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April 7, 2015

Steve Austin Speaks On WWE Rumors: Turning Down Tough Enough, Missing WrestleMania, Network Podcast


WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin addressed some rumors surrounding his status with the company on the latest episode of The Steve Austin Show. You can hear the full interview at this link. Below are some highlights:

* Austin said there is no heat on him from WWE for allegedly missing WrestleMania 31 Week. He brought up the rumor that he was supposed to be on a flight with The Undertaker and said that was not true.

* Austin said he was never a part of any creative discussions for him to participate at WrestleMania 31. Austin said he didn't turn anything down, he simply wasn't there and was never scheduled to be there.

* Regarding Tough Enough rumors and heat between Austin and Vince McMahon, Austin said he did not turn the show down. He said he's been talking with WWE about Tough Enough for some time and it was supposed to be filmed in February-March but we're in April and it still hasn't happened. Austin said the delay was nobody's fault as it takes a lot of work for the different pieces of a reality show like Tough Enough to come together. When WWE got their pieces together, CMT wanted to do more Broken Skull Challenge and Austin couldn't do Tough Enough due to the BSC commitments. Austin said he didn't turn down Tough Enough because of heat with Vince and scheduling problems are why he couldn't do the show. Austin said he wishes he could do Tough Enough but it didn't work out. Austin said in a perfect world, he would have filmed Tough Enough in February-March and that would have been it.

* Austin also addressed the rumors about his podcast not being on the WWE Network. Austin said they did the first two and were going to make a deal to move forward. He said there was a deal that could have been made but it wasn't and they're not moving forward but there's no heat there. Austin he heard Vince wasn't happy with some of his questions for Triple H and Austin said that's not true.

* Austin said WWE is going in their own direction and he's going in his and down the road if they hook back up, it'll be gangbusters. Austin said he will always have WWE in his blood. He acknowledged both sides have helped each other over the years and said it's always a good thing and a fun thing when WWE and Steve Austin are in business together. Austin guesses there is no animosity towards him from WWE's point of view and said he has no heat with them. Austin said, "No heat, nowhere. It's cool, moving on..."

Chris Jericho & John Cena Interview: Possibly Turning Heel, Heat With The Rock, Vince McMahon, More

SmackDown Moves to USA Network in 1Q2016, Joining Raw and WWE Tough Enough


USA is expanding its commitment to the live action entertainment company WWE, bringing SmackDown to the network in the first quarter of 2016. Now the exclusive cable home to WWE marquee properties, USA airs the powerhouse Monday Night Raw live 52 weeks a year and the reality competition series WWE Tough Enough, which returns this summer in a reimagined format with live elements.

“WWE consistently delivers one of the largest and most socially engaged live audiences in entertainment and we’re excited to expand our long-standing relationship and be the true cable home for the WWE fan,” said USA Network President Chris McCumber.

“WWE is proud to have SmackDown join Raw as part of our expanded partnership with USA Network,” said WWE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Vince McMahon. “The combination of the #1 cable network and two ratings juggernauts provides a destination for our viewers and an extraordinary platform for our partners.”

Earlier this year, USA announced the renewal of WWE Tough Enough, premiering Tuesday, June 23 at 8/7c. The reimagined series will feature an all-new format with live elements and more fan participation than ever before. In addition, WWE recently unveiled a new brand campaign “For The Hero In All of Us,” that engages consumers through #MyHeroIs, inviting fans to name their favorite WWE Superstars and share personal and inspirational stories of heroism.

Monday Night Raw on USA is the most-watched, regularly scheduled, year-round program on cable, airing a live three-hour block every Monday night, 52 weeks a year. Raw has been a cable mainstay for more than 20 years and is consistently a top ten show on television. Year-to-date Raw averages 1.95MM P18-49, 2.02MM P25-54 and 4.43MM total viewers P2+ and SmackDown averages 1.1MM P18-49, 1.22MM P25-54, and 2.86MM total viewers P2+. In 2014, Raw and SmackDown reached 55.9MM total viewers P2+.

With more than 800 original episodes, SmackDown is the second longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. television history, only behind Monday Night Raw. Over the past 15 years, SmackDown has been broadcast from 170 different venues, in 148 cities, in seven different countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Japan, Italy and Mexic

Premiere Date For Jerry Springer's WWE Network Show, Update On WWE Horror Movie


WWE Studios horror thriller Incarnate, which features Aaron Eckhart, now has a release date in Belgium of September 23rd, 2015 and a release date in the Netherlands of March 3rd, 2016. It should be released in the United States some time this fall but we'll keep you updated. The movie features Mark Henry in a small role, as announced back in 2013.

- The release date for Jerry Springer's "Too Hot For TV" on the WWE Network is Monday, April 27th. This is the night after Extreme Rules.

