “indicated an interest” in picking up $1 million in stock apiece, with a number of additional directors ticketed for another $850,000.
No shares are being sold by Tko as part of the transaction, a press release noted. The purchases...
- 11/9/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Updated, Nov. 10: Vince McMahon is cashing out a big chunk of the stock he received from the sale of WWE.
McMahon, the former CEO of WWE, intends to sell 8.4 million shares of Class A common stock in Tko Group Holdings, the company formed by the merger of WWE and UFC, which was engineered by Endeavor (owner of UFC).
Early Friday, Tko announced McMahon’s shares would be priced at $79.80 per share, making the stock sale worth $670.3 million. McMahon “will receive all of the net proceeds from this offering,” Tko said in a filing Thursday with the SEC. The stock he’s selling represents about 30% of the 28 million shares McMahon previously owned in Tko, per a regulatory filing.
Tko said it would repurchase approximately $100 million of shares of its Class A common stock from the underwriters in the stock sale by McMahon.
McMahon, who has the role of executive chairman of Tko Group,...
McMahon, the former CEO of WWE, intends to sell 8.4 million shares of Class A common stock in Tko Group Holdings, the company formed by the merger of WWE and UFC, which was engineered by Endeavor (owner of UFC).
Early Friday, Tko announced McMahon’s shares would be priced at $79.80 per share, making the stock sale worth $670.3 million. McMahon “will receive all of the net proceeds from this offering,” Tko said in a filing Thursday with the SEC. The stock he’s selling represents about 30% of the 28 million shares McMahon previously owned in Tko, per a regulatory filing.
Tko said it would repurchase approximately $100 million of shares of its Class A common stock from the underwriters in the stock sale by McMahon.
McMahon, who has the role of executive chairman of Tko Group,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
WWE founder Vince McMahon is selling a big chunk of his holdings in Tko Group, the Endeavor-controlled owner of the wrestling giant.
According to a securities filing Thursday, McMahon plans to sell 8.4 million shares in Tko, with a street value of just over $700 million as of market close. That is nearly 25 percent of his current holdings in the company.
McMahon currently serves as executive chairman of Tko Group.
Notably, the filing says that Tko intends to buy back $100 million worth of the shares in the sale, with Endeavor and Tko CEO Ari Emanuel and president and COO Mark Shapiro expected to purchase $1 million each. Other directors have committed to buy another $850,000 in shares.
Tko Group was formed in September when Endeavor spun out its UFC division and merged it with McMahon’s WWE, creating a sports media powerhouse.
The company gave its first quarterly earnings report earlier this week,...
According to a securities filing Thursday, McMahon plans to sell 8.4 million shares in Tko, with a street value of just over $700 million as of market close. That is nearly 25 percent of his current holdings in the company.
McMahon currently serves as executive chairman of Tko Group.
Notably, the filing says that Tko intends to buy back $100 million worth of the shares in the sale, with Endeavor and Tko CEO Ari Emanuel and president and COO Mark Shapiro expected to purchase $1 million each. Other directors have committed to buy another $850,000 in shares.
Tko Group was formed in September when Endeavor spun out its UFC division and merged it with McMahon’s WWE, creating a sports media powerhouse.
The company gave its first quarterly earnings report earlier this week,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel expressed hope Wednesday that “the strike ends in the next couple days,” referring to the SAG-AFTRA impasse still paralyzing Hollywood.
Even after the expected end to the historic dual walkouts by SAG-AFTRA and WGA, he said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, many productions would need time to regroup and get back up and running. The early part of 2024 the likely window when shooting would fully resume, Emanuel said, with the process of scheduling actors creating a frenzy in the final weeks of 2023.
“There’s tons of pent-up demand, lots of stuff on the runway,” Emanuel said.
CFO Jason Lublin estimated the Hollywood strikes had a negative impact of $40 million-$50 million in the third quarter. His assessment came after the WME parent reported mixed third-quarter results, with sports gains lifting revenue but the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes hampering the company’s Representation unit.
Speaking to...
Even after the expected end to the historic dual walkouts by SAG-AFTRA and WGA, he said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, many productions would need time to regroup and get back up and running. The early part of 2024 the likely window when shooting would fully resume, Emanuel said, with the process of scheduling actors creating a frenzy in the final weeks of 2023.
“There’s tons of pent-up demand, lots of stuff on the runway,” Emanuel said.
CFO Jason Lublin estimated the Hollywood strikes had a negative impact of $40 million-$50 million in the third quarter. His assessment came after the WME parent reported mixed third-quarter results, with sports gains lifting revenue but the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes hampering the company’s Representation unit.
Speaking to...
- 11/8/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In the quarter that included the marriage of UFC and WWE under the Tko Group umbrella, Endeavor saw its Q3 revenue rise despite headwinds from Hollywood strikes and other market conditions, but operating expenses climbed even more.
Endeavor’s conference call with analysts today gaveWall Streeters a chance to grill company executives, including CEO Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer, on the news earlier this month that Endeavor is considering “strategic alternatives” for some of its businesses.
Controlling shareholder Silver Lake, meanwhile, has said it intends to take the company private. “Silver Lake firmly believes in Endeavor’s business and is not interested in selling its shares in Endeavor to a third-party nor in entertaining bids for assets that are a part of Endeavor,” the private equity firm said on Oct. 25.
