Endeavor Goes Private in $25 Billion Deal; Ari Emanuel Payout

Endeavor, a talent agency and majority owner of TKO Group Holdings (UFC and WWE parent company), has finalized its move to become a private company again, backed by Silver Lake Financial.

This acquisition, previously announced, is now complete. The company will be known as WME Group, dropping the Endeavor name. WME Group will continue to be the majority owner of TKO, which owns UFC and WWE.

Silver Lake, in a press release, stated that the combined value of Endeavor and TKO is estimated at $25 billion.

Ari Emanuel, founder of Endeavor in 1995, becomes executive chairman of WME Group, stepping down from CEO of Endeavor but remaining CEO of TKO. He received $173.8 million in cash and reinvested ownership worth $290.27 million into the private company, according to SEC filings on Monday.

Mark Shapiro, former president and COO of Endeavor, is now president and managing partner at WME Group, while also remaining president and COO of TKO Group Holdings.

Patrick Whitesell, co-founder of Endeavor with Emanuel, is leaving WME Group to start a new venture backed by Silver Lake, investing in sports, media, and entertainment. His departure was anticipated, and his new venture is supported by a $250 million investment from Silver Lake.

Whitesell is expected to take WME`s NFL talent representation business with him as a separate entity. This is due to Silver Lake co-CEO Egon Durban`s stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, as NFL rules prevent team owners from owning player representation businesses.

WME Group will continue to include WME talent agency, marketing firm 160over90, IMG licensing, and Pantheon Media Group.

Egon Durban of Silver Lake praised Emanuel and Whitesell for their vision in building Endeavor into a global leader in entertainment and sports. He highlighted Silver Lake`s long-term partnership and increasing investment in Endeavor.

Durban expressed confidence in Endeavor`s future growth and praised Mark Shapiro`s leadership. He also acknowledged the contributions of other key executives at WME and TKO, and thanked clients and investors.

Although Endeavor is now private, TKO Group Holdings will remain publicly traded. TKO includes UFC, WWE, Professional Bull Riders, IMG marketing, and On Location.

Emanuel thanked Silver Lake for their trust and expressed enthusiasm for future growth of WME Group and TKO.