Endeavor Goes Private: Silver Lake Completes Major Acquisition

Endeavor Group Holdings, a major player in sports and entertainment, has officially completed its acquisition by Silver Lake, a global technology investment firm.

This move marks a significant shift for Endeavor, as it transitions from a publicly traded company to a privately held entity.

The acquisition valued at $27.50 per share represents a substantial premium over Endeavor’s previous share price.

This deal, according to Silver Lake, is the largest private equity sponsor public-to-private investment in the media and entertainment sector in over a decade.

Following the acquisition, Endeavor’s representation businesses will now operate under the name WME Group. This includes prominent agencies like WME, 160over90, IMG Licensing, and Pantheon Media Group. These entities cover a broad spectrum of talent representation, marketing, and content production.

Endeavor retains its controlling stake in TKO Group Holdings, the company behind UFC and WWE. Silver Lake believes the total enterprise value of the combined Endeavor and TKO is $25 billion.

Silver Lake’s Egon Durban expressed confidence in Endeavor’s leadership, highlighting the growth achieved under Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro. He also announced that Patrick Whitesell will be forming a new investment platform in partnership with Silver Lake, focused on sports, media, and entertainment properties.

The equity financing for the acquisition included contributions from Mubadala Investment Company, DFO Management, LLC (the family investment office of Michael Dell), Lexington Partners, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and CPP Investments.

Silver Lake is a major technology investment firm with a vast portfolio. WME Group encompasses a range of businesses focused on talent, intellectual property, and brand representation. TKO Group Holdings is a sports and entertainment powerhouse, owning properties like UFC and WWE.

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