“Given the continued dislocation between our public market value and the intrinsic value of Endeavor’s underlying assets,...
Endeavor’s conference call with analysts today gaveWall Streeters a chance to grill company executives, including CEO Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer, on the news earlier this month that Endeavor is considering “strategic alternatives” for some of its businesses.
Controlling shareholder Silver Lake, meanwhile, has said it intends to take the company private. “Silver Lake firmly believes in Endeavor’s business and is not interested in selling its shares in Endeavor to a third-party nor in entertaining bids for assets that are a part of Endeavor,” the private equity firm said on Oct. 25.
“Given the continued dislocation between our public market value and the intrinsic value of Endeavor’s underlying assets,...
- 11/8/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Tko Group Holdings, the Endeavor-controlled public company that owns the UFC and WWE, reported its first quarterly earnings since the company was formed in September.
Tko, led by CEO Ari Emanuel and president and COO Mark Shapiro, is banking that synergies between the UFC and WWE, combined with escalating media rights deals and international expansion, will present a compelling growth story to Wall Street.
To that end, the company guided that it expects synergies to come in at the high range of its previous guidance, announced an expansion of UFC fights in the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, secured a new TV rights deal for WWE Smackdown with NBCUniversal, and inked UFC’s biggest ever sponsorship deal with Ab InBev.
“Since launching Tko on September 12th, our teams at WWE, UFC, and Endeavor have been focused on integration and executing our strategy,” said Emanuel in a statement. “This...
Tko, led by CEO Ari Emanuel and president and COO Mark Shapiro, is banking that synergies between the UFC and WWE, combined with escalating media rights deals and international expansion, will present a compelling growth story to Wall Street.
To that end, the company guided that it expects synergies to come in at the high range of its previous guidance, announced an expansion of UFC fights in the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, secured a new TV rights deal for WWE Smackdown with NBCUniversal, and inked UFC’s biggest ever sponsorship deal with Ab InBev.
“Since launching Tko on September 12th, our teams at WWE, UFC, and Endeavor have been focused on integration and executing our strategy,” said Emanuel in a statement. “This...
- 11/7/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ari Emanuel took some shots during his latest public appearance.
The Endeavor CEO took aim at CAA over their handling of issues related to Harvey Weinstein, calling for Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane to “take a leave of absence” while the matter is investigated.
He also urged the studios and actors to get a deal done even if it means getting “half a loaf”, saying that, “You’re not winning an Oscar for this negotiation”.
Speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime event, he also talked up interest in the rights to WWE’s Raw and teased deals with Netflix for Tyler Perry and David Ellison.
He also took aim at Benjamin Netanyahu over the terror attacks in Israel.
It was a short, but, as ever, wildly entertaining conversation with Emanuel.
On CAA, which along with Disney and Miramax, is being sued by Julia Ormond over an alleged sexual assault by Weinstein...
The Endeavor CEO took aim at CAA over their handling of issues related to Harvey Weinstein, calling for Bryan Lourd and Kevin Huvane to “take a leave of absence” while the matter is investigated.
He also urged the studios and actors to get a deal done even if it means getting “half a loaf”, saying that, “You’re not winning an Oscar for this negotiation”.
Speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime event, he also talked up interest in the rights to WWE’s Raw and teased deals with Netflix for Tyler Perry and David Ellison.
He also took aim at Benjamin Netanyahu over the terror attacks in Israel.
It was a short, but, as ever, wildly entertaining conversation with Emanuel.
On CAA, which along with Disney and Miramax, is being sued by Julia Ormond over an alleged sexual assault by Weinstein...
- 10/12/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
One hundred years ago, in August 1923, the Green Bay Packers football club was formed in a public stock sale.
The Packers sold 1,000 shares at $5 apiece, raising $5,000 (about $90,000 today, adjusted for inflation). The team has held five stock sales since then, in 1935, 1950, 1997, 2011 and 2021, but despite raising tens of millions of dollars, the Packers’ unusual structure has a big asterisk: The team is a publicly owned nonprofit corporation, and the stock? It cannot be resold, traded or returned to the team.
While the Packers paved the way for the public to own a piece of a sports team (even if there isn’t much they can do with that ownership), in recent decades sports has mostly remained an investment for the ultrarich. With most major sports teams now worth billions of dollars, very few entire leagues for sale, and the value of media rights deals exploding, there is big money at stake.
The Packers sold 1,000 shares at $5 apiece, raising $5,000 (about $90,000 today, adjusted for inflation). The team has held five stock sales since then, in 1935, 1950, 1997, 2011 and 2021, but despite raising tens of millions of dollars, the Packers’ unusual structure has a big asterisk: The team is a publicly owned nonprofit corporation, and the stock? It cannot be resold, traded or returned to the team.
While the Packers paved the way for the public to own a piece of a sports team (even if there isn’t much they can do with that ownership), in recent decades sports has mostly remained an investment for the ultrarich. With most major sports teams now worth billions of dollars, very few entire leagues for sale, and the value of media rights deals exploding, there is big money at stake.
- 9/24/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
WWE, part of the newly created Tko Group, and NBCUniversal have agreed to a five-year domestic media rights deal that will bring Friday Night SmackDown to USA Network starting in Oct. 2024, exiting its current home on Fox.