April 4, 2015

Rumor Mill - Steve Austin Reportedly Turns Down Tough Enough, Backstage Talk On His Problems With Vince McMahon


Steve Austin did not travel to Santa Clara for the festivities and this caused a lot of shock within WWE as he was expected to be there.

It turns out Austin was scheduled to fly into San Jose on the same flight that The Undertaker was on as they both live in Texas. The flight landed and Austin was not there. WWE even had an employee waiting to pick Austin up from the airport. It appears they still thought he might show up as there was a room with his name on it backstage at Levi's Stadium until mid-week.

It was noted before that the issue appeared to be between Austin and Vince McMahon. One person close to the situation said they have never seen Vince as angry about anything else, which is saying a lot. The rift between Vince and Austin reportedly has to do with his podcast on the WWE Network and Vince not liking some aspects of it. This is likely why WWE Network is now carrying Chris Jericho's podcast instead.

WWE also wanted Austin for the upcoming season of Tough Enough but he reportedly turned it down for an unknown reason. Some expect Austin to address his issues with WWE shortly.

April 3, 2015

AJ Lee Retires From WWE, WWE Issues Statement

From WWE.com:

AJ Lee (April Mendez) has decided to retire from in-ring competition with WWE. We wish AJ the very best.

WWE Issues Response to Justin Roberts' Blog on Connor Michalek's WWE Hall of Fame Induction


WWE issued the following statement in response to the blog on Connor Michalek that former WWE announcer Justin Roberts posted last night:

“It is offensive to suggest that WWE and its executives had anything but altruistic intentions in honoring Connor and his legacy with The Warrior Award. In conjunction with Connor's father, Connor's Cure was established by Stephanie McMahon and Paul Levesque to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer, and to honor a boy that so many people within the WWE family came to love. The fund is managed by the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and has already raised more than $200,000 for pediatric cancer research.

In addition, following the Ultimate Warrior's impassioned Hall of Fame speech last year encouraging WWE to recognize its unsung heroes, the Warrior Award was established in his memory to honor those who exhibit unwavering strength and perseverance, and who live life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior. With the full support and input of Ultimate Warrior's widow, Dana Warrior, Connor Michalek was the first recipient of the Warrior Award, and moving forward the award will be given annually to acknowledge other unsung heroes among WWE's employees and fans.

WWE is proud to use our global platforms to raise awareness for important social causes, including Connor's Cure as well as our longstanding partnership with Make A Wish, our on-going partnership with Susan G. Komen, which has resulted in more than $1.5 million in funds raised, and our international partnership with Special Olympics.”

WWE Studios to Partner with Richwater on Two Films


WWE Studios and British production-financing company Richwater Films are teaming to co-produce and co-finance action-thriller “Eliminators” and “Rampage,” Variety has learned exclusively.

“Eliminators” will be directed by James Nunn (“Tower Block”) and star Scott Adkins and WWE’s Wade Barrett. The story follows a former U.S. federal agent who must abandon the witness protection program and come out of hiding after his London home is mistakenly invaded — leading to him finding himself on the run from Europe’s most dangerous assassin to get his daughter to safety.

“Eliminators” will start shooting in London in the late spring.

“Rampage,” currently in development, follows an American counterterrorism operative who must work with an English MI5 agent to take down a dangerous terrorist in London. WWE and Richwater plan for the film to go into production later this year.

“Having watched WWE programming since the 1991 Royal Rumble and regarding Vince McMahon as the ultimate entrepreneurial pioneer, I am thrilled to be in business with WWE Studios,” said Jonathan Sothcott, CEO and founder of Richwater Films.

WWE Studios president Michael Luisi said, “As a major new player on the British independent film scene, Richwater Films exudes a professional zeal that is highly compatible with the work we do here at WWE Studios. Both of our organizations are dedicated to creating films that engage and excite.”

WWE Studios will be handling worldwide rights and said it will leverage WWE’s platforms from its weekly TV shows “Monday Night Raw” and “SmackDown.”

The announcement comes a week after WWE Studios formed a partnership with Gene Simmons to launch Erebus Pictures to finance and produce movies in a three-picture co-production deal. “Temple,” which follows a team of trained operatives who find themselves trapped inside an isolated military compound, is the first title in that partnership.

source: variety.com

Lucha Dragons and Neville Debut on Raw


Joe Theismann credits George Allen for his famous photo with Andre the Giant


As previously mentioned in this space, the Andre the Giant-to-the-Redskins story is probably more myth than history. Despite reports on wrestling sites that the massive WWE star was once offered a contract, or a tryout, or an interview with the team, other reports agree that this topic never went beyond the theoretical.

Still, let’s add another voice to this history: that of quarterback Joe Theismann. In a recent radio appearance with 106.7 The Fan’s Chad Dukes, Theismann brought up the Andre story on his own when asked about the NFL being a 12-month publicity machine.

