The WWE Network Talkback

[JabarR]

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[h=1]WWE Network Update[/h]Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:47 am
Tagged with WWE Network

WWE Network

- WWE is currently planning to launch the WWE Network around November of this year. The company recently created a new batch of commercials to promote the launch, which are scheduled to begin airing in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 28.
With the huge media attention that will surround WWE’s biggest pay-per-view of the year, it’s possible WWE will announce a hard launch date at WrestleMania.

 

[The Talon]

Wait, they're launching it in November, but they're......launching it on WrestleMania day?

 

[JabarR]

[h=1]WWE Network Update, Michael Cole Called An Imbecile[/h]Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Tagged with John Morrison, Maryse, Michael Cole, WWE Network

- Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Vice President of Television Production, has taken initiative on the WWE Network project by hiring numerous people for mid-level management. Many of the people hired had worked for WWE in past.
Regarding Dunn, the Wrestling Observer says he understands how to interface with Vince McMahon and adapt to his haphazard decision making.
- An unnamed WWE employee texted a UFC employee during Saturday’s show on FOX to say their production is terrible. The WWE employee received a text back reading,
“At least we don’t have an imbecilic lead announcer ruining our show.”

 

[JabarR]

[h=1]Video: First Look At The Mansion Used For WWE Legends House[/h]Posted by Mr. 561 on Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Tagged with Legends House, WWE Network

New details have become available regarding the upcoming “Legends House” reality show that will feature various wrestling legends living under one roof.
Filming begins this week at the Harpo Marx estate near Palm Springs, California, according to the Desert Sun newspaper.
The cast of, which is rumored to include legends such as “Mean” Gene Okerlund, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper and the Iron Shiek, will live at the mansion until Saturday, March 31 – the day before WrestleMania 28. Most of the show will be shot at the house – but the legends will also explore the local community, including golf and hot air balloon outings.
The show was originally announced for the WWE Network, but the Wrestling Observer reports it could air on Syfy due the Network’s launch being delayed, so we’ll see.

 

[JabarR]

[h=1]WWE Network Fails To Get Picked Up By Any Cable Providers[/h]Posted by Mr. 561 on Friday, March 2, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Tagged with WWE Network

WWE Network

WWE is not having an easy time getting its television network off the ground – and a new article published by the New York Post reveals just how much trouble they are having.
According to the Post, WWE has yet to sign with single cable or satellite deal with providers to carry the Network. WWE has also been seriously lagging on hiring experienced cable executives.
WWE was expected to hire 200 employees including a general manager for the Network, but one cable executive told The Post:
“WWE has the programming and marketing muscle, but they just have no one with cable experience who can execute for them.”
Industry expert Gerri Dinini says that whole channel of WWE content might not have a broad enough appeal to be successful:
“Given the content issues, I think a whole channel would be a stretch. It is very limited in who it reaches.”

 

[TheVileOne]

[h=1]WWE Network Update, Michael Cole Called An Imbecile[/h]Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Tagged with John Morrison, Maryse, Michael Cole, WWE Network

- Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Vice President of Television Production, has taken initiative on the WWE Network project by hiring numerous people for mid-level management. Many of the people hired had worked for WWE in past.
Regarding Dunn, the Wrestling Observer says he understands how to interface with Vince McMahon and adapt to his haphazard decision making.
- An unnamed WWE employee texted a UFC employee during Saturday’s show on FOX to say their production is terrible. The WWE employee received a text back reading,
“At least we don’t have an imbecilic lead announcer ruining our show.”

Not sure where that comes from. UFC production on FX and Fuel has been looking pretty slick and good from what I can tell. The formatting with the live pre and post show specials is fantastic.

 

[JabarR]

[h=1]WWE Launching Two New TV Series; New Network Shows[/h]


WWE officials held a state of the business meeting this week in Miami, Florida and it was disclosed to Variety that the organization has plans to launch a one-hour weekly television show on a yet to be announced United States television station. WWE will also produce an hour-long Spanish-language program. Details on both shows were not issued. Additional news from the meeting are as follows:
* WWE announced the following series for the forthcoming WWE Network: WWE Divas Tour Bus, WrestleMania Rewind, The Monday Night War: Raw vs Nitro and WWE Countdown.
* The official cast list for the WWE Network program WWE Legends’ House is “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Hillbilly Jim, Howard Finkel, Jimmy Hart, Mean Gene Okerlund, Pat Patterson, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Tony Atlas.
* WWE would not reveal business plans for the WWE Network nor the potential launch date. “We continue to evaluate the best approach,” said Michelle Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer of WWE.
The Variety report can be accessed here.

 

[The Talon]

Boy, it's been a while since I've seen this thread.

Anyway, according to PWInsider.com, WWE is getting into shape on finally launching the WWE Network next year. The rumored date is February 24, the day after the Elimination Chamber PPV, or at the very least, sometime in the first quarter of 2014. I'm kinda weary on any rumors about the network since we've been hearing about it for years now, but launching somewhere around WrestleMania 30 seems like the smartest option to go for.

