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- 40% of WWE audience is female, according to chief brand officer
- Company’s top female superstars earn seven figures
- Performance-based model will see equal opportunities close gender pay gap
Behind the scenes, personality-driven content has been key to growing World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) female audience, according to Stephanie McMahon.
Speaking during the latest SportsPro Insider Series, the WWE’s chief brand officer revealed that “nearly 40 per cent” of the audience for the company’s core programming is female.
However, McMahon also said that the female viewership percentage has increased on other platforms since rolling out content such as the Total Divas and Total Bellas reality shows, which tell the stories of some of WWE’s prominent female talent.
“We saw an increase in our female audience in different platforms and different channels,” she said. “The 40 per cent stayed for our core programming, but Total Divas and Total Bellas, the female viewership went through the roof. On YouTube, on social media, our female viewership increased.
“Women love action, but I think they also really love the stories. They love the characters, they love the drama. Women need a reason to watch, more so than men I think, so the more you can get your female audience engaged in the character and in the story, then they care. They care about who’s going to win, they care about who’s going to lose.
“It’s really the storytelling that captures people, and I think that’s one of the reasons our female viewership is so high.”
WWE has placed increased emphasis on gender equality in recent times and in April 2016 reintroduced the WWE Women’s Championship. It also discontinued the use of the term ‘diva’ to refer to its female talent, instead choosing to describe them as ‘superstars’, which is what the company calls its male performers.
Since then, women have more frequently headlined WWE’s television and marquee pay-per-view events, including at WrestleMania 35, which was the highest-grossing entertainment event in the history of MetLife Stadium at US$16.9 million.
“Times changed and we had to evolve with it,” McMahon said. “Divas became somewhat of a derogatory term and we needed to make that change within the industry and create that equality. It’s just a word, from divas to superstars, but superstars is what we call our men, so it puts everyone on a level playing field and at every level it’s important to reinforce that.”
McMahon also addressed the pay gap between WWE’s male and female performers. She revealed that the company’s top female talent earn seven figures, adding that “a lot of our women do out earn the men right now”.
“I do [believe that gender equality will be achieved],” she continued. “We pay based on performance, so if you’re at the main event, if you’re drawing the crowd, that’s when you’re going to be paid the most money because you’re the biggest star.
“When you headline WrestleMania, you’re at the top of the game, so that’s where I think we have the most opportunity for our women, is to give them the chance to be at the top.
“I’m not saying at the expense of the men, but they need to be given the same opportunities.”
Behind the scenes, personality-driven content has been key to growing World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) female audience, according to Stephanie McMahon.
Speaking during the latest SportsPro Insider Series, the WWE’s chief brand officer revealed that “nearly 40 per cent” of the audience for the company’s core programming is female.
However, McMahon also said that the female viewership percentage has increased on other platforms since rolling out content such as the Total Divas and Total Bellas reality shows, which tell the stories of some of WWE’s prominent female talent.
“We saw an increase in our female audience in different platforms and different channels,” she said. “The 40 per cent stayed for our core programming, but Total Divas and Total Bellas, the female viewership went through the roof. On YouTube, on social media, our female viewership increased.
“Women love action, but I think they also really love the stories. They love the characters, they love the drama. Women need a reason to watch, more so than men I think, so the more you can get your female audience engaged in the character and in the story, then they care. They care about who’s going to win, they care about who’s going to lose.
“It’s really the storytelling that captures people, and I think that’s one of the reasons our female viewership is so high.”
WWE has placed increased emphasis on gender equality in recent times and in April 2016 reintroduced the WWE Women’s Championship. It also discontinued the use of the term ‘diva’ to refer to its female talent, instead choosing to describe them as ‘superstars’, which is what the company calls its male performers.
Since then, women have more frequently headlined WWE’s television and marquee pay-per-view events, including at WrestleMania 35, which was the highest-grossing entertainment event in the history of MetLife Stadium at US$16.9 million.
“Times changed and we had to evolve with it,” McMahon said. “Divas became somewhat of a derogatory term and we needed to make that change within the industry and create that equality. It’s just a word, from divas to superstars, but superstars is what we call our men, so it puts everyone on a level playing field and at every level it’s important to reinforce that.”
McMahon also addressed the pay gap between WWE’s male and female performers. She revealed that the company’s top female talent earn seven figures, adding that “a lot of our women do out earn the men right now”.
“I do [believe that gender equality will be achieved],” she continued. “We pay based on performance, so if you’re at the main event, if you’re drawing the crowd, that’s when you’re going to be paid the most money because you’re the biggest star.
“When you headline WrestleMania, you’re at the top of the game, so that’s where I think we have the most opportunity for our women, is to give them the chance to be at the top.
“I’m not saying at the expense of the men, but they need to be given the same opportunities.”
