WWE Network what does it mean for UK fans?
This past week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas WWE announced the upcoming WWE Network.
WWE with this announcement are going to change the way that the watch WWE Programming and WWE television. As noted at the press conference WWE Network will be launching in the USA on 24 February 2014 and will included every WWE,WCW and WCW PPV in history plus PPV that month Pay per view offering from WWE.
In addition to this there will be Raw and Smackdown Pre and Post shows, replays of Raw and Smackdown after they have aired and original new programming such as legends house, WWE Wrestlemania rewind and the Monday night war, WWE
main event and live episodes of WWE NXT.
Also WWE network will have a linear channel showing programs everyday so you can also watch episodes fromt he linear channel or choose programs to watch when you want to watch them its your choice!
Did I mention you can access all this for $9.99 a month? (Ā£6.06 UK equivalent) a truly incredible price for what is on offer, you do have to have a 6 month contract but $60 is the price of two WWE PPV's in the USA so in my eyes its definitely worth it.
What will WWE Network be available on in the UK and how to I access it?
All you need to access the WWE network is an Internet connection.
WWE have not released this information at this time but looking at what they have released about what it will be available on in the USA I would expect similar platforms in the UK too.
WWE have stated that WWE network will be available on smart phones, tablets, games consoles, laptops, PCs and through the WWE app. Basically anything with a Internet connection and has a screen so not matter what you have you should be able to access WWE Network.
So what does this mean for UK fans and when can UK fans access the WWE Network?
WWE have said themselves on WWE.com that WWE Network will launch in the UK either December 2014 or January 2015. the reason for this is because the WWE UK TV contract with Sky is up at this time, so in a similar situation to where WWE is now with its US TV negotiations the WWE network will give WWE some bargaining power come the end of 2014 plus WWE will already have a gauge on how successful the WWE network has been with fans up to that point in America.
Will WWE programming continue on Sky past 2014?
WWE Raw and Smackdown have been on Sky for many years after all the relationship between Sky and WWE goes back to 1989 and it is a strong relationship however Sky (as with other PPV providers in USA) wont be impressed that WWE PPV's will be airing on the WWE Network thus pulling buys away from Sky TV and Sky themselves and putting that money straight to WWE on the WWE Network. Also Sky insist of classifying WWE as a Sports program therefore it goes on Sky Sports where customers have to pay extra to get the Sky Sports channels package that seems crazy especially with new avenues of watching WWE on the horizon.
Don't forget as UK fans we have to pay (along with a sky sports package) Ā£42 a month just so we can see WWE Raw and Smackdown plus get access to a handful of free PPV a year, if we are able to access WWE Network for the equivalent price of $9.99 this would be a huge money saver for fans
So their is the possibility there that a freeview channel (a channel accessible to all) could be in the running to obtain WWE Raw and Smackdown programming and that a long running and successful partnership with Sky TV in the UK could be coming to an end in 2014 after 25 years.
All this means is that it will be better for the fans, expanded coverage for the WWE, more money for the WWE and the middle man (Sky TV, PPV Provider ) is gone.
WWE TV is about to change and it is a great change, a change that makes it better for fans programming all in one place, less money to spend on PPV and less money in which has to be paid to SKY.
A change in which is the same as the tag line that WWE have given to the WWE Network
"Get ready to go Over the top"
Thanks for Reading
Jonathan Orchard
@jon422002
Also WWE network will have a linear channel showing programs everyday so you can also watch episodes fromt he linear channel or choose programs to watch when you want to watch them its your choice!
Did I mention you can access all this for $9.99 a month? (Ā£6.06 UK equivalent) a truly incredible price for what is on offer, you do have to have a 6 month contract but $60 is the price of two WWE PPV's in the USA so in my eyes its definitely worth it.
What will WWE Network be available on in the UK and how to I access it?
All you need to access the WWE network is an Internet connection.
WWE have not released this information at this time but looking at what they have released about what it will be available on in the USA I would expect similar platforms in the UK too.
WWE have stated that WWE network will be available on smart phones, tablets, games consoles, laptops, PCs and through the WWE app. Basically anything with a Internet connection and has a screen so not matter what you have you should be able to access WWE Network.
So what does this mean for UK fans and when can UK fans access the WWE Network?
WWE have said themselves on WWE.com that WWE Network will launch in the UK either December 2014 or January 2015. the reason for this is because the WWE UK TV contract with Sky is up at this time, so in a similar situation to where WWE is now with its US TV negotiations the WWE network will give WWE some bargaining power come the end of 2014 plus WWE will already have a gauge on how successful the WWE network has been with fans up to that point in America.
Will WWE programming continue on Sky past 2014?
WWE Raw and Smackdown have been on Sky for many years after all the relationship between Sky and WWE goes back to 1989 and it is a strong relationship however Sky (as with other PPV providers in USA) wont be impressed that WWE PPV's will be airing on the WWE Network thus pulling buys away from Sky TV and Sky themselves and putting that money straight to WWE on the WWE Network. Also Sky insist of classifying WWE as a Sports program therefore it goes on Sky Sports where customers have to pay extra to get the Sky Sports channels package that seems crazy especially with new avenues of watching WWE on the horizon.
Don't forget as UK fans we have to pay (along with a sky sports package) Ā£42 a month just so we can see WWE Raw and Smackdown plus get access to a handful of free PPV a year, if we are able to access WWE Network for the equivalent price of $9.99 this would be a huge money saver for fans
So their is the possibility there that a freeview channel (a channel accessible to all) could be in the running to obtain WWE Raw and Smackdown programming and that a long running and successful partnership with Sky TV in the UK could be coming to an end in 2014 after 25 years.
All this means is that it will be better for the fans, expanded coverage for the WWE, more money for the WWE and the middle man (Sky TV, PPV Provider ) is gone.
WWE TV is about to change and it is a great change, a change that makes it better for fans programming all in one place, less money to spend on PPV and less money in which has to be paid to SKY.
A change in which is the same as the tag line that WWE have given to the WWE Network
"Get ready to go Over the top"
Thanks for Reading
Jonathan Orchard
@jon422002
ļ»æ
Comments
I can see it costing Ā£9.99 over here, on the sky front I can't see the WWE leaving as it's another medium to get there product over, and just dropping that would damage the brand over here. The Network will how ever cause their dvd sales to drop off a cliff.