Last week, WWE announced that the WWE Network had signed up 677,287 subscribers since the launch on February 24th. The news sent WWE stock plummeting over 30% (currently trading under $21 as of Monday morning) and experts questioning whether WWE will in fact be able to reach 1 million subscribers by the end of the year.
According to industry sources, analysts were hoping for 1 million subscribers as of last week, with 850,000 seen as a baseline for what they’d be satisfied with. The actual figure of 677,287 was seen as acceptable, but a disappointment for WWE.
Aside from expanding to international markets in late 2014/early 2015, the Motley Fool financial website is advising WWE to start looking for original drama series like ‘Breaking Bad’ to bolster the Network’s content offering beyond simply pro wrestling shows.
– WWE is offering another one-week free trial for the WWE Network. The hook for this free trail is being able to watch WrestleMania XXX:
“Sign up for a one-week free trial to WWE Network and you can start watching WrestleMania 30 right now! See Daniel Bryan achieve his lifelong dream and the surreal end to The Undertaker’s Streak. Plus, you can watch over 400 past pay-per-views!”
– The following exclusive trailer for The Rock’s new movie Hercules aired during last night’s MTV Movie Awards:
As reported earlier, Monday’s episode of WWE RAW will feature a special tribute to the late Ultimate Warrior. While specific details have not been announced yet, we’re told the tribute will be more than just a graphic at the start of the show and a 10-bell salute.
TMZ.com now reports that WWE is planning a second tribute show for Warrior that will air next Wednesday on the WWE Network.
“Warrior: The Ultimate Legend” will premiere Wednesday, April 16th on the WWE Network and will include some of Warrior’s most memorable moments, along with a re-airing of his final TV appearance from Monday’s RAW.
Next week’s edition of “WWE Countdown,” which airs on the WWE Network on Tuesday, April 15th, will feature a look at the greatest tag-teams in history. You can check out the official preview for the new episode below.
Also next Tuesday, the latest edition of “WrestleMania Rewind” will air, which will feature a look at the Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho match from WrestleMania XXIX. You can check out the official preview for that new episode below.
– Now that the WWE Network is in full effect, WWE is apparently going to do away with the term “pay-per-view” when promoting their big monthly events. From now on, the big Sunday events that used to be referred to as pay-per-views will now be called “special events.”
– WWE recently added the following video to their official YouTube channel, which features a time-lapsed version of the WrestleMania XXX set being built in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The following are highlights of a new Jim Ross online Q&A update:
On the WWE Network subscription number revealed by WWE: “I thought it was a good number but I’m no expert in that sort of data. I also feel that it will grow significantly in the future.”
On The Undertaker’s streak coming to an end: “I wasn’t ready for the STREAK to end. However, I also don’t know Taker’s physical condition.”
“I’m not sure how I or any one can realistically predict the long term affect on any matter. The Streak build to WM30 did not seem as impactful as I would have liked. WrestleMania should be built around the WWE Title more often than not unless someone really has dropped the ball.”
On his own heel run in ’96 and Daniel Bryan’s future now that he’s champion: “I was not a fan of my heel work as I felt i was not good at it. Bryan can stay hot if he stays in a good personal issue and the title is continued to be a priority.”
Check out more JR Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com.
The deals made to bring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock in for the WrestleMania XXX opening segment with Hulk Hogan were finalized before the final WrestleMania “go-home” edition of WWE RAW. For reasons that are currently unclear, WWE decided against advertising the return of either guy on television.
Austin’s appearance was promoted the day before the show on the WWE Network, but that is likely because it became a news story when Austin told TMZ that he would be participating in the show. The Rock’s appearance wasn’t mentioned until the night before, but that was only announced via social media.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross has added a new blog to his official website called, “JR Remembers The Ultimate Warrior.” In the blog, JR shares his memories on the late WWE Hall Of Famer. You can check it out now at JRsBarBQ.com.
– The following was added to WWE.com this afternoon:
Tonight on WWE Network: WWE honors the career of iconic Superstar, Ultimate Warrior
WWE honors the legacy and legend of the late Ultimate Warrior tonight, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on WWE Network.
WWE fans will be able to watch highlights from Warrior’s historic induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, plus his emotional return to Monday Night Raw. Then, immediately after, the WWE Universe is invited to watch one of Ultimate Warrior’s greatest matches against Hulk Hogan when WWE Network airs WrestleMania VI in its entirety.
