WWE NXT Takeover Draws More Than RAW And SmackDown

As noted, Mauro Ranallo announced that Saturday's WWE NXT "Takeover: XXV" event from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT was sold out, but no attendance figure was given. Triple H revealed in his post-show media call that the 25th Takeover special was the highest-grossing event WWE has done at that arena.

"This brand can stand on its own, and tonight was special. This was the highest-grossing WWE event we've done in this building. We've done RAW and SmackDown here, and this outdrew them."

There's no word yet on the actual number of fans in attendance but the Webster Bank Arena has a capacity of 10,000 for concerts, up to 9,000 for basketball games, and around 8,400 for hockey games.

WWE Issues Email To End Support For The WWE App From The Following Older Devices

WWE's statement on the WWE App and older applications future access to the app:

Our goal is always to provide you with the best possible viewing experience on WWE Network. Unfortunately, several device manufacturers have stopped updating the operating system of older products, which may impact your ability to stream high-quality video. As such, the WWE Network app will no longer be available on the devices listed below starting May 21, 2019:

• Amazon Fire Tablets
• Apple TV – 3rd Generation and earlier models
• LG – 2016 and earlier models
• PlayStation 3
• Samsung – 2016 and earlier models
• Samsung and Sony Blu-Ray Players
• Sony – non Android TVs
• Windows 10 Desktop
• Xbox 360

You can stream WWE Network on many other supported devices. For a full list, please visit WWE Network Support.

Sincerely,
WWE Network Support
www.wwe.com/wwenetwork

WWE Announces New Triple H Special

A new WWE Network special on Triple H will air on Saturday, June 1 after the WWE NXT "Takeover: XXV" event goes off the air from Bridgeport, CT. The special will look at The Game's recent Road to WrestleMania 35 for the No Holds Barred win over Batista.

Triple H Announces 25th WWE NXT Takeover Special For Bridgeport, Connecticut In June

Triple H has announced that the 25th WWENXT Takeover event will take place from the Webster Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

He wrote, "Florida, Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Texas, BROOKLYN, Phoenix, Philly, New Orleans... ...to our TWENTY-FIFTH take over. @WWENXT #NXTTakeOver: XXV is LIVE from the @Webster_Arena Sat, June 1, 2019."

"Takeover: Bridgeport" or "Takeover: XXV" will take place on Saturday, June 1 from the Webster Arena. Tickets go on sale at 10am ET this Friday via NXTTickets.com.

WWE Confirms Bill Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and Undertaker for Upcoming Saudi Arabian PPV

The following press release comes from WWE.com:

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA and STAMFORD, Conn. — The Saudi General Sports Authority, in partnership with WWE, will host an event at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. AST. The event will feature WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, Undertaker, Kofi Kingston, Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins, Goldberg, AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar, and stream live on WWE Network.

Additional details on the event’s matches, ticket availability and pricing, and regional broadcast information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Big Changes Coming To WWE Network In 2019

The WWE Network will see some huge changes in 2019, according to the company's Q1 earnings call. 

During the call with investors, WWE Co-President George Barrios noted that their team has been working on the new platform for over a year, and they are very excited for it to be released. 

The re-launched Network will include new features fans have been asking for for a while, though did not specify what these features will be.

Last year, WWE sent out a survey that gauged interest on a potential premium tier of the Network, which would offer "more content, features, and perks" for $15 per month

Source: WWE

NXT UK to return to Blackpool for NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool this January

As first announced by Triple H in a video that aired during NXT UK tapings in Liverpool Olympia today, NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool will take place in the Empress Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 12, and stream live on the award-winning WWE Network. NXT UK returns to the Empress Ballroom the following night on Sunday, Jan. 13th.

WWE Announces NXT U.K. Premier Date on WWE Network

WWE has announced that NXT U.K. will officially premier on the WWE Network next Wednesday.

WWE's U.K. Twitter account posted the following:

BREAKING: #NXTUK, a new weekly episodic series featuring the greatest male and female competitors from the UK, will stream on @WWENetwork on Wednesdays beginning 17th October at 8pm BST. pic.twitter.com/L8wVJquMdF

— WWE UK (@WWEUK) October 11, 2018

Triple H and Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker and Kane set for WWE Crown Jewel

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA and STAMFORD, Conn. — For the first time since 2010, Shawn Michaels will return to the ring alongside Triple H as DX take on The Brothers of Destruction, The Undertaker & Kane, at WWE Crown Jewel at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday, Nov. 2.

