Tennis being left out of IMG deal with TKO Group led by $800M-worth Dwayne Johnson draws reaction from tennis insider

Tennis Insider Jon Wertheim reacted to the news of tennis being left out of the deal that involves Dwayne Johnson-led media conglomerate TKO group acquiring IMG. TKO completed the takeover yesterday which also included Professional Bull Riders and On Location which are under the umbrella group Endeavor for a whopping $3.25 billion (via CNBC).

The $800M-worth (via Celebrity Net Worth) Dwayne Johnson, whose family has been involved with the company for years, joined the board of TKO in January 2024 and expressed his vision of leading the company to greater heights. The group expressed its interest in league ownership and businesses that can power its current sports ecosystem through ticket sales, hospitality, consumer products, and media rights.

The parent company of UFC and WWE's acquisition deal that was on the cards since last year. Jon Wertheim took to X (formerly Twitter) to give quite a neutral reaction to the deal as he shared a CNBC report from October 24, 2024.

"Note where tennis fits into today's big sports business announcement:" -he wrote.

The American media conglomerate also stated that it has left out certain businesses of IMG from the acquisition that don't align with its current vision.

“[The acquisition does not include] Businesses associated with the IMG brand in licensing, models, and tennis representation, nor IMG’s full events portfolio,” a TKO statement said (via CNBC).

IMG services more than 200 rightsholders that includes the organizations looking over key tennis tournaments like the All England Lawn Tennis Club which holds Wimbledon, Roland Garros (The French Open), and the US Open. Its talent management agency also manages tennis stars like Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka, to name a few.

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Novak Djokovic associated with IMG for more than a decade

Novak Djokovic was backed by IMG since 2012 - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic signed a multi-year deal with IMG in 2012 and has been assisted by the company in developing a brand-building strategy through various PR and business initiatives.

"Novak Djokovic is a superbly talented tennis player, and world-class competitor who demonstrates a very strong character through his passion and commitment to his game, I believe he has the ability to translate those qualities into achieving great success working with global brands in the marketplace." said then IMG Chairman and CEO Mike Dolan (via New York Tennis Magazine).

The then-world No. 1 ATP star also expressed his delight in being associated with the organization and was hopeful of what feats he could achieve utilizing the resources available by the company to its fullest potential.