Guest JebusNassedar Report post Posted March 24, 2004 http://www.wwe.com/news/headlines/1252699 World Wrestling Entertainment launches WWE 24/7 New SVOD Service to expand business with cable and satellite partners 75,000-hour library spanning 4 decades of ratings-proven programming to supply content for new digital platforms, including potential digital channel New York, N.Y., March 24, 2004 – World Wrestling Entertainment has unveiled a major initiative intended to utilize its 75,000-hour programming library to build new mutually-beneficial businesses with its cable, satellite and other worldwide television partners. The first step is the launch of WWE 24/7, a subscription video-on-demand service that will feature highly-rated Pay-Per-View, cable and syndicated broadcast content, best-selling home videos, new original productions and proprietary broadband, from the WWE and other acquired national and regional wrestling brands. A recently launched in-house business development unit, WWE Enterprises, will work directly with MSOs, affiliates and satellite providers to create, customize and cross-promote these new revenue-generating services. The announcement was made here today at a press luncheon hosted by World Wrestling Entertainment, Chairman Vincent K. McMahon and CEO Linda E. McMahon. “WWE is ready to move even more aggressively into the digital age by providing new services that will fit with the active lifestyles of our fans and meet their demand for new and innovative content,” said Vince McMahon. “Our fans want more WWE and classic sports entertainment programming, and we have demonstrated our track record of providing content of the highest quality and value. I’m confident we can move into this new distribution platform for television as successfully as we have for syndication, cable, broadcast and Pay-Per-View.” WWE 24/7, Wrestling Any Time, All the Time Over the past three years, WWE has aggregated the best of professional wrestling television by strategically acquiring the libraries of other national and regional promoters, including WCW, ECW and AWA. The result is an archive of more than 75,000 hours of programming content, 25,000 of which was previously aired or released as finished product. This is not only one of the more extensive video libraries in television, but the world’s largest dedicated to wrestling and sports entertainment. The first opportunity for fans to enjoy this content comes with the launch of the subscription video-on-demand service, WWE 24/7. WWE 24/7 will make available approximately 20 hours of content per month -- 4 to 5 new hours per week on average. The content includes the best of past cable, broadcast, Pay-Per-View and home videos from WWE and other leading promoters. Customized broadband content will be created for MSOs’ websites and other distributors promoting the new offering. WWE also anticipates providing content on a free-on-demand (FOD) promotional basis to spur trial and help its partners promote these new services. In addition, library content prepared for “evergreen” use will be made available selectively for existing television partners worldwide. ADVERTISEMENT “Our mission is to put our proven, highly-desirable content into new distribution channels that entertain our fans worldwide and generate revenue for our distribution partners and WWE,” said Linda McMahon, “Every business loves the prospect of steady monthly income. WWE 24/7 is the beginning of a reenergized effort to serve our partners by building incremental businesses that increase their revenues and acclimate their customers to exciting new digital and high-speed services.” WWE Enterprises, In-House Unit Dedicated To Building and Servicing Partners WWE recently created an in-house unit to work directly with cable and satellite providers to both market WWE 24/7 and strengthen its affiliate relationships. WWE Enterprises will be headed by Senior Vice President Tom Barreca, who is using the WWE’s vast digital library and intellectual properties to create and service these new partnerships. Barreca was most recently Senior Vice President of AMC Digital Ventures, where he directed all non-network television business and ventures for AMC and WE cable networks, including video-on-demand, interactive TV and digital set-top box programming and licensing. Barreca launched HA!, Comedy Central and MTV Europe, and also worked at the noted animation studio Hanna-Barbera, where he successfully used the extensive libraries to create new revenue streams and partnerships under the Cartoon Network brand. “A long-standing goal of the WWE has been to find a deeper way to do business with cable, satellite and all of our television partners worldwide,” added Barreca. “We’ve dedicated a significant amount of energy and thought into building a library of digital wrestling content that is primed for utilization with all new digital technologies and distribution platforms. We are now creating a dedicated Affiliate Marketing and Sales team to support the launch and growth of WWE 24/7, as well as pursue promising, direct business relationships. We are serious about becoming a leading player in these new digital services, just as we led the way in developing the Pay-Per-View industry.” World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. More info on WWE 24-7 can be found at www.wwe24-7.com." Now, I dont know if there's already a thread on this somewhere (I didnt see one, but if there is, I apologize), but this is welcome news. The website lists WWE, WCW, ECW, AWA, Jim Crockett Promotions, and Smokey Mountain Wrestling as what'll be shown. Do you think that this would mean that they might show the entire monday night war on this channel? With 4-5 hours new hours per week, it certainly sounds like it. Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Thoughts??? I think HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RavishingRickRudo 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Thoughts: This should be interesting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LJSexay 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 well.. until we get "Mark Henry" week full of his legendary matches.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted March 24, 2004 YES~!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JHawk 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Thoughts: Do this on cable and satellite rather than strictly the internet. Then you could cater to an even wider audience. But until then, I'll take it however I can get it. Unless that proposed Mark Henry week actually happens. ::cringes:: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Is this a 24/7 PPV channel or 24/7 cable TV station? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Well, it took Vince long enough, but he stumbled across that goldmine eventually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