“I will say this though: one of the forerunners of football 12 months a year was George Allen, our old coach with the Redskins,” Theismann said. “George used to try and make some kind of a big deal, usually in the first two weeks of May. I remember one year he sent me to New York to Toots Shor’s, and I got a picture taken — and you can look it up online, — with Andre the Giant.

“[Allen] had talked to Vince McMahon Sr.,” Theismann went on. “This was the type of progressive mind that he had; he talked to Vince McMahon Sr. and said ‘Look, I’m thinking about maybe bringing Andre the Giant in, signing him, so that he can come in and block field goals and extra points for us.’ Now, I don’t know whether it was true or not, but if you look up the picture, I look like an infant. Is that unbelievable or what? Look at his head! And I’ll tell you something, I shook his hand and I lost my arm. I mean, it went all the way up to my elbow. I had no forearm or anything.

“But that was George: he just always kept the Redskins name out there. He was a great promoter of the football team. He understood the marketing aspects of the game of football.”

The Redskins Encyclopedia reports that the above photo was taken at Duke Zeibert’s, in Washington, in July of 1975, and also that the Redskins offered Andre a $100,000 contract. That would seem to conflict with both Theismann’s memory, and with that of Bubba Tyer, who told the Orlando Sentinel that there was never actually a tryout. It seems likely to me that there might not ever be a completely factual historical account of this incident.

source: washingtonpost.com

Legendary drinking, constant stares: Andre the Giant’s tortured life

Justin Roberts Felt WWE Handled Connor “The Crusher” Michalek Story Without Sincerity


Former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts has opened up in a heartfelt blog titled "Believe Half of What You See and Portions of What You Hear" over at his Medium.com blog which includes photos.

The longtime ring announcer who was was employed by WWE from 2002 until his release in 2014 discusses his thoughts and feelings on his friend Connor “The Crusher” Michalek, WWE and his recent Hall of Fame induction, which from his perspective wasn't told the way he experienced it - It's a long but insightful read, that will bring a tear to your eye.

Hi, my name is Justin Roberts. I was an announcer at World Wrestling Entertainment for about 12 years. Sometimes when you’ve worked there and you speak up about something company-related, it’s easy to be painted as a bitter, ex employee. What’s strange is that my unhappiness at this dream job didn’t start after I left; it started while I was there.

The last time I wrote a blog here, it was about how I loved professional wrestling. I was with the company at the time and loved (and I still love) professional wrestling. There were reasons why it wasn’t titled “I love WWE.” My unhappiness started in my last couple of years with the company and I was actually just as happy when they decided not to renew my contract as I was on the day that I signed. They told me I wasn’t getting fired, there was nothing that I did wrong, that they were going a different direction and the door was always open. I politely closed it behind me and with that said, I’ll now share one of the contributing factors on why I wouldn’t want to go back to this company.

I have always been a fan of the movie “Basic” where “telling the story right” is the theme. WWE also tells a story, week after week. Sometimes their stories seem “real” and we forget that they’re a company… that tells stories. Remember “Macho Man” Randy Savage’s jealousy over Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan? Matt Hardy and Edge battling over relationship reasons, CM Punk taking the title and leaving the company? Daniel Bryan overcoming the evil bosses who did everything to keep him down? These were memorable, reality-inspired storylines, but overall, they were stories that WWE told us fans.

This past weekend at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, they told a story. While using real life people and real stories, they did what they do best: they told a story and they didn’t let the facts get in the way.

Last year, just days before his unfortunate, sudden death, the legendary Ultimate Warrior suggested during his Hall of Fame induction speech that WWE should honor the hardworking people who work behind the scenes at the company. He spoke about those people who worked there: “Some of them for years, 20–25–30 years,” he continued, “To have a category in the Hall of Fame where you honor these people.” Unfortunately, the WWE track record shows that many people who work there and give their lives to the company for 20–30 years don’t get rewarded, they get released once they’ve been there for too long.

I can name numerous employees that I worked with at WWE who would be deserving of such an award. Those people devoted all of their time and energy to WWE, because they loved their jobs and thought they were working for a good cause. A guy like Mark Yeaton who was let go on the eve of what would have been his 30th anniversary. He was the guy that worked all morning and afternoon in the production office of the TV shows, then sat at ringside and rang the bell for the show, while communicating on headset with the bosses to make sure everything ran smoothly. Then he would return to the production office where he made sure the operations ran as they should while accommodating everyone who approached him about needing something done. Then he would go through the locker rooms to make sure no one left anything behind. He even cleaned up the towels and did anything else asked of him. Mark would take a bullet for the company and would have made an excellent and deserving award recipient, but he was let go for a budget cut. (You probably won’t hear much from Mark publicly as far as saying anything negative about the company, or the many others like Mark, as their employee contracts prevent them from speaking out. Mine doesn’t.).

