WWE Network

[Kiffy Lube]

Foley taped these etiquette segments for Impact last year I hope you aren't referring to them. They were entertaining but they weren't a real show.

 

[Troy]

No it wasn't those it was something outside of TNA but it was done during the time that he was there. Maybe it never made it to television screens but I am sure that he was talking about filming something.

 

[PHX]

During WWE's third quarter conference call with investors on November 3, 2011, CEO Vince McMahon stated the organization would "soon be making a very big announcement" regarding WWE Network plans. He said the company feels confident they "finally turned the corner" on the cable television network's status to make the announcement. Included will be future expenses of $4-6 million for staffing and $10-15 million for additional equipment and construction of their media center to house network operations.

According to a source within WWE's corporate headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, the "very big announcement" is that WrestleMania 28 will be broadcast live. The cable television network is expected to be launched on April 1, 2012, the day of WrestleMania.

WWE has bought extensive amount of office space in Norwalk and Stamford, Connecticut to employ over 200 employees for the cable television network. They've also spent money on trailers so employees could work on digitizing their vast tape library. WWE has approximately 100,000 hours of footage in their tape library, with 30,000 hours currently digitized.

Mania 28 live on the launching of the network would just be very huge and hoping I get the network.

 

[SAIYANS]

If true I believe Rock goes over and Cena turns and destroys him after the match. They would get buzz from Rock wrestling and winning, and from Cena. The network would see huge viewership for the event and fans who watch the replays. Vince comes off as a genius especially if he sells commercials during the replays

 

[Troy]

I think it would be a bad idea to show WM live on the Network. It would be worth more money to WWE if they get all these fans to buy the PPV at $50 (or whatever the price is) rather than getting them to join the new network. I get that they want to network to be a success but this is going to far and would do more harm than good.

 

[PHX]

SportsBusinessDaily.com published an article on Monday that includes many new details on the upcoming WWE Network, including a firm launch date, the scope of the channel's distribution at launch lots more. Here are some highlights of what we now know:

- WWE is looking to launch the Network on April 1st, 2012 - the day of the company's biggest pay-per-view of the year, WrestleMania XXVIII.

- WWE executives have told cable and satellite operators that it is expecting to reach 40 million homes at launch - a huge number for an upstart network.

- Comcast executives are representing WWE in its negotiations to get picked up by the nations other top providers, including Time Warner Cable, Cox and Bright House Networks.

- WWE also expanded its programming search beyond wrestling, which their sources indicated could include some professional team sports.

- WWE has leased space in South Norwalk, Connecticut (close to the company’s headquarters in Stanford) dedicated to the Network. WWE has not yet named a President of the WWE Network, although it's said they are looking for somebody with reality-show experience. WWE has retained Sucherman Consulting Group to hire 200 employees to staff the network.

- WWE's Chief Marketing Officer, Michelle Wilson is overseeing the launch of the Network.

- The article states that "most, if not all" of WWE's annual 13 pay-per-view events would migrate to the WWE Network. Early surveys by WWE indicated that the "Big 4" traditional shows (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series & the Royal Rumble) would air exclusively on the Network. Later, another survey indicated WWE had changed their mind on that plan and would have the "Big 4" remain on pay-per-view - with the other "off-brand" shows airing on the Network.

Figured if they were gonna air PPV's on there it would be the lesser ones rather than the ones that usually get the higher buyrates.

 

[John McHenry]

- Comcast executives are representing WWE in its negotiations to get picked up by the nations other top providers, including Time Warner Cable, Cox and Bright House Networks.

Seems fishy and could potentially screw over a lot of people.


Not a fan of putting the PPV's on the channel exclusively. Rather choose one or the other I just don't see the channel being available widely enough for this move. If it's included in basic cable packages I'm all for it if it's more like HBO or Showtime I don't see it being worth it. Seems like they have the goal of becoming the MTV of Sports Television.

 

[Troy]

What I don't understand is why not show the PPV's as normal on PPV and then also on the WWE Network. Those that purchased the WWE Network will still be getting a great deal and WWE can still make plenty of money by selling the PPVs to others.

 

[Dale]

What I don't understand is why not show the PPV's as normal on PPV and then also on the WWE Network. Those that purchased the WWE Network will still be getting a great deal and WWE can still make plenty of money by selling the PPVs to others.

Because they'd probably prefer to lock people into the WWE Network as opposed to once a month via PPV.

 

[John McHenry]

Just means more fans will be hitting streams

 

[Zen]

I am somewhat skeptical about the WWE network proposal and have been for a while(long before it was seriously being considered and only a rumour). Overexposure has seriously hurt the WWE(5-6 hours of weekly television anyone?) and the WWE network can exacerbate that problem. How much wrestling can one seriously watch in a week? It might prove to be an alternative to the diminishing PPV buys though, if the network can get decent AD revenue.

 

[Dod Draper]

- WWE also expanded its programming search beyond wrestling, which their sources indicated could include some professional team sports.

Please, not another XFL.

 

[SAIYANS]

@ Ze, I don't buy the over exposure argument. The only televised shows are Raw and SD in he states. NXT and Superstars push it to 6 hours, but that is equal to the same amount of time that they had with Heat and Velocity throughout the decade

Seems fishy and could potentially screw over a lot of people.


Not a fan of putting the PPV's on the channel exclusively. Rather choose one or the other I just don't see the channel being available widely enough for this move. If it's included in basic cable packages I'm all for it if it's more like HBO or Showtime I don't see it being worth it. Seems like they have the goal of becoming the MTV of Sports Television.

Why does it sound fishy? Comcast and NBC Universal are on almost all major companies. They own USA, SyFy, G4, NBC, Universal HD, Versus, Chiller, and Cloo to name a few stations. They get coverage on all major cable providers and both Dish And Direct. If they want to help you and you have an exclusivity deal with one another, which they do in regards to Raw and SD, and in turn WWE let's there guys go on Psych, Burn Notice, and USA guys into WWE films, and they want to help you let them. It is stupid business not to.

And at the end of the day you are truly kidding yourself if you think it will be in the basic cable package. If anything it will be in the tier package with NFL Network, MLB, NHL, and NBA TV. Nothing else makes sense, and the 40 million target in the US is a dead giveaway as that is aout how many people get those channels.

 

[SAIYANS]

- WWE also expanded its programming search beyond wrestling, which their sources indicated could include some professional team sports.

Please, not another XFL.

Lingerie Football League and Ball Up for the win.

I wouldn't be shocked to see them reach outta Mayweather as he had talked about wanting to get away from HBO in the past because of how much a cut they were trying to get out of his fights.

 

[Defiant]

I haven't bothered to read the whole thread, but I've got my fingers crossed for a kayfabe reality show.