From the WWE Rumor Mill: Reason why WWE is looking for a potential deal with Facebook   

What’s the story?

WWE recently announced their new series called The Mixed Match Challenge. The series which is scheduled to start on January 16th will stream live and exclusively on Facebook.

According to a report from CNET, WWE’s decision to go with Facebook rather than WWE Network is solely based on monetary benefits and the potential of a future deal with Facebook.

In case you did not know…

The Mixed Match Challenge is a 12-episode series which will see WWE superstars competing in mixed tag team matches.

The winners of the tournament will win $100,000 which they can donate to a charity of their choice. Superstars from both SmackDown Live and Monday Night Raw are currently advertised for the event and each episode will be 20-minutes long.

The heart of the matter

According to CNET, WWE is exploring potential deals with giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon. The Mixed Match Challenge is apparently WWE’s way of testing the waters for the same. The report suggests that WWE is underpaid for their current television deal with USA Network which values up to $140 Million.

Whereas, if WWE manages to strike a deal with Facebook, Twitter or Amazon, the contract amount could be worth around $400 Million.

Meanwhile, Dave Meltzer noted that it is important for WWE to focus on Television rights fee as the growth from Live Events and Network are minimal ever year.

What’s next?

As mentioned earlier, the Mixed Match Challenge will begin in January. Wrestlers including Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Sasha Banks, Shinsuke Nakamura, Charlotte Flair among others are set to take part in the show.

Author’s take

Technology is rapidly changing. The way in which we consume professional wrestling has changed drastically over the years.

From tape trading to sharing credentials for the WWE Network, we have travelled a long eventful path. Now, with the money involved, streaming through Social Media seems to be the future.

If WWE is going to get big money via potential deals with Facebook, Twitter, or Amazon, it’s going to impact the wrestling business positively. It could also open the path for many other independent promotions to explore similar deals.

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