Rumor Mill - WWE's New Cable Channel WWE Network Could Feature WrestleMania & More

WWE issued a survey to a very general audience (rather than their WWE mailing list) last week gauging interest in a WWE TV Network ahead of the 2012 launch. The most interesting aspect of the survey was WWE proposing the monthly PPVs to be shifted to WWE Network as "monthly specials."

WWE isn't set on this idea internally, and the survey included an option for respondents to say whether interest in the Network would be affected if the PPVs were not included. The proposed PPV option reads:

"This network would include all of WWE’s monthly pay-per-view events to the lineup at no additional cost. Rather than having to pay for them, they would now be monthly specials with the same match quality you’re used to seeing on pay-per-view for no additional cost. These events would only be on The WWE Network."

The option is on the table because WWE would like to get to a point where they could collect enough revenue from TV Network subscription fees to replace PPV revenue, and, as the Network grows, create more revenue than the current PPV segment.

Also in the survey, WWE proposed new arena-based shows, which management talked about in the most-recent conference call with investors, that would not be Raw on Smackdown. The following items were mentioned as possible features on the Network in the survey:

-- New non-wrestling shows, repeats of Raw and Smackdown, two new weekly live in-ring shows.

-- "Classic” or “historical” programs featuring shows from different promotions (classic WWE footage, WCW, ECW, NWA, AWA).

-- Daily live in-studio "viewer interactive" show similar to SportsCenter. Also, a "Mike and Mike" style call-in show hosted by current or past WWE stars.

-- Reality show involving "former WWE stars living in a big house," and various documentaries.

-- WWE stars hosting their favorite movies, which suggests WWE obtaining the rights to air non-WWE Studios movies.

source: pwtorch.com