For fans who weren't fond of the Pitch Black Match that took place at this year's Royal Rumble pay-per-view, perhaps the amount of money WWE made on the bout will explain why they went ahead with it. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), WWE was paid $1 million for the heavily sponsored, glow-in-the-dark fight between Bray Wyatt and LA Knight.
The match wasn't terribly well received but it was a spectacle that caught a lot of attention. And, for $1 million, it's easy to see why WWE went ahead and decked out the ring, the arena, the lighting, and the wrestlers. The event itself and the match was sponsored by PepsiCo, which owns Mountain Dew and its Pitch Black flavor. WWE had announced well before the night that this was going to be a first-ever, but the company didn't clue fans into what they would see. That was left a surprise.
When the match started, the regular arena lights went out and black lights took the place of the standard setup. The performers were wearing outfits to glowed, the ring and the apron stood out under the lights, and, specifically, Wyatt designed his look to stand out in the new environment.
WWE Will Likely Do More Of These Deals
The match was heavily branded and some will argue it took away from the in-ring action. Still, Triple H noted in the post-event media avail that WWE broke records, not only for the live gate but the sponsorship revenue and profits generated from the event. That $1 million sponsorship deal obviously played into that being possible.
No doubt, WWE will be looking for more of these kinds of partnerships in the future. It offers them an easy stream of revenue while also creating a new spectacle that fans have never seen. Not all will be winners, but they will be unique.
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