WWE’s merger with UFC under the Endeavor-backed TKO Group has brought together the world’s two wrestling powerhouses as the sport rises as both a cultural spectacle and commercial vehicle. Now, brand partners are looking for ways to ride that momentum—without always going through the ring.
According to Market Intelligence, the global professional wrestling market will grow from $2.95 billion in 2024 to a projected $3.14 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of around 6.7% through 2033. As interest rises, brands are exploring how to align with the fanbase beyond official matches and league media buys.
Enter Summer Bash, a one-night fan event happening on Thursday (July 31) at New York’s 650-seat Gramercy Theatre. Co-produced by wrestling podcast The Masked Man Show and culture marketing agency Nue, the show is part live taping, part concert, and part fan activation. Wrestling icon Bret “The Hitman” Hart will sit down for a live podcast interview hosted by Kazeem Famuyide and David Shoemaker, followed by a performance from rapper and wrestling super fan Action Bronson.
While the event doesn’t include an actual wrestling match, it’s designed to draw the same passionate audience. It builds on a template Nue helped create with WaleMania, the annual WrestleMania-weekend party series co-founded with rapper Wale. Unlike that series, however, Summer Bash isn’t built around a single artist.
“We took out the hero artist and made it more about the combination of music and sport,” Jesse Kirshbaum, CEO of Nue Agency, told ADWEEK. “We’re no longer beholden to an artist. We’re showing that this format… it could be at a Super Bowl event. It could be at NBA All-Star Weekend.”
Backed by Chase Freedom and Wingstop—both WWE sponsors—and supported by Live Nation, Summer Bash offers marketers a low-friction way to engage with wrestling fans outside of official league programming. Chase Freedom cardholders will have access to an exclusive meet-and-greet with Hart, while Wingstop will generate social content with talent at the event.
“They’re not going to get access to this type of talent for their socials, necessarily, unless they’re supporting an event like this,” Kirshbaum said. “Being in a room like this… it shows they’re embedded with the culture and with their fans.”
The format of the event also reflects how brands are shifting toward more relaxed experiences that tap into existing fanbases. Through its partnership with popular wrestling podcast The Masked Man Show, Summer Bash gives brands a direct channel into an existing fan community.
“Podcasts are really driving culture, and IRL podcast experiences are a big boom right now,” Kirshbaum said. “That intimate voice in your ear… it just gets the fans really excited.”
Off the Mat, Into the Culture
While WWE’s TKO era has made wrestling more brand-friendly, Kirshbaum said independent events like Summer Bash offer a different kind of access, for fans and marketers alike.
“It’s a heavier, clunkier proposition when it’s part of a much bigger package,” he said. “Whereas this shows the spirit of an indie… but also creates something that’s really exciting for the fans.”