Word is starting to trickle out on Twitter... I will try to update this post with the news as it comes out.
- Subscriber numbers at 700,000 at end of Q2 (6/30)
- Loss of $14.5M for Q2
- New offer: $19.99 if you want to just sign up for the month
- WWE Network coming to Canada, Australia, NZ, Spain and a lot more countries on 8/12
- WWE Network coming to UK in October
- WWE announced 10 year deal with Rogers for Raw & SD
That new offer makes sense to me, you can grab the people that just want to sign up to see a specific special event and gives a break to those that commit.
- Subscriber numbers at 700,000 at end of Q2 (6/30)
- Loss of $14.5M for Q2
- New offer: $19.99 if you want to just sign up for the month
- WWE Network coming to Canada, Australia, NZ, Spain and a lot more countries on 8/12
- WWE Network coming to UK in October
- WWE announced 10 year deal with Rogers for Raw & SD
That new offer makes sense to me, you can grab the people that just want to sign up to see a specific special event and gives a break to those that commit.
Ooof. That sounds rough.
ReplyDelete700,000!!
ReplyDeleteHoly Shit, that's astoundingly bad. So they added only 30,000 subs since Wrestlemania? Or did they cook the numbers previously adding in trials? $14.5 Million loss in a Wrestlemania quarter on top of the $8 million in Q1.
On the plus side yay, finally available in Canada and in less than 2 weeks or do you mean December 8th?
August 12
ReplyDeleteDoesn't surprise me one bit about the # increase. If you were going to get it, it would have been at wrestlemania. Bigger number for the company is the one 3 months from now.
ReplyDeleteSo only 33k signed up since mania!!!!! Oh man that's bad
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to see how much they retail it for when it comes to the UK. If it's £9.99 or less then they may be onto something. If it's more, it's not happening. This is going by the usual ("let's sell our product in the UK and just change the currency symbol, fuck those guys!) USD->GBP conversion rate.
ReplyDeleteBeing at 22.5 million in losses at this point is no biggie because they said that they'd lose 50 M's in year one and Vince is slashing cuts. But damn, those network sub #'s...
ReplyDeleteI still don't understand why the network is not available in non-us countries right now. It's the same internet and network. What makes Canada, or the UK different?
ReplyDeleteThey probably cooked them as much as they could get away with
ReplyDeleteThey need to add more content, the attitude era stuff preferably to grab those fans.
ReplyDeleteTV rights.
ReplyDeleteThe people that live there suck
ReplyDeleteUSA USA USA USA USA USA
WWE need to accept that this is a long term project... it can be successful but they can't panic and go backwards
ReplyDeleteI was worried for a minute the first time I read the $19.95/month fee. But I'm in it for the long haul (at least through the end of this first year), so I'm good.
ReplyDeleteThey are always promoting the Network on RAW & SmackDown, but not many specifics. We all know the goodness that is NXT, but Joe Casual isn't aware. Why not take a 2-4 minute block every Monday night to highlight what happened on NXT, and what's coming up? Just like the RAW Rebound or whatever it's called. Do it every week, not just when there is a live special coming up.
As much as we love the Network, WWE really needs to take advantage of the opportunity they have here. Think outside the box. There is really no excuse. They are all in now, so they might as well go for it.
I agree. Look at how many losing quarters amazon had including this past one. They will be around for a long time, but new things will have growing pains.
ReplyDeleteThey are always promoting the Network on RAW & SmackDown, but not many shows specifically. We all know the goodness that is NXT, but Joe Casual isn't aware. Why not take a 2-4 minute block every Monday night to highlight what happened on NXT, and what's coming up? Just like the RAW Rebound or whatever it's called. Do it every week, not just when there is a live special coming up.
ReplyDeleteAs much as we love the Network, WWE really needs to take advantage of the opportunity they have here. Think outside the box. There is really no excuse. They are all in now, so they might as well go for it.
I was worried for a minute the first time I read the $19.95/month fee. But I'm in it for the long haul (at least through the end of this first year), so I'm good.
I'm pretty sure the WWE accepts it...the IWC needs to accept it instead of thinking the company is going to go belly-up because of it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there's no doubting there's a struggle out of the gate - probably more of one than they thought there would be.
NXT is literally the only thing on the Network and on TV here though.
ReplyDeleteNew Raw's & Smackdown's dont go up on the network for what a month or so? If that doesn't bother USA & SyFy i can't imagine Sportsnet giving a shit.
Yep, it is a brand new medium for the most part... they are out ahead of the trend, need to just forge ahead.
ReplyDeleteIt's so disappointing that the WWE finally comes out with something awesome for hardcore fans and it doesn't really succeed the way everyone hoped. The worst part is it will discourage them from trying anything outside the status quo down the road.
ReplyDeleteThere's definitely things they could have done to improve the launch and tweak things going forward, but I think it's a way better program than anyone was initially expecting when they were trying to get on cable, and it's something I was really hoping would succeed.
Biggest mistake at launch was announcing it and not allowing people to sign up right away.
ReplyDeleteThe buzz was HUGE when they first put the news out, and had already died down/backlash had begun by the time the sign up period started.
Gotta think the international expansion will give them a nice boost, particularly given the passion of the wrestling fanbase in a lot of those countries.
ReplyDeleteI don't know enough about the technology to understand what the incremental costs of running the network internationally are, but I have to think they'll see their profit margin increase on those subscriptions...
With WWE losing money, does this mean no more US Senate runs for Linda?
ReplyDeleteHey, they have my money until they don't have a Network anymore. And I'm sure I'm not the only one in this category.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but Canadian PPV providers (are there even more than one?) are the bigger concern.
ReplyDeleteJust saw a note that the 700K is as of 6/30 so doesn't include any new subscriptions in July.
