WWE CEO Nick Khan discusses affect WGA strike has on WWE, Endeavour merger and more

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WWE CEO Nick Khan said Wednesday the company isn’t impacted by the WGA strike that started Tuesday.

“Our writers are not members of the guild, so there is no effect on us whatsoever. Of course we are supportive of the writers who are members of the guild and their efforts, and we are hopeful a deal can be reached between them and the other side in short order,” he said on a call after quarterly results that focused on key rights renewals and WWE’s upcoming merger with Endeavor/UFC.

It’s earnings season, and as numbers for the March quarter have been trickling out, World Wrestling Entertainment is the first to report after the latest contract between writers and producers expired at midnight PT Monday without a new deal. In a walkout that already is having ripples across media and entertainment, writers began picketing Tuesday in New York and Los Angeles.

As Paramount Global reports earnings Thursday morning, and Warner Bros. Discovery on Friday, investors will be on high alert for strike-related commentary from CEOs.

Khan also addressed the Endeavor deal when asked about the cultural fit of an independent, family-owned company like WWE moving under a larger corporate umbrella. “We’re all excited about everything that should and will happen together with UFC and the folks from Endeavor,” he said. “Keep in mind, we have known these folks for a long period of time, so they are not strangers to us. Their style is not strange to us. It’s something that we give a full embrace to, and I can certainly represent emphatically to you on the creative that that there is no one at Endeavor or the UFC that has any interest in trying to interfere with that in any way whatsoever.”

“I think [UFC chief] Dana White would also represent to you that never, would be my guess, have the Endeavor folks told him, ‘You should do this match, or do it this way.’ That is not what they do, that is not what they say they do, and that’s not what they are going to do. All the other things that we talked about, revenue continuing to build a business internationally and domestically, I think they are experts at, and I look forward to getting into all of that and more.”

WWE saw revenue and net profit dip in the March quarter but topped estimates, seeing a ratings surge for Raw and SmackDown, record attendance in live events and robust sponsorships as it prepares to merge in the second half pending regulator approval.

“We’re trying to close the deal as quickly as we can,” said CFO Frank Riddick on the call.

Meanwhile, WWE is focus on domestic media rights renewals with Fox and NBCUniversal. Khan wouldn’t put a timeframe on talks but said conversations are “productive.”

“During the process, you can control a lot of things, but not when you’ll get to an agreement. But we are bullish,” he said. The current partners have a one-month exclusive negotiating window.

Internationally, WWE is also taking its live show for the first time to London, where it’s “open for business,” and keeping careful taps on India.

WW said sales fell 11% to about $298 million due largely to the timing shift of a large-scale international event (in Saudi Arabia), which hit in the first quarter of 2022 but was moved to the second this year. That was partly offset by higher revenue from the contractual escalation of media rights fees for Raw and SmackDown, and higher North American ticket sales

Operating expenses reflected a decrease in production costs related to live-event timing but also costs related to WWE’s strategic review, which led to the deal with Endeavor.

WWE, controlled by Vince McMahon, and Endeavor under CEO Ari Emanuel announced their merger last month. Endeavor will hold a 51% and existing WWE shareholders will hold 49% of a new publicly traded company. The deal values UFC at an enterprise value of $12.1 billion and WWE at an enterprise value of $9.3 billion.

WWE said operating income margin decreased to 18% from 28% and net income of $36.7 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, fell from $66.1 million, or $0.77. The company had negative free cash flow of $20.6 million vs. an inflow of $69.7 million the year before on higher capex, included $29.6 million for a new headquarters. (Excluding that, free cash flow for the three months was positive $9 million.)

“We are off to a strong start in 2023. Operationally, we continue to effectively execute our strategy, including staging the most successful WrestleMania of all time in early April. WrestleMania, as well as our other successful premium live events such as Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, and strong viewership for our weekly flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown, further expanded the reach of our brands and enhanced the value of our content,” Khan said.

CFO Frank Riddick said the Endeavor deal will “form a global sports and entertainment business that has the potential to unlock vast growth opportunities for both businesses. We believe that bringing these two iconic and highly complementary brands together will allow us to increasingly capitalize on the rapidly expanding, global appetite for live sports events and premium entertainment content, with the goal being to maximize value for our shareholders.”