Full-Time
Director of Production Accounting
Updated on 8/23/2026
TKO Group Holdings, Inc
1-10 employees
Premium sports and entertainment conglomerate
No salary listed
Las Vegas, NV, USA
In Person
Bachelor's
 Accounting (1) |
|---|
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- A bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Production Management, or a related field is required.
- At least 10 years of experience in production management and finance roles is required, ideally within live events, sports, or media.
- Demonstrated experience in production budgeting, forecasting, cost reporting, and variance analysis is required.
- Strong understanding of live event and studio production processes, workflows, and cost drivers is required.
- Proficiency in financial modeling and Microsoft Excel is required, along with experience using enterprise resource planning and production budgeting tools such as Movie Magic, EP, SAP, or Oracle.
- Proven leadership experience and the ability to manage multiple concurrent productions under tight deadlines are required.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills across creative and financial stakeholders are required.
- A CPA, CMA, or FP&A certification is required.
- Lead the creation, management, and monitoring of production budgets for live events, studio shows, and media productions.
- Develop rolling forecasts and financial models to reflect production costs, cash flow, and resource needs.
- Track actuals against budget, conduct variance analysis, and recommend corrective action to remain within financial parameters.
- Partner with producers and creative leads to build production plans aligned with approved budgets.
- Ensure timely and accurate cost reports are generated, reviewed, and communicated to senior leadership.
- Oversee day-to-day production operations across multiple events and projects.
- Ensure production schedules, workflows, staffing, and equipment needs align with approved plans.
- Coordinate cross-functionally with Creative, Business Affairs, Legal, Human Resources, Marketing, and Finance.
- Build and manage internal production timelines to ensure timely delivery of live and recorded content.
- Maintain vendor relationships and oversee contract negotiations, invoice approvals, and reconciliations.
- Ensure compliance with UFC policies and financial controls, as well as generally accepted accounting principles.
- Monitor union and guild requirements, tax incentives, and regulatory obligations relevant to productions.
- Identify financial and operational risks and implement mitigation strategies to protect budgets and production quality.
- Partner with Finance and Legal on audit, insurance, and risk management matters.
- Manage, mentor, and develop production finance and operations staff.
- Communicate with senior executives, production personnel, and external stakeholders.
- Serve as a liaison between creative, operations, and finance teams to ensure organizational alignment.
- Experience working with sports organizations, live event broadcasting, or large-scale touring productions.
- Familiarity with tax credits, co-productions, and union or guild agreements.
- Experience scaling financial and operational systems in a fast-growing production environment.
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. owns and operates UFC, WWE, and PBR, organizing more than 500 live events annually across 210 countries to reach millions of fans. It also provides services through IMG and On Location to support sports marketing and premium hospitality. The company stages events, manages rights, and monetizes content through media, sponsorships, and experiences within its ecosystem. Its combination of multiple premier brands under one umbrella with a global event footprint and integrated agency and hospitality services sets it apart, aiming to connect fans with high-profile live experiences and maximize value for fans, sponsors, and rights holders.
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
California
Founded
2023
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue rose 18% to $1.547 billion; guidance increased August 3.
- UFC partnerships revenue rose 69% to $145 million, driven by Freedom 250 sponsors.
- TKO retained over $1 billion for repurchases after completing an $800 million ASR.
What critics are saying
- August 2026 merger lawsuit settlement reached $147.5 million, exposing governance and disclosure damage.
- UFC Freedom 250 lost roughly $30 million on June 14, 2026, despite huge media.
- TKO carries $4.659 billion debt; one bad rights cycle can crush buybacks.
What makes TKO Group Holdings, Inc unique
- UFC's Paramount deal began January 2026, locking seven years of premium combat rights.
- WWE Raw stayed Netflix global top 10 all Q2 2026, proving platform leverage.
- IMG and On Location sold $2 billion World Cup hospitality by August 2026.
