WWE sale worth as much as $9 billion closing in with UFC parent company Endeavor
Bloody ElbowApr 02, 2023
Endeavor Group, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), announced Monday it will merge with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE), ending a months-long process headed by WWE co-founder and executive chairman Vince McMahon.
McMahon will remain executive chairman of the new company, but Endeavor will own 51% of the business, meaning for the first time since the organization’s founding in 1953, the McMahon family will not control WWE.
This deal is a win-win and marks a triumphant return by McMahon, who rescued WWE from slightly rocky ground and made it part of the most significant sports-entertainment organization in the world. There’s no telling how far the WWE-Endeavor partnership may go.
While the outcome of this merger remains to be seen, it's likely a poor decision: It opens the door to WWE changing drastically from its origins, offering fans a watered-down version of its product that reflects the new company behind it, rather than its authentic purpose. To its fanbase, this simply won't feel right.