Archive for the ‘WWE’ Category

Jim Ross On RAW Next Week, CM Punk’s GTS Pizza Returning

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross says he will be returning to television at next Monday’s 3-hour Raw from Boston. After two weeks of delays, Ross willfinally take the Michael Cole Challenge. Ross tweeted during Monday’s RAW:

“I’ll be in Boston next week for the 3 hour Raw & I will take the Michael Cole Challenge whatever it that is. Is it a setup? Does it matter?”

– C.M. Punk’s specialty “Go To Sleep” pizza is will be returning to a Chicago pizzeria around Thanksgiving time, according to the Chicago Tribune..

The “GTS Pizza,” which features smoked turkey leg, sliced potatoes, swiss cheese, and onions, will be available at Ian’s Pizza from November 21-27.

Punk visited Ian’s Pizza over the summer (along with Beth Phoenix and Colt Cabana) and created the pizza himself.

WWE Hall of Famer Hospitalized, WWE Superstars Matches Taped

— WWE Hall of Famer Superstar Billy Graham, 68, was hospitalized Monday in Phoenix, Arizona for pneumonia. He is on antibiotics and in stable condition.

“Billy had a bad cough last night when I spoke to him,” said his agent Scott Epstein. “He said he also had a low grade fever and was going to go to the ER as a precaution. Valerie (his wife) called me this morning to tell me he was admitted. She will update me later this evening.”

— Matches taped Monday in Liverpool, England for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are as follows:

* Alex Riley vs. Michael McGillicutty

* Curt Hawkins vs. Justin Gabriel

— Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso beat Derrick Bateman and Trent Barreta in a dark match at tonight’s tapings in Liverpool, England.

sources: 1Wrestling.com, ProWrestling.net

WWE RAW Results From Liverpool, England

Dark Match:

* The Usos defeated Trent Baretta and Derek Bateman.

WWE RAW (Airing Tonight on USA)

John Cena came out to open the show. Cena hyped The Rock’s appearance on RAW next and hyped that this is the first time ever RAW has taped from Liverpool.

The Miz and R-Truth interrupted Cena and talked about how they will defeat him and The Rock at Survivor Series. It was revealed that Awesome Truth will fight Cena and a partner tonight on RAW. Cena bragged that his mystery partner for tonight is a future WWE Hall of Famer.

Miz and R-Truth charged the ring to attack Cena, but Zack Ryder came out and made the save.

John Morrison defeated US Champion Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match.

Mason Ryan defeated JTG in a quick match.

Zack Ryder had a brief exchange with The Bella Twins backstage.

WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio defeated Kofi Kingston with the cross arm breaker. Ricardo Rodriguez introduced Del Rio. After the match, Del Rio put Kofi back in his arm breaker submission holds – which brought out C.M. Punk to a massive pop.

Punk and Del Rio went back and forth on the mic – with Del Rio calling Punk a coward. Del Rio told Punk they should call off their match at Survivor Series – but Punk refused and the two started to brawl. Punk hit Ricardo Rodriguez with a Go To Sleep.

Jack Swagger defeated Santino Marella.

Jerry Lawler came out and introduced Kelly Kelly. Kelly plugs her new Maxim cover and spread (view here). Beth Phoenix and Natalya came out and interrupted her. The Divas of Doom threaten to beat up Kelly Kelly until Alicia Fox made the save. Kelly and Alicia revealed Kelly’s Maxim magazine cover.

John Laurinaitis came out and introduced Kevin Nash, who walked to the ring to the old NWO theme music. Nash talked about how he should have buried Triple H back in 1995, but he let Hunter into the Kliq as a favor to Shawn Michaels.  Nash said Hunter would be nothing without him and complained about his legends contract. Nash said he could be world champion today if he wanted to – and that he showed everyone “how to play the game.”

– John Laurinaitis and David Otunga were shown walking around backstage, when CM Punk bumped into them and said he’ll be the next WWE champion. Punk started to fight with Otunga but was attacked by Alberto Del Rio.

– The Miz and R-Truth defeated John Cena and Zack Ryder in what was said to be a really good match. Awesome Truth got the win after The Miz pinned Cena while R-Truth held Cena’s legs down.

Dark Match Main Event

–  The Miz defeated John Cena after R-Truth held Cena’s feet down while Miz pinned him once again. Dolph Ziggler came out after the match and the heels beat down Cena and Zack Ryder. Out came CM Punk to even the odds. CM Punk and John Cena took turns beating up Dolph Ziggler – with fans cheering for Punk’s attacks and booing Cena’s. Zack Ryder hit Dolph Ziggler with a Rough Ryde and CM Punk hit Ziggler with the Attitude Adjustment to end the show.

United States Title Match Added To Survivor Series (11/20)

This afternoon, we reported that WWE has added a traditional 5-on-5 elimination match to the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view.

Now – we’ve got another match that’s been made official: United States champion Dolph Ziggler will defend against New York’s own Zack Ryder.

With those two matches set, here’s the updated card for WWE Survivor Series, which takes place on November 20th from New York City’s Madison Square Garden:

The Rock Returns To The Ring:
John Cena and The Rock vs. The Miz and R-Truth

United States Title Match:
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Zack Ryder

WWE Championship Match:
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. CM Punk

World Heavyweight Title Match:
Mark Henry (c) vs. The Big Show

TEAM ORTON vs. TEAM BARRETT 5-on-5 Match:
Randy Orton, Sheamus, Mason Ryan, Kofi Kingston and Sin Cara vs. Wade Barrett, Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Christian, Jack Swagger and Hunico.

The Great Khali Offered Movie Role, WWE Joins Google+, More

— IndiaToday.com reports The Great Khali has been offered a role to appear in one of Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari’s films. Tiwari’s publicist Shashikant Singh said Khali was considering the Bhojpuri film offer.

“So far, he has neither accepted nor declined the offer,” Singh said. “Tiwari had offered him a Bhojpuri film last year too, but Khali left for the US immediately after coming out of the Bigg Boss house.”

