Sec Form 13D Filing - Silver Lake West HoldCo L.P. filing for ENDEAVOR GROUP HLDGS INC (EDR) - 2023-10-26

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 2)*

Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Class A Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

29260Y109

(CUSIP Number)

Karen M. King, Esq.

Silver Lake

2775 Sand Hill Road, Suite 100

Menlo Park, California 94025

(650) 233-8120

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

With copies to:

Elizabeth Cooper, Esq.

Mark Myott, Esq.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

(212) 455-2000

October 25, 2023

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. ☐

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See §240.13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

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Explanatory Note

This Amendment No. 2 (the “Amendment”) is being filed by Silver Lake West HoldCo, L.P. (“West HoldCo”), Silver Lake West HoldCo II, L.P. (“West HoldCo II” and together with West HoldCo, the “HoldCos”), Silver Lake West VoteCo, L.L.C. and Egon Durban (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”) and amends the statement on Schedule 13D originally filed by certain affiliates of the Reporting Persons on May 13, 2021 (the “Original Schedule 13D”), as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 13D filed on July 26, 2021 (as amended, the “Schedule 13D”) relating to the Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), of Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”).

The Items below amend the information disclosed under the corresponding Items of the Schedule 13D as described below. Except as specifically provided herein, this Amendment does not modify any of the information previously reported in the Schedule 13D. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings attributed to them in the Schedule 13D.

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction

Item 4 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

The Reporting Persons issued the press release attached hereto as an Exhibit to this Amendment on October 25, 2023. The Reporting Persons have explored, and expect to continue to explore, various potential alternatives with respect to their investment in the Issuer. The Reporting Persons are currently working toward submitting a proposal (which could also lead to one or more subsequent revised or different proposals) that could result in the Reporting Persons and/or their affiliates acquiring all or substantially all of the outstanding capital stock of the Issuer, which would result in a de-listing and de-registration of the publicly traded securities of the Issuer (such acquisition referred to herein as a “Take-private”). There can be no guarantee that the Reporting Persons will make any such proposal, and if any such proposal is made, the Reporting Persons can provide no assurances such proposal will be accepted or that they will successfully consummate any proposed transaction. The potential alternative opportunities currently being evaluated by the Reporting Persons do not include a sale of securities by the Reporting Persons to a third party or entertaining bids for assets that are a part of the Issuer.

The Reporting Persons, Mr. Durban, in his position as a director of the Issuer and Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake Group, L.L.C. (“SLG”), and Mr. Evans, in his position as a director of the Issuer and Managing Director of SLG, have begun to engage, and intend to continue to engage, in communications, discussions and negotiations with members of management and of the board of directors, and their legal, financial, accounting and other advisors; potential partners and counterparties in any transaction; current or prospective stockholders of the Issuer; and other relevant parties, regarding the various alternatives that may from time to time be under consideration by the Reporting Persons and/or their affiliates. To facilitate their consideration of such matters, the Reporting Persons have retained, or intend to retain, consultants and advisors and enter into discussions with potential sources of capital and other third parties. The Reporting Persons may exchange information with any such persons pursuant to appropriate confidentiality or similar obligations or agreements.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

Item 5 is hereby amended and restated as follows:

The information contained in rows 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 on each of the cover pages of this Schedule 13D and the information set forth or incorporated in Items 2, 3 and 6 is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 5.

(a) – (b) The Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own an aggregate of 174,114,556 shares of the Issuer’s Class A Common Stock, or 45.1% of the Class A Common Stock as calculated pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), based on shares of Class A Common Stock held and Endeavor Operating Company Units which are exchangeable (along with an equal number of shares of Class X Common Stock) for either cash (at the Issuer’s election, subject to certain conditions) or shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment.

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The holders of Class A Common Stock, Class X Common Stock and Class Y Common Stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval, except as required by applicable law. Holders of Class A Common Stock and Class X Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval. Holders of Class Y Common Stock are entitled to 20 votes per share on all matters submitted to stockholders for their vote or approval.

The shares of Class A Common Stock, shares of Class X Common Stock and shares of Class Y Common Stock owned by the Reporting Persons represent approximately 71% of the total voting power of Issuer’s common stock outstanding. Calculations of beneficial ownership and voting power described herein are based on 303,755,495 shares of Class A Common Stock, 174,085,021 shares of Class X Common Stock and 227,073,690 shares of Class Y Common Stock of the Issuer outstanding as of July 31, 2023, as set forth in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 8, 2023.

Interests in the Issuer and Endeavor Operating Company are held through West HoldCo (holding (i) 495,494 shares of Class A Common Stock and (ii) 82,138,074 Endeavor Operating Company Units and an equal number of paired shares of Class X Common Stock and an equal number of shares of Class Y Common Stock) and West HoldCo II (holding 91,480,988 shares of Class A Common Stock and 87,254,147 shares of Class Y Common Stock). Egon Durban, a Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake Group, L.L.C. and a director of the Issuer, is the managing member of Silver Lake West VoteCo, L.L.C., which is the general partner of the HoldCos.

The HoldCos, Ariel Emanuel, the Chief Executive Officer of the Issuer, Patrick Whitesell, the Executive Chairman of the Issuer, and certain entities they control, including Endeavor Executive Holdco, L.L.C. (collectively, the “Executive Parties”) and certain other equityholders of the Issuer are parties to a Stockholder Agreement (the “Stockholder Agreement”), which contains, among other things, certain provisions relating to transfer of, and coordination of the voting of, securities of the Issuer by the parties thereto.

By virtue of the Stockholder Agreement and the obligations and rights thereunder, the Reporting Persons which beneficially own securities of the Issuer acknowledge and agree that they are acting as a “group” with the Executive Parties within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

The Reporting Persons expressly disclaim beneficial ownership over any shares of Class A Common Stock that they may be deemed to beneficially own solely by reason of the Stockholder Agreement. Certain entities affiliated with the Executive Parties have separately made a Schedule 13D filing reporting their beneficial ownership of shares of Class A Common Stock.

(c) None of the Reporting Persons has effected any transaction in Class A Common Stock in the past 60 days.

(d) Not applicable.

(e) Not applicable.

Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits

Item 7 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended and supplemented as follows:

G. Press Release issued by the Reporting Persons on October 25, 2023.

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Signatures

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, the undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: October 26, 2023