Published: 3 hours ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 3 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
A new merch drop has landed for Club WWE subscribers: it’s exclusive, and it’s CM Punk-themed. Is this enough to get fans to drop $99 a year?
Launched in April of this year, Club WWE is a new official membership program offering “exclusive access, rewards and experiences.”
A recent announcement has revealed that a new CM Punk pocket tee will be available to members of Club WWE, although it’s not free for those who have paid.
Is this enough to make fans sign up to the membership program? Surely there’s more than this:
The Live Event Offering
John Cena addressed what subscribers can expect as members of Club WWE, highlighting early access to tickets and “gold membership” at events offering dedicated entrances, members-only lounges, fan parties, and an on-site reward point system.
WWE ticket prices for PLEs came in for criticism earlier this year, with an unnamed higher-up reportedly saying, “The audience is there. Are they inclined to pay ten gazillion dollars for tickets?” when it came to WrestleMania 42.
Early access to tickets is a great thing for fans who want to get in there before general sales and is something that many events offer based on existing criteria. “Gold membership” may sway some fans if it has tangible rewards in itself, with Cena commenting on WWE stars being part of the offer.
Gold Membership
“Exclusive 24-hour ticket presale access to all WWE events around the world… tailored perks at featured events including Superstar meet-and-greets” all lean into the ability to upsell a live experience, making it more valuable to gold member fans.
“Members-only WWE Shop featuring exclusive collections and early access to merchandise drops…” lends itself to the fan that enjoys physical rewards and it’ll be interesting to see what else is offered behind the paywall from a company that sells everything from badges to replica belts through its established platform.
“Bonus WWE content featuring inside scoops, extended cuts, and behind-the-scenes footage. Dedicated members-only community forum connecting fans around the world like never before. Points-based rewards system allowing fans to earn credits to redeem against digital and physical goods.” Less physical, but valuable for fans who want to be engaged by the entertainment that they consume. Seeing things that others haven’t is always going to be a good sell, as if offering fans a community forum beyond the wild west that is social media. Who doesn’t like a points-based loyalty program? Even PayPal have recently launched one, although that also requires spending to rack up the points.
WWE Club members also get historic content, with four classic episodes of Raw recently added to the platform.
Merchandise
Club WWE would be a natural home for exclusive merchandise, such as the aforementioned CM Punk drop, while Cena’s introduction video would also ask fans to “keep an eye out for flash discounts”, indicating that fans will get an opportunity to get money off.
Of course, all of this requires fans to spend money, having already paid $99 for an annual Club WWE subscription.
The Fan Vote Counts
For the first time in the long-running video game franchise history, WWE 2K27 will see fans vote on a cover star.
The vote will be open to members of Club WWE, with a limited number of stars to choose from, and could be the start of more opportunities to let the fans decide.
With the John Cena Classic reportedly taking place later this year and the fans choosing the inaugural champion, Club WWE would be an ideal platform to drive that decision.
The Outside Looking In
For those who don’t subscribe, being on the outside and looking in will either leave fans with a fear of missing out or of the belief that whatever is on offer isn’t worth having in the first place.
This isn’t just true of Club WWE in the professional wrestling sphere, but also MyAEW, the streaming platform that includes a whole raft of content that’s only accessible with a monthly (or annual) subscription.
As the exclusive content ramps up, the value may change to those yet to subscribe.
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