Here’s a curious sponsorship deal for all you grapple-fans out there.
The Army National Guard (ANG), which is a little like our TA, has been unveiled as the presenting sponsors of WWE’s premier annual event, WrestleMania.
Now, the WWE is an incredibly strong brand in the US, so much so that it runs a massively successful ‘Smackdown Your Vote!’ campaign during national elections to urge young voters to poll. I kid you not.
But is it the right platform for the US army to be recruiting its next generation of soldier?
In the UK the armed forces are supported by the charity Help for Heroes, which last year staged its first annual rugby match at Twickenham between sets of ex-professional and army players.
This extremely worthy fundraiser for ex-servicemen and women drew strong links between the ethos of rugby union and the armed forces in its promotional marketing: bravery, honesty, togetherness. All values held dear by both groups.
But what exactly the partnership between ANG and WWE says about US army values is puzzling.
WWE is a make-believe, albeit harmless, theatre in which officials are frequently knobbled, rules seemingly hold no significance and the language is as colourful as the spandex outfits of the wrestlers themselves.
While the scale of the spectacle will ensure the message will reach millions of potential young army recruits this association leaves me feeling rather uneasy. War is very real and wrestling is very panto… it’s an odd blend.
