Tonight in Unpacks: Dana White and his partners, the Fertitta brothers, struck gold with their investment in UFC. Now, as SBJ’s Adam Stern chronicles in this week’s cover story, they’re turning the focus on growing more pop culture sports properties.
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Also tonight:
- Peter King tributes highlight his kindness, generosity
- NASCAR offers seven years for new charter deal
- Work on MetLife Stadium begins to get ready for World Cup
- Op-ed: 50 years later, still wrangling with sports media rights
Listen to SBJ's most popular podcast, Morning Buzzcast, where Abe Madkour opens the week with a tribute to the retiring Peter King, a big season-opening weekend for MLS, an update on NASCAR’s charter system situation and more.
Dana White, Fertitta brothers banking on Power Slap, action/motorsports
Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, Frank and Lorenzo, minted their sports business credentials with the UFC, transforming a $2 million investment in 2001 into a $4 billion deal in 2016 when they sold it to Endeavor. Now, they are ready to draft off their UFC playbook to grow their new properties. These include youth sports operator 3Step Sports, motorsports/action sports company Thrill One Sports & Entertainment and Power Slap League, which White co-founded in 2022.
Other new investments are expected, including in motorsports and possibly combat sports, and the company has a burgeoning relationship with NASCAR that could lead to notable developments in the coming years.
In this week's magazine, SBJ's Adam Stern writes on how White and the Fertittas see their specialty in finding and building sports that resonate with youth and pop culture, have global appeal and fit into today’s shareable, social media-friendly environment.
That specialty is what makes White and his partners such a force in sports business, as SBJ Executive Editor and Publisher Abe Madkour writes in this week's Forum: "You also have to understand that White is a pop culture influencer. He is a connector and a trend-spotter, and young people follow him. He’s culturally relevant and can build a business. Everyone asks me, 'Who are the good operators in sports?' White and the Fertittas are among the best, as they can build, scale and globalize a business. Bottom line: White’s a trendsetter who can identify an undeveloped market, find the fit and build a business."