2,500,000,000- Huge WWE International Market waiting to be tapped

[Mr. TM]

Big number eh? That is the population of India and China combined. A HUGE market for the WWE. And guess what? in the next 15-30 years, they will begin to have a huge middle class, the size of the population of the United States. And guess what! They are each potential markets for the WWE.

But which one should the WWE target first?

India seems like a great place to start. They are growing faster than China is, and they already have the WWE's foot in their door. The market is slowly growing as more programming hitting the nation every year. A key right now is The Great Khali. He is a HUGE draw in India, a national hero. Wrestling has been popular there for a while, Bret Hart used to draw support there.

The WWE should add a few additional Indian wrestlers, and make their shows hit there more often and quicker. If there are a few Indian talents there, with pushes, India will become more addicted to the WWE. The WWE should also do more tours there.

So which market is better for the WWE to target right now?

 

[The REAL Iron Chef]

To really appeal to the market in India, there's only one person I'd like to see join up in the WWE, and that's Sonjay Dutt. Unfortunately, his wrestling style is far behind the times as far as Vince's booking decisions are concerned, so it's just another pipedream of mine

 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

I think they can really target both markets well. How? By putting out a quality wrestling product. I don't think having your countryperson or race winning a title or headlining Wrestlemania really influences your enjoyment of a product. Unless you're Canadian...

Tours around the world would obviously help, as well as marketing some WWE products towards the Chinese. Getting more exposure and making it less a strictly North American outlet would help A Chinese Announcers table perhaps? I'm sure it breaks apart as efficiently as a Spanish.

But seriously, you might bring up The Great Khali and how big a star he is over there, but it's not like those Indian fans don't also cheer for John Cena. I don't think you need to push a Chinese guy or an Indian guy just to make the fans happy, because a Starship Oain looks awesome if you're Hindu or Buddhist. If it was really such a big issue, I would have stopped watching when Nathan Jones got released

 

[Suneeboy]

I am in India RIGHT NOW on a business trip, and I haven't seen or heard of the Great Khali not one time out here. The big sport is Cricket and field hockey. Haven't seen 1 minute of WWE Television here, nor is it in the program guide. Probably only on PPV. Yeah there are a billion people, but they are trying to get jobs right now and go to school. Not watch WWE. That's why Khali's push stopped...I wondered why, but now that I am in India I see that the potential market is huge, but the actual interest is not as high as you would think. There are way bigger stars out here than Khali.

They should try China. More people have access to cable TV and PPV. Also more people have internet service. You have to take factors like that into account. You can't market to people who can't watch your stuff.

 

[Sagg1298]

I am in India RIGHT NOW on a business trip, and I haven't seen or heard of the Great Khali not one time out here. The big sport is Cricket and field hockey. Haven't seen 1 minute of WWE Television here, nor is it in the program guide. Probably only on PPV. Yeah there are a billion people, but they are trying to get jobs right now and go to school. Not watch WWE. That's why Khali's push stopped...I wondered why, but now that I am in India I see that the potential market is huge, but the actual interest is not as high as you would think. There are way bigger stars out here than Khali.

They should try China. More people have access to cable TV and PPV. Also more people have internet service. You have to take factors like that into account. You can't market to people who can't watch your stuff.

I am from India. I can understand that you haven't heard of Great Khali much but that is because he is not talked about or worshipped everyday. Right now he is not even in any storyline in the WWE so that's why not much buzz about him. Check out when he came to India last year on promotional work and the response to him was something that even hollywood stars don't recieve when they visit India.

About the sport thing, yes cricket and hockey are the biggest sports here. But the WWE is right up there in terms of popularity. You ask any young kid or teenager about Cena, Taker or even Santino and they know. I would say WWE is actually more popular than hockey in India. The reason it is not on the level one would expect is because it is viewed as a form of entertainment and not an actual sport. That is why not much media coverage.

On topic though, India is DEFINITELY the market the WWE should go after. Most of the audience is young kids who talk about their favourite wrestlers in school everyday. In the adult audience, names like stone cold , Taker , Rock are still popular. The WWE is on tv EVERYDAY of the week with re-runs of Raw and SD. Everytime a wrestler visits here he recieves great media attention. The best thing the WWE can do is to hold a show here and they will recieve huge numbers.

India is potentially more beneficiary because of the already established popularity it has here and also because of the ever growing economy in the global perspective.

 

[Tastycles]

I think the idea of champions from that country making it an instant success are probably exaggerrated. After all, when was the last time you saw a French or German making it big in the WWE, but it is huge there. That being said, Wrestling has to make itself appeal to a Chinese and Indian market, and there is quite a big cultural difference. I'm sure it will come in time, but for the time being the WWE has to wait for the aspects of Americana that wrestling is born from to be assimilated into their culture. It will happen, but not for 10 years at least.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Well, as far as expanding into China and India, I'm pretty sure that the WWE has an office in China. I remember earlier this year, a video presentation was shown on Raw with footage of Chinese fans, some businessmen and women, etc. and something was said about the WWE had just opened offices in China. So, it seems as though the WWE is laying down the groundwork for expanding its audience there at least.

 

[Milkyway!]

As many of us should know, the WWE has a global domination over the professional wrestling industry. We have been asked the question which country would be more marketable, China or India? The obvious answer to this question is none other than China. Why? China has a much larger population, a better economy, has shown to be very nationalistic, and has more TV's than India.

