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WWE Is Diluting Their Brand With So Much Rapid Expansion

While World Wrestling Entertainment has garnered big money deals and expanded their umbrella, fans are getting a little weary of all the content... and the costs of following it
ByRyan Boman|
Jan 28, 2023; San Antonio, TX, USA; WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque aka Triple H speaks during a press conference after the WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2023; San Antonio, TX, USA; WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque aka Triple H speaks during a press conference after the WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Just a year ago, it seemed that the majority of the wrestling world was cheering on World Wrestling Entertainment. After years of stale programming under the old boss, Vince McMahon, fans were embracing a new era in WWE. You can call it the TKO Sports takeover or the Triple H regime, but suddenly, the promotion seemed to be on one of its hottest streaks ever.

They took advantage of this change rapidly, signing a sweetheart deal with Netflix, then later with ESPN. They began semi-open door policy, working with TNA Wrestling. Led by Paul Levesque, they acquired Triple A in Mexico earlier this year, and have eyes on purchasing a Japanese promotion. (possibly Pro Wrestling NOAH)

Along with all those promotions, there comes extra programming as well. The company launched WWE Speed, and they also own Evolve. Neither of those offshoots appears to be profitable, and they aren't really on the radar of most pro wrestling fans --- let alone the general public.

Expansion Has Hurt WWE's Overall Product

That's not to say all these endeavors have been awful. The relationship with TNA, which has spilled over to NXT, has been refreshing. Fans will always flock to RAW, SmackDown, and PLEs, but the company has found new and creative ways to engage with its third brand. And the connection between NXT and TNA appears to have benefited both sides, at least in terms of the on-screen products.

But beyond that, does anyone really care about many of these other product extensions? Seriously... does anybody give a damn about what's going on in Evolve? Or WWE Speed? Do we truly think that all of the company's so-called reality programming is actually, you know, real?

The answer is no. And it's based on a couple of factors. For one, just slapping a WWE logo on everything doesn't automatically make something a success. While it's a proven brand, those letters aren't like sprinkling pixie dust. The product itself has to be solid, and quite frankly, many of these ideas (like LFG) are basically reboots of programs that ultimately failed in the past.

Fan fatigue is also a factor. The wrestling calendar every week seems to be filled up. Throw in YouTube coverage, podcasts, etc, and most people can't keep up with it all. Honestly? Who can blame them? And if you're a fan of BOTH WWE and AEW? You might as well be bedridden if you're going to stomach all those hours... many of them with wasteful fillers that don't do much for the programming.

While it's certainly WWE's right to milk the cash cow all that they can, they may be getting too fat for their own good. With fan interest waning regarding the main product, that's going to trickle down to their other shows, as well.

So, while WWE may be turning record profits right now, they are wading into some rough waters in 2026 if they don't slow down their expansion. Just like the dark years of the promotion, doing too much of anything often falls flat in the world of professional wrestling. The over-saturation of WWE programming doesn't make them look stronger. It only confuses fans and asks them to commit more time and money into what is quickly becoming a stagnant product.

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