Stephanie McMahon has been named by CableFAX Magazine as one of the most powerful women in cable for the fifth time. She has been given this honor in 2009, 2011, 2012, & 2013. A breakfast for the honorees will be held on November 20st from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m., at the Grand Hyatt in NYC.
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November 7, 2014
Stephanie McMahon Named by CableFAX Magazine as One of the Most Powerful Women in Cable for the 5th Time
November 6, 2014
WWE NXT Moving To Wednesdays On WWE Network
Michelle Wilson, chief revenue and marketing officer, WWE, told Variety that NXT will move to Wednesday nights at 8 PM on the WWE Network in response to Smackdown’s move back to Thursday nights. You can read their coverage at this link.
November 5, 2014
Backstage News On Kevin Steen's WWE NXT Debut
Kevin Steen's new NXT ring name Kevin Owens is indeed a tribute to the late Owen Hart, who Steen named his son Owen after. We noted that Steen recently filmed vignettes for his NXT TV debut and that he's expected to debut at either Takeover on December 11th or the TV tapings on December 12th. Steen also did an individual work-out in front of Triple H a few weeks back.
Details on WWE's Gerald Brisco Trying to Recruit MMA Fighters and Pro Hockey Players
WWE's Gerald Brisco has been recruiting athletes who would have normally gotten into MMA with the idea that they can have a longer career in pro wrestling. Brisco is also going to be recruiting tough hockey brawlers from Canada soon.
Brisco is also using the idea of making better money to attract those athletes. Brisco also tries to sell potential MMA fighters that they can follow the path of Brock Lesnar by using their pro wrestling success to get into MMA.
Rumor Mill - Backstage News On Rey Mysterio Turning Down Recent WWE Return
WWE reportedly asked Rey Mysterio to come back before the Mexican tour as they were concerned that ticket sales were below the company's normal standards. Mysterio told officials he didn't want to return.
Mysterio flew into Buffalo, New York, on Monday to meet with WWE officials and then returned home to California on Tuesday.
No word on what went down as yet.
Vince McMahon apologizes for WWE Network UK delay
Earlier today, WWE.com posted a video of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon apologizing to UK fans for the delayed launch of the WWE Network in the UK that was slated to take place this past Monday (11/3). The video is only being made available on WWE.com to those who have a UK-based IP address, but the following is a transcript of McMahon's apology to UK fans:
"On behalf of WWE, I want to personally apologize for the delayed launch of WWE Network here in the United Kingdom. There's no one more important than each and every one of you in the WWE Universe, especially here in the United Kingdom, where we've shared so many great memories together. We appreciate your patience as we work through the details in the roll-out and potential partnerships. I assure you that we are working day and night to launch WWE Network as quickly as possible. And I promise that WWE Network will be well worth the wait. Again, thank you for your understanding."
November 4, 2014
Sky TV Comments On WWE Network UK Issues
It was reported that the WWE Network UK launch was delayed at the last minute due to negotiation issues with Sky. Sky has denied this on social media today. They are telling customers that it was WWE's decision to delay the launch and that the WWE Network is an independent service that they won't be providing. F4Wonline.com reports that WWE sources close to the situation insist that it was the ongoing talks with Sky that delayed the launch.
November 3, 2014
Why The UK WWE Network Launch Was Delayed Today
WWE was expected to launch the WWE Network today for fans in the UK. Within the hour of the launch, WWE announced via social media that the launch has been delayed until further notice.
WZ spoke with sources inside WWE who have informed us the delay was caused by a legal matter with Sky Sports.
For those unfamiliar, Sky Sports is the carrier of WWE pay-per-view content in The UK. A 2015 contract had already been negotiated upon for the distribution and payment of the WWE PPV’s. It seems Sky Sports has been disputing WWE over the legalities of the Network and its interference on their agreed upon deal. This has been the cause of the numerous delays for the information and launching in the UK stemming back to the original 10/1 launch date.
What is not yet clear is the probable communication breakdown with WWE announcing a launch to happen today, and then at the last minute having to delay it, again, appearing to be caused by Sky Sports.
A source in WWE told us the company could buyout the deal with Sky Sports but it would be a costly hit and potentially not worth it financially considering the Network hasn’t had as much financial success anywhere in the world as originally hoped.
