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With Endeavor purchasing WWE and merging it with the UFC to form one, huge media company, the possibilities are now endless in terms of what the future holds in Combat Sports
With Endeavor announcing that it has purchased World Wrestling Entertainment and is merging it with the UFC to form one huge media company... the possibilities are now endless.
But what developments might result from this acquisition, in terms of what it could mean for the future of Combat Sports? How will these two fused franchises make the most of their powerful partnership?
The titanic announcement came down on Monday that Endeavor, the sports and entertainment company led by Ari Emanuel, had acquired WWE in a deal valuing the promotion at a whopping $9.3 billion.
While other potential suitors like Comcast, Amazon, and even the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund had been rumored in the past, it turned out that Endeavor was the perfect buyer at the perfect time. World Wrestling Entertainment has been riding a huge wave of momentum recently both onscreen and off.
And it is - without a shadow of a doubt - the type of established brand name that is a blanket term for its entire, overall industry. In other words, much like many people refer to all cotton swabs as 'Q-Tips' or every tissue as a 'Kleenex'. For most people in the mainstream public, pro wrestling simply just means the letters W-W-E. They don't really register or recognize much else.
The McMahon family franchise first became an independent sanctioning body in 1963, when Vince McMahon Sr. cut ties with the governing National Wrestling Alliance. Forging out on their own, they would base their business around monstrous markets like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington.
At the same time, Italian immigrant and bodybuilder Bruno Sammartino emerged as the toast of The Big Apple, holding the company's title for longer than anyone and regularly headlining Madison Square Garden. They continued the same formula for years with Sammartino, then subsequent babyface champions like Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund.
When Vince Jr. purchased the company from his father in the early 1980s, he did so for what was reportedly around one million dollars. He borrowed the money with the vision of taking the promotion from a regional to national, and then international, stage.
In what can only be described as the most interesting, successful, and often strange career, McMahon rose to become one of the greatest businessmen in any industry in America. That culminated in him selling WWE to Endeavor for that massive price, while still retaining a huge position with the newer, much more powerful conglomerate.
Now? The fun part begins.
With Vince, Triple H, and Nick Khan all in the fold, World Wrestling Entertainment should transition easily under their new umbrella. With Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championships in the mix as part of the same portfolio, the world's most awesome combat sports tag team has been assembled.
The stage is set now. The possibilities are limitless. So, here's a look at five GIGANTIC events that could happen now that WWE & UFC are now owned by Endeavor.
#1 - Obviously, there have to be co-branded events at some point, right?
It would make absolutely zero sense for Endeavor if they didn't take advantage of the natural connection between sports entertainment and mixed martial arts. The two industries definitely have some differences in their fan bases, but there's a lot of potential for customer crossover as well. With them now finding ways to work together, there's reason to believe that WWE fans will become more acquainted with UFC, and the same in reverse.
Luckily, the two men in charge of these giant promotional arms of the conglomerate are familiar faces. And not only are they known to the public, but they're also pretty acquainted personally already, as well. UFC's Dana White and WWE's Vince McMahon share a lot of the same qualities, not the least of which are their shared vision and ultra-competitive nature. They both have an insatiable appetite for success.
Teaming these two mega-powered marketing minds means that the wheels are probably already spinning and conversations have at least been broached. White and McMahon have talked about working together in the past when they ran their own separate companies, but there was always something in the way. Now that they're playing on the same team, Endeavor's lineup includes some big-time, power hitters.
Look for White and McMahon to start out slowly doing a handful of crossover events before settling on some sort of permanent, long-term strategy. Their combined efforts, only make both individual entities more profitable, and their bosses at Endeavor certainly know that.
#2 - Training Centers that focus on stars for both Pro Wrestling and MMA
The WWE Performance Center in Florida is a great blueprint for creating the sports entertainment stars of tomorrow. It's a progression of the old days of utilizing Ohio Valley Wrestling as a developmental territory and adds an extra layer of progression for any young prospect. They get the basics there, in-ring experience while a part of NXT, and then (hopefully) graduate to the top level on either RAW or Smackdown.
