X, formerly known as Twitter and
owned by Elon Musk, is stepping into the wrestling ring with WWE. The social
platform has inked a two-year deal with WWE for an exclusive weekly video
series titled WWE Speed. This concept will showcase timed matches intended to
be completed within five minutes or less.
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| ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES; MATEUSZ SLODKOWSKI/SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET VIA GETTY IMAGES |
Scheduled to debut in the spring, WWE Speed will feature live-to-tape episodes, showcasing WWE superstars from various segments of its roster. The content will be exclusive, with matches specifically produced for this series and not repurposed from other WWE programming. Viewers can anticipate new episodes airing 52 weeks per year.
The agreement signifies a notable
foray into entertainment for X, which recently unveiled a 10-show arrangement
with Range Media Partners. Additionally, X has announced upcoming shows
featuring former CNN host Don Lemon, sports talk personality Jim Rome, and
former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
X has previously streamed exclusive content from Fox during last year's FIFA World Cup, and this year, it plans to stream select content from NBCUniversal related to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sports, including wrestling, which is often considered sports-adjacent, typically generate significant engagement and discussion on X's platform.
Since its merger with Endeavor's
UFC last year, WWE has been actively restructuring its rights agreements.
Netflix recently secured a significant 10-year, $5 billion deal for Raw and
WWE's international rights. Smackdown transitioned from Fox to USA Network,
with occasional specials airing on NBC, while WWE NXT moved from USA to The CW.
Although WWE Speed, with its weekly format and shorter duration, represents a smaller deal compared to these long-form programs, it indicates WWE's readiness to diversify its rights agreements and explore new avenues for generating revenue since Endeavor acquired a controlling stake.
For X, the exclusive content
provided by WWE Speed offers a unique blend of sports and entertainment,
appealing to advertisers. X is anticipated to leverage this content to attract
marketers and bolster its sponsorship business.
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