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UFC Sold For $4B To Group Led By WME-IMG; Dana White To Stay With Company
UFC President Dana White last night confirmed that the company "had been sold" for approximately $4B to a group headed by WME-IMG, according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. White via text message wrote that he "would remain with the company." The new group "bought the shares of the company" co-owned by Frank Fertitta (40.5%) and Lorenzo Fertitta (40.5%) and White (9%). Abu Dhabi-based promoter Flash Entertainment, which purchased 10% of the UFC in '10, will "keep its share for now." White said that he will "remain as an owner, president and head of day-to-day operations and the Fertittas have a minority interest in the new company" ( <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dana-white-confirms-4-billion-ufc-sale-to-wmeimg-054731728.html" target="_blank">SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/11</a> ). In N.Y., Michael de la Merced reports those "backing the deal" are private equity firms Silver Lake and KKR, as well as Michael Dell's investment firm MSD Capital. Silver Lake and KKR will "own minority stakes in UFC." MSD capital will "own preferred shares," which will "essentially pay out interest" ( <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/11/business/dealbook/ufc-sells-itself-for-4-billion.html?_r=0" target="_blank">N.Y. TIMES, 7/11</a> ). Patriots VP/Media Relations Stacey James confirmed that the Kraft Group "was part of the group buying UFC but declined to give any more detail" ( <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2016/07/11/robert-kraft-michael-dell-part-of-4b-ufc.html" target="_blank">BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/11</a> ). ESPN's Darren Rovell notes there originally were "two parties from China interested in this, but ultimately it didn’t happen.” UFC earned $600M in revenue last year, and they "just got an offer that they couldn’t refuse at this point” ( "SportsCenter," ESPN, 7/11 ).