ReplyDeleteIf the price is dearer than those that are 'illegally' getting it now then I reckon they'll just get a big fuck you. It's gotta be similarly priced. I'd be interested in £6-7 a month but no more than that. Then again I suppose they have to consider the impact it will have on Sky Box Office who won't be happy.
ReplyDeleteAgain if they decided to slowly? kill PPV in the states with the introduction of the Network why would they care about what Shaw Cable thinks?
ReplyDeleteAh who cares, i'll be signing up. Will they break the $10 barrier here i wonder or keep it at $9.99 effectively meaning it's cheaper here.
Damn, RainbowSherbert guessed 700,001.
ReplyDeleteGet that man to a casino, stat!
Through July - 700,032.
ReplyDeleteCould that mean the number as of today is lower, so WWE announced the higher number from the end of last month?
ReplyDeleteThe WWE released their 2014 Q2 earnings reports today, and as previously reported the company announced 700,000 WWE Network subscribers. Revenues from the Company's Media division increased 7% to $97.7 million, which was due to the WWE Network and increased television licensing fees. The WWE Network, PPV and video on demand generated revenue of $43.3 million.
ReplyDeleteBy itself, the WWE Network generated $19.4 million in subscription revenue based on an average of 665,000 paid subscribers over the quarter at a price of $9.99 per month. Network subscription revenue of $19.4 million was partially offset by a $13.2 million decline in PPV. PPV revenue overall declined by 36% to $23.8 million. Here is how the PPVs performed in Q2 2014…
WrestleMania 30: 690,000 (down 349,000 from 2013)
Extreme Rules: 108,000 (down 123,000 from 2013)
WWE Payback: 67,000 (down 119,000 from 2012)
Money in the Bank: 122,000 (MITB did not take place in Q2 of 2013)
Overall Buys For Q2 2014: 1,059,000 (down 492,000 from 2013)
Read more at http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/330557/WWE-Financials:-Did-the-WWE-Network-Off-Set-The-Loss-of-PPV?.htm#uSClovU72Sbva06h.99
Of course not, why would it?
ReplyDeleteThis is the 2nd quarter results, not the oh my god! hold on to your butts 3rd quarter numbers.
Not sure because the six month commitment ends in August
ReplyDeleteThat actually is solid for MITB I think.
ReplyDelete"Here's what you're missing on the WWE Network"?
ReplyDeleteThat's a brilliant idea.
And the one month $19.95 fee isn't a bad idea. It's still a steal for those who want to order it just for the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.
removing MITB, it is down 614,000 ppvs for second quarter or roughly 40% of total ppvs
ReplyDeleteNo, again the WWE's fiscal year is tied to the calendar year, so these Q2 results are from April.1 - June.30.
ReplyDeletePlus how could subs go down when the initial commitment isn't even due yet?
Mania was down 349k, but WWE had twice as many Network subscribers.
ReplyDeleteHow does that factor in profit-wise? I'm guessing not that good.
That makes more sense. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePPV in Canada is still proportionally much bigger than in the US. Not to mention they'd likely be throwing away money made off theater showings and such as well. But I would think that legally they can't sign all these deals with Viewer's Choice and whatnot and then just ignore them because they want to do the Network.
ReplyDeleteno these are quarterly numbers, you post through June.
ReplyDeleteMy name is zanatude, and I approve this snark.
ReplyDeleteYeah, isn't it only a 40-50K difference from normal PPV-only numbers?
ReplyDeleteNow if they had some spectacular month in July and added another 100K subs then i'd bet good money they would have sneaked that into todays announcement.
ReplyDeleteSo it's a good bet as of TODAY they probably have like 705,000 subs or something equally non news worthy.
I wonder what 700k is rounded up from too. Has the full # shown up yet
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but there might be decent international penetration already with people finding technical ways around the Network. Also, broadband caps in some European countries could make expansion numbers somewhat disappointing. The Internet infrastructure in Mexico and India is also not really up to par with other developed countries.
ReplyDeleteThat probably isn't going to change very much lol
ReplyDeleteAll that hype, all those months, and they only increased subscriptions by 4.5%. Not surprising at all that they were gonna cap out at 700k, but still, what an embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteAnd now, we the hardcore fans get to deal with Defensive Vince, and all the horrible, insulting, bewildering, petty, & petulant ways he chooses to show his butthurt. Joy.
Stick a fork in Daniel Bryan. He's done!
ReplyDeleteThe UK price plan really needs to be in line with Netflix (£5.99) or thereabouts, but hey this is rip-off UK so expect £14.99 a month with an 18 month contract.
ReplyDeleteNerds who are using VPN's to access the Network internationally might number in the hundreds at best.
ReplyDeleteSo they have half the subs they needed domestically. I kind of think this it for them too. Are there really 700k wwe fans just waiting for something else to sign up for the network? And since I autorenwed can't I get some wcw weekly TV?
ReplyDeleteDoes a service like Netflix exist outside North America? If not, is it because of broadband/infrastructure issues? If it does, how do they handle said issues?
ReplyDeleteBut didn't they just sign a new deal with Sky recently? Knowing how Sky operate it wouldn't surprise me if WWE Network UK excluded PPVs.
ReplyDeleteUnless WWE releases a statement that says the Network was a failure and being shut down, or they put up an Out of Business sign on Titan Towers, I'm not worried. I continue to enjoy the very concept that has taken food off the table of many men's families.
ReplyDeleteI think it might be a tad higher. Not saying it's a large pool, but international PPV buys were down a little from WrestleMania and people are attributing part of that to people already doing the Network.
ReplyDeleteProbably worse because that's counting Intl' buys
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope.
ReplyDelete