WWE SmackDown World Tour
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world wrestling entertainment and Endeavor-owned UFC are set to merge this year transaction This creates a sports entertainment giant worth over $21 billion.
After the deal was announced in early April, WWE’s stock price soared to a nearly four-year high. The stock is up more than 50% so far this year.
But for wrestling fans, the story isn’t about those numbers. I’m here.
At a time when consumers have far-reaching economic and political influence, the merger will test just how strong the collective power of fans can be in the face of corporate giants. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion.
Some are concerned about the imminent return of WWE’s flagship event, WrestleMania, to a pay-per-view model.Streamed only on his Peacock on NBCUniversal last month, streaming his service Record Weekend UtilizationNBCU hasn’t released specific streaming numbers for the event, but the company said the Super Bowl was the only live event at Peacock to surpass WrestleMania for the most-watched time.
WWE’s exclusive streaming deal with Peacock, which includes WrestleMania streaming rights, is set to expire in 2026.
WWE declined to comment for this article. In late March, before the UFC deal was announced, WWE CEO Nick Karn said the company had fans’ price sensitivity in mind.
“If NBCU comes to us and says, ‘Hey, we’ll take you up to five times for Peacock from where you are, but we’ll have to charge you extra.’ ‘, we’ll have to look hard at it,” Khan said. “Marchand and Orlando Sports Media” podcast. “Most importantly, we don’t want to discount our fans. “
Longtime fan Jerry Derasmo Host a wrestling podcastunderstands why WWE is finally bringing WrestleMania back to pay-per-view. He said many fans told him they would tune in to recap podcasts like his own instead of paying $60 or $70 to watch pay-per-view.
According to fans, how WWE will tell stories and play matches under its new executive regime will also help determine how they spend their money.
“The biggest concern from a fan’s perspective, not an investor’s, is creative control,” said the longtime wrestling enthusiast, WWE Podcast.
In this case, there is an elephant in the room, whose name is Vince McMahon. For many WWE fans, whether to pay for a new streaming or pay-per-view service largely hinges on whether the 77-year-old McMahon, who has dominated WWE since taking over from his father in 1982, gets involved in creative decisions. depends.
Despite numerous settlements with women who alleged sexual misconduct by McMahon, rape allegationhe denies, but he remains at the top of WWE.
“This guy has controlled the biggest wrestling company in the world, for better or worse,” said Jimmy Baxter, a professional wrestling commentator and podcaster from New Jersey. “So he’s been a success story, but there’s been a lot of blood and sweat and tears along the way, and a lot of women that have paid off.”
McMahon isn’t going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. He will serve as executive chairman of the new combined company, which has yet to be named. effort CEO Ari Emmanuel. Forty years later, many fans see him as a permanent fixture, even if he’s not his CEO.
“When the bomb drops, there will be three things left: Cockroach, Twinkie, and Vince McMahon,” Baxter said.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Chairman Vince McMahon was introduced at the WWE Monday Night Raw Show at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 24, 2009.
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McMahon told CNBC last month that he would not be heavily involved in WWE’s storytelling when the WWE and UFC merged.
“They want to tell us he’s not ‘in the weeds’ creatively, but there’s a lot of evidence these days that Vince is,” Courcelle said. Running the show behind the scenes on Raw after WrestleMania.
I have other concerns about the content.
Late April, Former WWE Writer filed a lawsuit against the companyMcMahon and his daughter Stephanie McMahon are named as defendants in the complaint, according to court documents. He himself is listed as a former executive, including employees of the WWE itself and the company behind the scenes.
“We know what Vince McMahon is. We know what he brings to the table creatively,” Courcelle said. It hasn’t been at its best for years.”
Still, fans keep coming back for more. Anyone who has spent thousands of dollars or more on wrestling events and merchandise over the years won’t stop looking anytime soon, even if the new WWE isn’t right for their eyes. Some longtime hardcore fans aren’t quite sure where it’s going to land yet, but they might stick around to see what happens from here on out.
“I love drama,” said Baxter. “I love watching a mad old man burn down his empire, just because he can.”
Disclosure: Peacock is the streaming service of CNBC’s parent company, NBCUniversal.
