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While speculation over the internal metrics of Wizard’s recent reorg remains just that — speculative — we ran across an item that adds a little more fuel to the brew. We were watching a 60 Minutes report on mixed martial arts (Go Renzo!) when it was mentioned in passing that the IFL, the fight league co-owned by Wizard’s Gareb Shamus, has recently gone public. According to the report, the IFL is valued at $140 million. The stock got a nice bump after the highly viewed and very favorable 60 Minutes piece aired, and the league has been expanding with more teams. With MMA popularity still on the upswing, the IFL seems to have been a success in its first year. And what does this all mean for Wizard? We have absolutely no idea.

1 COMMENT

  1. I don’t know how sound an investment this stock would be. From F4WOnline’s news report of the 60 Minutes show:

    One of the more shocking revelations was the claim that the International Fight League, after going public last week, was now worth $150 million. Seriously. The financial world knocks me on my ass. Several weeks ago we published the IFL financials. “During the first six months of 2006, IFL recognized a net loss of approximately $2.4 million. At June 30, 2006, IFL had a stockholders’ deficit of $2.4 million. During the six months ended June 30, 2006, IFL incurred losses and negative operating cash flows of approximately $2.4 million and $1.9 million, respectively. During the third quarter of 2006, these trends have continued. These conditions raise substantial doubt about IFL’s ability to continue as a going concern.â€? Now they’ve gone public and just like that are worth $150 million. Actually, perhaps as much as $225 million, because the stock price was up 51% the day after this segment aired (at press time they were trading at $8 per share).

  3. How much is the USFL brand worth today? How about that wrasslin’ football thing…the XFL? Everyone LOVES football and it has no problem with image or state licenses so those two leagues must be kicking ass, right? I’m sure the comic-tabloid-fight-club is going to do GREAT!