Specifically, the new deal between WWE and BSkyB mandates all WWE PPV events will air on Sky Sports Box Office. Up until this year, 4 pay-per-views would air on Sky Sports at no extra charge for people who have the channel, while the remaining shows were on Sky Box Office at £14.95 per event.
We’re hoping to bring you more information as soon as we get it, but it should be noted that WWE is just as unhappy about the launch delay as the fans are. This is not something WWE just decided to do because the company was unprepared, the impression given to us was Sky Sports got involved and WWE was left unable to launch the Network.
Recap of Daniel Bryan on SI: Bryan Talks Current Injury Status, Why He’s Unable to Return, His WrestleMania 31 Status & More
Injured WWE star Daniel Bryan appeared via phone call on Sports Illustrated Now earlier today.
Bryan spoke on a number of topics, including his recent appearance at the San Francisco Giants World Series parade, and how it felt to have 14,000 fans all around him doing a “yes” chant.
Bryan described the feeling as surreal, and the show hosts noted the new Sports Illustrated cover will feature the Giants celebrating their big win with the headline reading “Yes! Yes! Yes!” The hosts also noted the cover will be shown on Raw tonight.
With regards to his in-ring status, Daniel Bryan says he’s unable to return to the ring because he has not regained full strength in his right hand, and that can be dangerous to both him and his opponents if he returns too soon.
Bryan said he’s not in any pain but doctors are having trouble figuring out how to get his strength back.
Bryan was asked about WrestleMania 31 and he said he will be heartbroken if he can’t compete. Bryan added they are hoping he will be ready for the big PPV but he will be disappointed if he’s not able to perform.
Bo Dallas suffers foot injury, out 6-8 weeks
WWE.com released the following statement today announcing that WWE star Bo Dallas will be out of action for 6 to 8 weeks with a foot injury:
"WWE.com has learned that Bo Dallas has suffered an injury to his left foot. As a result, Dallas is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks. Stay with WWE.com as more updates on Dallas become available."
WWE Network Delays UK Launch at the Last Minute
The WWE Network was scheduled to launch at 8pm London time tonight but it won't be happening. WWE Network tweeted the following today, less than 30 minutes before the launch in the UK:
"The launch of @WWENetwork in the U.K. has been delayed until further notice."
November 1, 2014
WWE denies rumors that Undertaker has taken a backstage job at ‘NXT’, won’t comment on rumors of retirement
WWE has denied the Undertaker has taken a new backstage role with ‘NXT,’ despite reports to the contrary.
“The reports are inaccurate,” a spokesperson told The Washington Post. The spokesperson had no further comment when pressed about whether ‘Taker was in talks with ‘NXT’ about a position, nor did the spokesperson comment about the rumors of retirement.
John Cena Grants Wish To Maryland Boy
Below is from prweb.com and The Kids Wish Network, which talks about John Cena granting a wish to a boy in Maryland.
Josh Whaley has been a dedicated WWE fan for years; it is one thing that can distract him from his illness. Josh was diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome when he was only 1 years old. Crouzon’s is a genetic birth disorder characterized by the premature joining of certain bones in the skull during development. It affects the shape of the head and face and can cause a variety of development issues.
So far, Josh has suffered through 15 facial surgeries, each requiring flying to an out-of-state facility. Josh required a shunt after the first two surgeries and is monitored closely as the shunt could eventually cause another life-threatening disorder, spina bifida. The teen also suffers from bowel problems and a loss of hearing in one ear, and he faces more surgeries in the future.
Kids Wish Network sent Josh and his family on an exciting New York City experience where he got to meet Superstar John Cena before a WWE RAW event. While waiting for John Cena to make his appearance, Josh got to meet many other WWE Wrestlers and Divas as well.
“Josh’s eyes kept lighting up when another wrestler would turn the corner,” recalls mom Anjolene. “He kept correcting all of us on facts about each one.”
