3. More Sport Branding And More Sport Partners
It isn't just on TV that the WWE will have to change the way they do business, big corporate changes will be needed too. Groups they aspire to be like such as NASCAR are all about branding and sponsorship. WWE needs to act to impress the right people in the sport industry, you can't just say you're sports, you have to be accepted and termed as a sport from the masters of the sport industry. That means building relationships with the right sports TV executives and corporate brands such as Nike. Even if WWE aren't going to do any formal deal with the likes of Nike, they need to be in their good graces. In the long run it will be networking relationships that help pay dividends for McMahon in getting a sports broadcast deal, be it this negotiating window or the next one. It again all comes down to perception. WWE is looked upon as entrainment because it is so clearly associated with Hollywood style production. If WWE sets out to establish the right relationships they can help build brand awareness built around athleticism. Why shouldn't someone like John Cena partner up with Nike or a sports retailer? He's an athlete and sells products. WWE should ditch loss making movie partnerships and instead invest resources in building WWE into a sport empire.