It looks like WWE will be expanding its footprint in the sports world after inking a multi-year licensing deal with the NFL this past August. The two companies agreed for WWE to create NFL-inspired WWE legacy championship belts.
Past success
The belts feature the official colors and branding of all 32 teams and available at NFLShop.com, WWEShop.com, and Fanatics.com. The deal is a big get for WWE as it marks the first-ever licensing agreement between the two companies.
Now, WWE is looking to replicate that on the collegiate level with a deal between them and the Big 12 conference. Although the Big 12 will lose its two biggest schools next year to the SEC in Oklahoma and Texas, they will still have big schools such as Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.
The deal
WrestleVotes reported WWE and the conference are nearing an agreement that would allow WWE to produce licensed Big 12 merchandise just in time for the college football bowl season next month. This deal could open the door for other conferences such as the SEC and Big Ten.
I’m told WWE and the Big 12 Conference are nearing an agreement which would allow WWE to produce licensed Big 12 merchandise focused around the upcoming college football bowl season. Another big step in the sports world for WWE.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) November 16, 2023
WWE issued the following:
BIG 12 CONFERENCE PARTNERS WITH WWE® FOR 2023 BIG 12 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPIRVING, Texas and STAMFORD, Conn., November 16, 2023 –
Today, the Big 12 Conference announced a collaboration with WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), for the upcoming 2023 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship on Saturday, December 2, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Through this partnership, the Big 12 and WWE will introduce a custom-made championship title belt for this year’s Big 12 Football Championship Most Outstanding Player, presented on-field at the conclusion of the game by a WWE Superstar. Additionally, a co-branded WWE x Big 12 logo will be featured throughout the venue and on the field.
Throughout the week leading up to the 2023 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship and the game itself, WWE Superstars will be prominently featured and integrated. In addition to the championship title belt presentation, select WWE Superstars will participate in a Big 12 Conference community event, pre-game hospitality events and the game’s official coin toss.
“WWE is a global brand that connects with a wide array of audiences,” said Commissioner Yormark. “With this partnership, we will integrate WWE and its brand power into one of the Conference’s biggest moments, further strengthening the bridge between sports and entertainment throughout the Big 12.”
“Brett and his team at the Big 12 have turbocharged the conference through innovative media rights deals and commercial partnerships, constantly exploring new ways to grow the conference’s reach and influence,” said WWE President Nick Khan. “We’re excited to partner with them and help amplify the Big 12 Championship.”
The Big 12 Conference and WWE will also collaborate to introduce an exclusive Big 12 Championship merchandise line. Merchandise will be available for purchase online and throughout AT&T Stadium team stores.
The Dr Pepper Big 12 Football championship game will air live on December 2 at 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT on ABC. Additional entertainment enhancements for the 2023 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship will be announced at a later date. Grammy-award winning artist and hip-hop icon Nelly will be performing during the first-ever Football Championship Halftime Show. Tickets to the 2023 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship are available to purchase online via SeatGeek at https://big12.us/3i564VW.
About WWE
WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, TNT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in approximately 165 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