October 31, 2014
WWE Comments On Current Lawsuits Against Them
In regard to current lawsuits filed against the company, WWE stated:
On July 26, 2014, the Company received notice of a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, entitled Warren Ganues and Dominic Varriale, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Vincent K. McMahon and George A. Barrios, alleging violations of federal securities laws based on certain statements relating to the negotiation of WWE’s domestic television license. The complaint seeks certain unspecified damages. A nearly identical lawsuit was filed one month later entitled Curtis Swanson, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Vincent K. McMahon and George A. Barrios. Both lawsuits are purported securities class actions subject to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”). On September 23-24, five putative plaintiffs filed motions to be appointed lead plaintiff and to consolidate the two cases pursuant to the PSLRA. The Company joined the motion for consolidation made by the putative lead plaintiffs. The Company believes the claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against them.
On October 25, 2014, the Company received notice of a purported class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, entitled William Albert Haynes III, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated, v. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. alleging, among other things, that the Company concealed and denied medical research and evidence concerning traumatic brain injuries suffered by WWE’s performers. The Company believes the claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself against them.
In addition to the foregoing, we are involved in several other litigations and claims that we consider to be in the ordinary course of our business. By its nature, the outcome of litigation is not known but the Company does not currently expect this litigation to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. We may from time to time become a party to other legal proceedings.
Sports Legacy Institute Elects WWE's Paul Levesque to Board of Directors
Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), a non-profit organization dedicated to concussion education and research, announced that Paul Levesque, Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative at WWE, Inc. (WWE) has been elected to its Board of Directors.
At WWE, when he is not performing as WWE Superstar “Triple H”, Levesque is responsible for overseeing the talent relations and talent development departments, training of WWE Superstars and Divas and management of worldwide recruitment and live global events. Levesque also plays an integral role behind-the-scenes as a director and producer, working to shape the creative direction and storylines of WWE’s programming.
“We are thrilled to welcome Paul Levesque to our Board of Directors,” said Christopher Nowinski, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Sports Legacy Institute. “As an athlete himself, Paul is familiar with the risks associated with concussions. As an executive, Paul has made it a priority to protect WWE’s performers through education and awareness, as well as preventative measures and world class medical care.”
“It is an honor to join the Board of Directors at SLI to support the important work they do in the field of concussion management and prevention,” said Levesque. “This work benefits athletes of all ages and skill levels, from high school to collegiate to professional sports, as well as many others including members of our military.”
In his role at WWE, Levesque also oversees WWE’s comprehensive Talent Wellness Program and Professional Development for all WWE performers. WWE’s Talent Wellness Program has been in place since 2006 and includes cardiovascular testing, medical and wellness staffing, annual physicals and health care referrals and ImPACT testing, where every one of its talent undergoes baseline neurocognitive testing. WWE was the first major sports-entertainment organization to include ImPACT testing as part of its Talent Wellness Program in 2008.
WWE’s Professional Development focuses on four key pillars – Life Skills, Education, Wellness and Career Success. Through this program, WWE provides seminars on financial education, media training, language courses, living a healthy lifestyle and injury and illness prevention. WWE also offers college tuition reimbursement.
In 2013, Levesque oversaw the development of the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., serving as the home to WWE’s developmental division, NXT. A 26,000 square foot facility, the Performance Center provides coaching from the best in the business with seven training rings, a world-class strength and conditioning program and cutting-edge edit and production facilities. The WWE Performance Center serves as the hub for WWE’s Talent Wellness and Professional Development Programs.
In 2013, WWE made a grant of $1.2 million to SLI to fund research that could lead to potential new treatments for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease.
Joining Levesque on the Board of Directors will be Sylvia Mackey of Baltimore, Maryland, Director of the John Mackey Fund; John Corcoran of Boston, Massachusetts, Founder and President of Trinity Partners, LLC; author Andrea Pomerantz Lustig of New York City, and philanthropist Laura Hunt of Dallas, Texas, Principal at Laura Hunt, LLC.
October 30, 2014
WWE awards scholarships to former talent
WWE offers financial scholarships to former WWE talent to be used for obtaining a college degree or completing a certificate program.
Talent must use scholarship money toward college level courses with an aim toward obtaining a college degree or completing a certificate program at an accredited university or trade school.
Three former WWE talent will be awarded a Scholarship in the amount up to $5,000 per calendar year. This year’s recipients are former WWE Diva Maria, former WWE Superstar Paul Burchill and former WWE Developmental Talent Michael Thompson.