WWE will also produce four specials a year for NBC primetime.
Raw, the top-rated flagship property that also airs Mondays on USA Network, is not part of this deal. Today’s announcement noted that USA Networks “is currently home to WWE Monday Night Raw and WWE Nxt, “which will continue to air on USA Network through September of 2024.” A number of players are said to be circling Raw.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed but Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of WWE parents Tko Group and Endeavor, said recently when asked about negotiations that he expected results “in line with market expectations.” That could mean about a 40% bump from the previous SmackDown deal,...
WWE will also produce four specials a year for NBC primetime.
Raw, the top-rated flagship property that also airs Mondays on USA Network, is not part of this deal. Today’s announcement noted that USA Networks “is currently home to WWE Monday Night Raw and WWE Nxt, “which will continue to air on USA Network through September of 2024.” A number of players are said to be circling Raw.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed but Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of WWE parents Tko Group and Endeavor, said recently when asked about negotiations that he expected results “in line with market expectations.” That could mean about a 40% bump from the previous SmackDown deal,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
For decades, sports on television was a bulletproof business. Live games, airing on local stations or national networks, reliably brought in big audiences and even bigger advertising hauls.
Inside of just a few years, though, nearly everything about the way TV makes money from sports has begun to change as the industry’s transition to streaming upends the marketplace. Into this volatile mix, Endeavor has drop-kicked a newly created sports entity that is built for the future of both television and fandom. As of Sept. 12, that new entity has started trading on the NYSE under the feisty ticker symbol Tko.
“We sit at the epicenter of large and fast-growing markets,” Endeavor president Mark Shapiro promises. “We live in the world of the super fan.”
Tko Group Holdings was birthed as a public company this month with the completion of Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE, the long-dominant pro wrestling company owned...
Inside of just a few years, though, nearly everything about the way TV makes money from sports has begun to change as the industry’s transition to streaming upends the marketplace. Into this volatile mix, Endeavor has drop-kicked a newly created sports entity that is built for the future of both television and fandom. As of Sept. 12, that new entity has started trading on the NYSE under the feisty ticker symbol Tko.
“We sit at the epicenter of large and fast-growing markets,” Endeavor president Mark Shapiro promises. “We live in the world of the super fan.”
Tko Group Holdings was birthed as a public company this month with the completion of Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE, the long-dominant pro wrestling company owned...
- 9/20/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Walt Disney’s new carriage agreement with cable giant Charter Communications is widely seen as a game-changer for the pay TV and streaming sectors, creating a new blueprint for how such deals are structured. Analysts and industry sources point to two key pieces of the deal that will likely be felt: ad-supported streaming in the bundle, and a “resizing” of the linear TV business. It’s a deal that NBCUniversal (which owns Peacock), Paramount (which owns Paramount+) and Warner Bros. Discovery (which owns Max) are surely looking at closely given it is widely expected to impact their future carriage deals.
Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media group, acknowledged as much at the Img Summit outside London on Sept. 14. In an interview with Endeavor president and COO Mark Shapiro, Lazarus noted that his company shuttered some channels over the past few years (Cloo and Esquire Network in 2017, Nbcsn in 2021), and...
Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBCUniversal Media group, acknowledged as much at the Img Summit outside London on Sept. 14. In an interview with Endeavor president and COO Mark Shapiro, Lazarus noted that his company shuttered some channels over the past few years (Cloo and Esquire Network in 2017, Nbcsn in 2021), and...
- 9/20/2023
- by Georg Szalai and Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On Thursday, as part of its third-quarter fiscal year earnings report, Disney revealed that ESPN+ lost 100,000 subscribers to stand at 25.2 million as of the end of June. That change represents a 10.5% year-over-year rise from the corresponding quarter in 2022 when the service reached 22.8 million subscribers.
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ESPN+ has been part of the rumor mill over the past few months as its parent company, ESPN, has been the subject of sale or spinoff rumors, courtesy of Disney. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger has made multiple comments over the past few months, saying the company has explored multiple options for either launching a Dtc streaming service with additional business partners, selling off a portion of the company to another buyer, or divesting from the company entirely.
Yesterday, ESPN announced it would lend its name to the betting app for Penn Entertainment.
Elsewhere, ESPN+ and UFC have started discussing...
Sign Up Now $9.99 / month espnplus.com
ESPN+ has been part of the rumor mill over the past few months as its parent company, ESPN, has been the subject of sale or spinoff rumors, courtesy of Disney. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger has made multiple comments over the past few months, saying the company has explored multiple options for either launching a Dtc streaming service with additional business partners, selling off a portion of the company to another buyer, or divesting from the company entirely.
Yesterday, ESPN announced it would lend its name to the betting app for Penn Entertainment.
Elsewhere, ESPN+ and UFC have started discussing...
- 8/9/2023
- by Jeff Kotuby
- The Streamable
Emanuel’s Endeavor expects to lose $25m a month because clients are not working.
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel has suggested that the US actors and writers strikes involve “real issues to work through” and will take “months not days” to be resolved.
And Endeavor, the talent representation, sports and media production group that owns major Hollywood agency WME, is estimating that the stoppages will cost it around $25m a month in revenue.
