TKO Group Holdings — the combined company with UFC and WWE — has acquired new assets from Endeavor in an all-stock deal worth $3.25 billion.

Terms of the deal were announced on Thursday with TKO acquiring Professional Bull Riders, the event planning and hospitality service On Location as well as IMG, a sports and media agency, producer and distributor previously housed at Endeavor.

Under the terms of the deal, Endeavor “will receive approximately 26.14 million common” shares of TKO stock and “will subscribe for an equal number of shares of TKO’s Class B common stock.”

Once the deal closes, Endeavor will own 59-percent of TKO with remaining shareholders controlling the other 41-percent of TKO stock.

“PBR, On Location, and IMG are industry-leading assets that meaningfully enhance TKO’s portfolio and strengthen our position in premium sports globally,” TKO president and COO Mark Shapiro said in a press release. “Within TKO, they will help power the growth of our revenue streams and position us to capture even more upside from some of the most attractive parts of our sports ecosystem: media rights, live events, ticket sales, premium experiences, brand partnerships, and site fees.

“These assets are already built into our business strategy at TKO and will serve to further enhance our strong track record of execution across UFC and WWE.”

The deal comes as Endeavor is preparing to go private after spending the past three years as a publicly traded company. Silver Lake, a private equity firm, is funding the privatization at an approximate cost of $13 billion.

Obviously, Endeavor remains the primary shareholder in TKO, which is still a publicly traded company with UFC and WWE now being joined by these new assets in the combined company.

Since UFC and WWE merged under TKO Group Holdings, the company has flourished with stock prices continuing to rise in 2024. The UFC has continued to report record revenues year after year since being acquired by Endeavor back in 2016.

UFC is expected to give TKO another jolt in 2025 when the promotion negotiates a new broadcast rights deal, which is expected to be worth several billion over the next few years. The UFC’s current deal remains exclusive with ESPN through the end of 2025.

Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith raced through their opening matches at the European Championship in Dortmund on Thursday.

Four-time former winner Van Gerwen defeated Gabriel Clemens 6-1, while England’s Smith, the world number two, dominated Dave Chisnall 6-0.

Daryl Gurney beat 2021 world champion Gerwyn Price 6-3, while Gary Anderson enjoyed the same result in his match against Stephen Bunting.

Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ryan Searle, Luke Woodhouse and Ritchie Edhouse were the other players to advance to the second round from the opening night.

Dutchman Van Gerwen will play Scotland’s Anderson in the second round on Saturday, with Smith up against fellow Englishman Edhouse, who defeated Gian van Veen.

On Friday, defending champion Peter Wright faces Jermaine Wattimena before Luke Littler is in action against Andrew Gilding, and world champion Luke Humphries plays Nathan Aspinall.

The winner of the tournament, which features the top 32 ranked European players, will receive £120,000 of the £600,000 prize fund.

The IndyCar Series has a few dedicated forums to help drive the sport forward, but one key area needed to bolster itself is the need for an engineers council. 

There are groups stretching from drivers, manufacturers, team managers and others, but currently no place for the technical minds of pit lane to share thoughts on how to push innovations to the next level, such as the recent hybrid technology that was introduced midway through the 2024 season. Gavin Ward, Team Principal for Arrow McLaren, has proposed a proper forum consisting of engineers that could help in a number of key areas, such as development, direction and even cost. 

“I think it’s a subtle development with what’s already going on,” Ward told Motorsport.com. 

“You have regular team manager meetings with IndyCar, which are useful; it’s a good outreach from the series. I guess the feedback I’ve been given is, and some of the experience I’ve had as an engineer stepping into those meetings and wanting to bring up engineering focused topics about anything from what sensors we allow or really how to evolve the rules package, with a focus on where teams go and spend their money — engineering or idea wise — or how to use the collective know-how and knowledge of the entire pit lane to try and improve the show and the racing or the safety for the cars.”

Gavin Ward. Arrows McLaren

Photo by: Joe Skibinski

Ward’s background as an engineer, which also includes 12 years with Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, puts him in a unique role to share thoughts at the team manager meetings. However, he felt those discussions were “the wrong place for it” and noted how most of the team managers have more of a mechanical background. 

“There’s a lot of common interest in this sport, unlike other racing series I’ve worked in,” Ward said. “But there’s a lot of common interest in making it, putting on a great show and being pragmatic about how we put together the best product and don’t waste money if we don’t need to, et cetera.” 

Chris Simmons, Director of Performance at Chip Ganassi Racing, shared how there was some involvement during the initial phase of hybrid testing when the original plan was to utilize the MAHLE system, which ended up being replaced and produced in a joint effort by Chevrolet, Honda and IndyCar. 

