LVSportsBiz.com’s High Five: 5 News Items That Got Us Thinking
By ALAN SNEL
-- Forbes reported last week that brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta cashed out their final stake in UFC to complete a deal valued at FIVE BILLION DOLLARS in the sale of the Las Vegas-based fight promotion organization to entertainment powerhouse WME-IMG. Yes, folks, $5 billion. That's more than twice what cousin Tilman Fertitta of Houston spent to buy the Houston Rockets of the NBA ($2.2 billion). I get that UFC puts on a great fight spectacle, produces an entertaining combat show, owns an impressive headquarters off the 215 and creates its own programming that's typically more polished than any network content. But $5 BILLION? Looks like someone has some cash to buy an NBA team for T-Mobile Arena. The Fertittas bought UFC for $2 million back in 2001. Nice little ROI.
-- Please, ESPN, for the love of Emerson Boozer and Matt Snell, please cut Rex Ryan immediately. His Monday Night Football color commentary during the Broncos-Charges game was la