WWE Promoter Paul Heyman Inks Yahoo Sports Distribution Deal (Exclusive)
Paul Heyman has more jobs than you, and now he’s launching another partnership.
The pro wrestling promoter has inked a distribution deal with Yahoo Sports that will launch later this month, timed to WWE’s WrestleMania 32. Beginning March 28, the popular Heyman Hustle website will provide exclusive content to Yahoo’s Turnstile blog, TheWrap has learned, including new videos from his YouTube series.
Additionally, Yahoo Studios will produce “A Day in the Life of the Advocate,” which chronicles how Heyman balances his public persona life managing WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar with the daily requirements of his marketing agency.
Heyman’s YouTube channel averages more than a million views per video. His website hauls in 3.5 million monthly unique visitors.
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Those numbers, much like Heyman’s near-1.2 million Twitter followers, are hard to ignore.
“[Yahoo] reached out to me and they wanted to do something that starts on the Turnstile blog with some wrestling content, but also then expands throughout Yahoo,” Heyman told TheWrap. “It became a distribution deal for all things Paul Heyman, Heyman Hustle and the Looking4Larry agency.”
That means there will be pop culture content that spans far beyond the squared circle, but Yahoo will get that too. The partnership will feature people who have never laced up a pair of wrestling boots, including several well-known YouTube stars.
And yes, Yahoo now gets some highly coveted #HustleBootyTempTats content. For those not in the know, the origins of the female model photoshoot are a bit hard to explain, but look up the hashtag — maybe not at work though.
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The Heyman Hustle website began in 2004 when the branding guru opened his Looking4Larry marketing agency, after he left the WWE for the first time. The URL was originally meant as a portal for his clients, but it has turned into so much more, and now even has a video series distributed by Maker Studios.
Here’s how Heyman describes his popular “Hustle” website: “A look at all things right beneath the surface of what is put out there — what’s between the lines.”
He added: “An explanation of the strategy and marketing of what is hot in pop culture today.”
For example, “Who’s holding the cue cards for the politicians?” and “How do you win at three-card monte?”
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Heyman was the owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling until 2001. Prior to that, he served as a WCW (World Championship Wrestling) manager under the ring name Paul E. Dangerously.
Occasionally a wrestler himself, Heyman has also managed WWE Champions The Big Show, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, and CM Punk — that’s a record.
Heyman also served as the WWE “Smackdown” general manager for the cameras, and was a head writer behind the scenes. He’s also spent time in the announcer’s chair for the company.
“Glorious results of a hyperactive youth,” Heyman concluded of his busy and eclectic work schedule.
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