TKO Group Holdings, the overarching entity for WWE and UFC, has expanded its company portfolio with the recent procurement of three entities from its parent firm, Endeavor.
The newly acquired entities were officially announced this week and include Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and IMG.
TKO/Endeavor’s CEO, Ari Emanuel, made a statement on the new acquisitions: “Today’s announcements reflect the continued strength of our underlying business and our commitment to deploying capital through a balanced capital allocation strategy, including through our share repurchase program and quarterly cash dividend program. This underscores our continued focus on delivering sustainable long-term value for our shareholders.”
In addition, TKO’s President and COO, Mark Shapiro, had this to say: “PBR, On Location, and IMG are industry-leading assets that meaningfully enhance TKO’s portfolio and strengthen our position in premium sports globally. Within TKO, they will help power the growth of our revenue streams and position us to capture even more upside from some of the most attractive parts of our sports ecosystem: media rights, live events, ticket sales, premium experiences, brand partnerships, and site fees. These assets are already built into our business strategy at TKO and will serve to further enhance our strong track record of execution across UFC and WWE.”
The formation of TKO Group Holdings took place in September 2023, following Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE, bringing WWE and UFC under a single umbrella. This setup led to cross-promotion of WWE and UFC events and collaborations with talents from both franchises making appearances on each other’s shows.