WWE issued a press release today officially announcing what the IWC has been reporting recently: future “single-brand” pay-per-views will all feature talent from across World Wrestling Entertainment. An excerpt:
In the spirit that has made WrestleMania the premier brand in the pay-per-view industry, every future World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views will feature talent and storylines from all three WWE programs: — “Monday Night RAW®,” “Friday Night SmackDown®,” and “ECW®: Extreme Championship Wrestling(TM).”
Starting with Backlash® on April 29, WWE fans will see all their favorite Superstars on every pay-per-view. This is a change from 2005 and 2006, when only four of WWE’s 16 pay-per-views featured talent from more than one WWE brand.
“We have seen over the past two years that WWE pay-per-views have significantly better buy rates when more than one WWE brand is involved,” said Kurt Schneider, Executive Vice President, Marketing. “WrestleMania, with an average of one million buys per event over the past three years, is the perfect example. This new direction will give our fans more of what they want in every one of our pay-per-views.”
“Only four of WWE’s 16 pay-per-views featured talent from more than one WWE brand” in 2005 and 2006? I beg to differ. Anyway, the full press release is available here.