— WWE has launched a page on Google+. Google’s latest social network effort launched in June.

— Eve is advertised to appear at Central California Auto Show on Saturday, November 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The event takes place at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center 848 M Street Fresno, California. Click here for more information.

Team Orton vs. Team Barrett Announced For Survivor Series

Announced exclusively on WWE.com, Survivor Series will feature one of its signature bouts when Team Orton takes on Team Barrett inside the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Orton will lead Sheamus, Mason Ryan, WWE Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston and Sin Cara into battle, while Barrett brings Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Christian, Jack Swagger and Hunico.

Other matches scheduled for the event include:

* John Cena and The Rock vs. The Miz and R-Truth

* World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs. Big Show

* WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. CM Punk

Preview For Tonight’s RAW Supershow From The UK

WWE will be taping tonight’s RAW Supershow this afternoon from Liverpool, England.

SEScoops.com will have detailed spoiler results for tonight’s RAW this afternoon, so check back later for those.

Here’s what we’ll see tonight on RAW:

– Kevin Nash will make his return to WWE television after being “re-hired” by interim RAW GM John Laurinaitis.

– Brodus Clay will make his return to WWE television tonight as well.

– The Michael Cole Challenge match between Cole and Jim Ross that was supposed to take place last week was bumped to this week’s show. However, it’s worth noting that Jim Ross wrote on Twitter over the weekend that he is not booked for today’s taping, so we’ll see if that actually occurs.

– Despite an injury angle that will keep him out of action for up to 6 weeks, Triple H is advertised for the dark match main event. He will team with CM Punk against The Miz and R-Truth.

– There are no SmackDown stars advertised for tonight’s RAW “Supershow” – as the SmackDown crew has their own live event scheduled for tonight in Birmingham, England.

First Day Ticket Sales For WrestleMania XXVIII Sets Record

WrestleMania(R) Sets Record

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — WWE(R) announced today that first day ticket sales for WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami resulted in a record gross of $6.3 million, shattering the previous first day record of $4.8 million for the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania.

Tickets went on sale this past Saturday, November 5 for WrestleMania XXVIII, which takes place Sunday, April 1, 2012 from Sun Life Stadium in Miami. The main event will feature The Rock(R) challenging John Cena(R) in the most highly anticipated main event ever in sports entertainment history. The event will be broadcast on pay-per-view and viewed in more than 100 countries.

“We are thrilled that WrestleMania XXVIII has already made WWE history in such dramatic fashion,” said John Saboor, Senior Vice President of Special Events for WWE. “Coming off the momentum of last year’s record breaking event in Atlanta, we fully anticipate that this year’s WrestleMania in Miami will be our largest and most successful ever.”

WWE, a publicly traded company , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

CM Punk Argues With Fan At WWE Show, Makes Fun Of TNA

CM Punk was captured on camera engaging in an argument with a fan who jeered him at Friday’s Raw World Tour event in Amneville, France.

Following his victory over WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio in the main event, Punk slapped hands of ringside area fans. One fan, however, greeted The Straight Edge Superstar with boos. An agitated Punk belittled the fan by making “crybaby” motions and calling him a “Cena fan.” When the fan said he hated John Cena, Punk wagged his finger and sniped, “I bet you watch TNA, don’t you?!”

The fan said he doesn’t, to which Punk retorted, “Your friend does!” Punk then sarcastically says of TNA “It’s good!” while displaying Cena’s trademark “O” hand gesture.

Punk’s latest swipe towards TNA Wrestling comes days after he said on Twitter that he misses working for the Orlando based wrestling promotion like he misses high school. He competed for TNA in 2003 and 2004 before quitting the league following a dispute with management over his ability to simultaneously appear for Ring of Honor.

Here’s the video:

Darren Young’s Suspension Concludes – Can He Return To NXT?

Darren Young’s thirty-day suspension for his first violation of WWE’s Talent Wellness Program expired on Friday. Therefore, he is now eligible to resume performing for the organization.

WWE announced on October 6, 2011 that the NXT contestant had been suspended for thirty days due to his non-compliance with their drug testing policy. On the subequent episode of NXT, program host Matt Striker implied that Young had been eliminated from the competition due to his infraction as he referred Derrick Bateman and Titus O’Neil as the final two competitors.

Two other wrestlers are currently serving drug related suspensions with WWE: Heath Slater and Evan Bourne. Slater is eligible to resume performing on November 16, 2011 while Bourne can on December 1, 2011.

Kelly Kelly Recalls Origins Of Name, WWE Highlights Roddy Piper

— Kelly Kelly and WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter appeared on Miami’s 560 WQAM Sports Radio Friday promoting the on-sale date for Wrestlemania XXVIII tickets. Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, who co-hosts the show, recalled watching Dusty Rhodes when he was growing up in Florida. The segment concluded with Kelly explaining her how ring name was created.

“My first day, my wrestling name was going to be Kelly. Then, I came back the next week and Vince (McMahon) had this wonderful idea, ‘Let’s call her Kelly Kelly. Let’s just give her two first names; we’ve never done that before,” she said. “So, there you go.”

— The legendary career of WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper is highlighted on the latest episode of WWE Vintage Collection. The episode featured clips from the following matches and segments:

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan and Mr. (WrestleMania), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton vs. Paul Orndorff and Andre the Giant (WWF live event – August 10th, 1985), Piper’s Pit vs. The Flower Shop (WWF Superstars – September 27th, 1986), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper destroys The Flower Shop (WWF Superstars – October 4th, 1986, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. “Adorable” Adrian Adonis (WWF live event – February 15th, 1987), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania VIII), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart (WCW Monday Nitro – February 9th, 1999), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Ric Flair vs. The Spirit Squad (WWE Cyber Sunday – November 5, 2006), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper rescues Bret Hart from The Mountie and Jimmy Hart (WWF live event – January 17th, 1992), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. The Mountie (WWF Royal Rumble – January 19, 1992).