Speaking on the group’s second quarter conference call, Emanuel said that while the strikes are in effect “we continue to stand with our clients, advocate on their...
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel has suggested that the US actors and writers strikes involve “real issues to work through” and will take “months not days” to be resolved.
And Endeavor, the talent representation, sports and media production group that owns major Hollywood agency WME, is estimating that the stoppages will cost it around $25m a month in revenue.
Speaking on the group’s second quarter conference call, Emanuel said that while the strikes are in effect “we continue to stand with our clients, advocate on their...
- 8/9/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Endeavor Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel pledged loyalty to company clients involved in Hollywood’s dual strikes as the company projected taking a $25 million monthly hit to revenue from the ongoing labor impasse.
“I’ve been through many strikes in my more than 35 years of representing actors, writers and creatives of all types, whose livelihoods depend on the entertainment economy,” Emanuel said during prepared remarks on the company’s second-quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts. “Time and again, our industry has navigated change and now is no exception as we adjust to new distribution models and technologies. There are real issues to work through, and we continue to stand with our clients, advocate on their behalf and push for a resolution that protects their creative and commercial interests.”
The topic of the strikes dominated the 45-minute call, coming up in some form in nearly every question posed by analysts.
“I’ve been through many strikes in my more than 35 years of representing actors, writers and creatives of all types, whose livelihoods depend on the entertainment economy,” Emanuel said during prepared remarks on the company’s second-quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts. “Time and again, our industry has navigated change and now is no exception as we adjust to new distribution models and technologies. There are real issues to work through, and we continue to stand with our clients, advocate on their behalf and push for a resolution that protects their creative and commercial interests.”
The topic of the strikes dominated the 45-minute call, coming up in some form in nearly every question posed by analysts.
- 8/8/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes will have a serious impact on WME, the talent agency owned by Endeavor.
On the company’s second quarter earnings call Tuesday, Endeavor CFO Jason Lublin said that the company expects the strikes to cost the company about $25 million per month in revenue. Lublin also said that the company is pulling its previous guidance for the year.
“It would be premature to speculate the aggregate dollar impact for the balance of the calendar year,” Lublin added.
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel added that his company continues to be aligned with its actor and writer clients, but that it will be “months, not days” before the business spools back up. “It’s unlike any strike that’s happened in a long time.”
“I’ve been through many strikes over my more than 35 years of representing actors, writers and creatives of all types, whose...
On the company’s second quarter earnings call Tuesday, Endeavor CFO Jason Lublin said that the company expects the strikes to cost the company about $25 million per month in revenue. Lublin also said that the company is pulling its previous guidance for the year.
“It would be premature to speculate the aggregate dollar impact for the balance of the calendar year,” Lublin added.
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel added that his company continues to be aligned with its actor and writer clients, but that it will be “months, not days” before the business spools back up. “It’s unlike any strike that’s happened in a long time.”
“I’ve been through many strikes over my more than 35 years of representing actors, writers and creatives of all types, whose...
- 8/8/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor swung to a big profit in the second quarter thanks to the sale of its Img Academy business, which will help fuel a stock buyback program and a cash dividend payments at the end of the current quarter.
The parent company of WME, Img, UFC and other media and sports assets delivered revenue of $1.43 billion in the quarter, up about 8% from the year-ago quarter. Adjusted earnings before interest taxes, depreciation and amortization totaled $304.9 million, up slightly from the year-ago mark ($306.4 million). Net income swelled to $666.5 million, from $42.4 million a year ago.
Endeavor is in the process of closing its $21 billion transaction to combine UFC and wrestling giant WWE into a single sports entity that will trade as a separate stock under the ticker symbol Tko. Endeavor will maintain a 51% interest in the combined company and therefore consolidate its earnings.
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel faced questioning from analysts later Tuesday...
The parent company of WME, Img, UFC and other media and sports assets delivered revenue of $1.43 billion in the quarter, up about 8% from the year-ago quarter. Adjusted earnings before interest taxes, depreciation and amortization totaled $304.9 million, up slightly from the year-ago mark ($306.4 million). Net income swelled to $666.5 million, from $42.4 million a year ago.
Endeavor is in the process of closing its $21 billion transaction to combine UFC and wrestling giant WWE into a single sports entity that will trade as a separate stock under the ticker symbol Tko. Endeavor will maintain a 51% interest in the combined company and therefore consolidate its earnings.
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel faced questioning from analysts later Tuesday...
- 8/8/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
The future of UFC fighting on ESPN+ may be settled in the next few weeks. That’s according to a report from Sports Business Journal, who spoke with the president of the mixed martial arts promotion Dana White in a wide-ranging interview recently.
White said he had a meeting on his schedule with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in the next month to begin discussions on whether UFC will extend its relationship with ESPN+ beyond 2025 when the current contract between the two is set to expire. Pitaro and White will be joined by Mark Shapiro, CEO of Endeavor Group Holdings, which owns UFC.
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ESPN is believed to pay around $300 million per year for UFC rights, which sends all pay-per-view fights exclusively to ESPN+. Combat sports have been a key driver of engagement for the service, helping it grow to more than 25 million subscribers. When asked...
