Ari Emanuel has launched MARI, a new holding company for the Frieze art organization, global tennis tournaments and other assets once housed by Endeavor.
The company’s portfolio spanning sports, entertainment and culture will initially include Frieze; pro tennis tournaments in Miami and Madrid; and a majority stake in collector car auction and auto lifestyle brand Barrett-Jackson.
Endeavor Group Holdings announced the sale of Frieze to Emanuel’s new company last spring, but now it has a name and is officially active. Earlier this year, Emanuel had received nearly $176 million when Endeavor was taken private by Silver Lake.
A number of notable investors and personalities are backing the new venture, which is backed by $2 billion in funding, according to multiple press reports. The roster includes Apollo, RedBird Capital Partners, Qatar Investment Authority, HSG, IMI media group, Ares Management funds, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a16z Growth, Nancy Zhang, FORTA Advisors, Main Street Advisors, Causeway Media Partners, Gannet Capital, Eric Schmidt, FMZ Ventures, Sideline Group, Curated Wealth Partners, Gaurav Kapadia, Bulat Utemuratov, and Sanjay Govil.
NBA players Luka Dončić and Anthony Edwards and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu are also investors in MARI.
Mark Shapiro, who has long collaborated with Emanuel in building Endeavor and is now president of WME Group and its sister company, TKO Group, is a principal investor in MARI and will serve on its board.
MARI’s executive team includes Matt Cohn as Managing Partner and Ben Enowitz as Chief Financial Officer.
“Live events and experiences have never been more powerful,” said Ariel Emanuel, Founder and Principal Investor of MARI. “As people increasingly value experiences over things – and as hybrid work and AI give us more time to enjoy them – sports, art, lifestyle, and entertainment are becoming even more essential. At MARI, we’re building on the global impact of Frieze and the success of the Madrid and Miami Opens to create new ways for audiences to come together and share their passions.”
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