“I think people at IndyCar have a lot of data from different teams, but not necessarily the tools and certainly not the need to use the tools — simulations and things — as hard as the teams do,” Simmons told Motorsport.com. “Teams often have better info than they have about what we’re doing now and what could be changed. I think it makes sense to bring the experts in on some of those discussions, for sure.”

And Ward was also quick to point out how series leadership can sometimes place more emphasis on engineering based on driver feedback versus actual engineers. Although he doesn’t discount the voice of the drivers, there should be more inclusion from the “brain power” that occupy the timing stands.

Another key element to the discussion is the impact of cost on the teams with any new product being introduced.

Kyle Kirkwood, Indianapolis Hybrid Testing

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

Advertisement

“The series needs to understand the true cost of some of the decisions they make,” Ward said. 

“They look at, ‘We’ll put this new part as an available option on the race cars.’ They’ll tell you that that part costs $1,000. But the truth is, everyone is going to Windshear (wind tunnel) aero testing the hell out of it or people are running their tunnels in Pennsylvania or Mooresville (North Carolina), spending a hell of a lot more money trying to figure out every detail about that part of how it interacts with everything else, remapping their entire cars. The cost of that $1,000 part is not $1,000 per car. It’s a hell of a lot more.”

Simmons added: “Yeah, I think when we start talking about costs, sometimes people want to go look for something cheaper, but what we’re really going to be looking for is value.

“So, if you have a sensor that costs half as much but lasts a quarter as long, that’s really more expensive. I think that gets lost in the shuffle sometimes, that you go through something that’s cheaper and it’s actually not a better value. 

“Hopefully, the big teams and the little teams would agree with things like that, things that are prone to get damaged in a crash. Even if it lasts longer, it doesn’t always work out that way, so you’ve got to balance it out on some of those things. If you have a sensor in the cockpit or down by the brake master cylinders, if it lasts a couple of and it costs twice as much as something that only lasts a couple of races, that’s a heck of a lot of value.”

As far as the makeup of what an engineers council would look like, Ward believes it is something that could mirror Formula 1. He would also like to add Firestone and IndyCar technical personnel to the group as part of a groupthink of discussions to reduce the number of races that become dependent on fuel saving, along with some events that lacked natural racing.

“I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel,” Ward said. “This happens in Formula 1. They’ve got a technical working group over there; they send technical directors from each team and they meet up, I don’t know ‘x’ times a year and discuss future rules packages. Basically, I’m saying to do the same thing. We do it with team managers and so does F1; they do a sporting working group, which is a team manager meeting. And they also have a technical equivalent. 

“I’ll be the first to tell you that IndyCar doesn’t need to copy what Formula 1 is doing, but I think it shouldn’t blind to what they’re doing either.”

HOPEFULLY Evangelos Marinakis will not be watching Nottingham Forest’s game at Leicester from home tonight.

Or if so, pray he has a Kleenex handy in case that terrible hacking cough suddenly resurfaces and he gets an uncontrollable urge to gob all over the luxury shag-pile.

7

More importantly, Forest needs its owner to be in good health.

The cigar-chomping billionaire has done wonders for the club in his seven years as majority shareholder.

He has turned things around at almost every level, establishing them as a Prem club, integrating the women’s team into the fabric of the business, looking to invest in the Trent Rockets.

For a Greek to take a serious interest in cricket is remarkable in itself.

Yet all that admirable effort reviving a football team with a proud history – especially under legend Brian Clough – is being undone by the toilet behaviour of the man at the top.

Whether or not 57-year-old Mr Marinakis deliberately spat in the direction of the officials at the City Ground is beside the point.

The barely credible excuse that he suffers with a smoker’s cough, forcing him to launch a globule of tobacco-infused phlegm on the floor of the tunnel as he passed by Josh Smith, Tim Robinson and  James Mainwaring, is irrelevant.

Marinakis and Forest need to learn to swallow sometimes. Spitting is unpalatable even when players do it.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

But in the middle of a match they at least have mitigating circumstances, the players are after all running alive with lactic acid.

For a member of the public to do it under little, or no, duress is deplorable.

Even more so when it occurs coincidentally after your team has been on the wrong end of a decision or two in a game.

Forest had just lost to Fulham last month when Marinakis let fly from the back of his throat as he passed by the men in black after the final whistle.

They had seen two penalty appeals turned down, while Fulham won it with a debatable spot-kick of their own.

Annoying yes, but no cause is good enough to warrant that kind of reaction.

Do it in the street when a copper walks past and see what happens.

7

Advertisement

Jamie Carragher is lucky to still have a career in television after letting fly with a large amount of spittle at a mickey-taking bloke sitting in the car next to his in a traffic jam.

Mates of mine who support Forest have embraced the commitment and love the passion of Marinakis.

It’s never a dull moment with him in charge, they say. But even they are disappointed in this latest episode.

