WWE Expects Big Growth in Sponsorships, Partners with Disney for New Events

TKO Group Holdings' President and COO Mark Shapiro spoke at Goldman Sachs' Communacopia + Technology Conference, where he discussed WWE's sponsorship growth and future plans.

Shapiro acknowledged concerns about a sponsorship slowdown for WWE earlier this week but pushed back on the narrative. He attributed modest upticks in the first half of 2026 to 'a lot of international events,' which slowed down the company's growth. However, Shapiro projected that WWE will ultimately record a more than 20% year-over-year sponsorship increase for 2026.

'What that means is we're going to have a big back end of the year for WWE,' Shapiro said, 'And by the way, that's with having three fewer events in the third quarter.'

Shapiro also teased new crossover events between WWE and Disney. He noted that WWE's 'family-first' approach aligns with The Walt Disney Company's audience demographics and advertisers are starting to take notice.

'Families are our audience, and I think advertisers are starting to see that,' Shapiro said. He expressed excitement about future plans for the two companies, citing their shared focus on family entertainment.

Additionally, Shapiro mentioned that TKO may soon announce several new events in the Middle East. Despite ongoing conflict in Iran, he remains bullish on the region due to high demand from local nations for tentpole events to drive tourism.