WOW's groundbreaking success has proven that the company can build a consistent, highly marketable product. Maintaining its momentum requires bold, strategic moves. After making its mark in Las Vegas and securing a fourth season, the next step is to solidify WOW’s place as a global entertainment powerhouse.
WOW's live events can become the foundation for a much bigger future by utilizing three key areas of expansion and marketing.
Step 1: Going to Live TV
With its energy and excitement, the live audience at "Fights At Fremont Street Experience" in a landmark location is like a rehearsal for what will be one its biggest game-changers: the shift to live broadcasting.
Currently, WOW's weekly show is pre-taped, which although reduces production costs and allows flexibility, limits the organic buzz and urgent energy that is desired by media companies and the show's very valuable advertising demographic of adults aged 18-49. Live crowds like the ones in Las Vegas are an organic engine for momentum. These events are essential for stress-testing timing, production, and talent confidence under the pressure of a real-time audience. Already giving 100% to fans in attendance on Fremont St, being seen live nationally and internationally would motivate the WOW Superheroes to go to another level. In addition, live TV is a measurable factor that increases viewer retention and drives higher viewership in the 18-49 advertising demographic, a foundational metric which is vital for securing premium ad sales and media rights value.
Enhanced product quality, combined with the tangible energy of a live crowd translates directly into higher fan engagement metrics across social media, boosting the viral spread and search traffic that media partners like in a content property.
Currently enjoying a multi-year deal with Paramount Global Content Distribution that has resulted in WOW airing in national broadcast television syndication and attracting a viewership of over 300,000, to secure even higher-value media rights, the transition to a live weekly product is the needed major move. This shifting would demonstrate growth, responsiveness, and an increased commitment to integrating with a network's weekly programming schedule. In fact, since WOW already has a strong relationship with Paramount Global, subscription streaming service Paramount+ would be a great fit for WOW. Paramount Global could provide the infrastructure and resources necessary for a successful transition to live streaming.
As I mentioned in my article, "The Roadmap to Live TV: A Blueprint for Wrestling Promotions", television is often the spark that accelerates fan base growth of established promotions. The most notable amount of regional traffic going to WOW's official website comes from the United States, India, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, proving that the company is established, and that the timing is perfect to prepare for live TV.
Step 2: Further Globalizing the Talent Pipeline
To capitalize on live TV and maintain its current momentum for multiple seasons, WOW must deepen its roster, becoming even more diverse to continue satisfying the growing demand for diverse, high-quality women's sports content.
The wrestling industry is currently filled with talent ready for a new opportunity, and many of the most compelling, premier talents come from international markets. With a roster already featuring dynamic athletes Mexico's Tormenta, Australia's Genesis, Columbia's Paola Mayfield, and Canada's Kara Kai, it is important that WOW continue this successful international scouting- the wrestling scene in Japan is a territory that represents an untapped source of potential WOW Superheroes. By continuing to actively recruit from overseas, WOW can further elevate its in-ring product, while simultaneously being a source of inspiration for women internationally, as they see a Superhero from their country wrestling at such a high level.
Building an international roster is not an easy task- to be executed with precision and most effectively, people with knowledge of each specific pro-wrestling scene needs to be utilized. A detailed approach to talent acquisition -focusing on specific regional needs and high-potential stars- is essential, as outlined in my article. "How to Find and Book the Right Talent for Your Promotion". For example, many wrestling styles have been established during Japanese wrestling's long history.
Step 3:Further Leveraging Social Media
The fact that WOW constantly uses its social media channels to draw in fans who appreciate its unique brand of sports entertainment is proof that the company realizes the necessity of a dedicated communications strategy.
Although WOW carved out a niche in the world of professional wrestling, it no longer is a niche product; it is an integrated media company with a major distribution deal, is available to 80 million monthly active users via streaming, has residency in the entertainment capital of the world, and high-profile ownership. This level of business requires a marketing strategy that goes beyond announcing events. It means:
1. Making People More Aware of the Promotion and What It Has to Offer: Some material should be news/information about the promotion (including who is on the roster and why people should care), and other material continuing to promote the promotion's upcoming shows, merchandise, etc.
2. Knowing Which Hashtags Would Attract the Target Audience: While what is written is important, using hashtags that are relevant to the content and the target audience helps reach new followers, and using a mix of popular and niche hashtags will help reach a wider audience. But it must be kept in mind that using too many hashtags can actually decrease engagement.
3. Identifying Everything That Makes the Promotion Distinct: Recognize everything that makes the promotion different from others, and what it provides fans that other promotions don’t. For example, I helped BJW (Big Japan Pro-Wrestling) as a columnist when it was one of the first Japanese wrestling companies to make a website to attract the English market outside of Japan. No matter the promotion, there is a reason for a fan to choose it, and it needs to be figured out what that reason is. In WOW's case, everyone knows that the promotion is distinctive because it is an all-women's promotion, with larger-than-life characters, and has a family friendly & nostalgic tone, utilizing the late-1980s/early-1990s style of having a big focus on characters- but WOW has less obvious distinctivenesss as well. Once it is completely realized what makes a promotion special, it can be communicated to fans in a clear and concise way.
4. Deciding on New Marketing Goals for the Promotion: A company's goals change as it levels up. Whether it's increasing TV viewership, streaming revenue, social media followers, or YouTube channel views, develop strategies to achieve those goals.
As WOW’s business footprint continues to expand into high-stakes markets, the key to its future success (or any other promotion's for that matter) is to publicize what makes its product better or different from all of the others.
Fights on Fremont is a significant stop on the road, but is the destination much larger? Already the most visible women's promotion in pro-wrestling, WOW has a massive opportunity to become a major player and a market leader in women's sports entertainment in general, ensuring its groundbreaking residency in Las Vegas is not its peak, but instead a boost to an even higher level.
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