Meet Endeavor, The Publicly-Traded Entertainment Behemoth Led by Legendary Super-Agent Ari Emanuel.| POLITICO 06/16/2023 04:30 AM EDT

Ari Emanuel was the feature in a previous post on this blog 06.14.2023

 ...When the episode was first released in podcast form last week, Emanuel’s candid comments made national news: 

• Ari Emanuel Compares CAA To Walmart, Talks LIV Golf, Saudi Arabia & Endeavor Succession Plans In ‘Freakonomics’ Interview — Deadline
• Ari Emanuel Says COVID Nearly Ended Endeavor – TheWrap
• At the PGA Tour's Behest, an Entertainment Giant Pulled an Investment in LIV Golf — Sports Illustrated

Other topics Emanuel spoke about with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner include how his company made a $21+ billion deal with UFC and WWE in April, why Formula 1 is the one that got away, and the potential for Artificial Intelligence to change — and not change — the industry. 

One Twitter user called it “Possibly one of the greatest podcast interviews ever.” 

Introduction: 

"...Between crises, book writers of the D.C. think-tank and journalistic worlds, are long on the sorts of historic curios and lost real-life characters that drive a ton of content in the age of streaming and podcasts.

On the industry side of the equation: 
It’s all about gigantism. WME, where Ross Yoon principals Gail Ross and Howard Yoon are now partners, is part of Endeavor, the publicly-traded entertainment behemoth led by legendary super-agent Ari Emanuel.

• In addition to its sports and entertainment properties (Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment, Professional Bull Riders) and its media outfits (Asylum Entertainment Group, the unscripted television outfit whose brands are behind things like TNT’s “Shaq Life” and AMC’s “Eli Roth’s History of Horror”) the conglomerate remains big in its original mission of talent representation. The WM in WME stands for William Morris, the venerable firm whose roster of clients extends from movie stars to pop musicians to TV anchors to podcasters and speakers-circuit staples.

The business logic of bringing all these properties under one roof is that it makes it that much easier to turn one cultural product into another line of profit, or three. . .

Washington’s changing role in producing America’s culture.

COLUMN | CAPITAL CITY

Hollywood’s Biggest Talent Scout Wants Washington’s Brain Trust

The entertainment industry smells something sweet in Washington: IP.

POLITICO illustration/Images by iStock

By MICHAEL SCHAFFER

06/16/2023 04:30 AM EDT

"What does a Beverly Hills conglomerate whose properties include a reality-TV production house, a leading Hollywood talent firm and America’s most famous professional wrestling circuit want with a boutique Beltway literary agency best known for representing Washington-based authors of highbrow nonfiction?

• The question hovers over this month’s news that WME — the legendary talent agency whose clients include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Rihanna and Matt Damon — has purchased Ross Yoon, the Dupont Circle firm whose stable includes TIME’s Molly Ball, NPR’s Steve Inskeep and my POLITICO colleague Ryan Lizza.

And the answer says a lot about the changing structure of the entertainment industry — but also reveals a bit about Washington’s changing role in producing America’s culture.

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