Here’s the official announcement regarding the free month of February for new subscribers:
WWE® NETWORK FREE IN FEBRUARY
STAMFORD, Conn., January 29, 2015 – Due to the tremendous response from fans to the free November promotion, WWE (NYSE: WWE) will again offer a free month of WWE Network to new subscribers during February in advance of its biggest event of the year, WrestleMania® 31 on Sunday, March 29. During the month of February, subscribers will have access to all of WWE Network’s programming including a live podcast hosted by Stone Cold Steve Austin® this Monday, February 2 featuring Triple H® and the all-new, live pay-per-view event WWE FAST LANE™ on Sunday, February 22.
“Last November we offered a free month of WWE Network to new subscribers with great success, helping us reach the 1 million subscriber milestone,” said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. “We are excited to extend the same opportunity in February to those who have not yet subscribed so they can experience all that WWE Network offers right before WrestleMania.”
This past Tuesday, WWE announced that WWE Network had surpassed 1 million subscribers just 11 months after launch, making it the fastest-growing digital subscription service. These results were driven primarily by the successful free November promotion, the launch of the service in the UK and significant additions for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.
Like other digital subscription services, such as Netflix and Hulu Plus, fans are able to sign up for WWE Network online by going to WWE.com and can watch WWE Network on their TVs through connected devices such as Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku streaming devices as well as Smart TVs including Sony and Samsung. The U.S. English language version of WWE Network is available direct to consumers in more than 170 countries and territories and recently launched in the UK and Ireland.
WWE Network’s one-of-a-kind programming includes all 12 WWE pay-per-view events LIVE at no additional charge plus groundbreaking original series, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches, exclusive coverage of special events and more than 2,000 titles in its video-on-demand library.
For a complete listing of WWE Network availability by country and device, please click here.
– On the latest edition of WWE Inbox, WWE capitalizes on the “deflate-gate” controversy surrounding the NFL’s New England Patriots, which WWE Superstars and WWE Divas offering advice on how the team can cheat better. Check out the latest WWE Inbox below.
– WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is now taking questions on social media for his upcoming “Stone Cold Podcast” interview with Triple H next Monday night on the WWE Network. Austin recently tweeted the following:
https://twitter.com/steveaustinBSR/status/560607943234953216
I’m a massive fan of the WWE Network. I’ve been a subscriber since day one, I truly believe it’s a great value, and do not think fans should cancel the service. However, if fans are truly dissatisfied with the current state of the WWE, there is absolutely no better way to voice displeasure with the company than by cancelling service.
Since becoming a publicly traded company, the WWE has had to deal with an entity that is even more demanding and impatient than hardcore fans: shareholders. Indeed, the company could be on top of the world one day and hit rock bottom the next. With the WWE Network, the company has essentially put all (or at least most) of its eggs in a single basket.
By offering the company’s monthly pay-per-view for only $9.99, the WWE has decimated their former pay-per-view model. Who’s going to buy those $14.99 DVDs anymore when you can see the content a week later (along with thousands of hours of additional content) for only $9.99? In short, aside from television deals for Raw and Smackdown, merchandise sales, and live shows, the WWE Network, for all intents and purposes, is now the WWE.
The WWE fans are not idiots. Following the disastrous Royal Rumble, you didn’t see #DontWatchRawTomorrow or #StopBuyingWWEMerch trending. No, instead they went right for the heart with #CancelWWENetwork. It was trending during and after Sunday’s Rumble, and I can imagine Vince McMahon thought he was hallucinating when he woke up the next morning and saw it was still a top trend.
Needless to say, the WWE went into full-on damage control mode yesterday, releasing the latest WWE Network subscriber numbers a few weeks early. It was originally announced that the company would release the latest numbers on February 12th as part of the latest earnings report.
They clearly wanted to stop the bleeding, announcing they have surpassed one million Network subscribers. The news was well received too, as WWE stock shot up almost 20 percent on Tuesday following the announcement.
– NXT star Kevin Owens’ merchandise is selling “extremely well” according to a report at PWInsider.com. Owens’ first WWE t-shirt first went on sale last month.
WWE officials are very happy with how the former Kevin Steen has brought a significant fan base with him to NXT, something a lot of NXT talents haven’t done.
