Silver Lake just pulled off the biggest media and entertainment take-private deal in history—acquiring Endeavor (EDR, Financial) for $27.50 a share, a 55% premium from when rumors first started flying. Endeavor is now officially off the NYSE and back in private hands. But here's the twist: it still holds a major stake in TKO Group Holdings (TKO, Financial), which owns UFC and WWE. For investors looking for a proxy to ride this wave of sports, IP, and live content monetization—TKO is the name to watch.
With Endeavor going dark, Silver Lake is doubling down on what it calls WME Group—a powerhouse built from WME (talent agency), 160over90 (marketing), IMG Licensing, and Pantheon (unscripted content). They've brought in heavyweight co-investors like Mubadala, Michael Dell (Trades, Portfolio)'s family office, Goldman Sachs, and CPP. Silver Lake hasn't sold a single share since first investing in Endeavor back in 2012—and just made it the largest bet in their global portfolio. Translation: they're all-in on this transformation.
So what's next? For public market investors, all eyes are on TKO (TKO, Financial). With Endeavor out of the picture, TKO becomes a cleaner, more focused way to play the global appetite for premium live events and combat sports. The real story here might not be the buyout itself—but the public gem left behind.
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