WWE Crown Jewel will also include a Universal Championship Triple Threat Match featuring Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman; a WWE Championship Match between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan; and the first-ever WWE World Cup tournament to determine the best in the world.

General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia Chairman, His Excellency Turki Al Sheikh, WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invite the world to celebrate this signature event. Following the sold-out Greatest Royal Rumble in April, this is the second event as part of a long-term partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

WWE Crown Jewel will stream live on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view outside of the Middle East. Ticket availability will be announced in the coming weeks.

WWE Confirms 205 Live Change

WWE has confirmed that starting this week 205 Live will be moving to Wednesdays at 7pm ET before NXT and the Mae Young Classic.

Content Listing For Stephanie McMahon Collection On WWE Network

The WWE Network will be adding the latest collection on Stephanie McMahon to the streaming service on Monday. Here is the content listing for the collection:

My Earliest TV Appearances (Interview)

Join Stephanie McMahon for a trip down memory lane to recall her earliest on-screen appearances in WWE.

RAW 04/05/1999 – The Sacrificial Lamb

A young Stephanie McMahon finds herself at the mercy of The Undertaker and his sinister Ministry of Darkness.

RAW 04/26/1999 – The Black Wedding

Stephanie McMahon receives help from the most unlikeliest of allies when The Undertaker attempts to seal her in unholy matrimony.

SmackDown 08/26/1999 – Passing the Test

With her torment at the hands of The Undertaker behind her, Stephanie McMahon receives another marriage proposal.

RAW 11/29/1999 – Game Over

As Stephanie McMahon looks to unite with Test in holy matrimony, Triple H crashes the ceremony with an underhanded revelation.

Armageddon 1999 – Daddy’s Little Girl

Stephanie McMahon takes on a new game when Mr. McMahon fights for her honor in a No Holds Barred Match against Triple H.

Not Daddy’s Little Girl Anymore (Interview)

Stephanie McMahon reflects on the day she turned on her father to start a whole new era of tyranny with her husband, Triple H.

More?

Six Years Ago Today, NXT Relaunched At Full Sail University

Today has marked a very special anniversary for the WWE, as it has been six years since the revamp of NXT, with episode one airing June 20, 2012. 

The relaunched focused of new stars and establishing NXT as it's own brand, instead of the reality-competition style of NXT which launched in February 2010.

The results for the show were: 

Bo Dallas defeated Rick ViktorThe Ascension (Conor O'Brian and Kenneth Cameron) defeated CJ Parker and Mike DaltonTyson Kidd defeated Michael McGillicutty

A lot has changed since then, with Viktor joining the Ascension as well as Cameron and Parker being released.

In addition, Mike Dalton has gone on to become Tyler Breeze, with Michael McGillicutty becoming Curtis Axel.

Several WWE Programs Included In Emmy Prelim Ballots

It is a rather long journey to actually get nominated for an Emmy Award. You must pass a couple different stages in the selection process first but it looks like a few WWE programs could be on their way to making the final nomination list.

The Emmy Prelim Ballot was recently released and it includes WWE programming in several categories. As we previously reported, WWE attended the For Your Consideration event and brought a lot of star power to the show. Not only did they have skits designed to entertain but they also brought a couple heavy-hitting programs to put up for a nomination.

The WWE Network's 24 Special "Empowered" is listed on the Prelim Ballot for Best Documentary or Non-Fiction Special. HBO and WWE Studio's joint project Andre The Giant is also in the same category.

WrestleMania 34 is getting some attention in the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category. Both Raw and Mixed Match Challenge are also listed in the Emmy Prelim Ballot for Outstanding Structured Reality Program. The Unstructured Reality Program category includes some WWE representation in the form of both Total Divas and Total Bellas.

Only time will tell if those WWE programs actually make it into the small list of nominees for an Emmy Award, but it's certainly a good start to see them on the list at this point.

Source: Emmys

WWE Announces Record Subscribers For The Network

WWE issued the following today, announcing a record 2.1 million subscribers for the WWE Network. You can read the full release with chart at the WWE Corporate website by clicking here.

WWE® Network Hits Record 2.1 Million Subscribers

04/09/2018

WWE® Raises Q1 and Full Year 2018 Guidance

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WWE® (NYSE:WWE) today announced that its digital streaming service, WWE Network, reached a record 2.12 million total subscribers following last night's WrestleMania®.1 This is a 9% increase from April 3, 2017, the day after WrestleMania last year.

"We expect to deliver record subscriber levels, revenue and Adjusted OIBDA in 2018," said George Barrios, WWE Co-President. "WWE Network's continued growth along with our massive reach across traditional television as well as digital and social platforms, reaffirms the effectiveness of our global, multi-platform content strategy."

