The Medium is the Mutation (Pt. 3): WWE and the Return of Form

Amid the convergence of delivery mode, capital and content, WWE’s recent pivot to Netflix is particularly fascinating. Here is a product—pro wrestling—that has always blurred the line between sport and spectacle, between fiction and reality, and crucially, between platform and performance.

In the pre-syndication model (c. 1940-1977) local wrestling TV shows were essentially advertisements for the live “house shows”, where the real money was made. The territories functioned as semi-autonomous regional ecosystems, each built around that simple monetization model: use TV to sell tickets. The collapse of that model—as syndication and cable destroyed geographic exclusivity—is a textbook case of Schumpeterian creative destruction.

But now, in embracing Netflix, WWE is once again re-melding its form to its delivery. They are not merely streaming live shows (which are then archived)—they are adapting the very structure of wrestling to suit the new medium, just as they once did with closed-circuit TV, cable, pay-per-view, and weekly network shows.

And paradoxically, this has led to a kind of neo-traditional renaissance which is extraordinarily successful from an aesthetic perspective: long-form storytelling, consistent (indeed, meticulous) character arcs, regional callbacks, and an increasing embrace of live performance energy that evokes the territory days. The platform may be modern, but the logic is ancient. It is Schumpeterian creative destruction, yes—but also selective resurrection.

But WWE is a bit of an outlier, a leader, an adapter, a survivor.  It is artistically and financially hyper successful. Most of the entertainment world is currently in a bit of a crisis.  Tomorrow we will talk about music.