New TKO Plans For WWE

WWE/TKO/Zuffa

Coming into WrestleMania 42, it became clear that WWE’s parent company TKO was having more influence on the promotion than ever before.

From the increased ticket prices for Mania to the involvement of Pat McAfee in storylines, TKO’s impact on WWE is being seen more and more as the years have gone on since the merger with UFC in 2023.

TKO could have some more plans to alter the landscape and fabric of WWE moving forward.

Here are six new potential TKO plans for WWE.

6. More Digital & Merchandising Input

In 2023, Endeavor acquired WWE and merged the company with the UFC to form TKO Group Holdings.

Since this parent company emerged, TKO has increased its inputs on several different elements, including merchandising.

Another place that TKO has had a major influence is on the digital footprint of WWE with more videos and higher viewership for clips from their shows.

Making WWE a digital and merchandising empire that generates plenty of money for TKO will only further the establishment of the company as a business that can generate even more profit for TKO and Endeavor as a whole.

5. More Premium Live Events

TKO has been in support of WWE holding even more major live events throughout the calendar year.

In 2025, WWE held 14 main roster premium live events, which includes the two shows that take place over two separate days in WrestleMania and SummerSlam.

If WWE chooses to increase the PLEs, this would be a simple way for TKO to increase revenue that the company generates.

Considering the focus on holding major shows outside of the United States, this could coincide with higher ticket prices for these particular events moving forward.

4. Even More Celebrity Involvement

Heading into WrestleMania 42, WWE greatly increased the involvement of celebrities on the company’s programming.

TKO – specifically CEO Ari Emanuel – was responsible for Pat McAfee’s participation in the WrestleMania 42 Night One main event between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.

Whether it be IShowSpeed competing in his first Mania match or Lil Yachty and Jelly Roll appearing on WWE TV, celebrities have become a regular part of the company in the past few months.

More celebrity involvement seems to be a direction that TKO is pushing for WWE to help the company be accepted by mainstream outlets and cause more casual fans to spend money on the product.

3. More Ads & Sponsorships During Premium Live Events

One of the bigger criticisms for the WWE WrestleMania 42 weekend was the amount of ads during the two-night premium live event.

While many fans believed that this is just the norm, it was revealed in a new report that this is an effort by ESPN and Netflix to make their money back for the massive rights deals they made with WWE.

TKO could look to increase the ad revenue that the WWE PLEs make moving forward by offering even more ads even during the broadcast.

Whether it be product placement ads during the live events or sponsorships added to matches, this part of WWE should only become more and more prevalent as time goes on.

2. Having More Than One WrestleMania Weekend In A Year

In the past, WWE has had more than one version of some of the premier events in the past.

Back in 2018, WWE held its standard Royal Rumble PLE in January, but then the company had a second event of the same name called the Greatest Royal Rumble from Saudi Arabia.

It feels like TKO might see WrestleMania as the true money maker for WWE and offer more than one of those events moving forward.

TKO holding a second Mania in Saudi Arabia or another country outside of the United States could be a significant move that points to different versions of the tentpole events that WWE can hold multiple times a year.

1. Greater Creative Influence

Following WrestleMania 42, TKO President Mark Shapiro revealed that the parent company has the ultimate control of WWE’s creative.

While TKO has been mostly hands off for a majority of the time since the merger, it seems like they could have a greater influence in the months and years to come.

After involving Pat McAfee in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton feud, TKO could become more of a focus of storytelling moving forward.

TKO’s greater creative impact on WWE could become a major story that sees them take over in the place of Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque if they lose confidence in his direction.

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