HBK Asked If He’ll Come Out Of Retirement, WWE Ignores Foley

— Shawn Michaels and Triple H appeared on CBS Miami’s morning show Friday promoting the on-sale date for Wrestlemania XXVIII tickets. The Heartbreak Kid was asked if he’s coming out of retirement for event, to which he jokingly replied, “No. All right, next question!”

He continued, “In this line of work, everyone says, ‘Never say never,’ so I’m not saying never, but never. My home will always be with WWE and I always tell everyone all they need to do is shine the bat signal and I’ll be there.”

— WWE.com published a photo gallery of last Wednesday’s Raw live event in Dublin, Ireland and Mick Foley, who appeared at the event, is not featured in any of the images.

Foley cut a promo and was confronted by The Miz and R-Truth, which led to him officiating a match later in the evening between Awesome Truth and John Cena and John Morrison.

Triple H Talks About The Infamous Katie Vick Angle (Video)

Katie looks so hot in that coffin..

Triple H appeared on Miami based radio show 790 The Ticket on Friday promoting WrestleMania XXVIII ticket sales and was asked if he ever questioned a WWE storyline. He recalls questioning the infamous Katie Vick angle which involved himself and Kane.

“What are we doing?” he recalls asking.

The 2002 angle culminated with Triple H, dressed as Kane, simulating mock sex with a mannequin in a casket.

The Chief Operating Officer of WWE, who is notorious for slighting colleagues during live television, admits he sometimes says things for the sole purpose of entertaining himself.

“There have been times where I’ll say something get crickets from the crowd but I got (Shawn Michaels) to crack so it was worth it,” he said.

The audio interview is available here.

Here’s the infamous footage of one of the most Triple H, pretending to be Kane, simulating sex with a corpse:

Triple H appeared on the Opie & Anthony radio show back in 2008 and spoke at length about the Katie Vick segment, check it out:

Mick Foley Talks About His Return, Who He Wants To Wrestle

Mick Foley appeared on Wrestling Voice Radio this week and spoke about returning to WWE last week at a live event from Dublin, Ireland.

When asked about why Foley chose an overseas house show for his big return, Foley said:

“The basic answer is because I just happened to be flying into Dublin the day they were there and my hotel was literally across the street. I called and asked if I could come hang out and it was a lot of fun.”

Foley was originally advertised November 14th RAW Supershow from Boston featuring The Rock’s return, but says he wasn’t surprised when WWE scrapped the idea and decided to keep the attention on The Rock that night.

Foley also said he probably has one big match left in him and named The Miz as the person he’d want to wrestle against.

Here’s audio of the interview:

WrestleMania 28 Ticket Giveaway Contest

SEScoops.com is giving away 2 tickets to WrestleMania 28 on April 1, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

We’ve got our tickets already – and will be buying 2 more tickets to give away to our loyal readers.

All you have to do to enter is respond to this article with a comment below (using a valid email address, Facebook or Twitter account) and you are entered to win.

Easy enough, right?

Good luck!!

Video: Bobby Roode’s Post-Title Win Promo

TNA’s new World Champion Bobby Roode speaks out after capturing the gold on Thursday’s Impact Wrestling. Roode says things are about to change in TNA – because it’s his time.

Former WWE Stars Now Free To Join TNA, Divas On The Insider

— Chris Masters, David Hart Smith, Melina and Vladimir Kozlov are now free to join TNA Wrestling since their respective ninety-day no-compete clauses with WWE expired Thursday. All four wrestlers were released on August 5, 2011.

The clause prohibits released talent from appearing for wrestling promotions with national television outlets for ninety days.

Masters caused fans to speculate he would be joining the Orlando based promotion with a Twitter message he posted two days following his departure. He wrote, “After a day of digesting,I must say WWE wasn’t doing anything with me.So its probably best I go make my IMpact somewhere else.”

Meanwhile, Melina was asked at last month’s pre-launch party for Saints Row: The Third if she has plans to join TNA. The former WWE Women’s Champion said she’s “still deciding.”

— Inspired by the recent surge of news surrounding former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler, Brooke Anderson will join Eve, Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox in a WWE ring to interview them for a special segment on the syndicated tabloid television news program The Insider. The segment was scheduled to air on Wednesday’s show, but will instead air today.

The official Twitter feed of WWE wrote Friday: “Tune in to @TheInsider tonight on your CBS station for @WWE Divas @EveMarieTorres, @RealKellyKelly & @AliciaFoxy! Check local listings!”

McMahon Endorses Romney, WWE Studios In Trouble & More

– United States Senate candidate Linda McMahon has officially endorsed Rebpulican candidate Mitt Romney for the 2012 Presidential election. For more on Linda’s endorsement of Romney, check out Politico.com.

– At Thursday’s WWE Investor conference call, it was announced that revenues from WWE Studios plummeted a staggering 51% during the third quarter of 2011. Vince McMahon stated on Thursday that WWE plans to “monitor and refine to improve future performance.”  WWE plans to release three films already wrapped over the next six months.

Entertainment publication Variety has an article up looking WWE’s struggling film division, which you can read here.

CTPost.com has an article up looking at the strong performance of WWE’s stock on Thursday despite the company’s Q3 earnings dropping to $10.6 million, down from $14.3 million last year. CTPost wrote:

“Stamford-based WWE reported earnings Thursday and saw shares up 3.4 percent to $10.66 on the New York Stock Exchange. The wrestling entertainment company said earnings fell to $10.6 million, or 14 cents per share in the third quarter, from $14.3 million, or 19 cents a share, over the same period last year.”

“WWE’s film business was a drag on earnings again, but revenue from live and televised events rose nearly $5 million to $78.1 million in the quarter.”

THQ At WWE HQ, New WWE Video Games Planned (Video)

– Representatives from THQ are at WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT today to discuss future WWE video games.

– It was revealed during Thursday’s WWE investor conference call that THQ is currently working on a new WWE game that will be playable exclusively on Facebook.

– THQ is teaming with Trish Stratus for a WWE ’12 give-away contest. Fans can enter at Trish Stratus’ Facebook Page an- with the winner receiving a copy of WWE ’12, Trish’s FitGloves and Stratusphere Yoga DVD.

