Endeavor, the talent agency and live events company led by Ari Emanuel, has agreed to acquire 100% of Ultimate Fighting Championship, according to information contained in a Wednesday afternoon IPO filing.
Background: Endeavor currently has a 50.1% stake in UFC, based on a 2016 deal done alongside private equity firms Silver Lake and KKR.
Driving the news: In the past three weeks alone, Republican governors from three states — Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas — have signed such bills.
As the college sports world focuses on March Madness, the Supreme Court will hear a case this morning that could change the landscape of the NCAA.
Catch up quick: The 9th Circuit last year sided with former West Virginia RB Shawne Alston in his antitrust case against the NCAA, ruling that schools can provide unlimited academic-related expenses to their athletes.
The Chinese Super League was on the riseand threatening to tilt the balance of global soccer during the last decade. Now, it's in complete disarray.
Why it matters: The CSL helped catalyze China's soccer boom, and its foreign stars brought a global audience to its shores. Now, the league's uncertain future could damage soccer's domestic popularity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping hoped to make China a global leader in soccer, his favorite sport. After years of massive government support, that dream has so far fallen short.
The big picture: China's soccer dream isn't ending, but the initial investment frenzy seems to have slowed.
The NBA's Basketball Africa League will make its long-awaited debut with a 12-team tournament beginning May 16 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Why it matters: The NBA's attempt at operating a league outside of North America is part of a long-term plan to make the league synonymous with competitive basketball around the world.
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