Post by Head Booker on Mar 14, 2007 16:01:33 GMT -6
WWE ANNOUNCES PLANS TO COMBINE ALL THREE BRANDS ON ALL FUTURE PPVS
by Mike Johnson @ 5:37:00 PM on 3/14/2007
World Wrestling Entertainment issued the following press release today, confirming the story that PWInsider.com reported in the Elite section several weeks ago that future "B" level PPVs (Backlash, Judgment Day, etc) will feature talents from all three WWE brands:
WWE® Pay-Per-Views To Follow WrestleMania® Formula
Wednesday March 14, 5:04 pm ET
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the spirit that has made WrestleMania the premier brand in the pay-per-view industry, every future World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views will feature talent and storylines from all three WWE programs: -- "Monday Night RAW®," "Friday Night SmackDown®," and "ECW®: Extreme Championship Wrestling™."
Starting with Backlash® on April 29, WWE fans will see all their favorite Superstars on every pay-per-view. This is a change from 2005 and 2006, when only four of WWE's 16 pay-per-views featured talent from more than one WWE brand.
"We have seen over the past two years that WWE pay-per-views have significantly better buy rates when more than one WWE brand is involved," said Kurt Schneider, Executive Vice President, Marketing. "WrestleMania, with an average of one million buys per event over the past three years, is the perfect example. This new direction will give our fans more of what they want in every one of our pay-per-views."
Schneider said that the tri-branded WWE pay-per-views will benefit from promotion on all three WWE prime time programs - "Monday Night RAW," (USA, 9/8C), "Friday Night SmackDown," (CW, 8/7C)and "ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling" (Tuesdays, SCI FI, 10/9C). WWE has had the No. 1 prime time shows on USA, SCI FI, and The CW each week in January and February among households and total viewers, compared to programs with two or more telecasts. Throughout January and February, WWE programs reached 15.7 million viewers in 10.8 million households during the average week.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE - News), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
Trademarks: All World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ECW is a trademark of WWE Libraries, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
by Mike Johnson @ 5:37:00 PM on 3/14/2007
World Wrestling Entertainment issued the following press release today, confirming the story that PWInsider.com reported in the Elite section several weeks ago that future "B" level PPVs (Backlash, Judgment Day, etc) will feature talents from all three WWE brands:
WWE® Pay-Per-Views To Follow WrestleMania® Formula
Wednesday March 14, 5:04 pm ET
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the spirit that has made WrestleMania the premier brand in the pay-per-view industry, every future World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views will feature talent and storylines from all three WWE programs: -- "Monday Night RAW®," "Friday Night SmackDown®," and "ECW®: Extreme Championship Wrestling™."
Starting with Backlash® on April 29, WWE fans will see all their favorite Superstars on every pay-per-view. This is a change from 2005 and 2006, when only four of WWE's 16 pay-per-views featured talent from more than one WWE brand.
"We have seen over the past two years that WWE pay-per-views have significantly better buy rates when more than one WWE brand is involved," said Kurt Schneider, Executive Vice President, Marketing. "WrestleMania, with an average of one million buys per event over the past three years, is the perfect example. This new direction will give our fans more of what they want in every one of our pay-per-views."
Schneider said that the tri-branded WWE pay-per-views will benefit from promotion on all three WWE prime time programs - "Monday Night RAW," (USA, 9/8C), "Friday Night SmackDown," (CW, 8/7C)and "ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling" (Tuesdays, SCI FI, 10/9C). WWE has had the No. 1 prime time shows on USA, SCI FI, and The CW each week in January and February among households and total viewers, compared to programs with two or more telecasts. Throughout January and February, WWE programs reached 15.7 million viewers in 10.8 million households during the average week.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE - News), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
Trademarks: All World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ECW is a trademark of WWE Libraries, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