– WWE’s All Stars video game will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS soon. Here’s the first preview from THQ:

WrestleMania Kickoff Party Tonight In Miami

WWE is hosting a WrestleMania 28 kickoff party tonight in Miami, Florida If you can get to Miami – this is your chance to buy WrestleMania 28 tickets before they are available to the public and meet several WWE Superstars, Divas and Legends.

The staff of SEScoops.com will be there – will you??

Here’s what you need to know:

Tonight:  7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Miami, Florida’s Bayfront Park

Autograph Sessions with:

  • Rey Mysterio
  • Kelly Kelly
  • The Bella Twins
  • Rosa
  • Sgt. Slaughter
  • Jimmy Hart

Additional Activites

  • Live Entertainment from the All Star Band
  • Family Fun Zone

Rey Mysterio Talks About Returning, Mil Mascaras & More

Injured WWE star Rey Mysterio spoke to The Miami Herald this week to promote WrestleMania 28 tickets going on sale this weekend. Here are some highlights of what Mysterio said about:

Hoping to be Back in Time for WrestleMania 28:

“Especially after the injury that I had, I want to make sure to work hard throughout this therapy so I can go ahead and be back by then.”

Mil Mascaras Entering the WWE Hall of Fame Next Year:

“I think he definitely brought something that was very unique to pro wrestling. You had seen masked wrestlers before but nothing like Mil Mascaras. Not only did he revolutionize the sport in the United States but also in Japan and in Mexico. You would never see that man wear the same outfit twice. His style in the ring, his presence, the designs on his masks, everything was so different every time. I believe he did revolution, to a certain degree, the sport in all three countries.”

The Importance of Luchadores Speaking English in the US:

“I think it’s very important. It’s important to understand the culture, to speak the language, to be able to get around and speak to your teammates. It’s important to be able to express yourself in the ring and on the microphone to the WWE Universe. I think it is a big factor in this industry now.”

John Morrison Talks About His Losing Streak

– The WWE wbsite has an article up looking at the recent losing streak of John Morrison titled, “Has JoMo lost his mojo?”

In case you hadn’t noticed how bad Morrison has been jobbing as of late – the article states that Morrison hasn’t won a match since August and has been “smashed” by Cody Rhodes, “squashed” by Mark Henry, “creamed” by Wade Barrett, “dismantled” by Alberto Del Rio and has been “tasting the bottom of Drew McIntyre’s boot” on WWE Superstars.

There have been various reports that Morrison is in the ‘doghouse’ – but Morrison says his losing streak can be attributed to the fact that he returned to action (following a neck injury) sooner than he should have:

“I came back a little bit too early. Physically, I’m here. Spiritually, I’m out of my mind. I’ve got all these things going on in the periphery.”

“What I need to do is cut everything off and go back to square one. What was it that made me want to get into this business as a little John Morrison? I’ve lost touch with that. And for me to be a success I need to get it back.”

Related News: Melina Says WWE Is Killing John Morrison’s Career

WWE SmackDown Preview For Tonight

The following is a spoiler-free preview for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown on SyFy:

  • World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs. Daniel Bryan
  • WWE Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton (Street Fight)
  • Ted DiBiase vs. Tyson Kidd
  • Alicia Fox vs. Natalya
  • Sheamus vs. Wade Barrett
  • Epico makes his WWE debut against Sin Cara

Also appearing are Big Show, Christian, Teddy Long and more.

Maryse Ouellet’s Message To Vince McMahon – “Your Loss”

Paparazzi caught Maryse Ouellet out in Hollywood, California Friday night just hours after WWE announced they had come to terms on the release of the French Canadian entertainer. When asked for comment on her departure from the sports entertainment organization, she flippantly responds, “Vince McMahon, your loss.”

Check out the footage here:

Contrary to her remark, the split was largely mutual since she asked to be released from her contract and WWE no longer had plans to promote her in a high-profile manner. Friends of Ouellet say she lost interest in performing for WWE over the past year and was ready to move on to the next chapter of her life. She plans on returning to glamour modeling and has her sights set on posing for Playboy again. WWE’s decision to release Ouellet was also fueled by the expectation that unlike Gail Kim, she will not join TNA Wrestling.

Ouellet underwent abdominal hernia surgery on August 24, 2011 but never appeared for WWE again. She was cleared to resume wrestling several weeks ago and told friends she would be returning soon.

Ouellet is dating The Miz and the couple currently reside in Southern California.

WWE Reports Third Quarter 2011 Financial Results

WWE(R) Reports 2011 Third Quarter Results

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov 03, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — WWE  today announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2011. Revenues totaled $108.5 million as compared to $109.6 million in the prior year quarter. Operating income was $15.9 million as compared to $20.3 million in the prior year quarter. Net income was $10.6 million, or $0.14 per share, as compared to $14.3 million, or $0.19 per share, in the prior year quarter. Impacting comparability of our year-over-year results were $5.1 million of film impairment charges in the current year quarter. Excluding the impact of the film impairments in the current quarter, Adjusted Operating income was $21.0 million as compared to $20.3 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted Net income was $14.1 million, or $0.19 per share, as compared to $14.3 million, or $0.19 per share.

“In the third quarter, our results reflected the Company’s continued focus on improving business results in a difficult environment,” stated Vince McMahon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Despite the challenging economic headwinds, both domestically and abroad, we generated increased profits across a majority of our businesses, with the main exception being our film business which we continue to monitor and refine to improve future performance. We believe the sluggish economy and our ongoing talent transition were important factors that affected the results of our other businesses. Based on our history of developing talent and creating content with broad appeal, we are confident we can address our creative challenges. Further, by taking advantage of our strategic opportunities, including the anticipated 2012 launch of a WWE network, we can achieve meaningful growth.”

