WWE Touts Poll Noting Record Number Of Fans, Nick Khan On Media Rights, Heyman/Lesnar
WWE is currently lauding a poll that shows the company has reached an all-time high in terms of fanbase.
THR reports that a new SSRS/Luker on Trends Sports poll indicates that WWE’s fanbase of Americans (8 and over) who identify as fans of the promotion hit 89.9 million in 2022, a new high and up from 85.1 million in 2021.
The poll represents the US population aged 12 and up, with over 500,000 Americans interviewed over the cause over 25 years. WWE touted the poll numbers, noting,
“More people identify themselves as WWE fans now than at any time in the history of the research, which dates back to 1994.” It is worth noting that the poll does not distinguish between casual and hardcore fans.
Because this number comes at a time when WWE is in discussions about its media rights deals, CEO Nick Khan addressed the potential of splitting the WWE product among bidders.
Khan said, “We are always in touch with all of the buyers in the marketplace about what they are looking for. If you look at the NBA situation, my belief is the NBA is going to split the rights which are now split two-ways between Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney. They could split them four to five ways. And we think that is good for everybody. We followed the NBA’s playbook five years ago in wanting to not have one exclusive partner for Raw and SmackDown and to split them two ways. Now we are looking at the marketplace in its totality and thinking there might be more options than even that.”
“Initially, NXT was on WWE Network. And then when the pandemic hit, USA/NBCU needed content, we did not miss a week of production. … So we went with Tuesday nights NXT on USA from 8 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. NXT ratings are also trending up … so that is going in the right direction.” Concluded the WWE CEO: “We think NXT has the viability to be its own standalone brand instead of just being a developmental system – a third brand, if you will, where you can see cross-over from our superstars on Raw and SmackDown to NXT while our young talent develops there. Once we get all of that situated, then we will look at other nights of the week to develop new content as well.”
Paul Heyman has had a lengthy relationship with Brock Lesnar in WWE, and even to this day, The Advocate is amazed to see The Beast make his way to the ring.
Speaking about his association with Lesnar on the “Tetragrammaton” with Rick Rubin podcast, Heyman revealed how he was surprised to see Lesnar come down to the ring the night after WrestleMania 39.
Heyman said, “I was standing in the ring this past Monday. We are taping this on the Wednesday after WrestleMania. I’m standing in the ring with Roman Reigns, who’s an impressive individual. Let’s just state that for the record. I mean, this is not a slouch standing there. This is someone that looks like a man because he is one. I’m standing in the ring, and Brock Lesnar’s music hits, and Brock walks out in his fight gear. I looked at Roman, and I went, ‘Holy f**k, look at that!’”
“After all these years, I’m still not used to being out there watching him come at us. I’m used to being on the other side of that. I’m used to walking out with him, looking at the faces of people going, ‘Holy f**k, look at that!’ Roman looks at me and he says, ‘Yeah, now you know what we all saw.’ I just said, ‘Man, he is freaking huge. Holy shit! What the f**k?’ When I said that, I realized the camera is picking us up, and I did say, ‘My Tribal Chief.’ He just looks at me, and he says, ‘Man, it just never ceases to amaze me. Standing here, watching him, and when he circles you like a shark, you realize I’m in for a physical evening.”
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