White said he had a meeting on his schedule with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in the next month to begin discussions on whether UFC will extend its relationship with ESPN+ beyond 2025 when the current contract between the two is set to expire. Pitaro and White will be joined by Mark Shapiro, CEO of Endeavor Group Holdings, which owns UFC.
Sign Up Now $9.99 / month espnplus.com
ESPN is believed to pay around $300 million per year for UFC rights, which sends all pay-per-view fights exclusively to ESPN+. Combat sports have been a key driver of engagement for the service, helping it grow to more than 25 million subscribers. When asked...
- 6/23/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel went to town on CAA, said his company almost invested $1 billion in the new Liv Golf tour, and projected that COO Mark Shapiro will take over the company whenever Emanuel calls it quits.
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
- 6/1/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The ongoing WGA strike will ultimately be a net positive for Endeavor, the owner of talent agency WME, predicts Mark Shapiro, the company’s president and COO.
Speaking at a JPMorgan conference Wednesday, Shapiro said that with regards to the strike, “both sides are really trenched in and there are significant issues, but it’s temporary.”
However, when it is resolved (and it will be resolved), “this is a growth opportunity for us,” he said.
“When this gets settled — however some of these issues get sliced — the writers are going to do better. That’s just a fact,” Shapiro added. “They’re not coming back for lesser deals or the same deals. They’re going to do better economically. And as they do better economically, that plays into the ecosystem. And then we, as a leader in that space through WME, we’ll take our fair share of that ecosystem.
Speaking at a JPMorgan conference Wednesday, Shapiro said that with regards to the strike, “both sides are really trenched in and there are significant issues, but it’s temporary.”
However, when it is resolved (and it will be resolved), “this is a growth opportunity for us,” he said.
“When this gets settled — however some of these issues get sliced — the writers are going to do better. That’s just a fact,” Shapiro added. “They’re not coming back for lesser deals or the same deals. They’re going to do better economically. And as they do better economically, that plays into the ecosystem. And then we, as a leader in that space through WME, we’ll take our fair share of that ecosystem.
- 5/24/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor President and COO Mark Shapiro said the ultimate resolution of the WGA strike will improve the fortunes of the company’s representation business.
“This is a growth opportunity for us,” Shapiro said during an appearance at a media conference hosted by Wall Street firm Jp Morgan. “When this gets settled, however some of these issues get sliced, the writers are going to do better. That’s just a fact. They’re not coming back for lesser deals or the same deals. They’re going to do better economically. And as they do better economically, that plays into the ecosystem. And then we, as a leader in that space, WME, we’ll take our fair share of that ecosystem.”
Shapiro also reiterated points Endeavor execs have made recently about the company’s diversification across fashion, digtial, sports and other areas. TV and film, the company has said, represent about half of core agency revenue.
“This is a growth opportunity for us,” Shapiro said during an appearance at a media conference hosted by Wall Street firm Jp Morgan. “When this gets settled, however some of these issues get sliced, the writers are going to do better. That’s just a fact. They’re not coming back for lesser deals or the same deals. They’re going to do better economically. And as they do better economically, that plays into the ecosystem. And then we, as a leader in that space, WME, we’ll take our fair share of that ecosystem.”
Shapiro also reiterated points Endeavor execs have made recently about the company’s diversification across fashion, digtial, sports and other areas. TV and film, the company has said, represent about half of core agency revenue.
- 5/24/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Endeavor Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel, whose bonus-laden $308 million pay package turned heads in 2021, made $19.1 million in 2022, according to the company’s latest proxy filing.
The exec took home $4 million in salary, $8.2 million in the form of a bonus and $6 million in non-equity incentive compensation, the filing said.
Emanuel’s tally narrowly eclipsed that of CFO Jason Lublin, President and COO Mark Shapiro, with Lublin collecting $18.5 million and Shapiro $18.7 million.
Executive Chairman Patrick Whitesell, whose 2021 package reached $123.1 million, took home $12.2 million last year.
After calling off a planned IPO at the 11th hour in 2019, Endeavor finally went public in April 2021, at the same time it gained full ownership of the UFC. The long-anticipated offering brought significant paydays in the form of stock grants for the entire senior management team, skewing comparisons with 2022. The parent company of agencies WME and Img has branched out well beyond its roots in representation and...
The exec took home $4 million in salary, $8.2 million in the form of a bonus and $6 million in non-equity incentive compensation, the filing said.
Emanuel’s tally narrowly eclipsed that of CFO Jason Lublin, President and COO Mark Shapiro, with Lublin collecting $18.5 million and Shapiro $18.7 million.
Executive Chairman Patrick Whitesell, whose 2021 package reached $123.1 million, took home $12.2 million last year.
After calling off a planned IPO at the 11th hour in 2019, Endeavor finally went public in April 2021, at the same time it gained full ownership of the UFC. The long-anticipated offering brought significant paydays in the form of stock grants for the entire senior management team, skewing comparisons with 2022. The parent company of agencies WME and Img has branched out well beyond its roots in representation and...
- 4/28/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In Endeavor’s first full year as a public company, CEO Ari Emanuel was paid a package topping $19 million, a sharp decline from 2021. Emanuel’s 2021 pay package topped $300 million, thanks mostly to a one-time stock grant tied to the company’s IPO.
His 2022 compensation is more in line with what he would expect during a typical year.
