WWE SVP Says Wrestlemania 39 Has Already Made $20 Million

ABC News reports that this year’s Wrestlemania 39 event in Los Angeles has already earned $20 million thanks to sponsorship revenue. This is the record for any WWE event. The news was revealed by WWE SVP and Head of Global Sales & Partnerships Craig Stimmel.

T. Maxwell, a partner at Max Sports Marketing, noted that sponsors are attracted to WWE due to the loyalty and diversity of its fans.

They added: “WWE fans are fiercely loyal and dedicated, they are hooked, they crave storytelling and will be WWE fans for life. This creates an amazing opportunity for savvy brands to connect with a unique audience for life. I think WWE fans are much more accepting of (sponsors) than the traditional sports.”

Stimmel added that WWE plans to use corporate brands at Wrestlemania in a variety of ways, including a match sponsorship. There will also be a “blurring of the fourth wall” between what you see at home and what the live audience sees. Finally, there are plans for an augmented reality experience.

Stimmel said: “We try to find the perfect marriage of brand and story. WrestleMania is our Super Bowl”

It was also noted that WWE has passed 16 billion video views, as almost 94 million Youtube subscribers and over 20 million followers on TikTok. Its female roster members make up five out of the top 15 most followed female athletes on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. This is topped by Ronda Rousey, who has 36.1 million followers. WWE also had over 7.5 billion digital and social media views in January and February, up 15% from this point last year.

GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders added: “WWE has multiple channels to connect with customers which is important for sponsors who don’t want to rely on just one medium. It basically gives brands multiple bites of the cherry to reach customers. WWE has built out an entire entertainment ecosystem which brands can tap into and use to push their marketing messages.“