DirecTV are currently discontinuing plans to air WWE Pay-Per-Views. They are the second satellite carrier to make this decision, in response to the WWE Network airing pay-per-views. Dish Network has discontinued carrying the pay-per-views for some time, feeling that the Network undercuts their profits. Currently, the WWE Network is exclusively available on streaming television providers such as Roku or Apple TV, similar to the format of Hulu or Netflix. The pay-per-view industry as a whole are reacting to this with a similar attitude. Where they are not as outraged as DirecTV or Dish Network, the general belief is that the profitability of wrestling pay-per-views will go down, should WWE continue to gain subscribers to the Network. Some pay-per-view networks such as Viewers Choice are considering reaching out to indy wrestling feds, producing their events to make up for the projected losses. Again, this is an interesting time to be a wrestling fan. With pay-per-view outlets seeking new clients to fill the void WWE are supposedly leaving, it leaves the door wide open for other organizations to step up and gain a national audience. Believe it or not, professional wrestling is the #1 live product on pay-per-view. Boxing and UFC have had strong buys over the years, but wrestling was always the obvious moneymaker since the 80s. Concerts have never done well. Documentaries have never done well. For a time they aired things like roller derby, minor league baseball, college football, and once they aired the Olympic Games to abysmal reception. None of them come close to the buys that WWE Wrestling has had. The pay-per-view industry are seeing the WWE Network as a potential threat to their livelihood. It will be interesting to see how TNA, Ring of Honor, and Jeff Jarretts upcoming Global Force Wrestling will capitalize on the situation. As for WWE, the company are committed to making the WWE Network the hub of their entire business. On the WWE Network, pay-per-views will be called specials going forward. Where they will still be on cable television and pay-per-views, eventually over the next few years the goal is for them to financially rely only on the WWE Network. That means they will not be driven by cable television rights fees from another network, or pay-per-view buys, but the subscribers and advertisers exclusively from their Network. And it is still a possibility, should they acquire enough subscribers, that they could negotiate with a cable company from a position of power to have the Network carried on cable. As of today, no new deal has been reached between WWE and NBC-Universal. WWE are currently free to negotiate with anyone to carry their cable network shows, as their deal with NBC-Universal expires this fall. In the meantime, they are willing to put all time, energy, and money into the Network until it turns a profit. In addition to airing on the WWE Network, RAW airs on USA Network and Smackdown on SyFy, with replays on Universal HD. Exclusive shows airing on the WWE Network are currently NXT and Main Event. Superstars airs on the WWE Network as well as Hulu Plus. Source: Pwinsider
Posted on: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 01:52:45 +0000
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