Endeavor’s WWE – UFC merger to form TKO Group Holdings is now complete, and the next big happening will be the WWE TV deals. WWE President Nick Khan spoke with Sports Business Journal and said he expects to start really pushing on negotiations once football season takes off.
It was noted how the fact that UFC’s primary broadcast partner is ESPN and WWE’s top broadcast deal is with rival NBC should help.
“You’ve seen bidding wars between Comcast and Disney on things like the Fox assets, which ultimately went to Disney, and Sky, which ultimately went to Comcast,” Khan said. “It does make one wonder how this might look down the road as both companies and as TKO enters into these negotiations. We think ratings, relevancy and revenue for both properties are off the charts, and, of course, we always want to grow that.”
UFC Senior EVP/COO Lawrence Epstein credited Endeavor’s media rights experience with cutting UFC’s ESPN deal, and he expects Endeavor/TKO President & COO Mark Shapiro and Endeavor/TKO CEO Ari Emanuel to play a pivotal role in the current deals.
“The good news is we’ve got the best in the business when it comes to negotiating these important rights deals here in the U.S. and frankly around the world,” Epstein said.
FULL COVERAGE OF ENDEAVOR MERGING WWE AND UFC TO CREATE TKO GROUP HOLDINGS:
– TKO’s Longterm Plans for WWE and UFC, Products to Change?, UFC’s Interest In WWE, More
– Triple H and Others Receive Significant Bonus Pay Following WWE – UFC Merger
– Nick Khan on CM Punk Possibly Returning to WWE
– Dana White on Partnering with WWE, If His Daily Work Will Change with Merger
– Mood at WWE HQ Today, TKO Stock Update, Video of TKO Officials at the NYSE, New TKO Website, More
– Nick Khan’s Internal Memo to WWE Employees on TKO Launch Revealed
– Nick Khan Talks WWE TV Deals, UFC Executive on Endeavor’s Role In the Negotiations
– Big WWE – UFC Display at the New York Stock Exchange, Final WWE Stock Price
– Official Announcement on WWE and UFC Becoming TKO Under Endeavor, Vince McMahon Comments
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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