Endeavor, the parent company of WME and the majority shareholder in combat sports powerhouse TKO Group (owners of UFC and WWE), is going private.
This comes after the announcement that the private equity firm Silver Lake has agreed to acquire Endeavor. The acquisition is valued at $13 billion, and shareholders in Endeavor will receive $27.50 per share.
Endeavor in October 2023 announced its “strategic review” to boost shareholder value which may include going private.
“Silver Lake believes that when consolidating all of TKO’s value into Endeavor, the combined total enterprise value of $25 billion will make this the largest private equity sponsor public-to-private investment transaction in over a decade, and the largest ever in the media and entertainment sector,” the companies said.
Formed last year, TKO Groups Holdings will remain a publicly traded company, it “will continue to benefit from its connectivity to Endeavor’s expertise, relationships, and significant capabilities,” – Endeavor and Silver Lake said.
