Social media influencer and YouTuber Logan Paul is also a professional wrestler signed to WWE and is competing on the SmackDown event. The entrepreneur currently holds the title of WWE United States Champion. Paul is one of the highest-paid YouTubers and is also regarded as one of the most influential people in the industry.
Logan Paul co-founded Prime Beverages alongside KSI, which is created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. The company produces a variety of energy drinks, sports drinks, and drink mixes containing varying levels of caffeine, electrolytes, and added micronutrients. Prime Hydration’s recent appearance on WWE sends fans into wondering if Vince McMahon’s leadership was better.
Logan Paul’s Prime Hydration center-ring sponsorship deal with WWE
According to reports by WWE, professional wrestler and social media influencer Logan Paul, along with KSI who co-founded Prime Hydration, struck a deal with WWE as the official hydration drink partner. Prime Hydration, also known as PRIME, is going to be the first hydration partner of the organization to ever appear on the center of the ring.
The reports suggest that the partnership will receive unprecedented exposure and integration within key WWE assets, highlighting never-before-seen center mat branding. This branding will be seen during premium live events, including WrestleMania and Money In The Bank.
Prime Hydration is going to be the first official hydration partner of the organization to activate across both TKO companies, i.e., for WWE & UFC. Logan Paul recently shared,
“Combining two of my greatest achievements into one knockout partnership is a dream come true. We’ve worked incredibly hard at PRIME to build a brand that disrupts the beverage industry and it’s time to join forces with the global leader in sports entertainment.”
The social media personality went ahead to thank everyone on both sides who have played an important role in bringing PRIME hydration to the ring. In addition to Paul, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque also added that what Logan Paul and his team have built in a short time is phenomenal and they’re excited to help showcase PRIME hydration across their biggest events.
Mark Shapiro talks about sponsorships in WWE compared to UFC
TKO’s President Mark Shapiro, who appeared at Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, was asked about sponsorship opportunities in both UFC and WWE. He dwelled upon how Vince McMahon handled the sponsorships at WWE and how they are trying to change that. Shapiro said via Post Wrestling,
“I’m not criticizing Vince McMahon. The WWE didn’t activate and didn’t do a lot of branding inside the arena. In fact, the canvas was blank…And so, we’re going to go to town on sponsorships.”
He explained that there is a lot of work to do, noting that UFC has more sponsorship than WWE’s sponsor-free ring. According to F4WOnline, Shapiro and Ari Emanuel have mentioned that Vince McMahon didn’t like the idea of selling in-arena advertising on things like the ring mat or anything, which they are trying to change now.
Fans, however, believe that McMahon’s decision to not allow advertising inside the ring was better compared to now WWE’s decision to give Logan Paul’s center-ring sponsorship deal. Some pointed out that it’s an awful idea to advertise on the mat, noting that they could easily do the barricade and ring apron, but the mat not being clean would hurt the aesthetic way too much.
This has to be a joke right?
Dont ruin the canvas that the performers create art in.
— Emma Kuzi (@EmmaKuzi) March 9, 2024
This was something that Vince protected. It was known he wanted to keep the mat clean.
— PWP Nation (@PWPNation) March 9, 2024
This is absolutely awful. Not everything needs to be a marketing billboard.
— Max Stahl (@maxhstahl) March 9, 2024
THE MAT IS SACRED!
Why spoil it? Not happy about this.
— Con. Jordan Stockman🇬🇧 (@StockyMan115) March 9, 2024
Some users noted that they do like Prime, but nothing should be on the ring mat, adding that they don’t need to ruin the canvas that the performers create art in. Users mentioned that this is awful, and not everything needs to be a marketing billboard. They went ahead to appreciate former chairman Vince McMahon, noting that he always tried to protect the mat and kept it clean.