Population
An obvious reason, if not the most obvious one China would be more marketable than India, is that China has a much larger population than India. China has 1,330,044,605 as of mid-2008, whereas India simply has 1,129,866,154. Thats 200,178,451 more people for China. Obviously, if each and every person simply gave 1 dollar to watch wrestling televsion. China would have 200,178,451 dollars more than India would have. Thats a lot of money in terms of profit. Thats 200,178,451 dollars that company wouldn't have, had it went to India to make money.

Economy
The Chinese Economy for entertainment is much higher than that of India. The total revenue of China's radio,TV and film industry increased 18 percent to 110 billion yuan (about 14.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006. China has a very profitable entertainment business. Obviously, this is good for a large company like the WWE to want to set up business. As they would gain more money from a country such as China. Where the inflation rates are at a great -1.8%. In India inflation is at a toppling 11%. They're trying to afford food, homes, basic needs of life, let alone 40$ Pay Per Views.

Nationalism
No doubt, both Indians and Chinese people have massive amounts of nationalism between one another. But all in all, who has the most nationalism? None other than China. India may be giving the Great Khali support right now (The only media attention India really has right now), but nothing India has compares to the amount of attention Yao Ming is currently getting. Just think, if instead of the NBA, another huge name in China would be on the WWE roster. Not only would they watch their Televisions to see this superstar as they do with Ming, and The Rockets. But, they would also buy the Pay Per Views, and Merchandising as they do with Yao Ming as well. China backs their people, especially when they are going up agaisnt a bunch of damned Americans.

The amount of TV's each country has
India: 63,000,000 - Going back up to the population part of my post. India has 1,129,866,154 yet only 63 million televisions? That's a 17 people to 1 tv ratio.

China: 400,000,000 - Going back up to the population part of my post yet again. China has 1,330,044,605. That
s near 4 televisions to 1 person.

If only 5% of China watched wrestling. It would be equal to 25% of all of Indian television owners watching wrestling.

(Some of my percentages are not dead accurate, and simply estimates. I'm too lazy to go get my calculator)

 

[cuzza3000]

I have heard the same about India, they are going to have an economic boom, which if the WWE capitalise could be a very profitable. The great Khali would obviously be pushed to the moon. I have heard that Khali is a superstar in India, with being on western tv each week as well as starring in hollywood films such as Get Smart. It wouldnt surprise me if the WWE starts a territory out in India to develop future stars, or even a foreign based brand? Who knows!!!

 

[Blade]

Well, these supposedly huge international markets are as big as they appear. Sure, there's a billion or so people in each country. But these countries aren't America or England. India has a serious wealth problem, homeless people is a huge problem over there. Most of the population can't afford a television, let alone cable to watch whatever channel has wrestling, tickets to wrestling events and merch. If they could somehow market WWE programming towards the upper class of India, then maybe they'd make some money from there. But it'd take alot of effort from the WWE.

As for China, they'd probably be the better option. There's less poor and homeless people there, but it's still a pretty big problem. Then there's also the problem of pirating, which is a huge issue in China. WWE DVD's and merch would be pirated and sold on every street corner if WWE became popular over there, it would ending up costing WWE alot. Then there's the problem of whether or not they'd actually be allowed broadcast their shows in China. China frowns upon things that are overly violent. They ban a lot of video games due to violence, so it'd really be hard to tell whether something like WWE would be accepted into the country.

Whether it's worth trying to tap into the market in those countries is really up for debate. They have to figure out whether it would be profitable or not.

 

[Dave]

I personally think that WWE should target India first and then see how it goes with China.

However, I do think that China will definitely be the harder of the regions to break. India seems to be already interested in wrestling and Khali is a huge star there. However, China has yet to show me anything to suggest that they are ready to see something like WWE. I have yet to hear of a successful Chinese wrestler and that may just be ignorance on my part. Yet, I scarce know of any Chinese superstars that could spark something in that region. India seems to already be a target for WWE and they are already starting to attempt to build a fan base there.

There is also a lot of hostility between China and the USA and I am unsure of how welcomed an American export would be in Chine on the world stage. However, that may just be me being crazy. However, I would think that India is definitely in the plans of the WWE.

 

[Milkyway!]

I personally think that WWE should target India first and then see how it goes with China.

I personally believe that this is incorrect.

However, I do think that China will definitely be the harder of the regions to break. India seems to be already interested in wrestling and Khali is a huge star there

The Chinese are very nationalistic in every way shape and form. All the WWE has to do is create a Chinese superstar. I disagree. Chine would be much easier, simply because of the way their traditions are ran. The Chinese take martial arts very seriously, and have even began incorporating it into their dance styles. Now, take a WWE superstar, capable of fighting just like these men, throw in the entertainment value of a WWE superstar. BAM! You have yourself the Chinese population. Simple as that.

I have yet to hear of a successful Chinese wrestler and that may just be ignorance on my part.

Theres not really many, to be honest. A lot of the Chinese guys go over to Japan (according to Tdigle)

India seems to already be a target for WWE and they are already starting to attempt to build a fan base there.

How do you figure that? When was the last time you saw Khali in a match? Last I checked his doing all that dumb Kiss Kam crap, which is pointless. Sooner or later the Indians are going to begin thinking the WWE is making a farce out of their icon, and hero. Thus, they're going to repel the Indian nation, whereas in China, its a clean slate.

There is also a lot of hostility between China and the USA and I am unsure of how welcomed an American export would be in Chine on the world stage.

Oh really? You mean the Chinese are mad at us for buying all their consumer goods, and moving many of our corporations over into their lands, prospering their economy? Funny. You mean, the Americans, that get very cheap merchandise from China daily, is mad at China? First I heard of it.

The Red Scare was over in the 90's bud. We've moved onto terrorism.