Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel are making a big splash with their latest acquisition.
Variety is reporting that TKO executives Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel are purchasing individual minority ownership stakes in the Las Vegas Raiders NFL franchise. The deal is expected to close this month, and the pair will assume minority ownership in the team.
Raiders majority owner Mark Davis will remain as the team’s controlling shareholder. The team has several other minority owners, including NFL legend Tom Brady and former Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour.
Sports Business Journal is reporting that Emanuel will own 1.4% of the Raiders, while Shapiro will hold 0.6% interest in the team. Additionally, Egon Durban, CEO of private-equity firm Silver Lake, which controls both TKO and WME, will increase his existing ownership share of the Raiders to 22%.
How are Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel connected to WWE?
Ari Emanuel is the CEO of TKO Group, which owns WWE, UFC, PBR, On Location and IMG. Shapiro currently serves as president and COO.
Shapiro has been in the headlines in recent days regarding various WWE events. He took part in an interview with Yahoo! Finance’s Brian Sozzi ahead of WrestleMania 42, where he discussed the criticism surrounding ticket prices and attendance for the event.
Shapiro admitted that returning to Las Vegas two years in a row might have been a mistake on his part. However, he felt that some criticism was because WrestleMania 42 didn’t have the same “new” luster as the previous year.
In addition, Shapiro also addressed the ongoing conflict in Iran and how it might affect WWE’s upcoming events in the Middle East. Shapiro said that WWE is keeping close watch on the situation of the Saudi Arabia events. Despite that, he still expects the next one, WWE Night of Champions, to go on as planned.
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