– The Friday, April 4th WrestleMania XXX “go-home” edition of WWE SmackDown, which was mostly a pre-taped highlight show, averaged 2.71 million viewers. That marks a pretty healthy decrease compared to the 3.057 million viewers who tuned into the show the previous week.
– WWE added the following preview of an upcoming WWE Network show to their official YouTube channel. The show is called “Beyond The Ring: The John Cena Experience,” and will feature the documentary on Cena’s life that WWE released a few years ago. Check out the preview below:
– WWE added a new preview to their official YouTube channel of the upcoming WWE Network reality show “Legends House,” which is scheduled for an April 17th premiere. You can check out the new preview video below.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Sgt. Slaughter posted the following photo from the official WrestleMania XXX after party on his Twitter account. The photo features (in order): Bret Hart, Sgt. Slaughter, Tim White, Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.
– WWE added the official preview for this week’s edition of “WWE Countdown,” which airs on the WWE Network on Tuesday. This week’s show will focus on “infamous gimmicks” in wrestling history. You can check out the preview below.
– Daniel Bryan’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship victory at WrestleMania XXX on Sunday night garnered some media attention, including the cover of The Times-Picayune newspaper. You can check out the front page of that newspaper, featuring a photo of Bryan’s post-match celebration, below.
WWE announced the first WWE Network subscriber data on Monday: the WWE Network has 667,287 subscribers as of the day after WrestleMania XXX. WWE is spinning the data as the Network being “well on its way to reaching its goal of 1 million subscribers by the end of 2014” – however, Wall Street was not so forgiving with their interpretation of the news. WWE stock was down more than 20% during morning trading. Here’s the official announcement:
WWE NETWORK ON TRACK TO 1 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS
STAMFORD, Conn., April 7, 2014 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that WWE Network has 667,287* subscribers and is well on its way to reaching its goal of 1 million subscribers by the end of 2014 just 42 days after launching in the U.S., making it the fastest-growing digital subscription service. This announcement comes following a historic WrestleMania® 30, which aired live on WWE Network as well as on pay-per-view through satellite and cable providers from a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
WWE Network launched on February 24 in the U.S. and will be rolled out in Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Nordics in late 2014/early 2015.
WWE Network is the first 24/7 streaming network that provides access to live and scheduled programming, including all 12 live pay-per-view events, as well as the most comprehensive video-on-demand library. Available for only $9.99 a month – with a six month commitment – fans can subscribe to WWE Network at WWE.com. WWE Network is available on connected devices including Apple TV, Roku streaming devices, Sony PlayStation® 3, Sony PlayStation® 4 and Xbox 360. WWE Network is also available through the WWE App on iOS devices, including Apple iPad and iPhone, Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices and Android devices, as well as on desktops and laptops via WWE.com.
– Internally, it has been made very clear within WWE that the WWE Network subscription numbers that the company will be releasing to the public on Monday are very good. Apparently the company exceeded their initial expectations, and are very pleased with the number that will be released to the public tomorrow.
– The following is a photo of Stephanie McMahon with Trish Stratus and Lita at the WWE Hall Of Fame on Saturday:
– It was announced during the WrestleMania XXX pre-show on the WWE Network that the pre-show match for the WWE Tag-Team Championships, which features The Usos defending the titles against The Real Americans, Los Matadores and Ryback & Curtis Axel, will now be an elimination style match.
– The following is a photo of the Hogan family in attendance at the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony on Saturday night.
– WWE has updated their WrestleMania XXX schedule on their official website. The schedule now lists a 30-minute pre-show that will be available for international viewers who don’t have access to the WWE Network. The 30-minute pre-show will be available on WWE’s official YouTube channel. You can check out the updated schedule at WWE.com.
– The following is a photo of WWE Hall Of Famer Edge with a fan at WrestleCon in New Orleans:
– The following is the final Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar video package that aired during the WrestleMania Today special on the WWE Network on Thursday:
– WWE will be airing a red carpet special pre-show leading into the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony at 8pm EST. on the WWE Network on Saturday.
– As noted, the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony will air live on the WWE Network. It should be noted that the Network only has two-and-a-half hours blocked out for the show, however it is their network, so one would assume that if they go over it won’t be a big deal.
