WWE Launch ‘Next In Line’ Program

"WWE wishes NXT the best of luck in its future endeavours"

Gable Steveson
Source: TeamUSA

It has been revealed via WWE’s corporate press release that the company is set to launch a groundbreaking developmental program that specifically targets collegiate athletes as future prospects. This new program will be called ‘NIL’ or Next in Line, a system that will cherry-pick the best college wrestlers and athletes, providing them with the training and means to franchise themselves as future WWE superstars.

NIL will be supported by unique, collaborative partnerships with colleges and sports academies to provide opportunities to a crop of young talent from a mix of different backgrounds. This will include full access to the WWE Performance Centre in Orlando, where the NIL athletes will receive the same training as independent wrestlers have received since being signed by the company. This will also include media and creative writing training to further mould the next generation of sports-entertainers.

WWE legend and EVP, Triple H, commented on the NIL program:

“By creating partnerships with elite athletes at all levels across a wide variety of college sports, we will dramatically expand our pool of talent and create a system that readies NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.”

WWE have already signed their first NIL athlete in the form of Olympic wrestler, Gable Steveson, who captured a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 games. Gable, who was signed to Monday Night RAW as part of the 2021 Draft, has yet to make his in-ring debut, but has been allowed to return to the University of Minnesota to complete his senior year and continue to defend his NCAA National Championship, as part of the new program. Steveson will return to the WWE PC in due course to complete his wrestling training.

More collegiate athletes will be revealed as the first class of the NIL program in coming weeks, one thing’s for sure, prepare for bigger and more decorated athletes in the coming year.

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