Remember when Dana White and his group bought the UFC for just $2 million back in 2000? Yeah, so do they, because that group of guys got quite the return on their investment, or so it seems.
There’s a report circulating from the New York Times that states talent group WWE-IMG has bought the UFC for $4 billion, and the acquisition could be announced as soon as Monday.
It reads as follows:
The league, which promotes mixed martial arts, is expected to announce as soon as Monday that it has sold itself to a group led by the talent giant WME-IMG for about $4 billion, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Backing the deal are the private equityheavyweights Silver Lake, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and the investment firm of the billionaire Michael S. Dell.
The deal highlights the power and reach of the 23-year-old U.F.C., whose fights are now shown in more than 156 countries and take place in all 50 states, and which claims millennials as some 45 percent of its audience.
For its new owners, the league represents a prime source of content, particularly in the digital arena.
That’s a lot of money, and of course White couldn’t pass it up as an investor, but it’s been his baby and he reportedly had mixed feelings about it. The good news is that the master businessman/promoter will still remain the face of the UFC, which projects well for the future of the sport.
Asked Dana White (@danawhite) if sale of the UFC is bittersweet. Response: VERY.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 11, 2016
The funny thing is that ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported this months ago, but was blasted by those claiming he fabricated it.
We had 5 independent sources on our May 11 report of UFC in advanced talks of sale. We refused to be bullied into not publishing.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 11, 2016
Score one for the UFC’s ownership group, and for Rovell as well.