Who else could be a good nominee? Lots of folks. There are so many hardworking men and women that work behind the scenes at that company. How about Sue, who arranges all of the great Make-A-Wish events, Adam who manages fan services…All of these people deserve recognition by the company, and that’s what the Warrior was trying to say. But the question is, how much publicity could those awards make for the company? Or how could you market that award to mean something to the public?

So rather than honor those people that you don’t see or hear about , who work hard to put on the shows that we all love, the company decided to tell a different story. This year, they spliced and spun the Warrior’s speech to make the award about “warriors” outside of the company, because that might make for a better story — and for better publicity.

April 1, 2015

Tapout's President Talks State of UFC Sponsorship and their New WWE Deal


As the most established of all the MMA “lifestyle brands,” Tapout has not been as hard hit by the UFC’s sponsorship restrictions and its new exclusive deal with Reebok. But, the company still got a huge boost recently by signing a deal with WWE.

Tapout President Dan “Punkass” Caldwell was in attendance at WrestleMania 31 this past weekend in California, which was his first trip to the annual sports-entertainment extravaganza.

“We’re really excited about the deal,” Caldwell told MMAjunkie. “It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been working on it for awhile, and it’s just finally come together. This is my first WrestleMania, so I’m excited.”

Caldwell is well aware of the state of UFC sponsorships and the way it’s impacting brands that have made MMA the central part of their businesses.

“Domestically, it’s had some troubles here,” Caldwell said. “I feel for some of those other brands that are out there because I was knee deep in that stuff. I was sitting next to these guys at shows. You create this kind of warrior relationship with these guys because they’re all working hard. I just know that it’s going to be hard for them at this point now going beyond what’s happened with the UFC and their deal.

“But, what’s great about Tapout is that we’ve been around so long that we kind of excel beyond. We mean more than the UFC. It’s athletics, it’s – when you think about Quiksilver or Volcom, it doesn’t mean you have to be a surfer to wear Volcom. But yet, that’s what it is. A lot of people don’t even think about that anymore. It’s just a brand that’s out there. It’s a brand that’s made its way, and it’s excelled beyond its own sport, and I feel that’s where Tapout is today.”

Ultimately, Caldwell hopes the Reebok deal works out in a way that benefits the fighters.

“I feel sorry for them,” Caldwell said. “I’m hoping the UFC can put that together for the fighters. It’s really about the fighters for us. It’s always been about the fighters. We want to – they’re the ones that are really putting it on the line. We hope it works out.”

source: mmajunkie.com

WrestleMania Breaks More Records

USA Network Touts Huge RAW Audience For The Post-WrestleMania 31 Episode


The USA Network issued the following today:

USA NETWORK'S WWE 'MONDAY NIGHT RAW' ATTRACTS LARGEST AUDIENCE IN NEARLY THREE YEARS

5.4 Million Total Viewers Tuned-In to See Their Favorite WWE Superstars Live, Following a Record-Breaking WrestleMania

NEW YORK, NY – April 1, 2015 – Following WRESTLEMANIA 31, where Seth Rollins won his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship, this week's WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW delivered 2.4 million adults 18-49, 2.4 million adults 25-54 and 5.4 million total viewers from 8-11 p.m. (live +same). This is the highest total viewership for RAW in nearly three years, since July 23, 2012, the night of the RAW 1000 special.

Monday's RAW was televised live from the SAP Center in San Jose, CA, and was highlighted by Brock Lesnar challenging Rollins, the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, to a rematch; United States Champion John Cena defending his title against Dean Ambrose; and Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan defeating Dolph Ziggler.

Monday's RAW was up vs. last week's telecast by 27% in adults 18-49, 24% in adults 25-54 and 28% in total viewers 2+. USA was the #1 network Monday night in primetime in adults 18-34 as well as men 18-34 and 18-49 for all of television -- including the broadcast networks.

RAW was also the #2 most social show of the day with 400,000 tweets, reaching a unique audience of 3.6 million people and generating 27 million impressions.

WWE Annual Former Talent Rehab Letter With Triple H's Signature


Beginning in September 2007, WWE distributed its first rehabilitation assistance offer to all former WWE contracted talent. The goal of the initiative is designed to help any former talent that may have a substance-related dependency problem. The WWE distributes an annual letter to all former talent notifying them of the program and relevant details. In November 2014, 707 former talent letters were sent out. The WWE has a confidential hotline for former talent to call and seek admittance to a certified treatment center, with all expenses covered by WWE. In addition, the WWE maintains regular contact with talent who have entered a rehab program or reached out for WWE assistance. To date, 10% of former talent have accepted assistance.

The letter that is sent out was originally signed by Vince McMahon. Beginning in 2012, Paul Levesque began issuing the letter. You can view the letter here.