humongous2002 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 IT SOUNDS GREAT!!!!!!I just wonder what the price for this might be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheBigSwigg 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I would be happier if it was similar to TNA on Demand. I would much prefer buying than subscribing. I wonder how they're going to decide the programming, and if you'll be able to catch up on lost viewing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JebusNassedar Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Is this a 24/7 PPV channel or 24/7 cable TV station? Technically filed under PPV, but you pay one monthly fee for whatever you want to watch, and then, it's open to you. But I'm not 100% sure; I'm just speaking from my experiences with digital cable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mole 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I don't know about this... I missed WMXX, since I was away for spring break, so I ordered it online at WWE.com. Basically, it is a VOD type of deal and I could rewind and fast forward anything. However, it won't let me fast forward at all. I even updated Windows Media Player, and it still won't work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RavishingRickRudo 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 Right now, I have no real need for it. With boards like Sledgehammer, or P2P servers, I have more wrestling than I really need. I have more matches on my harddrive that I haven't watched than I have... They really can't half-ass this or they'll be in trouble. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 If they do it a PPV wise they should make it like one of those all day passes full 24/7 per day you probably get more money from fans that way then try to do it one show at a time.. other wise MAKE IT A CABLE CHANNEL! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted March 24, 2004 It sounds like a great idea but knowing the WWF they'll want $50+ for it a month and it'll ultimately fail. If you keep it at 10 or lower they've made a great business decision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 If it was like Digital cable it would be great. Digital has channels call "In Demand" like HBO, Cinamax, etc, where you pay for the extra channel. I'd pay the extra for the channel for the right price. Throw in the monthly PPV's for free, or discount, and I'm sold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 It sounds like a great idea but knowing the WWF they'll want $50+ for it a month and it'll ultimately fail. If you keep it at 10 or lower they've made a great business decision. well think about it. like I said if they make us pay per every little event it will fail. but if they give us a all week pass for like 10 bucks. you'll get more people buying it weekly than you would bying a high price ppv of just one event. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thuganomics 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I still don't know why they don't connect with Viacom or even go out on their own, and launch this as a full-fledged cable network. They could use their tape library as well as new programs like confidential, the recap shows, and even OVW to fill the programming with no problem whatsoever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest drdrainoscott Report post Posted March 24, 2004 I can't believe some of you are complaining about this already. This is something that everybody has been craving for since the purchase in March 2001 and it is finally coming to reality. WWE may be a little lacking in the creative department, but their marketing team is top notch. Do you really think that they would be charging exorborant amounts of money for this service? It costs them almost nothing to produce the VOD service since all of the material is second run, so they will most likely keep prices low in order to increase sales. It's the basic law of economics that if your marginal costs are low, the price will remain low. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 hmmm 20 hours per week... not exactly 24/7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Perfxion 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 24/7 as in VOD. I have IO and watch HBO on Demand and it is great. I can watch their shows when ever I feel like it. And it is worth it. But it should be the standard prince of 9.95 a month like all other (blank)OD programs. But a 24/7 wrestling channel would be SO much better. They don't even have to show the best of the best to get viewers. Veiwers there could turn on RAW viewers. Which could inturn to PPV buys. But I am just an econ student, not an econ major. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustJoe2k5 0 Report post Posted March 24, 2004 This is news I've been waiting to hear for the past few years. I think they could easily make this work as a channel, since the Wrestling Channel is going on fine with just independent footage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JumpinJackFlash Report post Posted March 24, 2004 This IS AWESOME! Yes! I hope they have a month, where each day they show the best matches and moments of that person's career. It will be like what Turner Classic Movies did last August with Summer under the Stars. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jimbo Report post Posted March 24, 2004 So long as it isn't solely dedicated to recent events (11 hours of programming on basic cable television is enough, we don't more) and a majority is dedicated to what we wouldn't see, then I'm cool with it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JRE Report post Posted March 25, 2004 So...Vince said that the wrestlers in the vintage footage shown will get a cut of the profit. That'll cut down on Vince insults (in the wrestling community) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slickster 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 So...Vince said that the wrestlers in the vintage footage shown will get a cut of the profit. Where did you hear that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JRE Report post Posted March 25, 2004 So...Vince said that the wrestlers in the vintage footage shown will get a cut of the profit. Where did you hear that? Some story put out by Reuters. It was up at Wrestlezone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 heh imagine that. What if there is a ripple effect if the wrestlers not currently in the WWE get some checks each time a match of theirs in show in the channel.. might entice some employment in return of some gurantee more time on the 24/7 channel with their matches Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 I'll even get a cable digital box just for this! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spman 0 Report post Posted March 25, 2004 But the question is, will it be a premium channel like HBO where you pay one flat fee every month. Or will it be like SPice or the Playboy channel where you pay 8 bucks for 2 hours of programming. I wish WWE had worked out all the details before going public with this, I don't like that they're being so vague. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
