WWE Network

Mục Lục

Overview · Merchandise

Acronym

WWE Network

Established

February 24, 2014

Style

Subscription Service

Location

Stamford, Connecticut

Founder

WWE

Owner

WWE

Website

http://watch.wwe.com
WWE Network is a subscription-based video streaming service owned by WWE, using the infrastructure of Major League Baseball Advanced Media. The concept was originally announced in 2012. On January 8, 2014, WWE announced the network would launch on February 24, 2014 immediately following RAW (in the United States). On July 31, 2014, WWE announced that the network would be expected to go live in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Spain and the Nordics, among other countries starting on August 12. On October 31, WWE announced that the Network would be available in the United Kingdom on November 3. WWE Network is also expected to arrive in Italy, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, India, China, Thailand, and Malaysia at a future date. The Network consists of both a 24-hour linear streaming channel and an on-demand programming library. Beginning in December 2014, WWE Network became available for US $9.99 per month with no commitment. In March 2021, WWE Network moved to the Peacock streaming service in the United States.

Overview

In September 2011, WWE officially announced plans to launch the WWE Network in 2012 as a pay-TV channel. WWE then conducted a survey asking people if they would pay for the WWE Network if it were a premium channel. In an email sent to WWE fans who might be interested in the WWE Network, WWE surveyed fans for their thoughts about the WWE Network airing WWE’s pay-per-views to subscribers for no additional charge. The survey also noted that feature repeats of Raw and SmackDown, as well as footage from WCW, ECW, NWA, XFL, AWA and WWE movies would also make the lineup. Original programming was also noted in the survey.

As the result of an online poll, WrestleMania Rewind was chosen as a name for a new WWE Network show on October 17, 2011. The original launch date had been April 1, 2012, which would have coincided with WrestleMania XXVIII. WWE.com featured a countdown clock that would have expired on April 1, however the clock was quietly removed, and the network did not launch as advertised. WWE chief marketing officer Michelle Wilson allayed fears about the future of the WWE Network, saying “There will be a WWE network in some shape or form. We are in late-stage negotiations with distributors”, and confirmed that WWE Legends’ House had been filmed. In April 2013, WWE had switched plans and aimed to release the WWE Network as a premium pay-TV outlet, with a potential price of $15 a month.

On Old School Raw in January 2014, WWE ran teasers promoting an announcement on January 8 at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. It was later confirmed that the announcement would concern the WWE Network. At the Consumer Electronics Show on January 8, WWE revealed a comprehensive plan which would see a launch date of February 24, 2014 in the United States. WWE Classics On Demand closed on January 31, 2014 to make way for the WWE Network. A free trial period was offered during the week of the launch. The logo initially used for the WWE Network eventually became the standard logo used by the WWE corporation in August 2014.

In April 2014 ahead of WrestleMania XXX, the Network received acclaim, with the New York Times saying that WWE had “positioned themselves on the cutting edge of Internet television”. Later that month, the company announced that the network had 667,000 subscribers, short of the one million subscribers they needed to break even. As WWE’s stock fell 50% the following month, Forbes described low subscription numbers as being of “additional concern” for investors after WWE’s underwhelming NBCUniversal renewal deal. WWE offered a second free preview week of the WWE Network, which started July 7, in an attempt to sign new subscribers. A second report released at the end of July indicated that the network had reached 700,000 subscribers. WWE’s goal is to reach one million subscribers by the end of 2014.

On July 31, 2014, the company announced a 10-year, Canadian distribution deal for WWE content with Rogers Media which will see the company distribute WWE Network as a premium television service. Also on July 31, 2014, it was announced that the WWE Network will launch in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Spain and the Nordics, among others on August 12, with Italian, Arab, German, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Thai and Malaysian launches planned for a later date. On October 30, 2014, in an attempt to increase subscription numbers from an announced figure of 731,000, the 6-month subscription requirement was dropped, allowing subscribers the option to cancel at any time.

Programming

Original programming

In-Ring

Current Shows

Former Shows

Collections

WWE Network offers “WWE Collections”, which are video packages of memorable characters and storylines.Currently there are 51 available collections on the service, with the “Best of Stone Cold vs. Mr McMahon” parts 1 and 2 both appearing together.