Comparability of Results

The current year quarter results included $5.1 million in film impairment charges related to our films Inside Out, The Chaperone, and Knucklehead. In order to facilitate an analysis of our financial results on a more comparable basis, where noted, we have adjusted our results to exclude these film impairment charges from our third quarter of 2011 results. Adjusted Operating income increased 3% to $21.0 million and Adjusted EBITDA increased 5% to $24.6 million. (See Schedules of Adjustments in Supplemental Information) Please note that our revised film strategy utilizing a self-distribution model also has an impact on the comparability of results but is not adjusted in the aforementioned schedules.

Three Months Ended September 30, 2011 — Results by Business Segment

Total revenues declined 1% to $108.5 million driven primarily by declines in WWE Studios and Consumer Products, partially offset by Live and Televised Entertainment. Revenues from North America increased by 1%, led by growth in our Pay-Per-View and Home Video businesses. Revenues outside North America decreased 6%, primarily due to a decline in our Consumer Products segment, which was partially offset by an increase in Television rights revenue and favorable changes in foreign exchange rates.

The following tables reflect net revenues by segment and by region for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010. (Dollars in millions)

Three Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
Net Revenues 2011 2010
——————————– ——— ———
Live and Televised Entertainment $ 78.1 $ 73.8
Consumer Products 19.8 21.4
Digital Media 6.9 6.8
WWE Studios 3.7 7.6
—– —–
Total $ 108.5 $ 109.6
==== ===== ==== =====

Three Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
Net Revenues by Region 2011 2010
———————————– —– —–
North America $ 79.6 $ 78.9
Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) 14.1 15.0
Asia Pacific (APAC) 12.6 13.3
Latin America 2.2 2.4
—– —–
Total $ 108.5 $ 109.6
==== ===== ==== =====

Live and Televised Entertainment

Revenues from our Live and Televised Entertainment businesses were $78.1 million for the current year quarter as compared to $73.8 million in the prior year quarter, representing a 6% increase.

– Live Event revenues were $23.0 million as compared to $22.8 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting an increase of 1%. — There were 79 events, including 15 international events, during the current year quarter as compared to 78 events, including 16 international events, in the prior year quarter.

– North American events generated $14.2 million of revenues from 64 events as compared to $13.8 million from 62 events in the prior year quarter. North American average attendance decreased 6% to approximately 4,900 from 5,200 in the prior year quarter. The average ticket price for North American events was $41.34 in the current year quarter as compared to $41.07 in the prior year quarter.

– International events generated approximately $8.8 million of revenues from 15 events as compared to $9.0 million from 16 events in the prior year quarter. International average attendance increased 7% to approximately 7,200 from 6,700 in the prior year quarter. In addition, average ticket prices were $80.08 as compared to $86.07 in the prior year quarter, reflecting a 7% decrease, due in part to differences in territory mix that were partially offset by favorable changes in foreign exchange rates.

– Pay-Per-View revenues were $15.8 million as compared to $13.6 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting the impact of buys associated with WrestleMania, a prior period event. There were 65,000 incremental buys for WrestleMania in the quarter, which has a higher retail price than our other events. Buys for the three comparable events in the current and prior year quarter, however, declined 4%, reflecting a 3% increase in domestic buys that was more than offset by a 14% decline in international buys.

The details for the number of buys (in 000s) are as follows:

Broadcast Month Events (in chronological order) Three Months Ended Sept. 30,
————————–
2011 2010
——— —————–
July Money in the Bank(TM) 195 165
August SummerSlam® 296 350
September Night of Champions® 161 165
Prior events 106 55
——— —————–
Total 758 735
========= =================

– Television Rights Fees revenues were $34.0 million as compared to $31.1 million in the prior year quarter. This increase was primarily due to improved terms and contractual increases from our existing programs, partially offset by the absence of rights fees for our NXT(TM) and WWE Superstars programs.

– Venue Merchandise revenues were $3.6 million as compared to $3.9 million in the prior year quarter, as the impact of a 12% decrease in total domestic (U.S.) attendance was partially offset by an 8% increase in domestic per capita merchandise sales to $10.18 in the current year quarter.

Consumer Products

Revenues from our Consumer Products businesses decreased 7% to $19.8 million from $21.4 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to the performance of our Licensing business.

– Home Video net revenues were $8.3 million as compared to $7.2 million in the prior year quarter, a 15% increase driven by an adjustment to our allowance for returns and an increase in revenue per unit, partially offset by a 17% reduction in shipments to 686,000 units. The reduction in our allowance for returns reflected better than expected sell-through rates for titles released in prior quarters. Average prices increased 4% to $13.18 due to the timing of promotional activity and a reduction in manufacturer’s discounts.

– Licensing revenues were $9.0 million as compared to $10.8 million in the prior year quarter as lower toy, collectible and apparel sales more than offset an increase in video game sales. Revenues related to toys declined 24%, or $0.9 million, reflecting a challenging retail environment for certain toy categories. Revenues from our collectible products declined due to a tough comparison to a successful product launch in the prior year. Revenue from video games, increased by approximately $1.1 million, led by sales of the WWE All Stars video game, which launched earlier this year. Unit shipments of our SmackDown vs. Raw video game decreased 59% to 135,000 units as compared to the prior year quarter.

– Magazine publishing net revenues were $1.9 million as compared to $2.6 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting lower newsstand sales in the current year quarter.

Digital Media

Revenues from our Digital Media related businesses were $6.9 million as compared to $6.8 million in the prior year quarter, representing a 1% increase.

– WWE.com revenues were $3.7 million as compared to $4.0 million in the prior year quarter, primarily reflecting a decline in mobile content revenues.

– WWEShop revenues were $3.2 million as compared to $2.8 million in the prior year quarter. This was driven by a 15% increase in the number of orders to approximately 68,000 and a 2% increase in average revenue per order to $46.94.