– Episodes of Saturday Night’s Main Event are being added to the WWE Network this week.
– Triple H has surpassed 2 million Twitter followers this week.
– Diamond Dallas page posted video of himself with Scott Hall and Jake Roberts in Park City, Utah this past weekend for the premiere of Jake’s new documentary, “The Resurrection Of Jake The Snake” at the Sundance Film Festival.
Earlier today, WWE announced that the WWE Network has surpassed 1 million active subscribers, a huge milestone for the service that got off to a rocky start last year.
Despite the #CancelWWENetwork hashtag that was trending for over 24 hours, Sunday and Monday turned out to huge days for subscriptions. The 1 million subscriber mark was hit either Monday or this morning.
It’s unknown exactly how many people unsubscribed as part of the Royal Rumble protest.
WWE officials were said to be very happy with the Network sign-ups on Monday.
It’s official – after just 11 months, the WWE Network has surpassed 1 million subscribers. WWE is reporting a 37% increase in subscribers since the end of the 3rd quarter – a sign that November’s #FreeFreeFree campaign was a massive success.
Here’s the official press release:
WWE® NETWORK HITS 1 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS
STAMFORD, Conn., January 27, 2015 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that WWE Network has surpassed 1 million subscribers just 11 months after launch, making it the fastest-growing digital subscription service. These results represent a 37 percent increase (24 percent domestically) in subscribers since last reported[1] at the end of third quarter 2014, driven primarily by a successful free November promotion, the launch of the service in the UK and significant additions for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.
“We’re thrilled that we’ve surpassed the 1 million subscriber milestone less than a year after launching WWE Network and in advance of WrestleMania, our biggest event of the year on March 29,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “We remain focused on delivering an outstanding value proposition for ours fans by adding new content and new features in the coming year.”
Viewer data continues to indicate that, on average, close to 90 percent of subscribers access WWE Network at least once per week, 99 percent access WWE Network at least once per month and 86 percent of subscribers are satisfied with WWE Network.
Like other digital subscription services, such as Netflix and Hulu Plus, fans are able to sign up for WWE Network online by going to WWE.com and can watch WWE Network on their TVs through connected devices such as Sony Playstation 3, Sony Playstation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku streaming devices as well as Smart TVs including Sony and Samsung. The U.S. English language version of WWE Network is available direct to consumers in more than 170 countries and territories and recently launched in the UK and Ireland.
WWE Network’s one-of-a-kind programming includes all 12 WWE pay-per-view events LIVE at no additional charge plus groundbreaking original series, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches, exclusive coverage of special events and more than 2,000 titles in its video-on-demand library.
Average fourth quarter and year-end WWE Network numbers will be reported in the normal course as a part of our earnings release on February 12.
– The Rock was in New York City recently to assist “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon with the launch of his new Spike TV show called “Lip Synch Battle.” The show is scheduled to premiere on Spike TV on April 2nd.
– The February 12th NXT television taping at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida are officially sold out. The 2/12 taping will be the night after the next NXT Takeover live special on the WWE Network. Less than 200 tickets remain for the NXT TV taping scheduled for February 18th.
– WWE nixed plans for the usual weekly RAW pre-show due to the regular RAW show being canceled. There is talk of doing a pre-show on the WWE Network for this week’s live edition of SmackDown, which airs on Thursday night.
– WWE broadcast team member Byron Saxton will be hosting the new “Best Of RAW And SmackDown 2014” DVD and Blu-ray, which is scheduled for a February 3rd release. The project is listed as a 7 hour and 20 minute run time across three discs, with 20 RAW and SmackDown matches, alternate commentary, seven interview and promo segments and interviews with fans giving their take on some of the biggest RAW and SmackDown moments of 2014.
– Below is the latest edition of Matt Hardy’s “Thoughts From The Throne” video blog. In the fifth installment of the video blog, Hardy gives his thoughts on Daniel Bryan and the Royal Rumble, going to the U.K., TNA and more.
– As noted, the “Stone Cold Podcast” returns to the WWE Network, live on Monday, February 2nd immediately following RAW, as WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin will interview Triple H. Below is the official video promo for the special.
– Michael Cole announced during the beginning of the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view that the attendance for the show, which took place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was 17,164.
