WWE is offering its fans on TikTok the rare opportunity to take part in one of its biggest annual events.
The wrestling company is using the social media platform to find two ring announcers for its SummerSlam event next month. Fans can audition via TikTok videos, and a pair of winners will be chosen to announce matches at the event in Las Vegas.
It’s the latest example of WWE using TikTok to drive new types of fan engagement. WWE launched on the platform in December 2019, and now has more than 11 million followers (almost double the NFL’s total).
“Our engagement on TikTok to date has been incredible, and we couldn’t think of a better platform to help us find the next great ring announcer,” Steve Braband, WWE’s vice president of digital, said in a statement.
Ring announcers call fighters into the ring pre-fight, and announce winners when the match is over. Fans can submit their videos with the hashtag #WWEAnnouncerContest, with the winners chosen on Aug. 16. Those two will receive a comped trip to Las Vegas to participate in the event.
TikTok was the most downloaded mobile app of 2020, both in the U.S. and worldwide, according to data from Apptopia. As the platform searches for new ways to monetize its massive popularity, job openings have become one of its initiatives. In early July, TikTok launched its “TikTok Resumes” program, through which companies can solicit applicants via video applications.
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Though this ring announcer search is separate from that initiative, WWE is participating in TikTok Resumes as well. The company is currently using the pilot program to find new wrestlers; those selected will have a multi-day tryout in Las Vegas ahead of SummerSlam.
In addition to adding new level of fan engagement, the search is also a way to deepen WWE’s work with its partners. The search is being presented by Nestle’s Pure Life purified water.
SummerSlam, scheduled for Aug. 21, will be one of the first sporting events held at full capacity in Allegiant Stadium, the $1.9 billion home of the Las Vegas Raiders. It will also be the first time the event, one of the biggest on the WWE calendar, is held in an NFL venue.