The Rock Talks Last WWE Run, Whether He Uses Steroids, Working With His Ex-Wife, More
Fortune.com published an in-depth profile on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson today touching on all aspects of his career as well his personal life. Highlights from the article are as follows:
Returning to WWE to prove he could boost WWE's business and win back fans who felt he abandoned them for Hollywood:
"We set pay-per-view buy-rate records and attendance records each time... I think fans realized, 'Wow, you're back, and you committed for three years, and you don't have to be here.' I had the balls to be authentic."
How changing talent agencies from Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to William Morris Endeavor (WME) led to his WWE return:
"If I want to be called 'The Rock,' I'll be called 'The Rock.' If I want to go back to wrestling, I'll go back to wrestling. It's all the same guy."
Critics in online forums accusing him of using steroids:
"Training is my anchor. Being on a regimented schedule, setting a goal, failing at a goal. It's the philosophies of being an athlete that carry me today... Sure, you get a lot of people out there who will suspect, and say s--t," he says. "They want to negate the hard work you put in."
Moving from L.A. to Florida with his girlfriend of seven years, Lauren Hashian (not identified by name in the article) and his ex-wife, Dany Garcia, getting remarried this year, to Dave Rienzi, who is now his strength and conditioning coach:
"Life is amazing. Life is f--king messy. Life is what you make of it. I'm happy to say we're all together working nicely, but it took a lot of work. With Dany, it was going through the sludge of divorce and then having the clarity to say, 'We're still friends, we respect each other, let's do business. And let's do big business.'"
Johnson also noted that 7 Bucks Productions, a television production company Johnson co-founded with Garcia, have eight projects in the works. One series slated to air on TNT is called "Wake Up Call," which Johnson calls a reality advice show. Other projects in the works include "Comeback Kids" with UFC star Ronda Rousey, a comedy show, and Johnson going to a Miami detention center to mentor at-risk youths. The full article is available here.
Network switching to monthly subscriptions, new subscribers can get Survivor Series free
WWE issued a press release to Prowrestling.net to announce changes in the WWE Network subscription model.
Much like other subscription businesses including Netflix and Hulu Plus, WWE® (NYSE: WWE) will be offering:
• November For Free: New subscribers will receive WWE Network free of charge for the entire month of November – including Survivor Series on Sunday, November 23.
• New Simplified Price Plan: WWE Network will be available for $9.99 per month with no commitment and the ability to cancel at any time.
WWE issued the following email to WWE Network subscribers on Thursday informing them that they will be automatically converted to a monthly plan:
Great News! WWE Network is now $9.99 per month with no commitment. That's right. You'll continue to get every LIVE pay-per-view, access to our massive on-demand library and more for the same $9.99 per month you currently pay, but without a 6-month commitment!
There is no action is required on your part. On your billing date in December, your WWE Network subscription will automatically convert to a no commitment account and will continue uninterrupted for $9.99 per month, plus applicable taxes.
#FREEFREEFREE
WWE Network subscriber count revealed
WWE announced the latest WWE Network subscriber count as 731,000. The number is up from the 700,000 count that was announced on July 31. The company's first announced network count was 667,000 subscribers on April 7 (the day after WrestleMania 30).
Kurt Angle's New Deal With TNA Wrestling
PWInsider.com revealed today that his new contract will be a part-time deal that will allow him to partly focus on wrestling and outside projects.
His contract is expected to last a around 12-18 months.
Angle is also shortly expected to move from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles to further pursue his acting career.
WWE Conference Call: Vince McMahon on WWE Network numbers, new subscription model, and more
Vince McMahon and members of senior management served as the hosts of a conference call pertaining to the 2014 third quarter report that was released on October 29, 2014. The following are the highlights of the call.
-The call is hosted by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, WWE Chief Strategy and Financial Officer George Barrios, and WWE SVP Investor Relations Michael Weitz.
-Vince opened the call by boasting about the pay-per-view revenue, Raw and Smackdown ratings increasing, and SummerSlam performing well in social media activity.
-Vince said 96 percent of the network subscribers access the network at least once a week. He said going with the monthly $9.99 price without any commitment "is definitely the way to go."
-Vince said WWE Network will be available via over the top model in the United Kingdom in November.
