When it comes to money brought in by corporate sponsorships, WWE is only bringing in about 1/3 of the amount that UFC earns each year — but analysts believe it has the potential to make just as much.
That was the main takeaway from a CNBC article that pegged WWE’s sponsorship haul for 2021 at around $35 million, from companies including Toyota, DoorDash and Rocket Mortgage. In comparison, UFC reportedly receives more than $100 million from its corporate sponsors.
For anyone who’s ever watched major cards for both WWE and UFC, this probably comes as little surprise. While the UFC Octagon is covered in brand logos in seemingly every possible location, a WWE Premium Live Event (what it calls the shows that used to be called pay-per-views) tends to have just one or two sponsors attached.
The exception is WrestleMania, which CNBC noted had its best year ever for corporate sponsorship revenue last month. That’s likely a contributing factor in WWE keeping its biggest event of the year a two-night affair, as it has been since 2020. The ability to attract more major sponsors could also be playing into WWE’s decision to pursue more stadium shows, something that has become a focus going forward.
Along with its upside, the other good news from analysts is that WWE fans are more brand loyal than those of the UFC or any major pro sports league in the U.S. — more than 10% more likely to spend money on brands they see on WWE programming than the average for the top 11 sports leagues (and yes, WWE counts as sports for the sake of this comparison). That kind of stickiness might help overcome any reluctance companies might have about associating themselves with a wrestling promotion. At the end of the day, the effectiveness of sponsorship dollars speaks loudest, and spending with WWE sounds very attractive in that regard.
Of course, WWE likes to have its own brand front and center in everything it does, so don’t expect to see other companies’ logos all over the mat or emblazoned on the ring aprons every week on Raw and SmackDown. But there does appear to be room for sponsorship of its events to grow, so if increased corporate presence starts creeping into programming over the next few years, that’s simply a sign of WWE realizing its potential.