The WWE has been ramping up its marketing campaign for WrestleMania XL, their biggest premium live event of the year, for months. In February, just days before the Super Bowl, they held a press conference in Las Vegas to promote the two-day event in Philadelphia. The event included appearances by top stars like Cody Rhodes and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and was live streamed on Peacock. The aim was to attract attention from football fans in town for the Super Bowl and viewers nationwide.
The press conference was a huge success, with thousands of fans showing up to watch. Despite the lack of actual wrestling, The Rock’s slap across Cody Rhodes’ face garnered 15.7 million views across all WWE social media platforms in less than 12 hours. The event was the most-viewed outside the ring event in WWE history, with over 4.7 million live viewers and over 100 million views of the press conference in less than 12 hours.
WWE released a WrestleMania XL video on the day of the Super Bowl, which has since amassed over 5 million views on their X account. The way WWE crafts its WrestleMania messaging creates anticipation among fans for the resolution of storylines in the ring. Jason Cielsak, president of Pacific Rim at Siegel+Gale, praised WWE’s marketing strategy and storytelling approach, calling it a master class that even major sports leagues and TV writers could learn from.
The Rock’s involvement in WrestleMania XL, given his history with WWE and his movie star status, is a significant asset for the event. WWE has also utilized partnerships with social media personalities like Logan Paul and Pat McAfee to promote WrestleMania XL. The promotional buildup not only benefits the company but also the localities where the event is held. Last year, WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles generated $215 million for the region, breaking the previous record set by WrestleMania 38 in Dallas/Arlington, which had a $206.5 million economic impact.
The economic impact of WrestleMania events on host cities has been substantial, with WWE stating that since 2016, WrestleMania has generated over $1.2 billion in cumulative economic impact. The success of WrestleMania XL and the promotional efforts leading up to it have also had a positive effect on the stock of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, Inc., with shares up almost 7% this year. WrestleMania continues to be a significant event not only for wrestling fans but also for the cities and economies that host it.
