Brand Profile
WWE
The main event As Cardiff prepares to welcome the first WWE UK stadium show in 30 years, Sam Giltrow chats to WWE’s Vice President of Licensing & Retail Consumer Products, Carl Lawrence, to find out what the big event will mean for the brand, and toy retailers.
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lmost a $1b global brand at retail, WWE is a heavyweight when it comes to licences, and it’s sure to get even bigger in the UK with the staging of the first UK stadium show in 30 years. Taking place on 3rd September at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, WWE Clash at The Castle is set to attract viewers from around 1b households worldwide and follows the hugely successful SummerSlam 1992,
held at Wembley Stadium. Three decades on and the evergreen brand has amassed many new viewers, while also holding the appeal of the many fans who have continued to follow WWE action over the years. “It’s very much a diverse and generational audience – many adults are now bringing their children into the franchise,” says Carl Lawrence, VP of Licensing & Retail Consumer Products – International, WWE.
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He tells Toy World that a staggering 59,000 fans signed up within 24 hours of the opening of the pre-sale ticket registration in April and is predicting a “real buzz” when WWE takes over Cardiff city centre for the event. WWE Clash at the Castle, which will be broadcast live worldwide, will feature all of the top WWE Superstars including the British contingent, led by Scottish WWE Superstar and the 1st ever British WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre. Although there has not been a big stadium show in the UK for 30 years, there have still been continuous live tours across the UK and Europe. In addition, Carl describes WWE as a “content powerhouse”, with programming running 52 weeks a year. “The September event will bring a moment to the UK fanbase that will elevate us and give us more reach than ever before,” he adds. Over the past couple of years, the TV landscape has changed in the UK and WWE is now shown on Channel 5’s free-to-air 5ACTION on week nights and weekend morning slots, while BT Sport continues to offer the wider live programming. Carl says: “Those changes have really brought a new audience to WWE, it’s now more accessible to everyone in the country.” WWE also has more than 1b social media followers across 16 platforms, with WWE being the second mostwatched sports brand in the world across social media platforms, behind only the UEFA Champions League. YouTube has also been powerful in driving content, with WWE the seventh most viewed YouTube channel in the world, with more than 66b lifetime views. It is this huge, dedicated following which has made the brand so strong, and helped it amass more than 100 licensees in consumer products, including a strong presence in the toy category.
