Is WWE Coverage on ESPN Really Beneficial?

While the benefits are hard to find at first, there could be some positives from WWE having coverage on ESPN.com.

Admit it. You were a little surprised when you saw the new WWE page on ESPN.com. I definitely was. Sure, the sports media giant has been increasing their coverage of professional wrestling this year with former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman leading the charge.

The concept of having WWE covered by ESPN still seems like a weird thought not only for the people who usually watch Sportscenter, but also for the WWE Universe.

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It does seem like a very logical step since the ESPN and Sportscenter social media accounts have often posted highlight videos and stories based on recent WWE matches. But is it really going to be the best move for the WWE overall?

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First, let’s consider that there might be more fans going to ESPN’s WWE website. That will likely impact the number of clicks found on WWE.com and that could take a negative impact in terms of selling advertising on their website. Would you place ads on a website that isn’t drawing a lot of attention?

Additionally, ESPN is not always going to want to write WWE-friendly content. I highly doubt that the officials in Bristol, Ct., are letting WWE officials read and approve content written by ESPN before it is posted online.

How is WWE going to respond when ESPN starts posting stories and editorials about why Brock Lesnar isn’t suspended after failing the drug tests before fighting Mark Hunt at UFC 200? ESPN will still focus on journalistic integrity when it comes to covering good and bad publicity in the world of WWE’s sports entertainment.

Now that I’ve been the negative Nelly, it’s fair to look at the positives of having WWE content on ESPN.com and highlights shown on ESPN programming. Mr. McMahon has always been a fan of the theory that even bad publicity is good publicity.

There is a point there. People who haven’t watched the WWE in years are being reintroduced to what the new era is like. Maybe they weren’t big fans of something that was taking place during the “Ruthless Aggression” era and now might see that there is a changing dynamic in how superstars are developed. It’s not John Cena winning the world championship all the time.

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One would think that with ESPN giving WWE weekly coverage on television, the ratings would go up? Right? Well, the numbers have been declining and this week’s Raw saw some of the worst ratings in a long time – according to Zap2It.com.

The concept is great for WWE in a way, but it’s just not really providing the help they probably expected when first getting in talks with ESPN. However, it might be something that pays off in the long run.

Additionally, having a WWE page on ESPN could actually open the door to more coverage of professional wrestling. Maybe this is a pipe dream, but it would be great if ESPN gave other promotions some coverage. Not only looking at pro wrestling in the United States, but in international markets like Japan and Mexico.

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The WWE might not be getting much out of the partnership with ESPN – at least in terms of boosting their television ratings – but it could be the first step in boosting awareness of wrestling outside of WWE.