March 31, 2015

WWE Releases NXT Star


PWInsider reports that NXT star CJ Parker requested his release, which was granted last Saturday.

PWInsider noted that the release was amicable, and WWE allowed Parker to work last weekend's AXXESS events.

WWE Stock Observer on WWE Network Giving Away Free Months, Will New Series Help Keep Subscribers?


The New York Post has an article on WWE stock dropping 14.7% on Monday, closing at $14.09, just one day after their biggest show of the year and hours after their big post-WrestleMania conference call with an updated WWE Network subscriber count of more than 1.3 million.

While WWE announced another free month of the Network for April, critics say WWE relying on free monthly promotions for new subscribers could make things worse for stocks. A long-time observer told The Post:

“They’re training fans to subscribe only to those events they really want to see. There’s no penalty for ending a subscription and then picking it up again.”

WWE is trying to combat subscriber churn by announcing the eight new specials and series, including partnerships with Seth Green and Jerry Springer, which some analysts believe could help the Network keep subscribers. Media veteran Eric Sherman told The Post:

“Partnering with outside creative talent will hopefully create some stickiness to the channel past their cornerstone events.”

Update On WWE Announcing Monthly NXT Takeover Specials


Earlier this week, WWE announced several new special and series for the WWE Network including new NXT Takeover specials. They wrote the following in their press release:

NXT TAKEOVER – LIVE! – AIRS MONTHLY ON WEDNESDAYS
The future is here. WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars compete to prove they’ve got what it takes. More than just evolution, it’s a revolution! Witness these WWE Superstars of tomorrow as they take over WWE Network with live two-hour specials.

F4Wonline.com reports that WWE officials have confirmed that the NXT specials will remain quarterly. WWE has updated their press release that says the specials will air monthly.

March 30, 2015

WWE Stock Crashes After Record-Breaking WrestleMania 31


Fans may be happy about World Wrestling Entertainment’s 31st annual WrestleMania blowout, but investors are not.

WWE stock fell more than 14% on Monday morning after Seth Rollins stole the World Heavyweight Championship belt from Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. The dive probably has less to do with what happened in the ring, than how many fans were watching–and subscribing to more wrestling.

WWE announced that its “over-the-top” television network has grown to 1.3 million subscribers, up 31% from January 27, when the company passed 1 million for the first time. That’s tremendous growth for a product that costs $9.99 a month. But it clearly wasn’t enough to impress Wall Street.

“We believe that exceeding 1.3 million subscribers reflects the successful execution of our strategy and puts us on the path to transformative growth through WWE Network,” (former billionaire) WWE CEO Vince McMahon said in a statement.

WWE CFO George Barrios admitted that while the company is “pleased with our short-term results” and “confident in the long-term potential,” subscriber count may “exhibit seasonality” in which customers pay for the service in the run up to big events like WrestleMania and drop it during the slower months.

One successful tactic in February was a free promotion that attracted 201,000 trial subscribers to WWE Network. 154,000 (77%) of those converted to paying subscribers in March.

This isn’t the first time a subscriber update at WrestleMania sunk WWE’s stock. One year ago, the stock plunged 19% the day after WWE’s biggest show. WWE kept falling and hit bottom in May, losing 60% of the company’s value in a month and a half. The stock had rebounded 46% since then before Monday.

source: forbes.com

TNA Announces New TV Deal Bringing Impact To Canada, Dixie Carter Comments


Fight Network, the world's premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced a multi-year deal with TNA Wrestling to broadcast exclusive shows and series across Canada.

Beginning next Friday, April 3, Fight Network will premiere TNA's two-hour flagship weekly program IMPACT WRESTLING every Friday night at 9 p.m. ET. The roster features such greats as Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Lashley, Bobby Roode, MVP, EC3, James Storm, the high flying X Division, Gail Kim and the lovely and lethal Knockouts, and many more.

Premiering on Saturday nights at 11 p.m. ET, TNA Xplosion features explosive exclusive matches, a look back at historical matches, as well as pop culture roundtable discussions, plus recaps of IMPACT WRESTLING.

TNA Wrestling's Greatest Matches, premiering Fridays at 8 p.m. ET leading into IMPACT WRESTLING, is a series looking back at the greatest feuds, match types and highlights from the careers of individual wrestlers from the past and present TNA Wrestling roster.

"TNA has been a staple and innovator in the professional wrestling business for the past decade, providing countless memorable matches and moments, while spawning the careers of new stars and showcasing all-time greats in the industry," said Chad Midgley, VP of Content at Fight Network. "We're excited to become the official exclusive Canadian broadcast partner. In addition to airing the popular IMPACT WRESTLING weekly show, we'll be reliving some of the organization's unforgettable history on the Greatest Matches series."

