WWE confirms big event for India in 2021
WWE made several announcements during the recent third-quarter earnings call that featured WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, CBO Stephanie McMahon, CFO Kristina Salen, and President & CRO Nick Khan.
During the call, Nick Khan confirmed that the WWE was planning on organizing a big event in India in 2021 in partnership with the company's content partner in the country, Sony India.
The planned event will primarily feature Indian performers and will air on all the relevant Sony platforms. The event will also be distributed domestically in the United States of America.
Nick Khan announced the following about the company's event for the Indian fans:
"We remain focused on developing localized content, which utilizes local talent and is procured in local language. We are excited to now be working with our content partner in India, Sony, on a 2021 event that will primarily feature our developing Indian Superstars. That event will air in India on the Sony Platforms and will also be distributed domestically in the United States.
We believe partnerships like this will be the best way to build engagement and can maximize the value of content for international distribution partners and our fans. In the current environment, we expect to invest in international at a measured pace, balancing near-term results and long-term growth objectives."
WWE working towards setting up NXT India?
Triple H has mentioned on several occasions that WWE does plan on having many offshoots of NXT across the world and NXT India, considering the mammoth fanbase in the country, is a no-brainer.
WWE wants to build Indian Superstars, which is evident from the recent signings of Gurvinder Singh (Shanky Singh), Sukhwinder Grewal, and Laxmi Kant Rajpoot.
WWE has also pushed Indian talent on TV over the years, with the most recent examples being Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher. India is the second-largest market for the WWE after the USA, and pushing home-grown Indian talent in a show based in India should be the direction moving forward.
WWE last conducted a live event in India in 2017, headlined by a match between Triple H and Jinder Mahal.
The next event, as announced, will focus on Indian stars, and it is only expected to happen after the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control and all the logistics are in place.