Mark Wahlberg, Tom Brady, Ben Affleck and Serena Williams are listed among the 23 celebrities who become the new investors of UFC. They are reported to make a minimum investment of $250,000 each.
Along with Wahlberg and Brady, other celebrities who were listed to purchase the share of WME-IMG as reported by Fortune are TV hosts Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel.
Movie star Sylvester Stallone, director Michael Bay, musicians Adam Levine and LL Cool J. Female tennis players Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Serena and Venus Williams also reported to join in.
O'Brien announced in his late night show "Conan" about his part in the celebrity investors of the UFC asFox Sports reported. He said that he was part of the group of celebrity investors who were represented by WME-IMG have purchased a small stake in the UFC.
"After the UFC deal was announced, WME - William Morris Endeavor - gave some of their clients an opportunity to purchase a small ownership stake in the UFC. I'm excited to announce that I was one of those clients," said O'Brien.
In July, WME-IMG acquired UFC for $4 billion. After the deal is finalized, WME-IMG offer its clients to purchase a small stake in the UFC. Following the offer, 23 celebrities joined in as investors.
Bringing in the celebrities as investors provide higher promotional and marketing value for UFC, as reported by Wall Street Journal. The move is also the most significant business move to grow the league even more.
UFC began from early 1990's, when an entrepreneur Art Davie were inspired by Gracie family video series who defeated various martial arts practitioners in a one-on-one bare hand combat. Davie contacted screenwriter and director John Milius and the eldest prominent member of Gracie family Rorion Gracie to begin an eight-man martial arts tournament.
Afterward, Davie established the WOW Production and started the UFC in 1993 which aired in pay-per-view TV SEG. From then on, UFC grew into a big sports business.
Watch the episode of "Conan" on TBS from Conan O'Brien Official YouTube channel below.
