The landscape of the Ultimate Fighting Championship changed forever after the company was sold from ZUFFA to WME-IMG in the summer of 2016 for 4.2 billion dollars, one of the largest transactions in sports history to date. While some fight fans felt that this change would be for the best, it appears that they are now changing their tunes and are wondering what’s next for the promotion.
After cutting costs everywhere from offices in Canada all the way to be broadcast booth next to the octagon, the new bosses at WME-IMG are looking for new ways to raise money to help them pay off the debt they accrued after purchasing the company back in 2016.
Reuters is reporting that the UFC have made their “return to the loan market to raise $100,000,000 of incremental debt to back a potential earnings-based payout tied to its 2016 buyout”. Reuters does not have specific details about the payments, but they suggest that the first payment could be due during the second half of 2017.
Do you think this was a bad deal for WME-IMG, or is this just part of the process of building a company after you purchase it? Do you believe the Conor McGregor/Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout could impact this debt in a positive manner, or would success in the boxing ring drive McGregor just further away from the sport? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
