WWE: Why Bigotry is Bad for Business

If the WWE wants to take credit for promoting diversity, they can start by standing up for the LGBT citizens of Indiana and North Carolina.

On March 28th, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal vetoed a bill that would have discriminated against LGBT people using the term “religious liberty” as its pretense. While vetoing a bill that discriminates against any group of people for any reason may seem like the responsible thing for a sitting Governor to do the actual reasons were more financial than social consciousness.

Governor Deal said his veto was about “the character of our state and the character of our people,” thereby reassuring his citizens that “Georgia is a welcoming state; it is full of loving, kind and generous people.” So why did Governor Deal have to make sure his message was clear? This likely has to do with the threat of Hollywood television and film productions pulling out of the state if the bill were to pass, including heavy hitters like Disney and AMC. Georgia is the third most popular filming location (behind New York and California) and brings in billions of dollars in revenue each year. Both the NFL and NCAA also stated that the bill would reduce the state’s chances to host the Super Bowl and basketball championships for the foreseeable future. The choice was obvious.

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So why should the WWE care about this topic? As Governor Deal found out, bigotry is bad for business. Money doesn’t talk; it screams.

On their official corporate website, the WWE has a formal mission statement in regards to diversity:

"“Our Mission: To break down prejudices and promote a culture of fairness and respect through programs and initiatives that educate, enrich, and empower people to create a positive social environment for all, regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, or physical ability.”"

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If this is true, the WWE should stop performing all shows in the state of Indiana, who last year passed a bill similar to the one recently vetoed in Georgia. Indiana is feeling the negative effects of similar threats from businesses as more than a dozen conventions cancelled their plans to host events to the tune of an estimated $60 million in lost revenue with more losses likely to come each year the bill remains in place. This should also hold true for Mississippi and North Carolina, who both recently passed a bill that invalidates legal protections for LGBT individuals. This means that in these states, a public school, government building or business anywhere in the state can refuse service to someone simply because they are gay or transgender. This is the definition of discrimination and is contradictory to the WWE’s own position on diversity.

More than 100 corporations have spoken out against the North Carolina legislation including PayPal, Google, and Apple, the latter of which is run by openly gay CEO Tim Cook. Just like Indiana, professional and collegiate sports organizations have made it clear that it is unlikely a Super Bowl or Final Four will be held in North Carolina so long as these laws are on the books. Hollywood has been slower to threaten a boycott of North Carolina because it simply isn’t the industry leader that Georgia is though it isn’t too far behind thanks to generous tax breaks offered to production companies. The WWE is so deeply ingrained in North Carolina culture that a similar commitment would undoubtedly turn some heads in the state capitol.

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It is hypocritical for Vince McMahon to willingly take money from any state that openly discriminates against people, regardless of the logic. It is equally hypocritical for the WWE to laud itself as a social role model while blatantly ignoring such public displays of injustice.

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