WWE Celebrity Integration & Sponsorship

[Ro_y Disco]

I'm surprised they haven't already tbh. Hasn't Lesnar had adverts on his shorts since his 2012 return? I think that was a UFC thing he negotiated to keep, not sure if UFC guys in general have them?

[BomberPat]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

Watched a little bit of MITB and I gotta hand it to 'em. At times there were about 7 adverts on screen simultaneously. Ugly as fuck but masterful work when it comes to making as much money as possible. 

Any chance wrestlers start wearing adverts next? Surely that's the next step.

Meltzer has suggested that adverts on wrestlers is seriously being considered - that basically if there's a single bit of blank space on screen, it's fair game. After hearing Pat McAfee say "FIREBALL LADDER" a hundred times a minute every time a garishly branded ladder appeared on-screen, I don't doubt it. 

What I'm curious about is what restrictions there are on advertising. There are occasional times when the audio feed abruptly cuts out commentary, which is when Michael Cole is doing an ad read that for whatever reason isn't allowed to air on Netflix - maybe it's an exclusivity deal with Peacock. But I wonder if that's a consideration for visual advertising too, if there are certain things that they can't advertise, or that would be blurred out outside of the US. But also, are they a sport? Are there restrictions on what can be advertised during sporting events that won't apply to WWE?

17 minutes ago, Ro_y Disco said:

I'm surprised they haven't already tbh. Hasn't Lesnar had adverts on his shorts since his 2012 return? I think that was a UFC thing he negotiated to keep, not sure if UFC guys in general have them?

Lesnar had negotiated individual sponsorship deals, dating back to his time in the UFC, and was politically powerful enough in WWE to be allowed to continue wearing gear with those sponsors' names on - Vince generally hated the idea, as he did with sponsors on the canvas, aprons, etc. 

UFC fighters used to be able to wear their individual sponsors' logos on their gear, but that changed when UFC got an exclusive sponsorship deal with Reebok. I haven't watched in a while, so don't know if it ever changed back.

[Chili]

They should get Cody Rhodes to do a spot when he blows a fireball or something with his stupid vodka he shills.

[gmoney]

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

What I'm curious about is what restrictions there are on advertising. There are occasional times when the audio feed abruptly cuts out commentary, which is when Michael Cole is doing an ad read that for whatever reason isn't allowed to air on Netflix - maybe it's an exclusivity deal with Peacock. But I wonder if that's a consideration for visual advertising too, if there are certain things that they can't advertise, or that would be blurred out outside of the US. But also, are they a sport? Are there restrictions on what can be advertised during sporting events that won't apply to WWE?

 

The restrictions are much more relaxed for on demand stuff than linear TV, in this country anyway. You can have a lot of sponsorship of individual things in sports (e.g,the on screen clock being sponsored by a company) but it can't be over the top and constant which I suspect the recent WWE stuff would definitely push to the very limit of acceptability, were it on a UK linear broadcast. 

Edited June 9, 2025 by gmoney

[tiger_rick]

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

Vince generally hated the idea, as he did with sponsors on the canvas, aprons, etc. 

Their product is ugly AF but knowing it might annoy that fucker makes it tolerable. More ads please.

[FUM]

54 minutes ago, gmoney said:

The restrictions are much more relaxed for on demand stuff than linear TV, in this country anyway. You can have a lot of sponsorship of individual things in sports (e.g,the on screen clock being sponsored by a company) but it can't be over the top and constant which I suspect the recent WWE stuff would definitely push to the very limit of acceptability, were it on a UK linear broadcast. 

I wonder what the US rules are as they’ve so far not went to the trouble of covering the SD rings in ads and that’s on USA Network over there as opposed to Netflix.

[wandshogun09]

2 hours ago, BomberPat said:

UFC fighters used to be able to wear their individual sponsors' logos on their gear, but that changed when UFC got an exclusive sponsorship deal with Reebok. I haven't watched in a while, so don't know if it ever changed back.

It’s Venum now, the Reebok deal ended 2-3 years ago or something, I forget. Same thing though. Fighters are only allowed to wear the standard Venum shorts and can’t have their own sponsors because God forbid the guys and girls who actually risk injury, lose brain cells and provide the content which makes the company money get their own little extra source of income. I miss the days when fighters would have a big ‘CONDOM DEPOT’ logo plastered across their arse. 

[Supremo]

It’s a shame Kevin Owens is out injured, because he’s one of the few that would probably make this stuff work.

He’s always been brilliant playing the John Ritter character in, “Stay Tuned,” a man trapped in a silly television show. I bet he’d be really funny reacting to all the new, random advertising. “WHY IS THE LADDER SPONSORED?!” “WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S A SLIM JIM TABLE?! IT’S JUST CHEAP STICKERS!”

When’s the earliest Kevin is due back? Next Summer? Can you even imagine the company he’ll be returning to?

Edited June 9, 2025 by Supremo

[The Reverend]

2 hours ago, tiger_rick said:

Their product is ugly AF but knowing it might annoy that fucker makes it tolerable. More ads please.

For cold and flu products. Let's have more ads with people sneezing, it'll be enough to make the old f'cker spontaneously combust! 

[HarmonicGenerator]

40 minutes ago, Supremo said:

 

I look at that photo, and even with the Golden Arches Title added it feels too minimal based on the recent ad-filled WWE I've seen. Those ropes are so blank and empty, crying out for a bunch of company logos wrapped round them. And Cody's chest is perfect to plaster a bit of branded content on!

The overproduced look of recent WWE has been a real barrier to me in the last few years as it is, and all these ads are just firming that decision up. I find it hard to ignore, hard to watch, and near-impossible to get into as a result. And I have tried. Not for me.

Edited June 9, 2025 by HarmonicGenerator
This edit was brought to you by a breakfast cereal or maybe an energy drink

[BomberPat]

What amazed me at Money In The Bank is that you had a ladder branded with an advertiser's name, you had an advert in the middle of the ring, then different ads in all four corners and either side of the ring, the Money In The Bank briefcase had a CashApp logo on it, two of the turnbuckle pads had adverts on them, you had the display of Prime bottles by the announce table, and yet there was a big screen running across half of the arena that at one point was just displaying the words "MEN'S LADDER MATCH", as if that wasn't pretty obvious in itself. It would be wishful thinking to say they could have stuck some ads there instead of everywhere they have them plastered, but it stood out.

[The King of Old School]

1 hour ago, Supremo said:

When’s the earliest Kevin is due back? Next Summer? Can you even imagine the company he’ll be returning to?

Good chance he goes the same way as Big E unfortunately.

[tiger_rick]

2 hours ago, The King of Old School said:

Good chance he goes the same way as Big E unfortunately.

Based on?

[Your Fight Site]

I have found it amusing that there’s been a number of main events sponsored by Morgan & Morgan, which after Googling is a personal injury firm.

Are they banking on a superstar getting injured in a match, lying face-down on the mat, and seeing their logo and phone number?

[FUM]

5 hours ago, tiger_rick said:

Based on?

He’s said he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to wrestle again. Not certain he’s even been for the surgery yet.