TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel`s compensation package for 2024 totaled $18.1 million, a substantial drop from his earnings the previous year.
According to a recent SEC proxy filing by TKO, the parent entity of UFC and WWE, the compensation details for key executives, including Emanuel and TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro, have been revealed.
Emanuel`s 2024 figure represents a sharp decline from his $64.9 million earned in 2023. This significant difference was primarily due to substantial stock awards and bonuses received in 2023, including a $20 million bonus related to a UFC transaction.
His 2024 compensation package included a $3 million base salary, an annual financial performance bonus exceeding $8.2 million, a qualitative discretionary bonus of $4.29 million, and a $2.5 million annual equity award.
While his compensation package directly from TKO was lower in 2024, Emanuel also received significant payouts from other transactions. These included $173.8 million when Endeavor (the talent agency and major TKO shareholder) went private, and $308 million (mostly stock awards) when he helped lead Endeavor`s initial public offering in 2021.
In contrast to Emanuel, TKO President Mark Shapiro saw his compensation nearly double between 2023 and 2024.
Shapiro`s earnings rose from $16.1 million in 2023 to $32 million in 2024. The primary driver for this dramatic increase was stock awards valued at over $19 million. His 2024 pay also included a $4 million salary along with approximately $8.2 million in bonuses unrelated to stock awards.
Another notable detail from the filing indicates that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who joined the TKO board of directors, received over $29 million in stock awards in 2024.
Marcus Blakely