Alright, so I was digging around trying to figure out, you know, how much WWE is actually worth. It’s one of those things I always wondered about while watching Wrestlemania.
First thing I did was hit up Google, right? Just typed in “WWE worth” or something like that. I saw a bunch of articles popping up, mostly talking about the Endeavor merger and all that jazz. That gave me a starting point, at least.
I then went a little deeper. I wanted to see where they make their money. So I started checking out WWE’s investor relations page. I found their quarterly reports and presentations. Honestly, wading through all those numbers wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. But I was determined!
I looked at things like:
- Revenue streams: TV deals (like with USA Network and Fox), the WWE Network subscriptions before it moved to Peacock, merchandise sales, ticket sales from live events (Raw, Smackdown, Wrestlemania, etc.).
- Operating Income: How much money they’re actually making after expenses.
- Debt: How much they owe. Gotta factor that in, right?
It was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. The TV deals are HUGE, man. Those are the big money makers. Wrestlemania ticket sales are also significant, but it’s just one event a year.
Then I tried to figure out what the market thought. I checked out the stock price (WWE was ticker symbol WWE before the merger, now it’s under Endeavor or TKO). I compared it to similar entertainment companies. It’s not a perfect comparison, but it gives you some idea. Also looked at what analysts were saying about WWE’s future prospects.
Of course, the Endeavor deal throws a wrench into things. It’s not just a simple “What’s WWE worth?” anymore. It’s about how much the combined entity (TKO) is valued at. So I had to factor in UFC’s value too, since Endeavor also owns UFC.
The numbers are massive! Billions, man, billions. It’s hard to pin down an exact number because the valuation changes all the time. But I got a pretty good feel for the ballpark figure.
So, what did I learn?
- WWE is a massive entertainment empire with multiple revenue streams.
- TV deals are king.
- The Endeavor merger complicated things, but it also created a new, even bigger entertainment powerhouse.
- Trying to value a company is like trying to hit a moving target.
It was a fun little project. Now, next time I’m watching Roman Reigns main event Wrestlemania, I’ll have a better idea of the financial muscle behind it all.