– The televised edited-version of the WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony is scheduled to air on the USA Network immediately after WWE RAW on Monday night. USA Network has one hour blocked out for the special.
The following are highlights from an AP article on WrestleMania, which features quotes from Hulk Hogan and Triple H. Below are excerpts from Hogan’s part of the interview:
On where he’d start watching footage at on the WWE Network: “I’d probably start when I had a full head of hair. I’d probably roll back to 1977, ’78 when I first went to work for Vince McMahon Sr. I’d probably start with my first match ever at the TV tapings in Allentown, Pa.”
On the success he’s had in his career: “I got to go from WrestleMania I to a career I could have never, ever dreamed of having. It doesn’t even feel real.”
Check out the complete article, which also features comments from Triple H, at BigStory.AP.org.
– The WWE Network will have a replay of WrestleMania XXX as soon as the broadcast is completed. Fans who tune in to the show late will also be able to start the broadcast from the beginning.
– Pat Patterson made a surprise appearance at a karaoke bar on Bourbon street on Wednesday night and performed a rousing rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” SEScoops.com reader Chaz Barnes sent in the following recap and video:
“I was out on Bourbon street on Wednesday night and none other than Pat Patterson made an unexpected appearance at the Cat’s Meow karaoke bar we were in at the time. He knocked out a rather excellent rendition of “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong (complete with mid-song YES chants from the crowd in attendance). He stopped for a couple of photos afterwards and then was gone.”
– Don’t forget that a new edition of WWE’s popular “Legends of Wrestling Roundtable” series will air on the WWE Network live from New Orleans at 10pm EST. on Friday, April 4th. Additionally, another edition of “WrestleMania Today” will air on the WWE Network at 6pm EST.
– WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin showed up as a surprise guest at Jim Ross’ “RINGSIDE” one-man show at the House Of Blues in New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday, April 3rd. You can check out a photo of Austin on stage with JR below:
The official WWE YouTube channel has added “Extra” videos for this week’s edition of “WWE Countdown” and “WrestleMania Rewind,” both of which aired exclusively on the WWE Network on Tuesday evening.
Below is the extra for this week’s “WrestleMania Rewind” show:
WrestleMania Rewind Extra – Triple H’s WrestleMania Moment, – April 01, 2014
Triple H talks about an message Killer Kowalski shared with him early on in his career and how WrestleMania 18 was the moment when everything came full circle.
And here is the extra for this week’s “WWE Countdown” show:
WWE Countdown Extra – WWE Network, April 01, 2014
As WWE Countdown highlights the best Raw moments off all-time, Dolph Ziggler presents some of Raw’s best vehicular flashes of greatness.
– WrestleMania XXX will be made available on the “VOD” (video on demand) section of the WWE Network immediately following the conclusion of the show on Sunday night. Additionally, you will apparently have the ability to start the show from the very beginning if you log into the WWE Network at any point while the show is in progress.
– According to one report, there are a lot of wrestlers in TNA who are bummed out that the company is not touring anywhere near New Orleans this week. The company is running events in the Georgia area instead.
The following are highlights of a Red Eye Chicago interview with WWE Hall Of Famer and WrestleMania XXX host Hulk Hogan:
On the possibility of a new Hulk Hogan-based reality show on the WWE Network: “I would love to do a reality show for the network, brother. I would never bring cameras into my home again, but I have a place in Tampa [Fla.] called Hogan’s Beach. It’s kind of a restaurant and bar setting where it’s on the beach. It’s a huge party place and on the weekends I have 3,000 to 4,000 people coming in, along with these great DJs to host a great time. I would love to have some WWE superstars come down and tend bar or cook. It’s like a “Baywatch” meets “Cheers” sort of thing.”
On possibly doing more movie work: “You know what is so cool, man? I am way beyond of what The Rock is doing now. I would be much more of a great supporting actor because I’m not that type directors are looking for as the lead man. We all know how great of a bad guy Hollywood Hogan can be, so forming into an older Clint Eastwood would be awesome. I would like to be a serial killer or going above the law and doing things that might be illegal, but for the right reasons.”
On the CM Punk situation: “I don’t know why he quit and what the situation was about, but I was really looking forward to meeting the man and getting to know him. As far as me, I have a personal opinion on it and I would love for him to come back. If he needs time off whether it was business or personal, it’s none of my business. Whatever it was, he was such a great superstar and I would love for him to come back.”