WWE Studios

During the quarter, we recorded revenue of $3.7 million as compared to $7.6 million in the prior year quarter, with the decline in revenue driven by the relative performance of our current film releases compared to the prior year quarter release. Film profits declined $5.5 million from the prior year quarter reflecting the performance of recent releases; i.e., Inside Out, The Chaperone, and Knucklehead. Lower home video sales than anticipated contributed to revised ultimate projections, which resulted in a $5.1 million impairment charge for these films. The decline in film profits also reflected lower receipts from our licensed films and the previously disclosed change in our distribution model for films. Under our self-distribution model, we record a film’s advertising costs and distribution expenses in our results as incurred and recognize film receipts as earned.

Profit Contribution (Net revenues less cost of revenues)

Profit contribution decreased to $44.0 million in the current year quarter as compared to $47.8 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting a loss in our WWE Studios segment and lower Licensing profits. Gross profit contribution margin decreased to approximately 41% as compared to 44% in the prior year quarter, primarily driven by the performance of our film business, which reflected the recognition of film impairment charges. Excluding these charges, Adjusted Profit contribution increased to $49.1 million in the current year quarter as compared to $47.8 million in the prior year quarter and Adjusted profit margins increased to 45% as compared to 44% in the prior year quarter.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

SG&A expenses were $24.5 million for the current year quarter as compared to $24.3 million in the prior year quarter, led by increases in salary, severance and benefit costs, as well as higher legal and professional fees, in-part related to the anticipated launch of a WWE Network. These were partially offset by a reduction in accrued management incentive compensation.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense was $3.6 million for the current year quarter as compared to $3.2 million in the prior year quarter.

EBITDA

EBITDA was approximately $19.5 million in the current year quarter as compared to $23.5 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease was primarily driven by reduced profits from our film business. Adjusted EBITDA (excluding the film impairment charges in the current year quarter) increased 5% to $24.6 million in the current quarter as compared to $23.5 million in the prior year quarter.

Investment and Other (Expense) Income

Investment income was $0.5 million in both the current year quarter and prior year quarters. Other expense of $0.7 million, as compared to other income of $0.9 million in the prior year quarter, reflects foreign exchange losses of $0.4 million in the current year quarter as compared to foreign exchange gains of $0.9 million in the prior year quarter.

Effective tax rate

In the current year quarter, the effective tax rate was 32% as compared to 34% in the prior year quarter. The prior year rate was negatively impacted by a $0.4 million adjustment relating to differences between our tax returns as filed and our estimated tax provision.

Summary Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011

Total revenues through the nine months ended September 30, 2011 were $371.0 million as compared to $355.1 million in the prior year period. Operating income for the current year period was $50.1 million versus $67.8 million in the prior year period. Net income was $33.5 million, or $0.45 per share, as compared to $45.3 million, or $0.60 per share, in the prior year period. EBITDA was $61.0 million for the current nine month period as compared to $76.3 million in the prior year period. The current year period was impacted by $11.2 million in film impairment charges, while the prior year period reflected an infrastructure tax incentive which reduced depreciation and amortization expense by $1.6 million. Adjusting for these items, Adjusted Operating income for the current year period was $61.3 million versus $66.2 million in the prior year period. Adjusted Net Income was $41.1 million, or $0.55 per share, as compared to $44.4 million, or $0.59 per share, in the prior year period.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011 — Results by Business Segment

Total revenues grew 4% to $371 million driven primarily by an increase in Live and Televised Entertainment, which occurred mostly in North America. Growth in North America also reflected increased revenue from Licensing (within our Consumer Products segment) and from WWE Studios. Revenues from outside North America were essentially flat as growth from Television and WWE Studios and an approximate $3 million favorable impact from changes in foreign exchange rates were offset by a decline in Consumer Products.

The following charts reflect net revenues by segment and by geographical region for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and September 30, 2010. (Dollars in millions)

Net Revenues by Segment
——————
Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
Live and Televised Entertainment $ 259.0 $ 249.5
Consumer Products 76.2 75.4
Digital Media 19.2 18.6
WWE Studios 16.6 11.6
—– —–
Total $ 371.0 $ 355.1
==== ===== ==== =====
Net Revenues by Region
——————
Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
North America $ 272.3 $ 256.4
Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) 57.0 55.6
Asia Pacific (APAC) 29.3 29.2
Latin America 12.4 13.9
—– —–
Total $ 371.0 $ 355.1
==== ===== ==== =====

Live and Televised Entertainment

Revenues from our Live and Televised Entertainment businesses were $259.0 million for the current period as compared to $249.5 million in the prior year period, an increase of 4%.

Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
Live Events $ 77.8 $ 78.0
Pay-Per-View $ 63.7 $ 56.4
Venue Merchandise $ 14.4 $ 14.7
Television Rights Fees $ 97.6 $ 91.3
Television Advertising $ 0.7 $ 4.5
WWE Classics On Demand $ 3.4 $ 3.5

Consumer Products

Revenues from our Consumer Products businesses were $76.2 million as compared to $75.4 million in the prior year, an increase of 1%.

Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
Home Video $ 23.9 $ 26.3
Licensing $ 44.9 $ 39.4
Magazine Publishing $ 5.7 $ 7.9

Digital Media

Revenues from our Digital Media related businesses were $19.2 million as compared to $18.6 million in the prior year, an increase of 3%.

Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
WWE.com $ 9.8 $ 10.4
WWEShop $ 9.4 $ 8.2

WWE Studios

During the current year period, WWE Studios recognized revenue of $16.6 million as compared to $11.6 million in the prior year period, with the growth in revenue driven by an increase in the number of film releases (3 in the current year period as compared to 1 in the prior year period). Lower than anticipated performance of several films contributed to revised ultimate projections, which resulted in $11.2 million of impairment charges. Film profits declined $14.6 million from the prior year period driven by the aforementioned impairment charges and the increased distribution expenses associated with the higher number of releases under our self-distribution model in the current period as compared to the prior year period.

