#UFC sold for 4 billion to WME-IMG and MSD capital. The saying "getting out while the getting's good" couldn't be truer……
The sale represents a massive return on Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta's investment. De la Merced noted the brothers purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2000. Since then, both the company and the sport have grown exponentially.
bleacherreport.com
Mixed martial arts, once labeled "human cockfighting," has gained popularity and mainstream acceptance over the years.
Zuffa LLC, run by the Fertittas, took over the organization at a low point when the sport was viewed as too barbaric and uncivilized for mainstream acceptance, with Senator John McCain once labeling it "human cockfighting." The evolution over the past 15 years has been remarkable. Zuffa invested more than $40 million in the company when the sport was outlawed in many regions and eventually reached a point where it hit a profit and turned into a worldwide entity that airs its events in upward of 156 countries across various platforms. New York finally lifted its MMA ban earlier this year, and the sport is now legal in all 50 states.
Under Zuffa ownership, the UFC promoted 330 events, the most recent being the landmark UFC 200 fight card on July 9th in Las Vegas. The event set Nevada MMA event records for attendance (18,202) and live gate ($10.7 million).
rollingstone.com
MMA meet your new overlords: Ari Emanuel & Patrick Whitesell.
On Monday, the UFC announced that it has been sold to a group led by talent agency WME-IMG for $4 billion.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is reportedly expected to step down as chairman following a transitional period, after which he and his brother, Frank Fertitta, will remain on as minority owners. Dana White is expected stay on as president and will also hold a minority stake, according to the report.
mmafighting.com
William Morris Endeavor-International Marketing Group is a huge conglomerate that merged in 2013 after WME purchased IMG for a reported US$2.4 billion (AU$3.2 billion) price tag.
WME already boasted an incredibly powerful slate of clients as a talent agency representing movies, television, music and more.
IMG is an international sports, events and talent management agency based out of New York. IMG hosts a number of big sporting events and also heads up the PBR — Professional Bull Riders.
Since merging, WME-IMG have worked on a ton of crossover promotions combining the talent agency’s impressive roster of talent with events and sports programming.
Emanuel is a veteran agent, who started his career with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as well as ICM Partners before founding his own company called Endeavor. Eventually in 2009, Emanuel along with co-CEO Patrick Whitesell led an initiative to merge the company with the William Morris Agency to create one of the largest talent agencies in the world.
