WWE issued the following on Thursday.
CRICKET WIRELESS AND WWE ANNOUNCE INTEGRATED MULTI-YEAR SPONSORSHIP
Atlanta and Stamford, Conn., March 3, 2016 – Cricket Wireless and WWE (NYSE: WWE) announced today that the nation’s fastest growing prepaid wireless brand will team up with WWE in a multi-year agreement, providing Cricket significant visibility and consumer engagement at WWE’s biggest events of the year, including WrestleMania®, SummerSlam®, Royal Rumble® and Payback®.
WWE’s relationship with Cricket Wireless is highlighted by a sponsorship of WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 direct-to-consumer network, that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library. WWE will also utilize its platforms including broadcasts on USA Network, the exclusive home of Monday Night Raw® and SmackDown®, as well as live events, digital and social media to generate awareness and exposure for Cricket Wireless. WWE Superstar John Cena®, the most-followed active U.S. athlete on Facebook, will serve as a Cricket brand ambassador and promote the sponsorship through social and digital media. Cena will also be featured in Cricket Wireless marketing materials and through custom branded content. Additionally, WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler®, who began serving as a brand ambassador last year, will continue his relationship with Cricket.
“Fans came to our stores in mass, showing incredible passion for the family-friendly entertainment WWE offers and the larger than life Superstars and Divas that ignite the kind of excitement only they can produce,” said Janna Ducich, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Cricket Wireless. “It’s time to take it to the next level. This sponsorship enables us to reach fans through WWE events that have been staples in living rooms for decades. We are in an incredible position to introduce the simplicity, transparency and dependability that sets Cricket apart from all of its competitors.”
“We are proud to unveil this new multi-year relationship with Cricket, an aggressive and fast-growing brand that provides its consumers with a tremendous value proposition and first-class customer experience,” said John Brody, WWE Executive Vice President, Global Sales & Partnerships. “Cricket’s sponsorship will provide them with tremendous opportunities to utilize WWE’s platforms and reach our passionate fan base.”
The relationship with WWE provides Cricket an important platform to educate WWE’s passionate fan base about a better choice in prepaid wireless. Retail promotions, celebrity store appearances, and special incentives, such as free trials to experience WWE Network, will give consumers an opportunity to engage deeply with the entertainment they love and a brand that will make their wireless experience better.