"We can't wait to be back in living rooms across Canada starting this Friday. Our fans across Canada have been vocal and incredibly patient as we worked to find a fantastic broadcast partner for IMPACT WRESTLING," said Dixie Carter, president of TNA Wrestling. "The good news is Fight Network has picked up other TNA programming like Xplosion and Greatest Matches, so fans in Canada will now have more access than ever to the best pro wrestling entertainment in the world, including TNA Superstars and Canada's own Bobby Roode, Gail Kim and Eric Young."

WWE Call Recap With Vince McMahon: Bringing Sting From Obscurity, Mania Build, Network, Pricing


Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michael Weitz hosted a post-WrestleMania 31 conference call today from WWE headquarters in Stamford. Below are some highlights:

* Weitz kicks off the call and mentions WrestleMania 31 being a success. He goes over the call and hands it over to Vince.

* Vince says WrestleMania 31 was a big success and touts the attendance. Vince also touts the social media activity, mainly over 140 worldwide trends. He says WrestleMania was a big contributor to WWE Network growth and says they have now surpassed 1.3 million subscribers. Talks about the new programming coming to the WWE Network and says the Divas Search will be successful. He calls the new Camp WWE show with Seth Green "South Park with WWE" with WWE stars as children off to camp.

* Barrios takes over and also touts the new WWE Network programming coming soon, saying the Diva Search will span the globe to find the next talent. He noted that they had 201,000 trial subscribers in February and 77% of those converted into paid subscribers for March. He touted the 1.3 million subscribers and said their longterm goal is 3-4 million. They're going to be adding another 1,000 hours of on-demand footage soon.

* It's time for the Q&A. The first caller gives Vince props for having Ronda Rousey on WrestleMania, bringing up WWE using more mainstream names and asks if that means more cost. Vince said their budgets haven't changed but the success of the Network and being ahead of everyone else helps them land bigger names to work with. For the second time in the call they mentioned other brands starting their own networks because of WWE's success.

* Barrios wouldn't reveal the number of users who had the free month in November that are still paid subscribers. Barrios is confident about the new shows they announced being successful.

* Barrios talked about China and India eventually becoming big markets for the company and the Network. He feels next year will be big for them in India.

* They may look into different price points in the future but they're happy with the $9.99 price right now.

* They started talking with Tapout three years ago and are excited for the partnership. We'll see more Tapout promotion on WWE TV as they get closer to putting the products in stores, which should be next year.

* The international subscription numbers will be released in the quarterly report.

* They had no problems with WrestleMania 31 streaming and the new WrestleMania Experience campaign with Facebook was a success.

* Regarding frustrations over the WrestleMania build-up, Vince acknowledged WWE will always have its doubters and said the build to WrestleMania was more of a last minute thing but that's how WWE does it sometimes. Vince said WrestleMania always tops itself.

* Vince said they do target Males 18-34 but they have programming that targets all demographics and some of the new programming is designed to do just that.

* Vince gave props to their marketing abilities when talking about Sting. Vince said they brought Sting from obscurity to a major WWE attraction.

* They're about fully distributed in Canada.

Vince McMahon Announces Updated WWE Network Subscriber Count


WWE announced just over 1 million WWE Network subscribers back on January 27th.

Vince McMahon announced that the Network has surpassed 1.3 million subscribers today on the post-WrestleMania 31 conference call. Vince credited WrestleMania 31 with helping boost the subscriber count.

WWE Network Unveils Eight New Original Series


In addition to the premium monthly live pay-per-view events, WWE Network unveiled new programming for the remainder of 2015, which includes eight brand new original series and partnerships with director Jeff Tremaine, Seth Green’s Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and legendary talk show host Jerry Springer.

NEW ORIGINAL SERIES:

CAMP WWE – COMING LATE 2015
WWE, in partnership with Seth Green’s Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, will debut a new, animated short-form comedy series entitled Camp WWE. Imagine WWE Superstars and Divas when they were kids at their favorite summer camp…which happens to be run by none other than Mr. McMahon – add in shock-value, slapstick humor and social satire – and you have WWE’s first adult comedy, which will debut later this year.

“We’re insanely excited about this collaboration,” said Green. “WWE is one of the most heartfelt and professional organizations I’ve worked with. We’re beyond happy to help them realize this vision.”

SWERVED – COMING IN MAY
WWE teams up with the Director of Jackass and Bad Grandpa, Jeff Tremaine, to give you the hilarious original series, Swerved. Swerved is a half-hour series and will premiere in May.

“I’m excited to combine my brand of entertainment with the world of WWE,” said Tremaine. “It will be the ultimate mash-up.”

DIVA SEARCH – COMING THIS FALL
WWE spans the globe in search of the most beautiful, athletic and charismatic women to find the next stunning WWE Diva. This competition will give viewers the opportunity to witness the challenges, trials, drama and rewards that accompany the journey of these women, as they vie for superstardom. Coming this Fall.

