WWE signs deal with X to launch exclusive short-form wrestling ...

WWE has signed a two year deal with X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, to launch an exclusive weekly video series featuring matches less than five minutes in duration.

Contract:

• WWE Speed will roll out on X this spring
• New episodes will launch 52 weeks per year
• Matches will be exclusive to the show and they will not be repurposed from WWE’s other programming
• Agreement complements recently-signed US$5 billion deal with Netflix

Context:

Elon Musk has made video a focus of his plans to turnaround X since his controversial US$44 billion takeover in October 2022. The company’s main source of revenue is advertising, however this has decreased by 54 per cent since the acquisition. Musk hopes exclusive video content will attract interest from sponsors and encourage users to spend more time on the platform.

WWE is no stranger to embracing new digital services and was an enthusiastic early adopter of Twitter. Professional wrestling generates significant activity on X, especially during live WWE programming, meaning there is optimism that WWE Speed will gain traction among this fanbase.

Coming up:

WWE Speed will launch this spring. WWE’s new television deal with NBCUniversal will see Friday Night SmackDown move from Fox to the USA Network in October, while Monday Night Raw will become a Netflix exclusive from January 2025. All WWE programming will be available on Netflix outside the US from the same date.