Profit Contribution (Net revenues less cost of revenues)

Profit contribution decreased to $144.4 million in the current year period as compared to $156.6 million in the prior year period primarily driven by the performance of our WWE Studios business and the absence of domestic television rights fees for our NXT(TM) and WWE Superstars programs. Adjusted Profit contribution (excluding the film impairment charges in the current year period) of $155.6 million was essentially flat to the prior year period as increased profits from Licensing and Pay-Per-View were offset by the absence of the domestic television rights fees as discussed above. Adjusted Profit contribution margin declined to approximately 42% as compared to 44% in the prior year period, primarily reflecting the resulting change in product mix.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

SG&A expenses were $83.4 million for the current year period as compared to $80.3 million in the prior year period, led by increases in salary, severance and benefit costs, as well as higher legal and professional fees, partially offset by a reduction in accrued management incentive compensation.

EBITDA

EBITDA for the current year period decreased to approximately $61.0 million as compared to $76.3 million in the prior year period, reflecting lower profit contribution and higher SG&A expenses as described above. Adjusted EBITDA (excluding the film impairment charges in the current year period) declined to $72.2 million from $76.3 million in the prior year period.

Investment and Other Income (Expense)

Investment and Other Income (Expense) was essentially unchanged from the prior year period.

Effective tax rate

The effective tax rate was 33% in both the current and prior year periods. The decrease in our current period tax rate from our anticipated rate of 35% was primarily due to a $0.6 million benefit relating to the shutdown of a Canadian subsidiary. Additionally, rates were positively impacted by the recognition of tax benefits previously unrecognized of $0.5 million and $1.3 million for the current year and prior year periods, respectively. These benefits were primarily a result of the statute of limitations expiring in jurisdictions where the Company had previously taken uncertain tax positions.

Cash Flows

Net cash provided by operating activities was $47.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 as compared to $27.9 million in the prior year period. This increase was primarily driven by the timing of feature film production activities.

On September 9th, 2011, WWE entered into a $200 million revolving credit agreement because we believed there was generally a favorable climate in the capital markets for loans of this type. While we do not have specific plans to borrow at this time, we have announced initiatives for which we may borrow going forward. These initiatives include, but are not limited to, the formation of a WWE television network and the expansion and update of our media center as well as initiatives associated with the execution of our strategy.

Additional Information

Additional business metrics are made available to investors on a monthly basis on our corporate website — corporate.wwe.com.

Note: WWE will host a conference call on November 3, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss the Company’s earnings results for the third quarter of 2011. All interested parties can access the conference call by dialing 855-993-1400 (conference id:WWE). Please reserve a line 15 minutes prior to the start time of the conference call. A presentation that will be referenced during the call can be found at the Company web site at corporate.wwe.com. A replay of the call will be available approximately three hours after the conference call concludes, and can be accessed at corporate.wwe.com.

WWE, a publicly traded company WWE +1.26% , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo. Additional information on WWE WWE +1.26% can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/ .

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company’s brands, media and merchandise within those markets; our exposure to bad debt risk; uncertainties relating to regulatory and litigation matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks relating to our film business and any new business initiative which we may undertake; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.

WWE
Consolidated Income Statements
(in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010 2011 2010
——— ——— ——— ———
Net revenues $108,518 $109,564 $ 370,979 $ 355,131
Cost of revenues 64,455 61,763 226,531 198,542
Selling, general and administrative expenses 24,567 24,322 83,485 80,284
Depreciation and amortization 3,593 3,211 10,872 8,461
——— ——— ——— ———
Operating income 15,903 20,268 50,091 67,844
——— ——— ——— ———
Investment income, net 484 524 1,458 1,504
Interest expense (151) (64) (246) (202)
Other (expense) income, net (661) 899 (1,082) (1,173)
——— ——— ——— ———
Income before income taxes 15,575 21,627 50,221 67,973
Provision for income taxes 4,984 7,290 16,760 22,648
——— ——— ——— ———
Net income $ 10,591 $ 14,337 $ 33,461 $ 45,325
========= ========= ========= =========
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic 74,328 74,576 74,142 74,372
========= ========= ========= =========
Diluted 74,707 75,325 74,740 75,263
========= ========= ========= =========
Earnings per share:
Basic $ 0.14 $ 0.19 $ 0.45 $ 0.61
========= ========= ========= =========
Diluted $ 0.14 $ 0.19 $ 0.45 $ 0.60
========= ========= ========= =========

WWE
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
As of As of
Sept. 30, Dec. 31,
2011 2010
————– ————–
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 58,384 $ 69,823
Short-term investments 104,401 97,124
Accounts receivable, net 50,730 52,051
Inventory 2,433 2,087
Deferred income tax assets 14,097 17,128
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 14,858 20,856
Total current assets 244,903 259,069
——– ——–
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 79,152 80,995
FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION ASSETS, NET 39,920 56,253
INVESTMENT SECURITIES 14,811 15,037
OTHER ASSETS 5,938 4,375
——– ——–
TOTAL ASSETS $ 384,724 $ 415,729
==== ======== ==== ========
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current portion of long-term debt $ 1,238 $ 1,169
Accounts payable 14,247 18,441
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 22,063 24,478
Deferred income 17,695 28,323
Total current liabilities 55,243 72,411
——– ——–
LONG-TERM DEBT 684 1,621
NON-CURRENT TAX LIABILITIES 7,534 15,068
NON-CURRENT DEFERRED INCOME 8,646 9,881
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Class A common stock 279 275
Class B common stock 465 465
Additional paid-in capital 338,435 336,592
Accumulated other comprehensive income 3,104 3,144
Accumulated deficit (29,666) (23,728)
——– ——–
Total stockholders’ equity 312,617 316,748
——– ——–
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY $ 384,724 $ 415,729
==== ======== ==== ========

