WWE is still aiming for an 18-month window for the potential launch of a WWE Network. However, WWE CFO George Barrios provided several updates on the Network during a presentation this Thursday at J.P. Morgan’s 41st Annual Global Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference.
The current plan for a typical 24-hour programming day is 10-15 hours of “premiering” original content. This does not include re-airing the latest episodes of Raw and Smackdown once the shows premiere on USA Network and Syfy.
Barrios noted that WWE is planning to air 11 of their 12 PPVs on the planned Network, with WrestleMania remaining on pay-per-view distribution.
Barrios lowered the potential monthly price for the subscription channel to $9.99-14.99. WWE had originally proposed $12.99-14.99. “We’ve done a lot of research. It says that’s doable. Again, we will see when it comes.” Barrios said.
Barrios noted three original series are ready: Monday Night Wars (chronicling WWE vs. Ted Turner during the 90s), WWE Countdown (a half-hour show counting down top moments in WWE history), and WrestleMania Rewind (documenting “great moments from WrestleMania past”).
Barrios noted they already tested these three pilot shows with fans. “One of the nice things is not only do the current passionate fans like it or casual, lapsed fans like a lot of that stuff, because they get to relive some of the past. And it’s nicely curated, not just putting Raw footage on it, kind of contemporize and contextualize today, either with new stars, and different people in pop-culture are part of the production.”
In summary, Barrios said the company believes their best sales pitch to potential TV partners is putting 11 of 12 PPVs on the Network, which they believe will entice WWE fans to subscribe to the Network in order to watch the PPVs at a discounted price.
“We’ve got three shows in the can already. So, we’ll create new original content, create a subscription service, price it somewhere between $9.99 and $14.99 a month. And we think that just opens up not only our Pay-Per-Views but the rest of the content to an audience who today can’t afford to buy the Pay-Per-Views because it’s a $50 hit on your cable bill every month when average people bills in the U.S. are about $100.” Barrios said.