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Global Marketing

The WWE, Next Stop: The World!

The World Wrestling Entertainment, known for professional wrestling, has been pleasuring and entertaining audiences across the United States for decades. It’s one of the most popular and most lucrative entertainment sport companies across the United States. Even though the WWE shows are not legitimate contests, it’s purely entertainment based that is scripted, storyline based, and choreographed. It still captivated audiences when their favorite wrestlers battle head to head for title matches.

The WWE dominated their domestic market but for years they were itching at the fact of expanding globally and how their marketing tactics would support their move. The WWE posted about $800 million in revenue which was the highest recorded revenue in the franchise’s history. Their video and TV views reached 20 billion viewers and subscribers. Also, WWE beat our Marvel and Star Wars for the top selling action figure property (toys) in the United States. With all this being said, their brand recognition is bound to expand globally and touch base on the international market.

Attempts of expanding internationally have been in the works for the WWE. The WWE shows and their streaming platform for the WWE network reaches more than 180 countries. In order to build and cultivate a thriving fanbase, you must predict what the audiences needs and wants. The vison has to be accurate. The WWE Co-President explained how there are limits to expanding globally. The issue that the Co-President explains is that “it’s only in English” but if they localize the network, you can drive another layer of growth. Out of the WWE’s network 1.4 million subscribers, 1 million are local US but when it comes to total video consumption including YouTube, 70% comes from overseas. This explains that there is high demand for the product. WWE wants to expand globally not just via internet and media, they want to host live events and matches which is their core competency.

Their key to their growth strategy is to create some sort of live events to establish more of their presence. In order to do this permanently they must host live events internationally for specific occasions.  The WWE host events in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, and also Japan. Judging by the roaring success of the audience’s response, the WWE needed to establish themselves globally in these markets. For the first time, Royal Rumble will be arriving in Saudi Arabia this Spring. One of the important aspects of expanding internationally is making sure the wrestlers in the ring reflect the people in the crowd. The WWE has had no issues with diverse and international contestants and athletes. This is why it’s so important to capture the international market. Most people in the world can recognize a wrestling ring, that is why localization and telling a universal story to a universal audience.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40555389/the-wwe-is-at-the-top-of-its-game-in-the-u-s-next-stop-the-world

https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/wwe-news-triple-h-reveals-plans-to-make-nxt-a-global-territorial-system