2022 was a critical one for Endeavor, having gone public the year before. The company reported a 2022 revenue of $5.3 billion and net income of $322 million, both significant improvements from 2021.
Other Endeavor executives saw similar changes to their compensation. Executive chairman Patrick Whitesell earned $12.2 million in 2022, down from $123 million the year before, while president Mark Shapiro’s compensation fell to $18.7 million from $42 million. Both received one-time stock grants last year tied to the IPO.
The company has continued to pursue acquisitions while trying to grow its core representation and owned sports businesses. Last month, the...
His 2022 compensation is more in line with what he would expect during a typical year.
2022 was a critical one for Endeavor, having gone public the year before. The company reported a 2022 revenue of $5.3 billion and net income of $322 million, both significant improvements from 2021.
Other Endeavor executives saw similar changes to their compensation. Executive chairman Patrick Whitesell earned $12.2 million in 2022, down from $123 million the year before, while president Mark Shapiro’s compensation fell to $18.7 million from $42 million. Both received one-time stock grants last year tied to the IPO.
The company has continued to pursue acquisitions while trying to grow its core representation and owned sports businesses. Last month, the...
- 4/28/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor has struck a deal to sell Florida-based sports education institution Img Academy to private equity firm Bpea Eqt for $1.25 billion.
The all-cash transaction, done in partnership with Nord Anglia Education, is expected to close in Q3.
Located in Bradenton, Florida, Img Academy was founded in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. The academy was purchased by Img in 1987 and eventually expanded its offerings to include golf, soccer, baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, track & field and volleyball.
Endeavor acquired Img in 2014, with ownership of Img Academy included as part of that deal.
Img Academy currently boasts a sports-focused boarding school, sports camps, online coaching and online college recruiting that serve in total more than 100,000 student-athletes.
As part of Bpea Eqt’s acquisition, Brent Richard will continue as president of Img Academy, Tim Pernetti as president of Img Academy Bradenton, Lisa Strasman as president of Ncsa and Ted Sullivan as chief growth officer.
The all-cash transaction, done in partnership with Nord Anglia Education, is expected to close in Q3.
Located in Bradenton, Florida, Img Academy was founded in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. The academy was purchased by Img in 1987 and eventually expanded its offerings to include golf, soccer, baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, track & field and volleyball.
Endeavor acquired Img in 2014, with ownership of Img Academy included as part of that deal.
Img Academy currently boasts a sports-focused boarding school, sports camps, online coaching and online college recruiting that serve in total more than 100,000 student-athletes.
As part of Bpea Eqt’s acquisition, Brent Richard will continue as president of Img Academy, Tim Pernetti as president of Img Academy Bradenton, Lisa Strasman as president of Ncsa and Ted Sullivan as chief growth officer.
- 4/25/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Endeavor Group Holdings has sold sports educational institution Img Academy to a division of private equity firm Eqt.
Bpea Eqt is teaming on the deal with Nord Anglia Education, one of the companies in its investment portfolio. The parties expect the all-cash transaction, with an enterprise value of $1.25 billion, to close in the third quarter.
The deal is not Eqt’s first in the agency sector. Last year, the company made an investment in UTA that made it the agency’s largest outside shareholder.
Bpea Eqt invests in education, healthcare, and technology in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Nord Anglia Education operates 82 international schools with a population of more than 75,000 students in 33 countries and has ties with academic organizations including MIT and Juilliard to provide specialized curricula for students.
Headquartered in Bradenton, Fl, Img Academy was founded in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Img acquired it in...
Bpea Eqt is teaming on the deal with Nord Anglia Education, one of the companies in its investment portfolio. The parties expect the all-cash transaction, with an enterprise value of $1.25 billion, to close in the third quarter.
The deal is not Eqt’s first in the agency sector. Last year, the company made an investment in UTA that made it the agency’s largest outside shareholder.
Bpea Eqt invests in education, healthcare, and technology in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Nord Anglia Education operates 82 international schools with a population of more than 75,000 students in 33 countries and has ties with academic organizations including MIT and Juilliard to provide specialized curricula for students.
Headquartered in Bradenton, Fl, Img Academy was founded in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Img acquired it in...
- 4/25/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
In a blockbuster sports deal, Endeavor says that it has agreed to sell its Img Academy sports education business to the private equity firm Bpea Eqt in a deal valued at $1.25 billion.
Img Academy assets include a campus in Bradenton, Florida, sports camps across the country and worldwide, and online coaching and college recruiting businesses. Endeavor acquired Img, which also includes events, media and licensing businesses, in 2014 for $2.3 billion.
Bpea Eqt is associated with Eqt, the Sweden-based private equity firm that is also the largest outside shareholder in UTA. Img Academy is expected to partner with Eqt’s portfolio company Nord Anglia Education, which operates a network of international schools, following the transaction. Img Academy’s executive team, including president Brent Richard, will stay on in their roles following the sale.
The company got its start in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy before being acquired by Img in 1987, and adding golf,...
Img Academy assets include a campus in Bradenton, Florida, sports camps across the country and worldwide, and online coaching and college recruiting businesses. Endeavor acquired Img, which also includes events, media and licensing businesses, in 2014 for $2.3 billion.
