Triple H On WWE’s New Partnership With INFLCR

WWE has partnered with INFLCR to expand their NIL (Next In Line) program for college athletes.

WWE and INFLCR announced a multi-year deal today that will see INFLCR, an industry-leading brand building content and name, image and likeness (NIL) business management platform for college athletes, assist WWE in increasing the scope and scale of the WWE Next In Line program.

WWE noted, “Through the partnership, WWE will leverage INFLCR’s technology and alliances with more than 200 NCAA Division 1 colleges and universities to reach thousands of INFLCR student-athletes looking to monetize their name, image and likeness. Together, WWE and INFLCR will innovate how student-athletes engage with the WWE brand while maintaining their NCAA eligibility.”

WWE’s Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development Paul “Triple H” Levesque commented on the new partnership.

“We are excited about the opportunities that this partnership with INFLCR will create as we continue to expand our Next In Line program and identify student-athletes with an interest in becoming WWE Superstars,” Triple H said. “The Next In Line program is a unique opportunity that creates a clear pathway into WWE and partnering with INFLCR will help to bolster our efforts and resources in the NIL space.”

INFLCR’s recently-launched Global Exchange product will allow WWE to connect and execute directly with student-athletes across a myriad of sports backgrounds. The platform provides all parties a frictionless experience through streamlining communications and processes associated with NIL partnerships within a single ecosystem.

“INFLCR’s partnership with WWE opens a new door for the way student-athletes interact with companies looking to provide monetization opportunities,” said INFLCR Founder Jim Cavale. “The technology offers a seamless experience for both WWE and student-athletes in a safe and compliant environment.”

Scott Hall Has Passed Away

 

WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall has passed away at the age of 63.

WWE opened tonight’s RAW broadcast with a graphic in memory of The Bad Guy. They also tweeted the announcement on Hall’s passing.

“WWE is saddened to learn that two-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall has passed away. WWE extends its condolences to Hall’s family, friends and fans,” they wrote about the man also known as Razor Ramon.

As noted, Hall suffered a broken hip in a fall earlier this month. He underwent surgery for the broken hip, but a blood clot was dislodged and that led to Hall suffering three heart attacks this past weekend. Hall’s longtime friend, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, posted a touching tribute and announced that he was placed on life support late last night, but he was then removed at around 12 noon ET this afternoon.

Hall’s good friend, WWE Hall of Famer Sean Waltman, noted that Hall was still breathing as of around 4pm ET today, but WWE has now announced his passing.

Peacock President On Successful WWE Partnership

Peacock President Kelly Campbell says the partnership with WWE has been incredibly successful since launching in March 2021.

Campbell recently spoke with Vulture’s Josef Adalian and was asked how the WWE partnership is working out for Peacock.

“WWE has been an incredibly successful partnership for Peacock since launch,” Campbell said. “We invested in an incredible fan base that provides us the opportunity to bring those fans back time and time again with the massive live events that are part of the WWE franchise. We have WrestleMania, in fact, returning on April 3. This is already one of our biggest live events of the year.

Steve Austin returning to WWE to fight Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38

Update On WWE Evil

WWE Evil will be “an entertaining psychological expose into the minds of the most diabolical antagonists in WWE history, and their impact on mainstream culture.” Cena later commented that WWE has produced some of the best bad guys (and ladies) ever, and that he was “excited to highlight those who made us boo, scream, and sometimes cry!”

There is still no word on when WWE Evil will premiere on Peacock, but Halloween was rumored at one point. Campbell mentioned in the quote above that the series will arrive later this year. It was reported back in September that several WWE Hall of Famers and Superstars were interviewed for the series, including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, The Godfather, RAW Tag Team Champion Randy Orton, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, Batista, Bayley, Paul Heyman and others

WWE Terminates Broadcast Partnership And Shuts Down WWE Network In Russia

WWE released the following statement today: “WWE has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcaster Match and shut down WWE Network in Russia effective immediately. The move eliminates access in Russia to any WWE programming, including the company’s weekly Raw, SmackDown and NXT shows, its on-demand library, and all of its premium live events, including WrestleMania 38.”

