In the past year, WWE created an NIL program called “Next In Line,” a growing pipeline for college athletes to sign full-time contracts upon graduation. Multiple athletes from earlier classes have joined WWE, and 25 more are in the NIL program now.
But the company isn’t stopping there. On Tuesday, it launched a new addition to the program: an NIL recruiting tour.
- Over the next two months, the event, called “WWE Campus Rush,” will visit eight FBS schools, beginning with the University of Mississippi and ending with Penn State.
- Superstars will pitch athletes on the experience of competing in WWE, and on joining the NIL program.
- Athletes will also participate in a competition to create “the best WWE-style promo.”
The tour will serve as “a core pillar” of the company’s strategy to recruit future stars, James Kimball, WWE’s Head of Talent Operations and Strategy, said in a statement.
Kimball previously told Front Office Sports that longevity is a key to a successful career — so it benefits both the league and talent to recruit athletes as early as possible.
“The talent pipeline from college sports to WWE has proven to be effective, as evidenced by current champions Roman Reigns and Bianca Belair, and we are looking forward to visiting major college campuses around the country to introduce ourselves in a new way,” Kimball said.
