WWE President Says Celebrity Superstars Like Bad Bunny & Logan Paul Are Here to Stay
In 2023, celebrity involvement in WWE has never been more impactful. Unlike in past generations, where celebrities were given token appearances at high-profile events like WrestleMania and SummerSlam to boost local ticket sales and drum up social media hype, celebs today in WWE are fully-fledged Superstars, competing in some of the most memorable matches in pro wrestling history.
WWE Incorporates Celebrities Differently in 2023
The WWE Universe needs only to look to Bad Bunny's epic San Juan Street Fight against Damien Priest at Backlash as proof that celebrities and WWE Superstars are now nearly-synonymous:
To a non-fan, they would be hard-pressed to identify who the full-time WWE Superstar was of the Suan Juan Street Fight and who was the award-winning artist – unless they were already privy to Bad Bunny's music, of course. In modern-day WWE, the lines are blurred more than ever – from storylines that blend reality and fiction to athletes from all arenas of life stepping into the ring and keeping at the highest level.
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It's a great time to be a fan – and the entire experience promises to get even better.
Hand-selecting celebrities like Logan Paul and Bad Bunny didn't happen by accident – WWE has had a renewed focus on expanding its reach and quickly capitalized by signing some of the world's biggest entertainers in recent years. WWE President Nick Khan recently spoke at MoffettNathanson's Inaugural Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference and shed light on the reasoning for such high-profile celebrity involvement in WWE lately.
WWE President Nick Khan Intends to Cater to a Wider Audience
WWE's signing of Bad Bunny as an active wrestler didn't happen by chance. However, when the mission of Nick Khan is to bring as many new eyeballs to the product as possible, no stone should be left unturned.
"I was sitting at home like everyone else," Khan said, alluding to the fact that it's not every day when one of the most successful musical acts in history is interested in performing with the biggest pro wrestling company on Earth. "We approached him like, 'What do you think of this?' and Bad Bunny came back with, 'Yes, I would love to do it.'"
Bad Bunny's 2021 WrestleMania in-ring debut sent shockwaves through the music and wrestling industries. At that moment, it was evident to Nick Khan that WWE's gamble paid off in unprecedented ways.
"When we brought him in, our audience in Spanish increased by 30 or 40%," Khan stated. "Obviously, the relevance factor was fundamental. I wanted to do more and more."
Of course, Bad Bunny's initial WWE success didn't just open the door for celebrities like Logan Paul to compete – it opened a floodgate. Now that the Spanish-language market had been breached, it was time for Nick Khan to look towards a different demographic – a younger subset of potential fans who have grown up spending countless hours watching YouTube influencers.
"We also replicated that in a different demographic category with Logan Paul, to whom our entertainment relationship people were proposing to us internally," Khan explained. "He came in and took it seriously, just like Bad Bunny. Our young audience skyrocketed."
The WWE President may be understating an essential aspect of these celebrity signings. Bad Bunny and Logan Paul – and, to a lesser extent, Pat McAfee – aren't just bringing new fans into the fold; they're taking their in-ring training seriously. While past celebrities may have been content to accept a WWE payday, this new generation has shown a willingness to dive deep into all things WWE en route to winning over wrestling fans worldwide.
Should Full-Time WWE Superstars Be Concerned?
While Superstars like Otis have expressed skepticism about bringing in celebrities like Logan Paul, full-time WWE talent have nothing to worry about, as the WWE President reveals that the business will always revolve around the men and women who live and breathe WWE 365 days a year.
"Our bread and butter are our full-time Superstars, but being able to bring Bad Bunny and Logan Paul and Pat McAfee at different points only increases the audience, which is good for us," Khan stated.
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Khan's comments couldn't have come at a better time as the WWE Universe prepares itself for Night of Champions on May 27 – an international event scheduled with no celebrity involvement and will spotlight some of the greatest WWE Superstars of this new era. So while celebs like Logan Paul and Bad Bunny undoubtedly have a place in future events, full-time WWE Superstars will also be the driving force powering WWE's unparalleled sports entertainment brand.
You can tune into Peacock to watch WWE's Night of Champions on May 27 and Money in the Bank on July 1. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.
