The news: WWE and Ultimate Fighting Championship owner Endeavor Group will merge to form a public company that “will be well positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights,” said World Wrestling Entertainment chairman Vince McMahon.
- The deal values the combined company at $21 billion and is a major step toward greater consolidation in the entertainment industry.
WWE and UFC viewership: Combat sports and professional wrestling are often siloed into their own, separate category when talking about sports viewership, but they’re powerful forces with huge, growing audiences.
- WWE is viewed by 11 million fans, according to its website, and its “diverse audience spans generations of fans.” It claims that its broadcasts are viewed worldwide by over 1 billion households each week.
- The UFC’s viewership is harder to pin down due to its pay-per-view model, but since Endeavor purchased it in 2016, viewers and revenues have reportedly grown to record levels.
- While there’s sure to be some crossover between the two sports under shared ownership—mixed-martial arts personalities have previously appeared in WWE events—the WWE is aimed at a broad, family demographic, while the UFC is focused on adults.