ENDEAVOR DROPS ALL THE INITIALS

Ninety-nine years after Zelman Moses hung up a shingle that read William Morris, Vaudeville Agent, his company’s name has been retired. The parent company overseeing the company he founded, which until recently last week was WME | IMG, will now go by Endeavor.

“WME | IMG represented a pivotal moment in our company’s history, but it does not accurately reflect the extent of our diversity or indicate where we’re headed,” Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel said. “In creating Endeavor, we now have a holding company that represents the very definition of the word itself, constantly striving to push boundaries on behalf of our clients and owned properties.”

This move will not affect the daily operations of WME, and all clients will remain clients of WME.

The Endeavor family includes the talent agency WME; sports, events, media and fashion company IMG; the UFC; ad agency Droga5; Professional Bull Riders; The Miss Universe Organization; and arts and media company Frieze.

Among its joint ventures are Euroleague Basketball and the eSports league ELEAGUE.

Emanuel continues as CEO and Patrick Whitesell is Executive Chairman, and both will continue to sit on the company’s board.

“Our business at its core remains rooted in access, service and creativity,” Whitesell said. “The one substantial difference is that unlike 20 years ago, we’re now sitting at the center of an incredible global network. We have the relationships and the platforms to help our clients and partners extend their reach and bring their creative initiatives to life.”

We have attempted multiple times to audition our vaudeville act, the Aristocrats, for them, but we have yet to receive a call back.