WWE
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010
——— ———
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income $ 33,461 $ 45,325
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
operating activities:
Amortization of feature film production assets 23,832 7,014
Revaluation of warrants – (552)
Depreciation and amortization 10,872 8,461
Realized gain on sale of investments (32) (55)
Amortization of investment income 1,958 1,286
Amortization of debt issuance costs 51 –
Stock compensation costs 2,692 6,522
Provision (recovery) for doubtful accounts 17 (37)
Provision for inventory obsolescence 1,504 1,530
(4,348) (8,946)
Benefit from deferred income taxes
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements (138) (2,723)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable 2,866 11,008
Inventory (1,851) (1,178)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,905 (8,902)
Feature film production assets (7,358) (27,343)
Accounts payable (4,194) 937
Accrued expenses and other liabilities (1,568) (10,882)
Deferred income (11,864) 6,443
——— ———
Net cash provided by operating activities 47,805 27,908
——— ———
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of property and equipment and other assets (10,466) (9,130)
Proceeds from infrastructure incentives – 4,130
Purchase of short-term investments (33.472) (88,343)
Proceeds from sales or maturities of investments 25,314 59,035
——— ———
Net cash used in investing activities (18,624) (34,308)
——— ———
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repayments of long-term debt (868) (804)
Debt issuance costs (1,844) –
Dividends paid (38,879) (62,598)
Issuance of stock, net 833 961
Proceeds from exercise of stock options – 695
Excess tax benefit from stock-based payment arrangements 138 2,723
——— ———
Net cash used in financing activities (40,620) (59,023)
——— ———
NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (11,439) (65,423)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD 69,823 149,784
——— ———
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD $ 58,384 $ 84,361
========= =========

WWE
Supplemental Information – EBITDA
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010 2011 2010
——— ———- ——— ———
Net income reported on U.S. GAAP basis $ 10,591 $ 14,337 $ 33,461 $ 45,325
Provision for income taxes 4,984 7,290 16,760 22,648
Investment, interest and other expense (income), net 328 (1,359) (130) (129)
Depreciation and amortization 3,593 3,211 10,872 8,461
EBITDA $ 19,496 $ 23,479 $ 60,963 $ 76,305
========= ========== ========= =========

Non-GAAP Measure:

EBITDA is defined as net income before investment, interest and other expense/income, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Company’s definition of EBITDA does not adjust its U.S. GAAP basis earnings for the amortization of Feature Film production assets. Although it is not a recognized measure of performance under U.S. GAAP, EBITDA is presented because it is a widely accepted financial indicator of a company’s performance. The Company uses EBITDA to measure its own performance and to set goals for operating managers. EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operations or any other indicator of WWE’s performance or liquidity, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

WWE
Supplemental Information – Schedule of Adjustments
(in millions)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010 2011 2010
———- ———- ———– ———–
Profit contribution $ 44.0 $ 47.8 $ 144.4 $ 156.6
Adjustments (Added back):
Film Impairment Charges 5.1 – 11.2 –
Adjusted Profit contribution $ 49.1 $ 47.8 $ 155.6 $ 156.6
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Selling, general and administrative expenses 24.5 24.3 83.4 80.3
Adjusted Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 24.5 $ 24.3 $ 83.4 $ 80.3
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Depreciation and amortization 3.6 3.2 10.9 8.5
Adjustments (Added back):
Infrastructure tax credit – – – 1.6
Adjusted Depreciation and amortization $ 3.6 $ 3.2 $ 10.9 $ 10.1
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Operating income $ 15.9 $ 20.3 $ 50.1 $ 67.8
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Adjusted Operating income $ 21.0 $ 20.3 $ 61.3 $ 66.2
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Depreciation and amortization (Added back) 3.6 3.2 10.9 8.5
Adjusted Depreciation and amortization (Added back) 3.6 3.2 10.9 10.1
EBITDA $ 19.5 $ 23.5 $ 61.0 $ 76.3
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====
Adjusted EBITDA $ 24.6 $ 23.5 $ 72.2 $ 76.3
==== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== ==== =====

Non-GAAP Measure:

Adjusted Profit contribution, Adjusted Selling, general and administrative expenses, Adjusted Operating income and Adjusted EBITDA exclude certain material items, which otherwise would impair the comparability of results between periods. These should not be considered as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operations or any other indicator of WWE’s performance or liquidity, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

WWE
Supplemental Information – Schedule of Adjustments
(in millions, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010 2011 2010
———— ———— ———— ————
Operating income $ 15.9 $ 20.3 $ 50.1 $ 67.8
Adjustments (Added back):
Film impairment charges 5.1 – 11.2 –
Infrastructure tax credit – – – (1.6)
Adjusted Operating income $ 21.0 $ 20.3 $ 61.3 $ 66.2
==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ======
Investment, interest and other expense, net (0.3) 1.4 0.1 0.1
Adjusted Income before taxes $ 20.7 $ 21.7 $ 61.4 $ 66.3
==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ======
Adjusted Provision for taxes (6.6) (7.4) (20.3) (21.9)
Adjusted Net income $ 14.1 $ 14.3 $ 41.1 $ 44.4
==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ======
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic 74,328 74,576 74,142 74,372
====== ====== ====== ======
Diluted 74,707 75,325 74,740 75,263
====== ====== ====== ======
Adjusted Earnings per share:
Basic $ 0.19 $ 0.19 $ 0.55 $ 0.60
==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ======
Diluted $ 0.19 $ 0.19 $ 0.55 $ 0.59
==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ====== ==== ======

Non-GAAP Measure:

Adjusted Operating income and Adjusted Net income exclude certain material items, which otherwise would impair the comparability of results between periods. These should not be considered as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operations or any other indicator of WWE’s performance or liquidity, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

WWE
Supplemental Information – Free Cash Flow
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30, Sept. 30,
2011 2010 2011 2010
——- ——- ——- ——-
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 8,487 $ 2,959 $ 47,805 $ 27,908
Less cash used in capital expenditures:
Purchase of property and equipment (3,587) (2,444) (8,683) (9,070)
Proceeds from infrastructure incentives – – – 4,130
Purchase of other assets (99) – (1,783) (60)
Free Cash Flow $ 4,801 $ 515 $ 37,339 $ 22,908
==== ======= ==== ======= ==== ======= ==== =======

Non-GAAP Measure:

We define Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities less cash used for capital expenditures. Although it is not a recognized measure of liquidity under U.S. GAAP, Free Cash Flow provides useful information regarding the amount of cash our continuing business is generating after capital expenditures, available for reinvesting in the business and for payment of dividends.