WWF vs. WWE: Which Is The Better Brand?

#2 Business

Vince McMahon has made a lot of money over the years, but when did he do the best business?

The WWF was a juggernaut as it gathered steam in the 1980s, drawing not only TV and PPV deals like no other wrestling company ever had, but also merchandising brilliantly in selling its stars as marketable superheroes (and villains) featured in toys, t-shirts, and all sorts of other retail items.

For as much as the WWF innovated, WWE has taken what the company accomplished in those years and blown it up even further in terms of striking monster broadcast deals, registering staggering numbers of subscribers to the WWE Network, and only broadening its reach in terms of merchandise geared not only toward boys or even girls, but also to adults including expanded clothing lines and a sub-business all its own of peddling collectible championship belts. WWE is now a publicly traded company that has built a business model that well transcends the business of professional wrestling to teach all manner of sports and entertainment brands a lesson or two on how to make money and enjoy long-term success among a loyal and ever-growing audience.

Advantage: WWE