What if I told you that to buy the company, someone would install Vince as executive chair until death, resignation or incapacity. Then let me tell you about WWE and UFC : How the deal got done!
Full credit for this in depth peak of how this happened goes to Wrestlenomics.
The site broke down how the deal got done between WWE and Endeavor, the parent company of UFC, amid WrestleMania.
Reading through the timeline, some things did not shock me. However, a few details did.
And those that surprised me the most were effectively very important in getting the deal done.
How The Deal Got Done : Vince’s Big Endeavor
In case you somehow needed a recap, rather than using a whole lot of space here, I am going to share some of our prior coverage of things.
Otherwise, the condensed version…
In 2022, Vince McMahon got ousted, fans were excited, the on air product improved dramatically…and then Vince forced himself back in (ironic, isn’t it?).
McMahon’s return was not welcomed by fans…but was loved by investors.
Vince made it clear his focus was to maximize the sale of WWE, and to maximize the upcoming television rights negotiations.
After McMahon’s return, some rumored buyers emerged, virtually none of which came to fruition.
The Wrestlenomics report confirmed that over 60 interested parties made contact, which is impressive.
Fans are thankful one rumored done deal turned out to be false, for sure.
In the end, it was Endeavor, the parent company of UFC, that made the deal. Combining the two similar entities does make a ton of sense.
How the deal got done is impressive, however.
Per the report, on March 23, Endeavor presented WWE with an offer that got things going. It was then that the offer allowed for the 49/51 valuation split, which is a big thing.
More important, probably especially for Vince McMahon? That offer would put him in place as executive chair until death, incapacitation or resignation.
In addition, the offer would give Vince 5 of 11 board seats as well as certain veto capabilities.
This is perhaps what most fans wanted nothing to do with. Many figured McMahon was out of touch, which clearly was the case with the creative process.
However, based on the deal’s terms, other interested parties respect McMahon’s business acumen, which the sale terms clearly reflect.
If Endeavor or it’s legal counsel viewed Vince McMahon as a liability or worse, odds are slim that they-or any other entity-would have offered such terms.
What happens moving forward is key. Can McMahon trust his son-in-law to drive the product forward creatively, as he’s been doing for nearly a year?
If he can, and if he can largely not meddle, then this deal should be good for all.
