X Announces Exclusive Content Deal With the WWE

X has introduced a brand new, exclusive content deal with the WWE, including extra video programming into its rising slate of reveals.

As per the announcement, WWE will air a brand new, weekly present on X which can function timed matches between fashionable WWE stars.

That might carry numerous WWE followers to the app, relying on which stars are included on this program. X has additionally noted that in 2023, dialog about wrestling elevated 11% year-over-year.

I imply, it’s tough to quantify these outcomes precisely, as X appears to have modified a few of its measurements, however WWE is clearly fashionable within the app, with 13.7 million customers following the main WWE account.

As famous, the brand new program will add to X’s rising slate of unique content material, because it strikes to change into a “video first platform”.

To date, X has signed unique video content material offers with:

• Paris Hilton, on a but to be introduced undertaking
• Tucker Carlson, whose interviews are repeatedly producing thousands and thousands of views within the app
• Don Lemon, who’ll start airing his new “Don Lemon Present” quickly
• Tulsi Gabbard, who’s growing a collection of documentary-style packages centered on U.S. politics
• Jim Rome, who’s bringing his fashionable “The Jungle” show to the app, airing 5 instances per week

Along with this, X can be working to incentivize prime on-line creators to submit to the app by way of improved advert income share offers, which it’s at the moment testing with YouTube star MrBeast, who’s re-posted a few of his clips on X.

On condition that MrBeast generates the vast majority of his revenue from YouTube, I don’t count on him to make the change to X solely, although having any of his content material within the app provides to its programming slate, and X will likely be hoping that he could make sufficient advert income within the app to then pique the curiosity of different creators.

Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan can be seeking to re-share his content to X, which might embody video of his broadcasts, whereas it might even be noteworthy that Elon Musk will reportedly be a visitor of UFC CEO Dana White at this weekend’s “UFC Apex” in Las Vegas.

So whereas it might not be a killer slate of different video content material as but, X is constructing out its roster over time, whereas it’s additionally experimenting with a brand new, devoted video tab within the app which might assist to additional spotlight its programming.

After all, Twitter earlier than Elon additionally tried this similar method, with blended outcomes.

Again in 2016, Twitter made a giant push on TV-like content material, signing unique contracts with the MLB, NFL, and NBA to broadcast video games straight within the app. That was a part of a broader effort to attach the rise in reside occasion tweeting with the supply materials. Twitter’s analysis had proven that it was the highest vacation spot for on-line engagement round reside sports activities occasions and TV packages, and its view had been that if it might mix the 2, it could then be capable of construct an leisure powerhouse, capitalizing on each the content material and the dialog in a single stream.

Nevertheless it didn’t work.

For no matter cause, customers weren’t overly enamored by having tweets and the present operating side-by-side, which might come right down to the truth that solely a comparatively small variety of individuals really use Twitter, so limiting the content material to a smaller viewers by bringing in app lowered total engagement.

Issues, nevertheless, have modified since.

Social platforms are actually greater sources of leisure in their very own proper, versus simply the associated dialogue, and perhaps, on condition that extra individuals are consuming extra content material direct in social apps, the time is now proper for X to make this new push, which might present considerably greater promoting alternatives.

Signing controversial content material additionally helps to spice up Elon’s “free speech” agenda within the app, and it does seem to be X will likely be seeking to play an even bigger function in political dialogue throughout the upcoming election cycle by way of its video programming.

I suppose, the query then will likely be what occurs after, particularly if advertisers proceed to steer clear of the app.

Elon’s long-held view is that it doesn’t actually matter what he says, or what anybody else shares within the app, as long as it brings individuals in, as a result of whereas companies are eager to behave principled on sure issues, all they actually care about is their very own backside line. And if X can get to, say, a billion customers, they’ll need to promote within the app, whether or not they prefer it or not, as a result of the viewers attain will merely be too large to disregard, if X can win over that sort of consideration.

It nonetheless appears unlikely that X can try this, however the X staff will likely be hoping that this new unique content material push would be the key to creating this a actuality, drawing in so many viewers throughout so many matter areas that it’ll merely change into too compelling a draw for advert companions.

Once more, previous expertise doesn’t bode effectively for this technique, and X’s determination to give attention to sure broadcasters and content material might restrict its potential both approach.

However that’s the hope, and including an unique WWE program into the combination is definitely a constructive step.