Current collections

Removed collections

Chyna: Ninth Wonder of the World
Best of Swerved Season One
The Canadian Collection
Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
Hall of Fame: Class of 2017
TLC Tag Teams
WrestleMania Show Stealers
Subscriber’s Choice (changes quarterly)
George ‘The Animal’ Steele (removed October 2017)
The Incomparable Mr. Fuji (removed October 2017)
Jimmy Snuka: The Superfly (removed October 2017)
The Cruiserweight Anthology (removed December 2017)
Gravest Matches Ever (removed December 2017)
Randy Orton: Apex Predator (removed December 2017)
ECW Barely Legal Revisited (removed January 2018)
Colorful Characters (removed February 2018)
Lesnar: Road to the Undisputed Title (removed February 2018)
Greatest Matches Ever (removed February 2018)
WWE Hidden Gems (moved to Vault section)

Repeat/archival programming

In addition to previous editions of the original programs listed above:

Removed Content

Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
As Seen on YouTube
WWE Quick Hits

Although the United States parental guidelines rating system rates most weekly WWE television programs TV-PG, the WWE Network broadcasts a wider range of content. A parental controls block is available and content rated TV-14 and TV-MA are preceded by an advisory warning. The network airs footage featuring Chris Benoit, but an advisory warning is displayed before each airing; it marks the first major airing of Benoit footage since his murder-suicide in 2007. Over the Edge 1999, infamous for Owen Hart’s death at the event, is also available for the first time since its original air date, however some portions of the event have been edited out of respect to the Hart wrestling family. Matches called with Jesse Ventura on commentary, which have previously been dubbed over due to a 1991 lawsuit, air with the original commentary.

While the network promoted on-demand airings as being unedited, some instances of expletives and all nudity are censored.

At launch, all but one of New Jack’s matches were removed from ECW pay-per-views, as was his surprise return at Heat Wave 1998, due to a combination of musical rights issues over his entrance music and the inability to remove the music without losing the original commentary audio. The deleted matches were eventually reinstated with replacement music and newly recorded Joey Styles commentary. Several pay-per-views are copies of their condensed home video releases, rather than the live versions, and so are missing matches.

Impact on the TV industry

In an interview with Time, Michelle D. Wilson, chief revenue and marketing officer for WWE, stated their reason for bypassing cable companies and instead only offering the WWE Network online: “Digital over-the-top offerings represent the future, and given that our passionate fans consume five times more online video content than non-WWE viewers and over-index for purchasing online subscriptions such as Netflix and Hulu Plus, we believe the time is now for a WWE Network”.

In response to the announcement, DirecTV issued a statement saying that they are re-evaluating whether to continue carrying WWE’s pay-per-view events. Because these events would also be available on the WWE Network once it launches, it might reduce the number of pay-per-view purchases via cable and satellite providers. However, Vince McMahon suggested that pay-TV operators would ultimately decide to continue to carry WWE’s pay-per-view events, given that providers keep a significant share of each purchase, and incur minimal costs (apart from WWE’s share of the fee for each purchase) to carry the events: “It’s found money for them.” DirecTV later quietly dropped carriage of WWE PPVs. In response, WWE said, “Yes, DIRECTV has decided to stop offering our PPV’s residentially and commercially. The only other option would be to work through the local cable provider.”

On February 19, 2014, Dish Network announced that they would carry WWE pay-per-views on an event by event basis, beginning with Elimination Chamber. Dish Network released a statement saying, “Dish will not offer the ‘WWE Elimination Chamber’ PPV on 2/23. WWE is not willing to adjust their PPV costs to satellite and cable companies, which is unfair to their customers. We need to re-focus our efforts to support partners that better serve Dish customers.” Dish later made a decision to air Wrestlemania XXX.

Advertising

In October 2014, it was reported Mattel, Kmart, and Pepsi would begin advertising on the network starting the week of October 13. Wilson stated that although no commercial breaks will occur during scheduled programming, 30 second adverts would run in between shows, and that one 15 or 30-second advert would be shown prior to every fourth stream for on-demand content.