WWE issued the following press release:
WWE surpasses NBA as YouTube’s No. 1 sports channel
STAMFORD, Conn. — With more than 4.2 billion video views in the last 12 months, WWE has become the No. 1 sports channel on YouTube ahead of the NBA, MLB, the NFL, the NHL, ESPN and NASCAR. WWE on YouTube has more than 5.2 million subscribers, which is more than those six channels plus MLS and NBC Sports combined.
WWE continues to remain a leader in social media, with more than 450 million combined social media followers globally. During the past year, WWE’s social media channels added more than 194 million followers, a near 75 percent increase year-over-year. WWE’s network of Facebook pages has more followers than the NFL and its 32 teams’ pages combined, and WWE Superstar John Cena is the No. 1 most-followed active American athlete on Facebook, with more than 36 million “Likes.”
Since launching in 2008, WWE’s YouTube channel has featured award-winning original short-form programming, including popular shows such as WWE Inbox, WWE Fury, 5 Things and WWE Top 10. WWE also uses its YouTube channel to promote its monthly WWE Network and pay-per-view and events by airing live Pre-Shows that include exclusive matches and commentary.