X.com to partner with WWE to launch weekly series
X.com, formerly Twitter, will partner with WWE — whose parent company is TKO Group Holdings (TKO) — to launch a weekly video series, WWE Speed, consisting of 52 episodes of five-minute versions of wrestling matches. The deal will run annually for the next two years, marking the next step in X's push into video streaming.
Yahoo Finance Anchors Brad Smith and Seana Smith break down the latest developments for both companies and what it could mean for them moving forward.
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Editor's note: This article was written by Nicholas Jacobino
Video Transcript
BRAD SMITH: X, formerly Twitter, is partnering with the WWE. Launching a new weekly series called WWE Speed. The plan to release 52 episodes of five-minute matches annually for the next two years.
X has been pushing further and further into the video space since Musk's takeover in 2022. Notably signing some former anchors to now their own programs on that platform. But now, also trying to get further into some of the sports realm as well with content, as we do know that WWE, for its own right, has been pretty busy recently for TKA holdings.
We know WWE has also been able to net a deal with Netflix recently too.
SEANA SMITH: Yeah, certainly. It is a huge push here. They're trying to get more eyes on their program. The fact that they're doing this on X, I think, it's a win for both parties, right?
You're going to potentially here expand your consumer base, if they are able to watch matches that are less than five-- what do you call them a Match What do you call?
BRAD SMITH: It's a match.
SEANA SMITH: Match? OK. Yeah. All right. I was right. Matches that are less than five minutes. It all ties back to what we have heard from Elon Musk time and time again, right? He is looking to spend and generate and have more content on the site.
He's looking to do that in ways that work on a platform. A lot of that is being done in shorter video clips. So he's doing it through sports. I think it could be a win-win.
BRAD SMITH: And it's als--
SEANA SMITH: And also, WWE fans, they're diehards.
BRAD SMITH: Right. And for adve--
SEANA SMITH: They're going to buy the content anyway.
BRAD SMITH: For advertisers who have spent decades advertising up against WWE, you know the product. You largely know what you're getting. You're getting something that is somewhat of a scripted series. Don't come at me for that one.
But you already know, as well, what the eyeballs are going to look like. And so you know the impressions. You know the type of reach that you might be able to expound upon. So that perhaps for X in its own right in trying to get advertisers back after Elon said go F yourself. this perhaps is a way to say, hey, but we have WWE. So maybe we can talk.
SEANA SMITH: Yeah. They're doing everything they can in order to win back the trust and confidence of advertisers, who have simply said, that they cannot and will not be spending on X right now.
So we know that has been the job for Linda Yaccarino. And she is doing everything. Again, to me, this is a step there in the right direction for X.