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Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Professional Development Budget
Mental Health Support
Wellness Program
Company News
TKO Group Holdings to participate in the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. MWN-AI** Summary. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a leading entity in the sports and entertainment industry, has announced that its President and Chief Operating Officer, Mark Shapiro, will participate in the upcoming Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. The event is scheduled for September 8, 2026, at 11:50 a.m. ET in San Francisco, CA. For those unable to attend, TKO will provide a live stream of the session, along with a replay accessible for 30 days on the company's investor relations website. TKO is recognized for its high-profile properties, including the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Furthermore, TKO is involved in a joint venture known as Zuffa Boxing, focusing on professional boxing promotion. Collectively, these brands reach over 1 billion households in 210 countries and territories while organizing more than 500 live events each year, drawing in more than three million fans. In addition to its entertainment properties, TKO also partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, a well-known global sports marketing agency, and On Location, an expert in premium experiential hospitality. These partnerships further solidify TKO's stature in the industry and enhance its offerings. For investors, TKO Group Holdings provides updates on material financial and operational matters through various channels, including press releases, SEC filings, and public webcasts, all of which can be found on their investor relations site. Interested parties can receive timely information by enrolling in email alerts available on the website. For any inquiries, investors can reach out to the designated contacts via provided email addresses. MWN-AI** Analysis. As TKO Group Holdings, Inc. prepares for its participation in the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, investors should seize this opportunity to assess the company's strategic positioning and growth prospects in the dynamic sports and entertainment sector. TKO, which encompasses premier brands like UFC, WWE, and PBR, has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amid shifting consumer preferences. Its diverse portfolio not only caters to various demographics but also effectively penetrates global markets, reaching over 1 billion households. This breadth provides a competitive advantage, especially within the lucrative pay-per-view and live event segments. With more than 500 live events annually, there's a sustainable revenue stream tied to fan engagement. Mark Shapiro's presence at the conference indicates TKO's commitment to transparency and investor relations. As shareholders, analysts will be keen to listen for insights on future growth strategies, potential acquisitions, or partnerships that could enhance its market position. Given TKO's involvement in joint ventures like Zuffa Boxing and its affiliations with major sports marketing entities, any discussion around expansion could be particularly beneficial. Moreover, the company has consistently demonstrated its ability to innovate, particularly in leveraging digital platforms for content delivery and fan interaction. This aligns with industry trends toward streaming services and digital experiences, which are likely to be key topics at the conference. Investors should monitor TKO's stock performance closely leading up to and following the event. A positive reception to potential announcements or strategic updates could present a buying opportunity, especially if the stock is perceived as undervalued in light of its market leadership and growth potential. Given the strong historical performance and diverse offerings, TKO Group Holdings remains a compelling investment consideration in the evolving sports and entertainment landscape. **MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release. August 12, 2026 08:30:00 am TKO Group Holdings, Inc. ("TKO" or the "Company") (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company, announced that its President and Chief Operating Officer, Mark Shapiro, will participate in the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 11:50 a.m. ET (8:50 a.m. PT) in San Francisco, CA. A link to the live session, as well as a replay available for at least 30 days, will be accessible on the company's investor relations website at investor.tkogrp.com. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO's businesses include UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; PBR, the world's premier bull riding organization; and its joint venture Zuffa Boxing, a professional boxing promotion. Together, these properties reach more than 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality. Website Disclosure Investors and others should note that TKO announces material financial and operational information to its investors using press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts, as well as its Investor Relations site at investor.tkogrp.com. TKO may also use its website as a distribution channel of material Company information. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about TKO when you enroll your email address by visiting the "Investor Email Alerts" option under the Resources tab on investor.tkogrp.com. FAQ**. How does TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A TKO plan to leverage its brands like UFC and WWE to drive revenue growth in the coming years? TKO Group Holdings Inc. plans to leverage its brands like UFC and WWE to drive revenue growth by enhancing cross-promotion opportunities, expanding global reach, and diversifying revenue streams through merchandise, streaming services, and live events while focusing on fan engagement. What key insights does Mark Shapiro intend to share about TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A TKO's strategic direction during the Goldman Sachs conference? Mark Shapiro aims to discuss TKO Group Holdings Inc.'s focus on strategic growth initiatives, operational efficiencies, and expanding global reach to enhance fan engagement and drive profitability during the Goldman Sachs conference. How does TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A TKO plan to expand its reach in international markets while maintaining its current fan engagement levels? TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A plans to expand internationally by leveraging strategic partnerships, enhancing digital content distribution, and tailoring engagement strategies to local markets while ensuring high levels of fan interaction and community building. What financial metrics and operational updates can investors expect to be highlighted by TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A TKO during the upcoming conference? Investors can expect TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A to highlight key financial metrics such as revenue growth, profit margins, and operational updates including strategic initiatives, market expansion efforts, and performance indicators during the upcoming conference. **MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about TKO Group Holdings Inc. Class A (NYSE: TKO).