Tony Khan Acquires Ring Of Honor

Throughout the past few weeks, Tony Khan and various AEW stars have hyped a “massive announcement” to be revealed on tonight’s episode of Dynamite. Tony even promised to personally appear in the ring for the big moment, which was a promise he fulfilled at the opening of the show this evening.

After thanking the crowd and promising the get the action going soon, Tony Khan said it would be the biggest night in the history of the company.

It was revealed that the major announcement is Tony Khan signed a deal to become the official owner of Ring Of Honor.

It was noted earlier this week in a report that sources from multiple wrestling companies say there was a possible sale of ROH and another promotion. It’s clear now that the deal was between AEW and Ring Of Honor.

ROH has been on a hiatus since December’s Final Battle pay-per-view, and Supercard of Honor is scheduled to be their first show back on Friday, April 1. The company announced in the lead-up to Final Battle that they were taking some time off during the first quarter of this year to “work internally to reimagine” the company and return with a “new fan-focused product and provide a unique experience.” Khan previously indicated that the announcement was not related to any individual talent acquisition, and instead, it had to do with a new business deal for AEW. 

A&E And WWE Expand Original Programming Multi-Year Partnership

WWE and A&E have officially expanded their original programming partnership, which is a multi-year deal. This will lead to 130 worth of new content related to the company.

There will be new seasons of several popular shows, while a brand new series, ‘WWE Rivals’ (working title) is being created.

A&E and WWE today announced a multi-year expansion of their successful programming partnership with the commissioning of more than 130 new hours of premium WWE-themed series and specials to air exclusively on A&E platforms and to be distributed worldwide by A+E Networks.

The multi-platform partnership includes 35 new episodes of the genre-defining, Emmy-award winning franchise “Biography,” featuring documentaries on legends of WWE.  Last year’s “Biography: WWE Legends” episodes drove “Biography” to become A&E’s most-watched series in 2021.  WWE is also beginning production on 24 new episodes of the original series “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures,” which will air over multiple seasons. The first season of “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” was A&E’s most-watched new series of last year.

A&E has also ordered 40 hours of the new series, “WWE Rivals” (working title).   “WWE Rivals” (w.t.) will chronicle the little-known stories behind the biggest clashes in WWE history.  The episodes will include revelatory insights from those who were a part of the rivalries that often extended far beyond the ring and the cameras.

Additional hours of original programming are currently in development as well.

Through in-depth films helmed by some of the industry’s top directors and storytellers, “Biography” continues its focus on meaningful events and personalities as well as their impact on our culture. Through new and archival interviews and never-before-seen footage, each film will give fans an in-depth look at the early lives, rise to fame, and careers of some of the most influential stars in WWE history.

“WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” takes viewers on a journey to find some of WWE’s most iconic, lost memorabilia.  In each episode, WWE Superstars and Legends investigate, negotiate, bid, and travel across the country to unearth rare items in the hopes of preserving and sharing the legacy behind the memorable moments in WWE history.

Cesaro Reportedly Gone From WWE

Cesaro has reportedly left WWE.

Cesaro quietly exited WWE after his contract expired, according to PWInsider. He was originally scheduled to be at Friday’s SmackDown in Hershey, PA, but he will not be there as he is no longer with the company.

It was noted that WWE and Cesaro had been in contract negotiations, but they could not come to terms on a new deal.

Cesaro is reportedly free to sign with anyone he wants to as he is not under any kind of non-compete clause due to the contract expiring.

Cesaro last wrestled on the February 11 edition of SmackDown, losing to Happy Baron Corbin. The Swiss Superman had wrestled just 5 matches in 2022, and lost each one – teaming with Ricochet for a loss to Sheamus and Ridge Holland at WWE Day 1, teaming with Mansoor for a Fatal 4 Way loss to The Viking Raiders on the January 14 SmackDown, teaming with Ricochet for two Day 1 rematch losses on the January 28 and February 4 SmackDown shows, and then the February 11 loss to Corbin.