Bpea Eqt is associated with Eqt, the Sweden-based private equity firm that is also the largest outside shareholder in UTA. Img Academy is expected to partner with Eqt’s portfolio company Nord Anglia Education, which operates a network of international schools, following the transaction. Img Academy’s executive team, including president Brent Richard, will stay on in their roles following the sale.
The company got its start in 1978 as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy before being acquired by Img in 1987, and adding golf,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UFC president Dana White celebrated the landmark $21 billion deal to merge his mixed martial arts promotion with the WWE by sitting ringside (Octagonside?) with a trio of WWE hall of famers at UFC 287, which was held at the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 8. White was the center of attention, thanks in no small part to who was sitting with him: on one side, former President Donald Trump, now facing criminal charges in New York; on the other, the boxer Mike Tyson, no stranger to legal troubles of his own, and the controversial musician Kid Rock.
In a corporate world where caution can be king, the UFC, which is owned by Endeavor, throws it to the wind. In combat sports, controversy is good TV (the polarizing podcaster Joe Rogan has long been the UFC’s color commentator), and the WWE-ufc deal creates what could be the most controversy-friendly public media company in the world.
In a corporate world where caution can be king, the UFC, which is owned by Endeavor, throws it to the wind. In combat sports, controversy is good TV (the polarizing podcaster Joe Rogan has long been the UFC’s color commentator), and the WWE-ufc deal creates what could be the most controversy-friendly public media company in the world.
- 4/11/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The WWE is expanding to another platform.
The sports entertainment company, which on April 3 unveiled plans to merge with Endeavor’s UFC, is producing a new docuseries called WWE: Recruits for The Roku Channel, with WWE legend John Cena set to produce and appear in the eight-episode series.
WWE: Recruits will follow a group of men and women hoping to become WWE superstars. Other stars set to appear in the series are Paul “Triple H” Levesque (who also leads WWE creative); Ric Flair; Shawn Michaels; and Bianca Belair. Filming is already underway, with some content produced at Wrestlemania last weekend.
A. Smith & Co. Productions (Hell’s Kitchen, American Ninja Warrior) is producing the series for Roku Channel.
WWE got its own docuseries with WWE: Recruits, which gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the development of new talent, something that the UFC has long done through its Ultimate Fighter series.
The sports entertainment company, which on April 3 unveiled plans to merge with Endeavor’s UFC, is producing a new docuseries called WWE: Recruits for The Roku Channel, with WWE legend John Cena set to produce and appear in the eight-episode series.
WWE: Recruits will follow a group of men and women hoping to become WWE superstars. Other stars set to appear in the series are Paul “Triple H” Levesque (who also leads WWE creative); Ric Flair; Shawn Michaels; and Bianca Belair. Filming is already underway, with some content produced at Wrestlemania last weekend.
A. Smith & Co. Productions (Hell’s Kitchen, American Ninja Warrior) is producing the series for Roku Channel.
WWE got its own docuseries with WWE: Recruits, which gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the development of new talent, something that the UFC has long done through its Ultimate Fighter series.
- 4/6/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The $21 billion merger of the WWE and UFC will create a sports and entertainment powerhouse, but the companies do not expect to rest on their laurels, Endeavor president and COO Mark Shapiro says.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday after the deal was formally unveiled, Shapiro (who will serve as president and COO for both Endeavor and the combined UFC-wwe), says that the opportunity for expansion is significant.
Combining the UFC and WWE into one company will turbocharge the number of fights and events the firms produce, while also expanding the original content based on the fighters, personalities or live events (like Wrestlemania, which just wrapped from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this weekend, and which was also where the deal was hashed out).
The WWE has “Raw on USA, which is the highest rated show on cable television, so let’s start there. SmackDown is on broadcast, free to air,...
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday after the deal was formally unveiled, Shapiro (who will serve as president and COO for both Endeavor and the combined UFC-wwe), says that the opportunity for expansion is significant.
Combining the UFC and WWE into one company will turbocharge the number of fights and events the firms produce, while also expanding the original content based on the fighters, personalities or live events (like Wrestlemania, which just wrapped from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this weekend, and which was also where the deal was hashed out).
The WWE has “Raw on USA, which is the highest rated show on cable television, so let’s start there. SmackDown is on broadcast, free to air,...
- 4/3/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Over Wrestlemania weekend, it wasn’t just titles that changed hands. Reports have come out now that Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor, which owns UFC, is purchasing WWE and merging it with the mixed martial arts company. The deal, worth a reported $21 billion, will give the WWE alone a value of more than $9 billion.
A statement accompanying the announcement read, “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 percent annual revenue growth rate since 2019.”
This Endeavor, uh, endeavor, doesn’t just merge WWE with UFC, but sets up an entirely new company. However, Endeavor will own 51% of the company, while WWE shareholders would have the remaining 49%, thus possibly posing serious threats as to where the wrestling company goes from here. The biggest positive for many fans out of this deal is...
A statement accompanying the announcement read, “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 percent annual revenue growth rate since 2019.”
This Endeavor, uh, endeavor, doesn’t just merge WWE with UFC, but sets up an entirely new company. However, Endeavor will own 51% of the company, while WWE shareholders would have the remaining 49%, thus possibly posing serious threats as to where the wrestling company goes from here. The biggest positive for many fans out of this deal is...
