WWE(R) Amasses 75,000 Hours Of Content
STAMFORD, Conn., Jun 05, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Over the past few years, World Wrestling Entertainment(R) has been aggregating the best of professional wrestling television by strategically acquiring the video libraries from a host of national and regional promoters. With a collection now totaling over 75,000 hours of content, the WWE video library is the largest of its kind.
In addition to its own extensive WWE Library, WWE purchased libraries dating back to the 1950’s from WCW(R), ECW(R), AWA(R), WCCW, CWF, CSW, OVW, and SMW, representing virtually all of the significant wrestling programming in the world.
WWE intends to monetize this vast collection across several initiatives:
-WWE 24/7 OnDemand, the company’s subscription video-on-demand-service featured on Cox Communications, RCN, Rogers Cable, Insight, Verizon and other distributors internationally, and which will be launched on Comcast this August.
-A new one-hour “Classic” television program, to be distributed internationally starting this summer.
-WWE Home Video, to which the library compilation has already contributed to successful titles like “The Rise and Fall of ECW,” “The Monday Night War” and “The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection,” three of the Top 20 best selling sports DVDs of all time.
-WWE.com, on which events and matches from a cross-section of the WWE video library compilation are currently available for purchase.
-WWE’s burgeoning Broadband and Mobile businesses, where WWE has seen its popularity and Superstars scale efficiently to a worldwide audience that wants more content beyond television.
The WWE video library includes events and matches with the biggest stars in wrestling history: Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Andre The Giant, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, The Von Erichs, Triple H, The Undertaker, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, and many, many others.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at WWE.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Trademarks: The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company’s brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or
anticipated. In
addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
SOURCE: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
