Tag: On Location

WWE parent company finalizes On Location, Professional Bull Riders & IMG acquisitions

Posted on by Josh Nason

The acquisition of Professional Bull Riders (PBR), On Location, and IMG by TKO — the parent company of WWE & UFC — is now complete.

First announced in October, TKO acquired the assets from Endeavor in an all-stock deal valued at $3.25 billion. The finalized deal was announced Friday.

Ari Emanuel is the CEO of both Endeavor and TKO. The impetus of the transaction was the lead-up to Endeavor wanting to go private in a proposed transaction with private equity firm Silver Lake. As a result, they were looking to shed some of their assets.

While PBR doesn’t have a logical tie-in with either WWE or UFC, both On Location and IMG do.

The former is a premium event company that provides VIP experiences for more than 1200 sporting events including for the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four. TKO executive Mark Shapiro has spoken publicly in the past about wanting to increase those opportunities for both WWE and UFC who both currently use On Location.

IMG has many different business tentacles as they both distribute and produce sports content, handle media rights and brand partnerships, and offer digital services and event management. Clients include the NFL and NHL. Both WWE and UFC are listed under their current portfolio of clients.

PBR will be part of a TKO “takeover” weekend coming up in Kansas City that includes a PBR event Thursday, UFC Saturday and WWE on Monday all in the same T-Mobile Center in April.

TKO just held their quarterly investors call this week, reporting annual revenue of over $2.8 billion in their first full calendar year as an organization.

WWE & UFC parent company acquires Professional Bull Riders, two other companies

Posted on by Josh Nason

TKO is bringing on several new properties already within the Endeavor family into their fold.

Announced Thursday morning, the parent company of WWE and UFC is acquiring Professional Bull Riders (PBR), On Location, and IMG from Endeavor in an all-stock deal valued at $3.25 billion.

Ari Emanuel is the CEO of both Endeavor and TKO. The impetus of the transaction is the lead up to Endeavor wanting to go private in a proposed transaction with private equity firm Silver Lake. As a result, they are looking to shed some of their assets prior to that happening.

While PBR doesn’t have a logical tie-in with either WWE or UFC, both On Location and IMG do.

The former is a premium event company that provides VIP experiences for more than 1200 sporting events including for the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four. TKO executive Mark Shapiro has spoken publicly in the past about wanting to increase those opportunities for both WWE and UFC who both currently use On Location.

IMG has many different business tentacles as they both distribute and produce sports content, handle media rights and brand partnerships, and offer digital services and event management. Clients include the NFL and NHL. Both WWE and UFC are listed under their current portfolio of clients.

WWE announces multi-year hospitality partnership with On Location

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has announced a new business partnership, teaming together with On Location to offer premium hospitality packages surrounding WWE events.

The exclusive multi-year partnership between WWE and On Location will see On Location “curate best-in-class, elevated offerings to give WWE fans an unforgettable experience from the moment of purchase. The all-inclusive ticket and travel packages will include premier seating, premium hospitality offerings and meet-and-greets with WWE Superstars and Legends.”

WWE and On Location will be offering travel packages to WWE’s biggest pay-per-views, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank. The first event in the partnership will be this year’s Money in the Bank PPV. All access packages are set to go on sale at noon Eastern time today.

Money in the Bank is being held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 2.

On Location offers premium fan experiences throughout sports and entertainment. The company has partnerships with the NFL, NCAA, UFC, PGA, and the International Olympic Committee.

“On Location has an incredible track record of creating memorable experiences around the biggest events in sports and entertainment,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development. “We believe this partnership will set a new standard for WWE hospitality and furthers our commitment to providing our fans with world-class accommodations at WWE’s premium live events.”

“WWE is one of the premier sports and entertainment organizations in the country and is known for giving their passionate fan base exactly what they want,” said Paul Caine, President, On Location. “This partnership is the next step in that commitment, and we look forward to working with them to create truly once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences across their dynamic live event portfolio.”