TKO Group Holdings has disclosed detailed financial information about the revenue of the UFC for 2022 and 2023, with the promotion generating $611.9 million in revenue during the first two quarters of 2023 and $1.14 billion in revenue for 2022, making it the largest revenue driver for TKO Group Holdings since its acquisition by Endeavor.
TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, filed its first major financial disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), shedding light on the revenue generated by the UFC in 2022 and 2023. The filing was made ahead of the TKO earnings call, which took place on November 7th. In addition to the UFC, the financial breakdown also included details about the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Previously under the Endeavor umbrella, the UFC was the primary sports asset of the company, but revenue was also shared with other organizations such as Professional Bull Riders. However, with the merger with WWE, the UFC’s individual financial information has now been revealed, offering a deeper insight into its revenue for the first two quarters of 2023.
According to the SEC filing, during the first half of 2023, the UFC generated $611.9 million in revenue. The largest portion of this revenue, amounting to $224.1 million in the first quarter and $211.7 million in the second quarter, came from media rights and content, predominantly from their deal with ESPN. Live events contributed $63.8 million, sponsorships brought in $54.2 million, and consumer product licensing accounted for $18.1 million in revenue.
The filing also highlighted the UFC’s growth trajectory, with an 18% increase in revenue compared to the first quarter of 2022 and a 14% increase in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period the previous year. In 2022, the UFC’s revenue reached $1.14 billion, a 20% increase from 2021, consolidating its position as the main revenue driver for TKO Group Holdings following Endeavor’s acquisition of the UFC.
The financial records further revealed that WWE recorded $707.9 million in revenue for the first two quarters of 2023. Although WWE experienced an 11% drop in revenue in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year, it bounced back with a 25% increase in the second quarter.
With a new multi-year deal with Bud Light worth over $100 million and upcoming negotiations for a new broadcast rights deal in 2024, the UFC is expected to continue reporting record revenues. This positions the company to potentially secure one of the most lucrative contracts in sports, solidifying its financial success in the coming years.