Kurt Angle Says WWE NIL Initiative Will Be Super Effective

WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has not returned to pro wrestling since his release, but that didn’t stop WWE from offering him a role. Angle also revealed the exorbitant amount of money he’d need to wrestle one more match. Angle recently revealed what he believes to be an effective WWE initiative.

Kurt Angle discussed WWE’s “Next in Line Program” on the most recent episode of his podcast The Kurt Angle Show. Similar to the NCAA’s NIL standards, the WWE’s NIL initiative is being used as a pipeline for college players to come to the WWE while still allowing them to earn from their name, image, and likeness.

The former Olympic gold medalist explained why the program is a terrific concept for WWE in terms of attracting new talent.

“I think the Next in Line program is very effective because you’re getting college athletes and a lot of these athletes are going to be world-class athletes. Those are the kind of athletes you want in professional wrestling. You can be a non-athlete and join a territory and work your way up and still be a great worker. I think it’s a great program and I think you need a little bit of both. You want the old school where you have the territories and the small promotions where you can work, and work on your character, and work on your development in the ring. I think you need a little bit of both of those.”

Advertising

Advertising

WWE is looking for nostalgic athletes who are about to graduate from college and have no plans to pursue a career in sports. To put it another way, a terrific football player who was an all-American in college but was not chosen into the NFL would be an excellent fit for WWE.

NXT is like a training super ground where they throw everything at you at the same time and see what sticks. He believes that becoming a great professional wrestler takes years of experience, and that the tiny territories are really successful. He believes that the Next in Line program is as crucial as the lesser promotions.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!