Even before World Wrestling Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship parent company TKO Group Holdings completes a planned expansion of its sports portfolio, a new event model is taking shape.
TKO said Wednesday it will bring WWE, UFC, and Professional Bull Riders events to Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center over a five-day stretch in late April, initiating a new type of joint touring format for the organizations. The first “TKO Takeover,” as the company is calling it, is an early indicator of the planned integration of the restructured company.
Last fall, TKO and majority owner Endeavor said they would consolidate sports assets held by Endeavor, including On Location, PBR, and IMG, within TKO in a $3.25 billion deal. That effort is expected to close by the end of June, and perhaps within a matter of weeks. The Kansas City effort, however, is the beginning of a planned strategy in which TKO will pitch combined events to various arenas and stadiums, sports commissions, and tourism boards.
As a result, the cumulative effect in many instances on a particular city could be similar to an all-star game or national-level competition in another major sport. The TKO Takeover will include sales of an all-in-one ticket bundle for the three events. On Location will be involved here, too, as it will sell VIP-level tickets and fan experiences for the weekend.
PBR will begin the Kansas City sequence on April 24, followed by a UFC Fight Night on April 26, and conclude with an installment of WWE’s Raw on April 28. WWE, UFC, and PBR will still stage some other events separately, depending on various schedules and business matters, but the effort beginning in Kansas City is clearly designed to show their combined power.
“This is a unique opportunity to showcase these three premier properties in one city at the same time for the benefit of fans and visitors to the area,” said TKO EVP of event development and operations Peter Dropick.
TKO will disclose its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings for 2024 after the close of market activity Wednesday. The company’s stock has nearly doubled in value over the last year.