However, having another avenue to success could attract more top-notch athletes, and by sheer volume alone, more opportunities to discover stars. And combining the two disciplines at the developmental level would make a ton of sense because it offers hopefuls a 'fallback'. In other words... They might not make the cut as a fighter in The Octagon, but they may still have value to WWE as an entertainer - or vice versa.
It's only logical to train any potential prospect in both genres. You may not have the next John Cena, but have another Jon Jones on your hands.
Or, you might just get lucky and end up with Brock Lesnar - an athlete who could serve as somewhat of a 'Bo Jackson' of each platform, and potentially star in both at the same time. That's the type of athletic idol who Endeavor could position as the most famous and marketable sports star in the world, on the same plane as famous figures like Pele, Michael Jackson, or Tiger Woods.
#3 - Endeavor will likely have its own streaming service or add-on network
When all the dust settles and the contracts expire, Endeavor should utilize its multiple media partnerships to launch its own network. With the volumes and volumes of content that the corporation now owns, as well as being able to effortlessly produce fresh shows and clips, they could actually be more than just a streaming application.
Endeavor could be its own channel on your cable guide - hosting live events, producing reality shows, and even having sitdown talk programs like ESPN has with First Take.
We could get hot and fresh Combat Sports, on a 24-hour loop. That not only opens up outside revenue streams, but it's also the ultimate free advertising for your own products and services. Having Endeavor as a network also serves as perfect branding, as it's more of an over-arching moniker than the sports-centric names that their wrestling and MMA brands wear.
Even if nothing else on this list happens this one should. And anyone who has been paying attention to the landscape of live-action programming will tell you that Endeavor is holding some valuable property right now. Establishing a network pushes them closer to the front of the line in terms of global sports media conglomerates.
#4 - A MASSIVE Theme Park and Resort Area in Las Vegas
The idea of WWE Disney has been kicked around (and sometimes even mocked) for many years now. However, it's really not that far-fetched of an idea. With its larger-than-life characters, often cartoonish storylines, and carnival roots, it's a perfect fit for a spot under the big top.
Or more likely, just the right name to put on a roller coaster. A really GIGANTIC, heart-pumping one.
As a tourist destination and a legendary, 'big fight' town, Sin City could provide the perfect backdrop for Endeavor's combat sports empire. They could build a theme park, hotel, and casino all in one. Their headquarters and possibly even their own 'home arena' could be part of that same property, as well. They could tie in huge fights and giant premium events, all with an opening concert.
Or perhaps a WWE event in the afternoon, a halftime show starring your favorite musical artist, and then some UFC fights later into the night. Then, cap it all off with a fireworks display that would make the Vegas skyline look dim in comparison. Hell, Endeavor could hold a 'Kick-Ass New Year's Bash' right there on The Strip.
It adds to the profile and prestige, as well as the profit. A huge fight-based property in Las Vegas would be the perfect fit for this sports entertainment syndicate.
#5 - A hybrid type of sports entertainment formed from both disciplines?
While this is a side effect that would likely have to evolve over an incredibly long period of time... Could this move by Endeavor make evolution an inevitability?
For years, we have seen instances of 'worked shoots' between professional wrestlers and fighters from the world of martial arts, grappling, and boxing. Particularly in Japan, where the line between the real world and fantasy is often tiptoed on a tighter line than it is in North America and other parts of the world.
So, while the two worlds are very different right now, the more they become linked together, that could change. Wrestling fans always love it when the fictional lines are blurred and on the flip side, UFC fans always respond more favorably when there's more trash-talking and bravado thrown in.
Both genres appeal to the type of testosterone-driven intensity that is at our base instincts. So, swirling their most appealing traits into one, big stone soup could happen naturally. Or it might be done for the sake of survival. History will likely dictate the terms.
While that may sound a little extreme, who would have thought only a few years ago we would be living in the pro wrestling world we live in today? The size, the scope, and the spectrum are so beyond what we once knew, and our entertainment universe is expanding.
We're approaching the final frontier, and the future that Endeavor has laid it out will be a lot of fun to watch.
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