UFC parent company lost $30M on White House fight. by Max Rego - 08/04/26 5:13 PM ET An executive from TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, said Monday the firm lost roughly $30 million from its June event at the White House. "With regards to UFC Freedom 250, we incurred significantly higher-than-normal costs, which we partially offset with sold-out global partnerships inventory," Andrew Schleimer, the chief financial officer of TKO, told investors during a Monday earnings call. Schleimer said the event's "financial profile" resulted in a roughly $30 million loss, which the company "anticipated" beforehand. UFC spent about $60 million in production costs for the event. President Trump attended the seven-fight spectacle, which took place on his June 14 birthday, alongside UFC CEO Dana White - a longtime friend who introduced him at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. While White called the event "an amazing experience" at the time, he said his company will not stage a repeat due to its price tag. From the second quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of this year, TKO's revenue from live events and hospitality decreased from $58.5 million to $47.8 million, according to the company's quarterly earnings report. TKO partially cited the lack of revenue via ticket sales from UFC Freedom 250 for that decline. UFC did not sell tickets to the general public for the event, instead hosting roughly 4,000 Trump administration officials, members of Congress, business executives and military servicemembers and staging the fights in an octagon on the south lawn of White House "The decrease in live events and hospitality revenue was due to a decrease in ticket sales revenue, which was largely driven by the absence of ticket sales for UFC Freedom 250 and one fewer Numbered Event, partially offset by higher financial incentive package revenue, compared to the prior year period," the report stated. The event also had increased operating costs, specifically higher athlete and production costs. This resulted in TKO's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margin decreasing from 59 percent in the second quarter of 2025 to 52 percent last quarter, the report added. But during the earnings call, TKO executives praised the fight at the White House as beneficial for the company. Mark Shapiro, the president and chief operating officer of TKO, said the Freedom 250 event generated more than $1 billion in "earned media value," which he claimed was the "kind of exposure only a handful of events in the world" can command. "It also deepened our commercial relationships, adding 25 new marketing partners to our roster - many signing multi-year or multi-event deals," Shapiro said of the event, which he noted "delivered results as designed." Overall, TKO reported $303.9 million in net income during the second quarter, an increase of $30.8 million from quarter two of 2025. SPONSORED CONTENT
TKO CFO says staging UFC's White House event led to about $30 million loss with no ticket sales. Andrew Schleimer said the no-ticket UFC Freedom 250 event created higher-than-normal costs and an approximate $30 million loss despite sold-out partnership inventory. Last updated on August 3rd, 2026 TKO Group Holdings has now put a public number on the price of taking the UFC to the White House. The company said UFC Freedom 250, the June 14 card staged on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., produced an approximate $30 million loss. The event had no ticket revenue, even though sponsorship demand helped blunt a much larger production bill. TKO chief financial officer Andrew Schleimer addressed the cost during the company's second-quarter investor call. First, with regards to UFC Freedom 250, MiddleEasy incurred significantly higher than normal costs, which MiddleEasy partially offset with sold-out global partnerships inventory. A reminder, MiddleEasy did not sell tickets and therefore did not record any live events revenue. The event's financial profile, which as anticipated, resulted in approximately a $30 million loss, its margins at UFC, as well as on a consolidated basis, were meaningfully impacted. The scale of the White House card, along with UFC's own viewership push, is below. Why the loss did not break the quarter. The number sounds harsh on its own, but the quarter was not built around the gate. TKO reported UFC revenue of $535.7 million for the second quarter, up 29 percent from the same period last year. Media rights, production, and content revenue rose by $64.7 million, with TKO pointing to the Paramount distribution deal that began in January. Partnerships and marketing revenue also jumped by $59 million, a gain the company said was largely driven by the White House event. Schleimer returned to the same figure when asked how the one-off event could turn into broader partnership business. Look, on UFC Freedom 250, I will reiterate MiddleEasy came in exactly as anticipated or close enough for government work, with a loss of approximately $30 million. MiddleEasy has held true to what that level of overall loss/investment was going to be. Hats off to its global partnerships team who utilized this one-of-one event as an entry point for new partners to level up existing partners and to introduce folks to the power of its IP and what MiddleEasy can do from an execution perspective. The weakness was exactly where the structure said it would be. UFC live events and hospitality revenue fell by $10.7 million, largely because UFC Freedom 250 did not sell tickets. Direct operating costs also climbed because of athlete, production, and event-related spending tied to the one-off setup. White House card still delivered reach. UFC later said