WWE Pushing Superstars, Fan Engagement to New Heights with Sponsored Success in 2023

Every time WWE comes to town, a total takeover ensues.

Whether it's one of the "Big Four" events or even one of the smaller shows, WWE fans flock from across the world for the star-studded pay-per-views.

In 2023 alone, the company has continued to reach new heights from a financial standpoint, and SummerSlam weekend was no exception. New records were set for gate, viewership and merchandise, but the heavy influence of the show's sponsors will ultimately make the most important difference in the long term.

By these metrics, WWE is the hottest and most profitable it's been as a brand in years, and the clever incorporation of certain products into the PPVs has been a big part of that.

The company's relationship with its various sponsors has been well-documented for decades. It was virtually impossible to watch WWE programming and not notice whenever it was acknowledged by the commentators in between matches or during commercials.

However, the recent shift to have sponsored matches on the quarterly super-cards has proved to be quite prosperous.

This year began with Bray Wyatt and LA Knight battling in what was billed as a Pitch Black match at January's Royal Rumble, a bout sponsored by Mountain Dew to promote the return of an old flavor.

Credit: WWE.com

While the Pitch Black match wasn't generally well-received by the audience, WWE learned from that integration.

At WrestleMania 39, Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio was sponsored by Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The branding was far from subtle as there was even a Cinnamon Toast Crunch mascot at ringside. However, the match was entertaining, and led to the WWE Hall of Famer being featured on the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal box cover.

WWE clearly listened to feedback once again, though. At SummerSlam, the WWE Women's Championship match featured C4 branding throughout Ford Field but did not include anything that might distract from the Superstars during the match.

Instead, Bianca Belair integrated the C4 Energy drink into her entrance, further pushing her as a face of the brand, enhancing her star power and allowing the Superstars to remain the focus of the match.

SummerSlam saw multiple sponsors making their presence felt in a variety of ways, and not solely on the show itself.

C4 Energy's fan fest in the Detroit area on the eve of the event attracted thousands of fans to meet WWE women's world champion Rhea Ripley and WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins, while staying energized in line with their first-ever co-branded products Berry Powerbomb and Ruthless Raspberry (available exclusively at GNC). Multiple fans at the event won free tickets to SummerSlam at Ford Field.

The immersive experience marked the beginning of a three-year partnership between WWE and C4 and the unveiling of a collection that will also include a new "ultimate heavyweight formula" supercharged with 300 mg of caffeine.

Moments before stepping out of his trailer to meet and greet fans, Rollins spoke with reporters about anticipating what was to come from the festivities presented by C4.

"It looks like an expo or some sort of festival, lots of people standing in line," he said. "When I awoke from my nap on the bus, it sounded like a rave out there. I think I'm going to remember this one."

Ripley shared the same sentiments, adding that she enjoys participating in promotional events and representing WWE as she ascends the ranks and evolves into a household name.

"There's always pressure in this business to perform to the best of your abilities and with absolutely everything," she said. "You have to be on 24/7, but I think it's such second nature for us at this point. There's pressure, but at the same time, I relish that pressure."

The Street Profits will be two of the main faces of the WWE x C4 collaboration.

"I've been using C4 since I was in the military," Montez Ford told Bleacher Report in an interview last month. "The great thing about changing your dieting, your habits, your workout routine is adding things to help you get to the goal you want to get to, and that's where C4 comes into play."

via C4

Across the Motor City, massive SummerSlam signs and billboards could be spotted, all featuring the many sponsors of The Biggest Party of the Summer. After a certain point, these brands become synonymous with WWE. C4 handed out over 20,000 cans throughout the weekend.

C4 wisely capitalized on the opportunity to encourage members of the WWE Universe to try out its new line of energy drinks outside of Ford Field on Saturday, not unlike Slim Jim cementing its connection with fans by making LA Knight its unofficial spokesperson.

By virtue of his victory in the SummerSlam Battle Royal, the uber-popular Knight is essentially what "Macho Man" Randy Savage was to Slim Jim years ago.

This is on the heels of WWE and Slim Jim entering the biggest sponsorship deal in wrestling history, per WWE. Associated Press also reported in March that the company made a record $20 million in sponsorship revenue from WrestleMania 39 weekend.

"SummerSlam generated the most sponsorship revenue for any non-WrestleMania event ever with $7 million, up 23 percent versus 2022," WWE announced in a press release Monday. "Slim Jim, C4 and Rocket Mortgage were among WWE's sponsors for the premium live event."

Based on these numbers, WWE's efforts of achieving record revenue in 2023 are not unrealistic in the slightest. More importantly, these sponsorships aren't coming at the expense of the audience and so far haven't come across as manufactured or forced.

The attempts to target that ever-elusive 18-49 demographic should not go unnoticed. Specific sponsors such as C4 and Slim Jim align with what an average WWE viewer may purchase at one of its events, and it wouldn't be out of the question for the company to experiment with other products fans would be willing to try or are already familiar with.

The overlap in these consumers is where the money lies.

The company's latest strategies to branch out beyond its traditional business practices have yielded positive results but also walk a fine line of being too corporate and sacrificing the quality of its content.

These sponsorships are evidently integral to the success of WWE's PPVs, and thus it's imperative they remain organic and aren't exclusively what the brand is built around.

If so, it's yet another avenue WWE, WWE Superstars and WWE fans can profit from in what will go down as a milestone year for the promotion.

---

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.