WWE promoted the premiere of a new show called “WWE 24,” which debuts on the WWE Network after tomorrow night’s post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE RAW. The show will give an unprecedented, all-access, documentary-style look at last year’s WrestleMania XXX.
Also advertised during the Royal Rumble Kickoff Show on Sunday night was the return of the “Stone Cold Podcast” to WWE Network, as WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin will interview Triple H live on Monday, February 2nd immediately after WWE RAW.
– Following reports that Justin Gabriel quit WWE over the weekend, the sports-entertainment organization announced Sunday that he has been released from his contract. Gabriel has plans to continue his wrestling career on the independent circuit as “The Darewolf” PJ Black. Pro Wrestling Syndicate announced Sunday the acquisition of the South African native, who is scheduled for a show on Saturday.
The organization announced on Facebook, “BREAKING NEWS – PWS SIGNS FKA JUSTIN GABRIEL – Taking the injured AR Fox’s spot in The Suicidal Six Way Title Match THIS Saturday Jan 31st at Frozen Fallout in Rahway NJ will be “The Darewolf” PJ Black (fka WWE Superstar Justin Gabriel). Tickets available at ProWrestlingSyndicate.com.”
– Natalya posted this photo of herself hanging out with former TNA Women’s Knockout Champion ODB today in Philadelphia.
– Two episodes of Tuesday Night Titans have been added to the WWE Network (January 17, 1985 and January 24, 1985).
The following is the final advertised lineup for tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which takes place from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and airs live on the WWE Network.
WWE Royal Rumble Kickoff Show
– Big E., Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd & Adam Rose
– Booker T interviews Shawn Michaels
WWE Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View
– The Bella Twins vs. Paige & Natalya
– The Ascension vs. New Age Outlaws
– The Usos vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow (WWE Tag-Team Championship)
– 30-man over-the-top Royal Rumble match
– Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Make sure to join us here at the website tonight for the best WWE Royal Rumble live play-by-play results coverage on the web!
WWE will be running another #FreeFreeFree promotion for the WWE Network in February, according to a report by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.
WWE offered a free month of the WWE Network to new subscribers back in November in hopes of converting those fans into paying customers. We’ll find out the results of that promotion until WWE reports the next subscriber count in early February.
The fact that WWE is giving away another free month before WrestleMania is a sign that a lot of people who tried out the Network for free in November stuck around as paying customers.
Stephanie McMahon recently spoke with Talk Sport’s new “Gorilla Position” podcast and teased that the WWE Network in the U.K. may have some U.K.-specific original programming in the near future.
Below is an excerpt from the interview.
“Right now our focus is really to continue on the launch and rollout of the Network – but ultimately localisation of the content on the WWE Network where it makes sense to do so.
[We also want] to increase the engagement with our fans – we listen to our audience and that is key to our success, really. We have 320 live events a year all over the world and they act as focus groups every single night – they tell us what they love, what they don’t like and worse, what they don’t care about.
Just staying on top of and staying ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and delivery of that content [is key] because our ultimate goal is always to give our fans what they want, when they want it and where they want it, on any available platform.”
– Despite the fact that WWE pay-per-views are now available in the U.K. on the WWE Network, Sky Box Office continues to air them and has raised the price from 14.95 pounds ($22.57) to 19.95 pounds ($30.12) starting with this Sunday’s Royal Rumble show.
– As far as the WWE Network in Canada is concerned, for those who have a subscription to the television version, you can now get the streaming version free as well. To do so, simply log into the WWE website and create an account, list what provider you have the television subscription through and log in using the providers credentials.
– The next NXT Takeover live special on the WWE Network is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11th. The original plan was for the show to take place in March, however the most recent NXT TV tapings were re-written at the last minute and storylines ended up being sped up to have the special in February.
– Below are some recent WWE attendance figures:
January 15th in Winter Park, FL for NXT drew 400 fans
January 16th in Tampa, FL for NXT drew 275 fans
January 16th in St. Louis, MO drew 5,300 fans
January 17th in Jacksonville, FL for NXT drew 150 fans
January 17th in Abilene, TX drew 3,500 fans
January 17th in Las Vegas, NV drew 5,000 fans
January 18th in Houston, TX drew 5,000 fans
January 19th in Dallas, TX for RAW drew 12,000 fans
January 20th in Austin, TX for SmackDown drew 5,500 fans
As a bit of an update on the situation surrounding WWE Main Event, negotiations between WWE and Sky Sports have hit a snag and unless things change, WWE will not be able to put Main Event back on the WWE Network until they have geo-blocking put on the live network feed, which at this point is scheduled for late summer or early fall.
