The Undertaker Says WWE is On Par With NFL, NBA & MLB

The Undertaker says, “WWE is on par now with the NFL, NBA, MLB, you name it. We’re no longer just some wrestling show on the fringe. WWE has become a massive global entity with influence far beyond the ring.”

The Dead Man spoke about WWE’s incredible growth on his Six Feet Under podcast. He credited this evolution to WWE’s leadership, talent, professionalized training facilities, and a recruitment process akin to major sports leagues.

“The Performance Center is like our own draft, our way of finding and developing top-tier talent, just like any other major league,” he said.

Taker’s “hot take” is echoed by many, including Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin. Earlier this year, Rubin spoke about pro wrestling’s popularity in comparison to major sports leagues. Fanatics is the official merchandise partner for the NFL, NBA, MLB, UFC, NASCAR and more, but he wasn’t prepared for WWE’s merchandising muscle.

“The biggest growth sport in my mind Well, are we looking at percents, dollars? What’s wild, I’ll tell you honestly, what’s going on with WWE is insane,” Rubin said at SBJ’s CAA World Congress of Sports. “If I look at the growth in our WWE business, and it’s a big business already, it’s absolutely insane.”