 

[TnAdct1]

With this rumor, the first thing that comes to mind is this: anyone else think that the end of G4 is the thing that will lead the WWE Network into finally launching? After all, a number of cable channels will now have at least one channel to replace (in my area, it's two channels) once Comcast drops G4 in 2014.

 

[MDawg]

The problem I have with WWE picking up G4 at this point is so many carriers have already dumped it, so WWE would again have to spend the time/money to get it back on the systems it was knocked off of.

 

[TnAdct1]

The problem I have with WWE picking up G4 at this point is so many carriers have already dumped it, so WWE would again have to spend the time/money to get it back on the systems it was knocked off of.

That's not what I meant here. My comment isn't about the WWE buying G4, but rather the WWE Network taking over the channel space that once belonged to G4.

For instance, in my area, G4 is channel 81 on my cable box (and at least one more additional channel). When it goes off the air in 2014, I'm suggesting that that it's possible that the WWE Network will now be the channel that makes up channel 81.

 

[The Talon]

Another update from ProWrestling.net quotes Stephanie McMahon as saying that the WWE is looking into a Q1 2014 for the WWE Network, with Vince McMahon saying later this week at the WWE Earnings conference that they're still looking at "traditional & nontraditional platforms" for the launch. So I think this is the real deal right now, we might even see some ads for the WWE Network before the new year arrives (hopefully with less Skrillex music).

Also, this may not mean anything for the Network, but Forbes Sports reported that WWE is on the verge with signing an absolutely humongous licensing deal with NBCUniversal, that could potentially earn the WWE somewhere close to $700 million per year, blowing away the biggest profits they've ever made during the Attitude Era, & the current licensing deal that NBCU has with NASCAR. This could potentially do something to the whole "switch G4 for WWE theory" a lot of us have.

 

[MDawg]

It's been a while, but looks like something is happening with the WWE Network tomorrow.

WWE Universe, come to WWE.com tomorrow (Jan. 8) at 9:30 p.m. ET for a groundbreaking announcement.

Join WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon — along with WWE COO Triple H, 11-time WWE Champion John Cena, and WWE Hall of Famers "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels — for the announcement, which will be streamed LIVE from Las Vegas.

I'm guessing the Network will be going an online-only route a la Viz's Neon Alley. It won't be on-demand, but still a linear network with scheduled programming.

 

[MDawg]

The announcement is streaming live right now.

[video=youtube;en8lldW-Lg8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en8lldW-Lg8[/video]

 

[MDawg]

Years in the making WWE Network finally has a launch date, Monday, February 24, 2014 at 11:06PM ET.

WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 streaming network, will launch live in the U.S. on Monday, February 24, featuring all 12 WWE live pay-per-view events – including WrestleMania – valued at more than $600 per year for $9.99 per month with a 6-month commitment. WWE Network will also include groundbreaking original programming, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches and more than 1,500 hours of video on demand at launch.

Fans can subscribe to WWE Network beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Monday, February 24, at WWE.com, and for a limited time will be offered a free one week trial. WWE Network, the first 24/7 network delivered directly to fans through over-the-top digital distribution, will be available on desktops and laptops via WWE.com. WWE Network will also be available through the WWE App on: Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices; Android devices such as Samsung Galaxy; iOS devices such as Apple iPad and iPhone; Roku streaming devices; Sony PlayStation 3 and Sony PlayStation 4; and Xbox 360. Availability on additional devices, including Xbox One and select Smart TVs, will follow this summer.

It took them long enough to realize that trying to get a linear network on cable wouldn't work. I think this is an excellent plan. They're taking their massive library and using it in a way that fits perfectly with their plans and inlcuding all PPVs with the Network is smart from the standpoint that it will bring in viewers who otherwise would likely skip them due to cost.

I'm not sure how much of the original programming I'd watch, but The Monday Night War and the NXT would both have my interest. I also like this important fact about classic material

WWE Network will offer all WWE, WCW and ECW pay-per-views as well as classic matches uncut and uncensored, encores of Raw, SmackDown and WWE Main Event totaling more than 1,500 hours of video on demand at launch.

WWE has been cleaning up matches for reair onlnie and elsewhere in a lot of cases, so having them properly aired will be nice. The detailed FAQ they've put together backs this up.

26. Will all content on WWE Network be PG?
WWE Network will contain a range of programming suitable for various audiences. Content rated TV-14 or TV-MA will be preceded by appropriate advisory messages recommending viewer discretion. Parental controls will be available for on-demand content.

I'm under no expectations for completely uncut shows from ECW. I know they likely have zero intentions of ever paying for the music rights that would be required to air them as they were originally presented, but this is a nice step nonetheless.

Given the pricing and the incentives, I think I'll be in for that first 6 months of the Network.

 

[The Talon]

Yeah, I'm in for this. Didn't expect it to be $10 a month, I thought it would somewhere around 15.

 

[RedNinja84]

Yes excellent job by WWE to utilize their properties and ppvs. I'm down especially since WM is included. Will be the first time I watched live since I was a kid.

 

[MDawg]

The Network is live!.....of course I can't even get my payment through since there seems to be server issues. Anyone have luck signing up?