JERRY SPRINGER PRESENTS WWE TOO HOT FOR TV – COMING IN APRIL
Hosted by legendary talk show host Jerry Springer, this series will re-introduce the WWE Universe to the most outrageous stunts and cringe-inducing moments in TV history. The series will be chock full of insane situations and racy romps from WWE’s past that will have members of the WWE Universe asking, “Did they really do this?!” Springer will inject his own brand of humor into each episode with themes such as “Love Hurts,” “All in the Family” and “Weddings and Funerals.”

The half-hour series will be available beginning in April in WWE Network’s video-on-demand library with new episodes weekly.

“I suspect 25 years of The Jerry Springer Show qualifies me to comment on outrageous behavior,” said Springer. “And what is more outrageous than the entertainment, drama and craziness of the WWE. This is going to be fun.”

LIVE! WITH CHRIS JERICHO – DEBUTS MONDAY, APRIL 6, WITH SPECIAL GUEST JOHN CENA
Podcast host Chris Jericho challenges his guests in provocative, candid conversations about their careers, their lives, past controversies and the overall state of WWE. The monthly series kicks off Monday, April 6 immediately following Raw, with its first one-hour episode featuring WWE Superstar John Cena.

“I’m stoked to bring my show to WWE Network and give Jerichoholics worldwide more of what they’ve come to expect – humor, questions that have never been asked before and the best conversations that any podcast host has ever delivered,” said Jericho. “No matter who the guest is, whether it be WWE Superstars, Divas, Legends, executives or icons from the entertainment world, I guarantee to deliver the best, most entertaining interview you have ever heard from each and every one of them.”

UNFILTERED: WITH RENEE YOUNG – DEBUTS IN MAY
WWE announcer Renee Young interviews WWE Superstars and other pop-culture celebrities, covering just about everything, except what they are famous for. In this short-form series, Renee’s guests include Grammy Award winner Wiz Khalifa, five-time Grammy nominee Skylar Grey and WWE Superstars Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Unfiltered will debut in May.

CULTURE SHOCK: WITH COREY GRAVES – PREMIERING IN JUNE
WWE commentator Corey Graves reveals a variety of unique venues, customs, music, food and people as WWE’s tour travels around the world. From Marvel comic headquarters to a tattoo shop on the lower east side of Manhattan, Graves examines the local culture with his unique perspective and style. This short-form series will premiere in June.

WWE THE LIST – COMING IN JUNE
WWE The List is the best, the worst, the most bizarre and interesting of everything and anything WWE. If it’s amazing, outrageous, sexy or just plain fun, it just made #TheList.

NEW EPISODES:

In addition to the eight new original series, WWE Network will also debut new episodes of the highly-acclaimed docu-series WWE 24 as well as WWE Countdown and Rivalries. WWE will also add more children’s programming by bringing back the popular 1980s animated series, Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling. In addition, WWE Network will produce compelling specials and short form content, while continuing to add 1,000 hours to its robust video-on-demand library, which currently has more than 3,000 hours of content.

WWE 24
The acclaimed 30-minute docu-series takes you on a lightning-fast journey through a day in the life of WWE’s most intriguing Superstars and groundbreaking events.

WWE COUNTDOWN
WWE Countdown settles the great debates across WWE history. Who was the most dangerous Diva? Who had the best catchphrase? This one-hour series allows the WWE Universe to determine the top 10 in each category and have the final word on who tops each list.

RIVALRIES
This docu-style series takes a look at the greatest rivalries in WWE history, as never told before. Get the real stories behind WWE’s most exciting matches and entertaining feuds through the eyes of the Superstars who created them. Each one-hour episode leaves no story untold.

HULK HOGAN’S ROCK ’N’ WRESTLING
Harkening back to 1985, this Saturday morning cartoon, which originally aired on CBS, features Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Junkyard Dog, Captain Lou Albano, and Roddy Piper in a series that is both nostalgic and entertaining, 30 years later.

SPECIALS:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER VS. THE BIG SHOW: THE BIGGEST VS. THE BEST – PREMIERES MONDAY, APRIL 27
WWE Network will look back at this epic David vs. Goliath encounter at WrestleMania 24 (2008) and its shocking conclusion coming just in time for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, which is expected to be one of the biggest boxing matches in history.

NXT TAKEOVER – LIVE! – AIRS MONTHLY ON WEDNESDAYS
The future is here. WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars compete to prove they’ve got what it takes. More than just evolution, it’s a revolution! Witness these WWE Superstars of tomorrow as they take over WWE Network with live two-hour specials.

WrestleMania Shatters Records


WWE announced tonight that WrestleMania 31 became the highest grossing live event in its history and broke the attendance record for Levi’s Stadium. WWE’s annual pop-culture extravaganza grossed $12.6 million, as 76,976 fans from all 50 states and 40 countries converged on the home of the San Francisco 49ers.