-Barrios took over the call to read through the financial report. He noted that WWE added 182,000 subscribers around WrestleMania time. Barrios said that over time they intend to localize WWE Network in foreign countries.
-The resume play option for WWE Network will be available on all platforms later this year.
-Barrios noted that their key television agreements in the United States, India, Canada, Mexico, and UAE will increase from approximately $130 million in 2014 to $235 million by 2013 due to annual escalators. Weitz. opened things up for callers.
-A caller noted they were over six months removed from the network and asked about why they feel they have lost some subscribers. Barrios pointed to the 96 percent of the existing subscribers who access the network once a week, and 99 percent who access it once a month. Barrios said about 30,000 of the 286,000 additions they had for the network were international. He said they view international as a soft launch and expected it to be a slower ramp up than in the United States.
-Barrios said they have not adjusted their overall outlook numbers to include network advertising.
-Barrios said they will continue to disclose the network subscriber count quarterly. A caller asked for projections for a subscriber count by the end of the year. Barrios said they are not comfortable making predictions.
-A caller brought up the model the company is using in Canada via Rogers Communications. Barrios said they didn't want to get into specifics regarding subscriber count per country. Barrios said Rogers is currently working through additional distribution for the network in Canada. He said they have roughly 20 percent covered via Rogers and have roughly 80 percent of Canada to go.
-The next caller asked for a breakdown of how the Rogers model compares to the U.S. in terms of penetration. Barrios said it feels "not too dissimilar" to what they've done in the United States.
-Barrios declined to get into specifics regarding how individual shows perform on WWE Network.
-With no additional callers, Weitz wrapped up the call.
Daniel Bryan to undergo elbow surgery
WWE superstar Daniel Bryan, who hasn't wrestled since May, will now need surgery on his elbow.
Bryan under went neck surgery on May 15, just six weeks after becoming the WWE world heavyweight champion at WrestleMania 30.
At the WWE's "Smackdown" taping Tuesday night (the show will air on Friday), the Big Show announced to the crowd that Bryan would indeed go under the knife again before leading the crowd in Bryan's signature "YES" chant (which has become a rallying cry for Hunter Pence and the Giants).
There is no timetable for the fan favorite's return.
source: foxsports.com
October 29, 2014
Jim Ross Comments On His Current Relationship With Vince McMahon
It's actually pretty good. We text from time to time and talk on the phone from time to time now. Not a lot, not regularly, but you know, its fine. Vince and I got along and had a tremendous relationship. People have to understand where our relationship started. From day one, what we have built and what we survived at the time when the company was almost bankrupt. We were laying off people left and right, pay cuts, lot of people were bailing. Those of us that stayed loyal were rewarded financially. I signed at one point in the mid 90's a ten year contract. I don't know anyone that had a ten year contract with Vince and kept it. I have this thing about keeping my commitments and keeping my word. I kept my word and fulfilled my ten years and he paid me very, very well.
I made more money with him than I did with anyone else combined. He told me if I stayed with him I would have nothing to worry about financially when I got older. Our issues were mainly philosophic. It was like two football coaches who wanted to run a 3-4 defense and the other wants to run a 4-3. I could plead my case why the 3-4 is better cause I got four great linebackers I can use and he could tell me why the 4-3 is better because he's got four defense lineman that are outstanding. Our stuff was more philosophical more than anything else. At the end of the day, he won the argument more often than not because he owned the company. My dad taught me a long time ago, if you're going to work for somebody and you're going to take their money, you need to do what they tell you to do. So the day when you can't look yourself in the mirror and do what they want you to do, you need to quit cashing their checks. I just cashed a WWE check the other day so I got no issues with them whatsoever. A lot of that stuff about McMahon and I has been blown out of proportion.
Wall Street management firm believes McMahons want to sell WWE
Lemelson Capital founder Emmanuel Lemelson, who manages one of the most successful hedge funds in the world, told Benzinga.com that he believes the McMahon family intends to sell WWE. Calling the company, "clearly an acquisition target," Lemelson said that although he doesn't expect WWE to have great numbers when the third-quarter subscriber count is announced on Thursday, he also doesn't expect share price to fall as the McMahons will protect shares to keep the sale price up.
October 28, 2014
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
