X To Launch Weekly Series With WWE As Part Of Push Into Video

(Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk’s X is partnering with World Wrestling Entertainment to launch a new weekly series, part of an expansion into highly produced video content.

Beginning in the spring, WWE will produce a series called Speed, which will be distributed first on X. Each episode will showcase wrestling matches of up to five minutes, along with appearances by stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. X and the WWE will release 52 episodes annually over the course of a two-year deal.

X, formerly known as Twitter, has been pushing aggressively into video since Musk purchased the site in October 2022. Earlier this year, X announced a slate of new video shows with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, sports-radio commentator Jim Rome and former US Representative Tulsi Gabbard. Last year, the company launched a similar partnership with Paris Hilton to create original video content on fashion, beauty, travel and other topics.

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The WWE announcement comes just days before the Super Bowl, historically one of the most important advertising events for X. Sports have long been a key driver for the site, with live events such as the Olympics and World Cup spurring conversation across the platform. The WWE has been part of that. In 2023, fans sent more than 142 million posts about the wrestling league.

X didn’t share financial terms of the deal, but it’s betting that high-quality video content can help the site attract more advertising dollars. X has struggled financially since Musk’s chaotic takeover. Last year, ad sales were roughly $2.5 billion, falling short of the company’s $3 billion target.

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