WWE Main Event will continue to be taped on Tuesday night prior to SmackDown due to international television commitments.
As of right now, the show will not be available on television in the United States, although it will still be available on Hulu Plus. Given that, it’s expected that the show will be treated like nothing more than a filler show until it’s available to be seen in a major way in the U.S. market.
– WWE Diva Natalya put over her fellow Total Divas cast member Summer Rae for her work in the ring during last night’s WWE Main Event taping. Nattie tweeted the following after the show.
Had my ups & downs with @RealSummerWWE in the past…But want to thank her for the competitive match tonight in #WWEAustin. She BROUGHT it.
Although WWE initially announced a 30-minute Royal Rumble Kickoff Show for this Sunday night, the WWE Network is currently advertising a one-hour pre-show.
Speaking of the pre-show, Booker T mentioned on social media that he will conduct a special interview with Shawn Michaels this Sunday before the pay-per-view begins. Also set for the Kickoff Show, as announced on RAW on Monday, is a six-man elimination tag-team match with The New Day vs. Tyson Kidd, Cesaro and Adam Rose.
Finally, the WWE Network is advertising a 15-minute Royal Rumble Fallout post-show, which is listed as beginning at 10:45pm EST. on Sunday. As is the case with most pay-per-views, the Fallout post-show will likely be dropped if the pay-per-view itself runs long.
– “Fired” WWE Superstars Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan have been spotted in the Dallas, Texas area—the site of tonight’s Raw—according to PWInsider.com. It was not noted whether they will be appearing on the show.
– WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs … and Stairs, which was released last week on DVD, is the first video title to be released under its home video distribution agreement with Warner Bros. There is a line on the back of the box which reads “Distributed by Warner Home Video.”
– The official WWE website has issued a poll asking fans how many Superstars Roman Reigns will eliminate in the Royal Rumble. Over 50% fans believe he’ll break his own record with 13 or more.
– While the WWE Network has been available in the United Kingdom and Ireland for several days, today marks as the official launch of the video streaming service.
There are some rumors going around about the possibility of Solomon Crowe finally making his NXT television debut at the next Takeover special in February on the WWE Network.
Apparently the fact that Crowe has been working NXT dark matches for so long has become a running joke among many of the regulars at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, where NXT traditionally holds the majority of their events.
Noted Reddit user MetsFan4Ever, who has broken legitimate WWE stories in the past, wrote recently that one of the main reasons why WWE took the Intercontinental Championship off of Dolph Ziggler at this past Monday’s RAW was because he booked an improv comedy gig outside of WWE, instead of going through the company.
The Reddit user also noted that backstage morale at SmackDown is at an all-time high, particularly because of the move to Thursday night’s, as WWE talent apparently feels that the move will bring more exposure to the program and offer a better platform to help sell the WWE Network.
– The latest edition of the WWE Network original series, “WWE Rivalries” is now available for on-demand viewing. The latest installment of the series looks at the rivalry between Edge and Matt Hardy. The official description of the show reads as follows:
“Two friends become bitter enemies after a backstage betrayal and their animosity behind the scenes boils over into the ring.”
– Speaking of the WWE Network, for the second week in a row, there will be no new content airing after WWE RAW on Monday night. After this Monday’s RAW Reunion show at 11:06pm EST., the WWE Network will air the 1988 edition of the 20-man Royal Rumble match.
As noted recently, WWE Main Event will no longer air on the WWE Network for the time being due to an ongoing dispute between WWE and Sky Sports. The show will not air on the WWE digital service for the forseeable future as a result.
A source close to the situation stated that barring a change, the soonest WWE Main Event will air on the WWE Network again is late summer or early fall.
As things stand now, WWE Main Event will continue to air on standard television in the markets it currently airs in, but will simply not be available on the WWE Network until the Sky Sports dispute is resolved.