Elon Musk-owned social platform
X
(previously known as Twitter), has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the
WWE
for a new exclusive weekly video series. According to a report by the Hollywoodn Reporter, the new format called WWE Speed, will feature timed matches meant to be completed in five minutes or less.
The report claims that the series, which is planned to be live to tape, will debut this spring and will feature WWE superstars from across its roster.
The content will be exclusive and the matches will not be repurposed from other WWE programming. New episodes of WWE Speed will debut 52 weeks per year.
How this deal is important for X
As per the report, the deal marks a significant push into entertainment for X. Last month, the Musk-owned company announced a 10-show deal with Range Media Partners. The micro-blogging site has signed deals for other new shows from former CNN host Don Lemon, sports talk host Jim Rome and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
During last year’s FIFA World Cup, X also streamed exclusive content from Fox. In 2024, the platform will
stream
some content for the 2024 Paris Olympics from NBCUniversal. Sports, including wrestling, are expected to be a major driver of conversation on X.
WWE working on its streaming rights
In 2023, WWE merged with Endeavor’s UFC and became TKO. Since the merger, the company has been reworking its rights deals. Recently, Netflix inked a 10-year, $5 billion deal for Raw and the WWE’s international rights. WWE Smackdown also left Fox for USA Network (with some specials on NBC) and WWE NXT left USA for The CW.
Considering its weekly shows and short run time, WWE Speed might be a smaller deal than the above-mentioned long-form programs. However, this deal with X suggests that WWE is planning to divide its streaming rights. Since the merger, the company is also looking into new ways to increase rights revenue.
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