WME | IMG ACQUIRES THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION FROM DONALD J. TRUMP

WME | IMG ACQUIRES THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION FROM DONALD J. TRUMP
BEVERLY HILLS, CA (September 14, 2015) – WME | IMG today announced the acquisition of The Miss Universe Organization, which includes MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA®, from Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump had acquired NBCUniversal’s interest in The Miss Universe Organization as part of the settlement of his litigation against NBCUniversal.

The Miss Universe Organization is an international organization that advances and supports opportunities for women. MISS UNIVERSE® is distributed in more than 190 countries worldwide and seen by more than half a billion people annually.

The MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA® pageants provide a global platform for more than 10,000 women annually through dedicated partnerships with charities, sponsors, brands, franchisees and television networks around the world. Additionally, the organization raises millions of dollars for charities annually, including nearly $4 million in 2014 alone.

“Having worked closely with The Miss Universe Organization in the past, we understand the incredible potential of the events and the star-quality of the participants,” said Mark Shapiro, Chief Content Officer, WME | IMG. “The global reach of The Miss Universe Organization and the content opportunities presented by the pageants make this a strong, strategic addition to our portfolio.”

“I have truly enjoyed owning the MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA® pageants,” said Mr. Trump. “When I purchased the pageants many years ago, they were in serious trouble. It has been a great honor making them so successful and I have really enjoyed watching the pageants grow throughout the USA and worldwide. The pageants are now in the hands of a great company that will shepherd them to even greater levels of success.”

This acquisition expands WME | IMG’s portfolio of global events and media properties across entertainment and fashion, including more than 20 fashion weeks per year in cities including New York, Berlin, and Sydney; original lifestyle productions including this year’s “Macy’s Presents Fashion’s Front Row” taking place at Madison Square Garden; and global lifestyle festivals including Taste Festivals and Lollapalooza.
IMG has served as executive producers of both MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants in the past.

The Raine Group and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as WME | IMG’s financial and legal advisors, respectively.

About WME | IMG
WME | IMG is the global leader in entertainment, sports, events, media and fashion. Operating in more than 25 countries, the company specializes in talent representation and management; brand strategy, activation and licensing; media production and distribution; and event management.