Endeavor Group, which owns the WWE and UFC, is in the process of going private. CEO Ari Emanuel was part of a consortium trying to buy its OpenBet and IMG Arena sports betting assets in November for $450m. While the deal is reportedly still on the table for the same price, only OpenBet will be part of the agreement.
$125m to Sportradar and $100m for certain sports rights holders
Sports data firm Sportradar announced on Wednesday that it’s taking over IMG Arena and getting paid to do so. Endeavor will pay Sportradar $125m and fork over another $100m to certain sports rights holders. Once it secures the necessary regulatory approvals, the deal is expected to close in Q4 2025.
Endeavor didn’t explain the reasoning behind the decision, although it could be due to IMG Arena’s negative market value. Endeavor wants to get the company off its books before going private.
Talking about the transaction, Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl explained that “the unique structure of this deal accelerates our revenue and cash flow profile and will be accretive to our margins.”
About 70% of IMG Arena’s rights relate to soccer, tennis, and basketball, which are the most bet on sports in the world today. Here’s a quick overview of what it’s getting: