Wrestlemania Marketing, DVD Plans

World Wrestling Entertainment issued the following press release today:

WWE Plans Massive, Multi-Tiered Marketing Blitz For WrestleMania 23

STAMFORD, Conn., March 5, 2007 – WWE is mounting its biggest-ever promotional campaign to help affiliates and business partners make the most of pay-per-view’s perennial live event champion, WrestleMania. Promotion on WWE’s television, live event and broadband platforms, as well as national and local media buys, include print, television, radio, cinema, and out-of-home advertising campaigns for WrestleMania 23 is valued at more than $70 million.

The annual WrestleMania spectacular will take place Sunday, April 1, 2007, at a sold out Ford Field. Fans from 23 countries, including all 50 states, will be present at the live event, which ultimately will be viewed by millions in 90 countries. Among the top draws on the Superstar-studded card will be “The Battle of Billionaires,” pitting WWE impresario Vince McMahonâ„¢ against Donald Trump in a “hair cut match” which will culminate with the “the loser” being shaved bald.

Rockford-Montgomery Labs, a pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution company, and its 360 OTC pain reliever brand is this year’s presenting sponsor of WrestleMania, and the “Official Pain Relief of WrestleMania 23.”

“WWE defines pop culture worldwide. We are a leader in entertaining millions of fans globally through prime time cable and broadcast television, live events, home video, merchandising, licensing, publishing, video on demand and mobile content,” said Kurt Schneider, WWE’s Executive Vice President, Marketing. “With WrestleMania 23, we’re marshalling all our media resources, and those of our marketing partners, to make this year’s WrestleMania a ‘must see’ event and another record-setter for the pay-per-view industry.”

The multi-million dollar build up to WrestleMania 23 includes extensive on-air promotion on USA Network, The CW, SCI FI Channel and Telemundo. In March with The CW, WWE is executing a month-long tune-in campaign with more than 60 affiliates where ticket and trip giveways will generate more than $400,000 in incremental media support.In addition, WWE will support its pay-per-view blockbuster with a high-profile and powerful consumer campaign that blends television, cinema, online, print, radio, and high impact outdoor advertising in six major markets, including a massive 112-foot by 169-foot wall unit in Dallas.

Cable affiliates across the country are running WrestleMania 23 branded cross channel TV spots on Comedy Central, Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim”, VH-1, A&E, Discovery Channel, ESPN2, and others. Cable affiliates also are supporting the pay-per-view event by deploying more than 1.25 million direct mail promotional pieces, free on demand content, broadband content, radio, web and other ancillary marketing tactics. WWE’s subscription video on demand service, WWE 24/7 On Demand, will offer special WrestleMania content in March.

Full page ads will be placed in “Entertainment Weekly” and “ESPN: The Magazine.” Special cover wraps and ads will take over leading major market news dailies. Extensive campaigns with national network and Sirius Satellite radio will complement local English and Hispanic radio campaigns. In addition, more than 1,200 radio stations nationally will receive “dj chatter packages,” including life-sized WWE Superstar cut-outs, a DVD of WWE sound bytes, trivia and more to generate buzz-building banter. WrestleMania branded spots will also be seen in more than 1,000 movie theaters.

As always, there is a host of guerilla tactics, such as extensive billboard signage, more than 100,000 branded WrestleMania 23 pizza boxes in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas and Detroit, and even a branded Armored Truck that will canvas New York City. This year, WWE is also amping up its viral buzz campaign through partnerships with MySpace and YouTube and banner advertising on key men’s lifestyle, sports and gaming sites. A two-month viral E-Marketing effort is also planned, and more than one million consumers will receive recorded calls from WWE Superstars and Vince McMahon in the three days leading up to the event to drive last-minute sales.

Wal-Mart, F.Y.E, Game Stop, Steve and Barry’s and AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) are among the retail partners who will generate presence for WrestleMania 23 in more than 10,000 outlets nationally.

WWE is getting its passionate fans directly involved in the hair-hype over the “Battle of the Billionaires” match between Donald Trump and Vince McMahon. In eight key markets, WWE is working with local radio stations asking fans to literally become walking billboards to promote the biggest event in sports entertainment: Selected fans will get paid to shave “WM23 April 1” into their hair.

As part of WWE’s relationship with 360 OTC, WWE will be branded on Jeremy Mayfield’s No. 36 Toyota Camry that Bill Davis Racing is fielding in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. WWE also will have WrestleMania promoted on the 360 OTC SKYSCREENâ„¢ airship, containing the first high resolution full-motion, full-color video LED screen ever flown in the U.S.

WWE’s Fan Axxess Tour is already building buzz by visiting shopping malls and sporting events in 13 cities through March 27. The 4,000 square foot interactive experience will reach more than 200,000 people through the April 1 event, generating more than $1.5 million in incremental media. Affiliates of The CW, as well as cable affiliates of Comcast, Time Warner and Charter Communications, are supporting the Fan Axxess Tour via cross-channel spots, e-blasts, web and cable guide tags.

WWE.com is offering a full slate of WrestleMania 23 original programming, including a live webcast from the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, as well as a live pre-show on WrestleMania Sunday. WWE Mobile will also provide unique video, voice tones and wallpapers produced exclusively for WrestleMania 23.

WWE Home Video is supporting the event with the DVD release of “WrestleMania III: The Championship Edition,” a digital re-mastering of the legendary 20-year-old event at the Pontiac Silverdome that arguably set the world indoor attendance record. The 2-disc DVD features extra matches and interactive content, and includes a bonus “WrestleMania Classics The Music” CD, featuring seven classic Superstar entrance themes, exclusively available at Wal-Mart.

WrestleMania is a global phenomenon seen in more than 90 countries, and WWE will be promoting it in various ways in global markets. In addition to promotional pitches within WWE programming, WWE is utilizing promotion of its “WrestleMania 23 Revenge” live event tour of the UK, Italy and Germany to drive awareness of its prime pay-per-view event. The company has also secured a retailing partnership with Woolworth in the UK. WWE Mobile is also preparing a host of daily themed content, from special video previews and past highlights to free ringtones, wallpapers and photos, for delivery in the top-level promotional slots of the carrier decks of its overseas partners.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com . For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

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In other Wrestlemania 23 news, Pro Wrestling Insider has reported that this year two different versions of the Mania DVD will be released on March 22: WrestleMania 23: The Ultimate Edition — a three-DVD set including five hours of extras, including the Hall of Fame ceremony and bonus matches — as well as the regular WrestleMania 23 DVD that will feature the four-hour show on two discs.