Mark Shapiro Says WWE Is ‘Just Getting Started’ With Sponsorship Strategy

WWE has been delving into additional sponsorship opportunities as part of TKO, and Mark Shapiro says there’s plenty more to come. Shapiro weighed in on the evolution of their sponsorship strategy for WWE and UFC during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference and said that things are still early in what they’re trying to do.

“We’re just getting started — it is very early,” Shapiro said (per Wrestling Inc). “The integration is still going. We’re one year in. Talk about being a baby.”

He continued, “So we [have] a lot of pressure on our teams, and we’re creative, and we’re going out on these pitches. I mean, Nick Khan [has been] getting on the road and going out [to] sell WWE.”

Shapiro also talked during the conference about their plans to cut back on WWE live events, noting that “What was 300 [events] last year will be roughly 250 this year. And next year, we’ll be close to 200.”