WWE Expands its Reach to Traditional TV Shows

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has begun producing fictitious television shows as part of its efforts to generate more revenue outside of wrestling and harness and capitalise on the thirst for new content in streaming services.

The company has said that it has two scripted TV series in the works. It includes a Spanish language comedy about an aspiring female wrestler, which will debut on Netflix in Mexico and a drama about a fictional family that runs a wrestling company, which will be available on NBC and the streaming platform Peacock.

Like most sports leagues, WWE gets most of its revenue from the rights to its wrestling events. Peacock has become the WWE’s exclusive streaming home, ever since the WWE network was shut down last year. The company also has TV licensing agreements with Fox Corp and NBCUniversal.

Other than two scripted shows, WWE is also partnering with Blumhouse to develop “The United States Vs. Vince McMahon,” a TV series about the government’s indictment of Mr McMahon in 1994 for allegedly supplying anabolic steroids to WWE wrestlers. 

More than 3.5 million paying Peacock subscribers have watched WWE content since its transition last year. The company reached a milestone last year, crossing $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time.