Ari Emanuel's TKO Pay Drops 72% to $18.1M, Mark Shapiro's Rises to $32M

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, disclosed significant changes in executive compensation for 2024, with CEO Ari Emanuel's pay dropping to $18.1 million from nearly $65 million the previous year, a decrease tied to the completion of major corporate deals in 2023. In contrast, President and COO Mark Shapiro's compensation nearly doubled to approximately $32 million. The company, now majority-owned by Endeavor Group Holdings—recently taken private by Silver Lake—remains publicly traded, while Emanuel has assumed the role of executive chairman at WME Group, Endeavor's new public-facing name. The year also saw major developments for TKO, including a long-term WWE rights deal with Netflix, high-profile UFC events, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson joining the board, receiving nearly $30 million in stock and further royalty payments. Additionally, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon resigned amid legal issues and settled SEC charges, making $1.5 million in related payments. Asset shuffling between Endeavor and TKO continued, with notable sports properties moving between the companies as part of broader strategic realignments.