New York
CNN
—
WWE and Logan Paul’s Prime have struck a “record-setting” deal to characteristic the sports activities drink because the first-ever model brand to seem within the middle of the wrestling mat.
Prime’s pact, which is the biggest deal that WWE has ever struck with a sponsor, additionally makes the massively well-liked sports activities beverage its “official hydration drink companion” in a two-year sponsorship. Particular monetary phrases weren’t publicly out there.
An image of Prime’s bottle first appeared on the mat over the weekend, and the model will obtain “unprecedented publicity and integration” with its brand being displayed in any respect future occasions, together with “WrestleMania” and “Cash within the Financial institution.” The Paul brothers, Logan and Jake, are not any stranger to WWE, with each typically competing at occasions.
Notably, the deal is for Prime Hydration and never for its power drink, Prime Vitality, which riled up some US lawmakers final 12 months for its excessive caffeine content material. Prime has stated its power drink accommodates a “comparable quantity of caffeine to different prime promoting power drinks, all falling inside the authorized restrict of the international locations it’s offered in.”
Prime’s partnership with WWE is an enlargement of a relationship with one other firm owned by its parent organization, TKO: The sports activities drink additionally signed an identical cope with the UFC in January. In a press launch, the mum or dad firm stated it “introduced collectively the worldwide partnerships groups at UFC and WWE to type a singular international partnerships unit with a unified sponsorship technique.”
Final 12 months, UFC signed a file cope with beleaguered Bud Light to switch Modelo as its beer sponsor, with its brand having a “extremely seen presence” throughout fights and weigh-ins.
Mat sponsors are frequent on the UFC, so WWE is following its lead and, in return, hopes to catch up in money: The UFC raked in practically $50 million in sponsorship income over the past three months of 2023 in comparison with WWE’s $15 million, based on its earnings report.
TKO has been busy since changing into an impartial firm six months in the past. In January, Netflix acquired the unique rights to “WWE Uncooked,” at the moment seen weekly on Comcast’s USA cable community. The present will start streaming stay early subsequent 12 months. The ten-year deal is valued at greater than $5 billion, based on a earlier TKO submitting.
The corporate additionally added Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of many WWE’s most recognizable stars, to its board of administrators, paying him $30 million in inventory awards to advertise the model as a part of his new deal.
Nevertheless, controversy surrounded the corporate when disturbing allegations of sexual assault, trafficking and bodily abuse in opposition to WWE founder Vince McMahon got here to gentle. McMahon, who has denied the accusations, resigned from the corporate a couple of days later.