WWE Network Subscriber Highlights

WWE Network achieved record levels of total and total paid subscribers as of April 9, 2018. Total paid subscribers reached 1.81 million, representing a 9% increase from April 3, 2017 – the day after WrestleMania last year.

CNN Money Posts Article About WWE's Financial Success, How Much It's Now Worth

CNN Money has posted an article about WWE's current financial success. WWE stock has been at an all-time high as of late, and according to the article, the company as a whole is now worth almost $3 billion.

The article mentions how the WWE Network has been a success for WWE so far, as well as WWE's incredible popularity on social media. The article also acknowledges that while Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live television ratings aren't quite as high as they used to be, they both still averaged about three million viewers a week throughout 2017. Raw in particular draws about the same number of viewers as an NBA basketball game on broadcast television.

WWE's revenue is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, according to several of the experts who spoke to CNN Money.

WWE Earnings Call Highlights: Who Does Vince Credit For Signing Ronda?, How Long Is She Signed For?, WWE Network Updates, More

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, Chief Strategy and Financial Officer George Barrios, Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer Michelle Wilson and SVP Financial Planning & Investor Relations Michael Weitz are hosting a Fourth Quarter 2017 earnings call today from WWE headquarters in Stamford. You can check out coverage of this morning's press release at the following link. Below are highlights from the call:

Weiss opens the call and welcomes us, going over the basics. He turns the call over to Vince. Vince says they achieved record revenue in 2017 and he goes over some of the numbers from the earlier earnings report. Vince touts how video views have grown as have their social media engagements. He touts how WWE has one of the most-viewed YouTube channel. He talks about Mixed Match Challenge and the new "Miz & Mrs." USA Network series with Maryse and WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz. WWE also looks forward to rolling out Virtual Reality content. He also comments on celebrating the RAW 25th Anniversary but says it's just one of many milestones to come. He comments on how Ronda Rousey's debut was the highlight of the women's Royal Rumble match. He also congratulates Triple H and Stephanie McMahon on bringing Rousey to the company.

More?

Raven & Buff Bagwell's Lawsuit Against WWE Dropped "With Prejudice"

According to a report from PWInsider.com, the lawsuit filed against WWE by Marcus "Buff" Bagwell and Scott "Raven" Levy has been completely dropped, and with prejudice.

Their claim was that WWE owed them royalties from the WWE Network the same way that they would get royalties from physical media, like DVDs.

The report from PWInsider.com also notes that at one point while the lawsuit was going on, WWE officials were actually thinking about completely removing all content featuring Raven and Bagwell, even though it would have been a long and tedious process for them to go through and edit all of the WWE, WCW, and ECW footage that Raven and Bagwell appear in. 

This lawsuit reportedly stopped WWE from uploading more content to the Network that they wanted to add by now, including episodes of WWE Sunday Night Heat and WCW Thunder. Now that the lawsuit is finished, look for WWE to add more classic content in the near future.

WWE Network Launching New Documentary Series

WWE is reportedly working on a new series for the WWE Network titled '365', according to PWInsider. The new concept would see the show review a year in the life of a WWE Superstar and their accomplishments.

The new documentary series is expected to launch air following the 2017 Survivor Series PPV on November 19th and will focus on former Universal Champion Kevin Owens.

Mae Young Classic Drawing Strong Viewership On WWE Network

The Mae Young Classic has reportedly been a huge success for the WWE Network.  The 32 competitor tournament exclusively for women from both NXT and the independent circuit is set to conclude next week with finals being held in Las Vegas.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports the eight most watched WWE Network shows this week were episodes of the Mae Young Classic which overshadowed WWE 205 Live viewing figures. WWE took the decision to release multiple episodes rather than one a week and that might have helped with viewership and might be a good formula for the company going forward with tournaments.

WWE Network Subscriber Updated Count Revealed

WWE revealed today in their second-quarter earnings report that the WWE Network averaged 1.63 million paid subscribers over the second quarter of 2017. It was an 8% increase from the second quarter of 2016. Of those subscribers, 1.158 million were from the U.S. while 410,000 were international.

According to a press release, Network revenues, which include revenue generated by WWE Network and pay-per-view, increased 6% to $54.9 million. WWE Network subscription revenue increased 7% to $49.1 million from $45.9 million in the prior year quarter based on an 8% year-over-year increase in average paid subscribers to over 1.63 million.
For the third quarter of 2017, WWE expects the average number of paid subscribers to drop to 1.54 million.