Students will have a chance to smell what The Rock is cooking next semester with Harvard Business School’s fall 2019 “Business of Sports & Entertainment” course, which uses Dwayne Johnson and the brand he’s created around himself as a case study.
In addition to being a former WWE Champion, Johnson is an immensely successful actor (his newest film, Hobbs and Shaw, is in theaters Aug. 2), an Instagram star, and he’s released several product lines in partnership with Under Armour. His ability to capitalize on his image will be examined throughout the course. The WWE will also be a part of the class, which is open to 180 students.
“The course will explore factors that drive sustained success for organizations and individuals in sports and entertainment; understand how companies can diversify beyond their core business to create engagement and value for fans and other stakeholders; and how business can best pursue contracts with star talent,” the WWE’s statement said.
The company tweeted it was “thrilled” to be included in the course, which would’ve been a dream class for any Attitude Era child. “Good luck & most importantly have fun!” the promotion tweeted. Other case studies will look at the success of LeBron James, Beyoncé, and Disney Studios.
Longtime business professor Anita Elberse, who specializes in the entertainment and sports sectors, will teach the course. It appears she got a firsthand look at the company’s operations, as seen in this tweet:
