10 Big Questions About Future Of WWE’s UK Brand
5. Can It Succeed Globally?
It’s easy to get washed away in the excitement of WWE’s UK Tournament. Night one was bags of fun but lacking in blow-away action, while night two was a huge success, and delivered on every level. Enthusiasm for WWE’s international expansion has never been higher, and it’s tough to see through the hype and consider the event’s success objectively at the moment.
The Empress Ballroom sold-out quickly, and the crowds were loud, rowdy, and engaged. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive across social media, and as the reviews slowly trickle through, barely a media outlet has a bad word to say about the tournament finals.
We won’t know the true extent of the tournament’s success until the Network numbers are released, however. With the shows going up against a number of big NFL playoff games, it’s highly unlikely that they drew big live viewing figures in the US, and watching on a delay is never as appealing as watching live. It feels like a surefire success among British viewers, but abroad? That’s another question.
British wrestling has never been as attractive or accessible to the global audience. In terms of production values, the UK indies blow their American counterparts away, but can a UK-based product succeed among American viewers long-term? The brand won’t live or die depending on how foreign viewers take to it, but it’s a huge component of its success, and one WWE probably have in mind.