Ironically, the larger-than-life character lost his rag when Forest were thumped 5-0 at Fulham last season and he stomped out of Craven Cottage in a huff.

I’ve never known Fulham to wind anyone up.

Changes to the Premier League for 2024/25

NOTHING stays the same forever.

And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.

Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.

Advertisement

Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.

There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.

Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.

Marinakis’ VIP pass was discovered soon after in the privet bush of a nearby house.

There wasn’t enough evidence for Hammersmith & Fulham Council to prosecute for littering.

But the serial complaining at every injustice is already overshadowing the reconstruction of Nottingham Forest into a formidable football team.

If it’s not the owner, then it’s the manager Nuno Espirito Santo, or the coaches giving it to the referees in brutal and undignified terms.

All the while unravelling all the positive PR that the club deserves for the cracking job of remodelling Forest as a team capable of pushing for a return to Europe.

7

And it’s naive to believe the officials don’t remember. As human beings, the subconscious memory bank will kick into action next time Forest needs the benefit of the doubt.

Gobbing off about things you don’t agree with, or simply gobbing in front of other people might make you feel better there and then.

But it’s a distasteful business that can leave a nasty stain on a club’s otherwise good character.

Incidentally, the City Ground, like all others, is a no-smoking stadium.

So isn’t it the perfect place for Marinakis to start kicking the habit anyway?

TV gold Capers

7

FAREWELL Geoff Capes, shot put legend and symbol of childhood in the 70s and 80s.

Christmas back then wasn’t complete without the one-time policeman filling the no-man’s land of TV time between festive movies by holding ten car batteries at arm’s length for half an hour.

Or perhaps pulling a juggernaut along by rope as he bossed it in the Useless Sport Olympics, otherwise known as World’s or Europe’s Strongest Man.

I once got fairly close to England’s 6ft 5in man-mountain  at  the  Crieff  Highland Games when I was 11 and on holiday in Scotland.

He was tossing the caber in full kilt regalia and looked every inch the gladiator of his time.

Mum even urged me to get his autograph, which he was only too happy to sign on a scrap of paper.

But I have always suspected it was more for her than for me.

Fifa right this time

7

FIFA have been accused of showing preferential treatment to David  Beckham’s Inter Miami when it comes to next summer’s Club World Cup.

There is outrage in the US that the MLS leaders have been given a golden ticket to join the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich at the expanded tournament on American soil.

Critics say Miami have only been invited because Lionel Messi is in their squad – you know, arguably the greatest player ever.

Columbus Crew, currently second in MLS, have such luminaries as ‘Cucho’ Hernandez – who scored five goals in five years at Watford – and Christian Ramirez, formerly of Aberdeen, on their ‘roster’.

Who would you rather pay to see? Not everything Fifa does is completely insane.

7

MOHAMMED KUDUS has already had one ruck with West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui after being subbed at half-time against Brentford.

Now he faces a three-game ban for violent conduct, plus further punishment for his actions after the red card incident in the 4-1 debacle at Spurs on Saturday.

I can’t help but suspect there is a very talented but highly frustrated young man there who feels he isn’t getting what he deserves in a team that is massively underperforming.

West Ham always looked like a stepping stone to bigger things for the ambitious 24-year-old Ghana midfielder.

Fans could be heading for another Dimitri Payet or Marko Arnautovic situation unless Lopetegui turns things around soon.

7

FANS are revolting at the increasing price of season tickets and it’s all admirable to see…

West Ham supporters can release as many black balloons as they like – and hard-pressed punters can wave placards and banners until the cows come home.

But I have said it before that only when they make a real stand by getting up out of their overpriced seats and walking out of a game halfway through, or by refusing to renew at the end of the season, will Premier League clubs listen.

Liverpool fans did it brilliantly with their 77th-minute walkout some years back when the owners threatened to raise prices to £77 – it stopped the plan dead in its tracks.

AFTER his Arsenal side had beaten Shakhtar Donetsk, Oleksandr  Zinchenko made a point of saluting the away fans.

The proud Ukrainian practically stripped naked handing over his kit as souvenirs while he and his countrymen recognised the hell that is their war with Russia.

Not one Arsenal fan begrudged Zinchenko that touching moment after Tuesday’s Champions League clash.

Now tell me sport and politics can’t mix.

Former Morocco and Marseille midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada has died at the age of 35.

The cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but media reports in Morocco claim he suffered a heart attack.

Barrada retired from football in 2021 having made 26 international appearances for his country, including playing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He scored four goals, with his last one in 2015.

The Moroccan Football Federation paid tribute on social media, describing his passing as “a great loss”.

“The Royal Moroccan Football Federation extends its sincere condolences to the family of the former Moroccan international, the late Abdelaziz Barrada, and through them to all his family and relatives, as well as the national football family,” it said.