The previous attendance record for Levi’s Stadium was 70,799, and WrestleMania 29 at MetLife Stadium in 2013 held WWE’s prior record for gross revenue at $12.3 million.

“On behalf of the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose, we would like to thank all the fans that came from around the world to be part of WrestleMania 31,” said Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews. “We congratulate both WWE and Levi’s Stadium on their historic achievement.”

“We are thrilled that WrestleMania 31 has set the standard for all future events held at Levi’s Stadium. None of this success would have been possible without the support of Mayor Matthews, Mayor Liccardo and the San Francisco 49ers, as well as our public and private sector partners that worked tirelessly to support all of our regional WrestleMania Week activities,” said John P. Saboor, WWE Executive Vice President, Special Events. “We now turn our attention to the Dallas/Arlington region for what will surely be a historic WrestleMania 32.”

WrestleMania 32 takes place on Sunday, April 3, 2016 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, Ticket information will be announced later this year.

Top Ten All-Time Attendance Records at WrestleMania:

1. 93,173: WrestleMania 3, Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan, March 29, 1987
2. 80,676: WrestleMania 29, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, April 7, 2013
3. 80,103: WrestleMania 23, Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan, April 1, 2007
4. 78,363: WrestleMania 28, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida, April 1, 2012
5. 76,976: WrestleMania 31, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California, March 29, 2015
6. 75,167: WrestleMania 30, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA, April 6, 2014
7. 74,635: WrestleMania 24, Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, March 30, 2008
8. 72,744: WrestleMania 25, Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas, April 5, 2009
9. 72,219: WrestleMania 26, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, March 28, 2010
10. 71,617: WrestleMania 27, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia, April 3, 2011

March 29, 2015

WrestleMania 31 Recap

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon Announce WrestleMania 31 Attendance


Triple H and Stephanie McMahon appeared in the ring during WWE's WrestleMania 31 tonight and announced 76,976 people in attendance at Levi's Stadium, a new attendance record for the venue.

Video: Vince McMahon & Triple H present the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Class with their rings

Photo: Stephanie & Linda McMahon at the 2015 WWE HOF

Photos: Vince, Stephanie & Triple H at the 2015 WWE Business Partner Summit

2015 WWE Hall of Fame Recap


Full report

March 28, 2015

NXT sells out in California debut during WrestleMania 31 Week


The next generation of WWE has been making a huge impact since NXT’s arrival on WWE Network in February 2014. The past year of live specials, large name signings and epic battles inside the squared circle all seemed to be building toward something even bigger.

That “something even bigger” finally came, as NXT truly marked its territory in the sports-entertainment world Friday night, when a sold-out crowd of 5,000-plus fans crammed into the San Jose State University to see the future of WWE in action.

“I had to take a moment and see everybody out there,” San Jose native Bayley told WWE.com about entering the arena for her first match in her hometown since relocating to Florida two and a half years ago to join WWE’s developmental system. “As I got closer to the ring, I started seeing my mom, my nephew and my sisters. Then I looked up and saw all my friend and people with signs. This is my hometown and they were extra supportive. It’s a cool feeling.”

Rhyno, who has experienced some raucous crowds in his day, summed up the NXT Universe in one word: “Insane,” he said following his match in San Jose.

That feeling of excitement wasn’t just in the jam-packed arena. While Finn Bálor entered in full war paint, Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady brought the crowd to its feet with their trademark trash talk. NXT’s Divas showed why the spotlight is on them, and the backstage area was bustling with current Superstars, Legends and Hall of Famers jostling for a good view of the show on the arena floor or around monitors behind the curtain. They were as fired up as any fan to see the next generation ply their craft and offer a few pointers when they could.

“We want to be around people that are like we were, just hungry,” Sean Waltman said. “Being around people like that is pretty sweet.”

Waltman was joined backstage by WWE Hall of Famers Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon, while fellow Hall member Jim Ross took the show in from ringside. Even WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon stopped by San Jose State to see the future of WWE for himself.

For Superstars that have been a part WWE’s developmental system at different points in its evolution, the sight of thousands of fans packing in to watch the future is staggering.

“It’s super-impressive to see how huge it’s become,” said Seth Rollins, the first-ever NXT Champion. “I never could have imagined this when I signed a developmental contract and walked into a warehouse in Tampa.My first show was in front of 12 people. “

There was no one more moved by the outpouring of support for NXT than Triple H, who took on the developmental system and molded it into what it has become. The WWE COO made a surprise appearance at the event to thank the fans for making NXT’s California debut a huge success, and assure them that this is only the beginning of NXT’s rise.

Rhyno thinks that the reason for NXT’s astronomical success during WrestleMania Week and beyond is simple.

“At NXT, everybody works so hard, from the bottom to the top. The competition is great and the fans see that,” he said. “It’s special.”

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