WWE Competitors and Direct To Consumer Content

The big issue with many of these media companies is going direct to consumer, acquiring subscribers and retaining them. WWEs latest TV deals are a lifeline for the time being. The clock is ticking to get their DTC product and creative right 100% of the time. WWE was slightly ahead of the curve when it comes to going DTC - offering new programming (NXT) with access to an archive of old content (WCW/ECW). However — wrestling is niche programming and the product from the largest company is failing to innovate.

Alternative wrestling promotions with new content pop up often, but they don’t have an archive that sets them apart from other organizations. If you can buy old wrestling content and offer a unique DTC wrestling product you can find long term, repeatable success. The subscription model is the modern key to success in the entertainment world. It provides repeatable, reliable long-term revenue. I believe that All Elite Wrestling needs to be building a DTC product as soon as possible. 

In a recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provides the following detail on AEW in the near term.

The goal right now is to run 100 to 120 live events per year, probably four PPVs, 51 television shows and many Saturday night house shows and on occasion more than one house show a week, but with the idea that in spreading the talent out, the top talent does maybe 75 matches, a number hopeful to keep their ability to work great matches high, since that’s probably more of a key goal is high match quality on top as compared with any other promotion.

I want to see if they provide a high-quality weekly TV show with only 4 PPV's to build to. It'll be fine at the start, but give it 6-12 months and we'll see how the brand really holds up. Using a PPV as a function to drive revenue seems a bit dated. But I think AEW could remain competitive if they film, edit and document as much content as they can. Offering footage of their limited live event schedule would be unique and a great way to continue stories beyond their live shows. In addition, the tape libraries of defunct promotions could offer a unique value proposition to AEW consumers as a one-stop-shop for wrestling content. AEW needs a subscription-based direct to consumer entertainment product to be successful in the long term.