Update on WWE Network

WWE is still holding to 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 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, respectively.

The amount of "original content" per day would expand on days when WWE airs a monthly PPV event. Barrios noted that WWE is still sticking to the plan of airing 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 HBO-like subscription channel to $9.99-14.99. WWE 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 already in the can: Monday Night Wars chronicling WWE vs. Ted Turner during the '90s, WWE Countdown, a half-hour show counting down top moments in WWE history (WWE has already released some footage on YouTube), 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," Barrios said. "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."

- Barrios identified negotiations being the biggest obstacle to finding a partner to launch the Network with and cable/satellite companies to carry the Network.

"If it's not NBCU, we believe someone will and we’ll see where that goes," Barrios said. Earlier, though, Barrios candidly said WWE could work on their negotiating skills.

"We’re not particularly good negotiators," Barrios said about working out new TV deals for Raw and other programming. "We say we’re great partners and average negotiators."

- 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 favorable 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.