WWE On The Hunt For New Sponsors

WWE is reportedly looking to attract new sponsors in order to drive up its revenue, according to the Wall Street Journal's Lara O'Reilly.

Under the direction of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, the company is apparently aiming to shake off its image as a product enjoyed exclusively by a "lower income audience". Its aim is to prove to prospective partners that it attracts viewers from a variety of demographics.

And given that professional wrestling is beginning to find its audience in countries as far and wide as India and China, while continuing to dominate its domestic market at the same time, it should be a pretty easy sell.

Triple H, aka Paul Levesque, is quoted by the WSJ as saying: "It’s a huge opportunity" - referring to the fact that only a fraction of the company's revenue comes from its overseas business, despite 70% of its audience living outside the US.

The notion that WWE is selling itself short by agreeing a meager television deal with NBC - that being the suggestion of Brandon Ross, the BTIG analyst quoted by WSJ - may surprise some, but it underlines that the company, despite having fingers in so many pies, still has potential yet to be fully explored.

Hardcore fans, of course, will fear that the influence of advertisers - conscious of lending their name to a brand which can, from time to time, court controversy - will lead to the product being further sanitised.

But even if Monday Night Raw becomes a cash cow, offshoot shows like NXT - one would hope - will retain its purist appeal.