Freedom 250 delivered an estimated 34 million global viewers, with 17 million viewers across the United States and Latin America on Paramount+. The promotion also claimed 126 billion social views during fight week, which explains why TKO could frame the loss as a marketing expense instead of a standard event miss. The card itself was built as a spectacle more than a normal numbered event. Justin Gaethje defeated Ilia Topuria by corner stoppage after the fourth round in the main event, and every fight on the card ended by knockout or technical knockout. Dana White had already defended the event's value after a separate controversy around the card, calling the White House show a "Grand Slam Home Run" for the UFC's larger visibility play. The post-event cycle also produced unusual collector-market fallout, including Paddy Pimblett buying Ilia Topuria's corner stool from the card. There was still normal fight fallout underneath the pageantry. Steve Garcia's reaction after his Diego Lopes loss showed the event carried real career consequences beyond the stage, security, and political attention around it. The disclosure leaves UFC Freedom 250 with three firm financial markers in TKO's second-quarter picture: no ticket sales, sold-out partnership inventory, and an approximate $30 million event loss. Published on August 3, 2026 at 8:27 pm Stay up-to-date with the latest MMA news, rumors, and updates by following the RED Monster on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, don't forget to add MiddleEasy to your Google News feed for even more coverage. Jake Blend is an experienced combat sports writer with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism. Over the past 6 years, he has relentlessly covered the evolving landscapes of mixed martial arts, boxing, and Muay Thai. Whether he is reporting on the latest UFC matchups, breaking down championship fight camps, or interviewing athletes, Jake's deep-rooted passion for the sport shines through in every article.
UFC lost US$30 million on Trump's Freedom 250 event at the White House. US President Donald Trump (centre), First Lady Melania Trump (fourth from left), UFC CEO Dana White (second from left) and other guests at the Octagon at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House's South Lawn on June 15. Published Aug 04, 2026, 08:05 AM Updated Aug 04, 2026, 09:18 AM TKO Group said it lost US$30 million (S$38.5 million) on the UFC Freedom 250 mixed martial arts event held in Washington on June 14, but gained in terms of media exposure and partnership deals. The controversial event, part of US President Donald Trump's celebrations for the nation's 250th birthday, was the first time a combat sports contest had been staged on the South Lawn of the White House. Executives of TKO, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) league, called the event a "roaring success" on a conference call with analysts on Aug 3, saying it would pay off in the long term in building the sport's fan base and in business relationships. The event generated US$1 billion in "earned media" and publicity from press coverage, as well as 25 new marketing partners, many of them signing multi-year deals, the executives said. The UFC and broadcast partner Paramount Skydance had previously said the event attracted 34 million viewers globally. TKO, which also owns the WWE, a professional wrestling and sports entertainment company, reported second-quarter sales and profit that beat analysts' estimates. The company boosted its 2026 forecasts for both due to higher expectations for the year. BLOOMBERG More on this topic. Full individual access, on any device From morning headlines to evening reads, enjoy unlimited access One Digital Monthly Recurring Billed monthly. Cancel any time Why subscribe? * Access to all premium articles on straitstimes.com * ST app access on 1 mobile device * E-paper with expanded view and 2-week archive
WrestleMania 42 drives $33.7 million year-over-year Q2 decline in WWE live event revenue. Lower ticket sales for WrestleMania 42 drove a $33.7 million year-over-year decline in WWE's live events and hospitality revenue. TKO's second-quarter results show that the category generated $152 million, down from $185.7 million in the same period last year. The company said the decrease came from lower ticket revenue and was "almost exclusively" related to WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. TKO did not disclose a gate for this year's two-night event at Allegiant Stadium. WrestleMania 41 generated $66,074,558 in ticket sales across its two nights in 2025. Pollstar data showed that 113,412 tickets were sold in total. The $33.7 million decline cannot be subtracted directly from last year's WrestleMania gate to calculate the 2026 figure. This is because WWE's live events and hospitality category covers all events during the quarter and also includes hospitality and financial incentive packages. However, TKO's attribution indicates that WrestleMania ticket revenue fell significantly from the record set one year earlier. The quarterly filing states that WWE's direct operating costs increased by $15.5 million. Of that increase, $14.9 million related to higher combined talent, production and event costs for weekly television and premium live events, including WrestleMania 42, along with added logistics for international events. WWE received a $6 million site fee for WrestleMania 42 and approval for a $4,314,821 Nevada production tax credit, taking expected public incentives to around $10 million. Despite the decline in live-event income, overall WWE revenue increased 12% to $620.9 million. An $80.8 million rise in media rights, production and content revenue more than offset the lower ticket sales.