- 4/3/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Endeavor Group Holdings and sports entertainment powerhouse WWE made things official on Monday, unveiling a definitive agreement to form a new, publicly listed company consisting of two “iconic, complementary” global sports and entertainment brands: UFC and WWE. Endeavor will hold a 51 percent controlling interest in the new company, with existing WWE shareholders owning a 49 percent interest.
The new company will be led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel as CEO, who will also continue in the same role at the remaining Endeavor business, which includes talent agency WME and the likes of Img. WWE executive chairman and majority shareholder Vince McMahon will serve as executive chairman of the newly created firm, while Mark Shapiro 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, with WWE CEO Nick Khan holding the same president title as White but at WWE.
The new company will be led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel as CEO, who will also continue in the same role at the remaining Endeavor business, which includes talent agency WME and the likes of Img. WWE executive chairman and majority shareholder Vince McMahon will serve as executive chairman of the newly created firm, while Mark Shapiro 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, with WWE CEO Nick Khan holding the same president title as White but at WWE.
- 4/3/2023
- by Georg Szalai and Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor is well positioned for future growth even in a fast-consolidating marketplace because it has a foothold in most of the major entertainment sectors that are roaring back to life, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel told investors Wednesday in his first earnings call as the head of publicly traded company.
Emanuel, Endeavor president Mark Shapiro and CFO Jason Lublin fielded questions from top Wall Street media analysts for an hour as the company began the quarterly ritual of financial disclosures. Endeavor went public April 29 with an opening price of $24 a share. On Wednesday, the stock closed at $29.39.
Emanuel was pressed on the question of how the big getting bigger in media — as demonstrated over the past two weeks with mega deals between WarnerMedia and Discovery and Amazon’s deal to acquire MGM — will affect an independent outfit like Endeavor, which has tentacles throughout the marketplace with its sports, live events, entertainment,...
Emanuel, Endeavor president Mark Shapiro and CFO Jason Lublin fielded questions from top Wall Street media analysts for an hour as the company began the quarterly ritual of financial disclosures. Endeavor went public April 29 with an opening price of $24 a share. On Wednesday, the stock closed at $29.39.
Emanuel was pressed on the question of how the big getting bigger in media — as demonstrated over the past two weeks with mega deals between WarnerMedia and Discovery and Amazon’s deal to acquire MGM — will affect an independent outfit like Endeavor, which has tentacles throughout the marketplace with its sports, live events, entertainment,...
- 6/2/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Mark Shapiro and Ioris Francini have been named Co-Presidents of Wme | Img. Shapiro previously served as Chief Content Officer and Francini had been President of Img Media. As Co-Presidents, Shapiro and Francini will oversee the company's media, events, fashion (including Img Models, Art + Commerce, and The Wall Group), licensing, global partnerships, original content, Img College, Img Academy, The Miss Universe Organization, Professional Bull Riders, and Frieze…...
- 11/7/2016
- Deadline TV
Mark Shapiro and Ioris Francini have been named Co-Presidents of Wme | Img. Shapiro previously served as Chief Content Officer and Francini had been President of Img Media. As Co-Presidents, Shapiro and Francini will oversee the company's media, events, fashion (including Img Models, Art + Commerce, and The Wall Group), licensing, global partnerships, original content, Img College, Img Academy, The Miss Universe Organization, Professional Bull Riders, and Frieze…...
- 11/7/2016
- Deadline
Wme | Img announced Monday that Mark Shapiro and Ioris Francini have been named co-presidents of the company. “Mark and Ioris have been great partners these past few years, helping us integrate Wme and Img, generate organic growth, and expand into new business lines and geographies,” said Ariel Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, co-CEOs of Wme | Img. “Wme | Img is a strong, dynamic business with exciting opportunities ahead, and Mark and Ioris combine the vision and expertise to help the company succeed in this next chapter.” Shapiro previously served as chief content officer and Francini had been president of Img Media. As co-presidents,...
- 11/7/2016
- by Joe Otterson
- The Wrap
It’s all fun and games until the cops get called, right? YouTube sensations Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart and Mamrie Hart have reunited for a new comedy, “Dirty 30,” and just like its title suggests, the film details an epic 30th birthday rager gone bad.
The story follows the three stream queens, as lifelong friends stuck in a rut. Kate (Mamrie) is trapped in a job she hates, sucks at dating and is on the cusp of turning 30. Evie (Helbig) is married but has in-laws from hell and Charlie (Hannah) is recently engaged but can’t seem to pull her business (or her act) together. When Kate’s birthday arrives, her two besties vow to throw her the wildest party and make her have the time of her life. What they unleash is a lot of fun, and a whole lot of chaos.
Read More: ‘High Maintenance’ Teaser Trailer: Ben Sinclair...
The story follows the three stream queens, as lifelong friends stuck in a rut. Kate (Mamrie) is trapped in a job she hates, sucks at dating and is on the cusp of turning 30. Evie (Helbig) is married but has in-laws from hell and Charlie (Hannah) is recently engaged but can’t seem to pull her business (or her act) together. When Kate’s birthday arrives, her two besties vow to throw her the wildest party and make her have the time of her life. What they unleash is a lot of fun, and a whole lot of chaos.
Read More: ‘High Maintenance’ Teaser Trailer: Ben Sinclair...
- 6/25/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
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