Cesaro, age 41, signed with WWE in 2011 after a successful run on the indies and ROH. He leaves WWE a five-time RAW/WWE Tag Team Champion, a two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion, and a one-time WWE United States Champion. He also won the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 30 in 2014.

XFL And NFL Reach Partnership Agreement

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s XFL announced it has reached a new innovative partnership agreement with the NFL. The XFL is returning in 2023 after suspending operations in 2020 under Vince McMahon’s ownership. The XFL and NFL partnership comes at a time when alternative football leagues are popping up more frequently.

XFL president Russ Brandon told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert the new agreement will give the NFL a “petri dish” to experiment with proposed rules, test new equipment, and develop prospective officials and coaches.

However, the announcement doesn’t signal XFL’s demotion to a developmental league. The league sees itself as an equal competitor in the football industry. The vision for the future remains the same as always for the XFL.

When asked if the XFL would become a developmental league for the NFL, Dany Garcia replied, “That’s a no. We are a spring league. We will play at the highest level in the spring. There is not the anticipation of any player sharing that changes the dynamic. That’s not how we’re executing our vision.”

The deal is not exclusive because either league is still permitted to work with outside entities. This is about the innovation and development of the game of football because the XFL’s looking to make an impact and change the industry.

“One of the things we made clear starting off is that we were going to take a stewardship position on the game and the game of football, expanding it, and being impactful to the industry.”

The partnership benefits not only both leagues but the game of football as a whole. The official statement from the XFL reads, “The XFL has shown us that innovation is one of its core principles. We are hopeful that this relationship will support further development and improvements in the game of football at all levels.”

credit: ESPN Wrestling Inc

The Undertaker Set For The WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE announced today that Taker will be the headliner for the 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which has been confirmed for Friday, April 1 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. The event will stream live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

WWE has also confirmed that for the first time ever, the WrestleMania go-home edition of SmackDown and the Hall of Fame ceremony will air live on the same night from the same venue. WWE noted that this will give all fans in attendance an unprecedented opportunity to witness both events for one price. A 2-for-1 ticket special will go on sale this Tuesday, February 22 at 10am CT via Ticketmaster.

WWE noted that Taker will appear on NBC’s Weekend TODAY show on Saturday morning to discuss the induction.

WWE Caps Off 2021 With Record High-Revenue

After a tumultuous year that would see WWE return to regular touring following the emergence of the global pandemic and numerous superstars released by the company, WWE ended 2021 with record-high profits. WWE recently released their Q4 2021 earnings report and the report shows that the company ended the year with record-high revenue of $1.095 billion.

WWE issued the following:

WWE® REPORTS RECORD 2021 RESULTS AND 2022 BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Fourth Quarter 2021 Highlights

Revenue increased 30% to $310.3 million

Operating income increased 131% to $83.6 million

Adjusted OIBDA1 increased 90% to $97.2 million

Returned capital to shareholders totaling $59.0 million, including share repurchases and dividends paid

Full Year 2021 Highlights

Revenue increased 12% to $1.095 billion, the highest in the Company’s history

Operating income increased 24% to $259.0 million

Adjusted OIBDA1 increased 14% to a record $327.1 million

Launched WWE Network content on Peacock, NBCU’s streaming service in the U.S., providing a larger audience and increasing viewership for WWE’s premium live shows, original series, and vast library

Announced a new strategy for premium live events, which focuses on staging these events in stadiums rather than arenas, and utilizes targeted dates to maximize WWE’s live audience potential

Completed consumer product deals including partnerships with Blockchain Creative Labs (Fox) to launch an NFT marketplace and with Panini to be the exclusive provider of WWE trading cards

Created the Next in Line program to recruit the next generation of WWE Superstars, which was initiated with 16 collegiate athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson

Returned capital to shareholders totaling $202.0 million, including share repurchases and dividends paid