WWE TV rights: Which do you prefer?

[NegativeFeedback]

This news has been making the rounds on the dirtsheets for months:

WWE’s discussions for their television rights package has as of late included AMC Networks, Viacom, Time Warner and 21st Century Fox. The talks with Viacom, if they pan out, would be for Spike TV which would leave TNA without a TV contract. Viacom has reportedly not yet renewed their deal with TNA, which expires around the time that WWE’s contract with NBC/Universal is done.

Time Warner’s talks would likely be for TBS and/or TNT, while the 21st Century Fox discussions would put them on FOX Sports 1 in an attempt to grow that channel. It would see WWE and UFC have all their cable content on the same channel. The new deal should be announced at the end of April or early May.

So my question to you guys is: Where do you want to see WWE programming end up?

I'm hoping for AMC.
Raw = AMC
Smackdown = IFC
Total Divas = We TV.

Now the problem is that those channels have way less reach than the NBCU networks. WeTV and IFC are in ~65% of households, while SyFy and E! are in 85%. That's going to lead to a reduction in ratings. But then again, WWE could use that as leverage for them to have rebroadcasting rights on the WWE Network.

If WWE can get their shows to be replayed on the Network, it will be a huge win for them and will definitely offset the lower ratings.

I think it's likely that they will all stay at USA, SyFy and E though. Supposedly, NBCU has the rights to match any outside offer before WWE takes a deal. That means that all WWE has to do is get someone willing to pay what they're asking so they can get that money from NBC. It's very likely everything stays where it is.

 

[scomvp316]

Not to knick pick but AMC networks are owned by Viacom
Viacom owns everything associated with CBS
I think there is more entertainment opportunities for the wrestlers with Viacom who I believe also owns Paramount
Comcast and WWE have been at odds with one another every since Comcast purchased NBC
The other thing with Viacom is one of their lack luster networks could be converted into the WWE Network

 

[LegendKiller716]

I'm hoping to see RAW come to AMC. They do an amazing job with there original shows and I think they're lesser reach can help the product overall. Maybe the ratings take a slight hit, but it won't matter with the network. They have edgy shows like Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. They won't be breathing down WWE's neck like USA. I think this might give WWE a little more creative freedom. It won't solve all the programing problems, but it could give it a little more edge.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Not to knick pick but AMC networks are owned by Viacom
Viacom owns everything associated with CBS

You are horribly confused. AMC has nothing to do with Viacom or CBS.

I'm hoping to see RAW come to AMC. They do an amazing job with there original shows and I think they're lesser reach can help the product overall. Maybe the ratings take a slight hit, but it won't matter with the network. They have edgy shows like Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. They won't be breathing down WWE's neck like USA. I think this might give WWE a little more creative freedom. It won't solve all the programing problems, but it could give it a little more edge.

I didn't really think of that, but you're right. Raw can definitely get away with more on AMC. But then again, Raw doesn't censor its programming because of NBC, they do it because of their sponsors.

 

[resignedknight]

Not to knick pick but AMC networks are owned by Viacom
Viacom owns everything associated with CBS
I think there is more entertainment opportunities for the wrestlers with Viacom who I believe also owns Paramount
Comcast and WWE have been at odds with one another every since Comcast purchased NBC
The other thing with Viacom is one of their lack luster networks could be converted into the WWE Network

Viacom doesn't own AMC. AMC is run independently by the AMC Networks Corporation (one of the many reasons they're so cool). Actually, Viacom doesn't own CBS anymore, either. Viacom and CBS Networks are both ultimately owned by Sumner Redstone, but since 2006 they've been run as completely separate entities.

I completely understand why AMC wants the WWE. Cable and Dish companies are constantly trying to screw AMC on their TV deals with threats of dropping it, and the passionate WWE fan base would make that much harder. I'm not sure I understand why WWE would want AMC (though I think the OP's point about leverage for Network replays is very interesting and something I hadn't considered). If Vince was mad about Spike TV not being in his hotel rooms, AMC would be much worse. There was great strife from hotel guests the night of Mad Men's season 5 premiere because almost no hotels got the channel.

With that said, I think it would ultimately work out just fine because WWE would help immensely in that area. I'm also very intrigued by Fox Sports. I think they would get the benefit from WWE products more than any one because they could offer halo programming that WWE fans might actually stay for (much has been made of the lack of a halo on USA, but they've never done a good job in trying to capitalize on it--why would viewers stay for a repeat of Burn Notice or syndicated NCIS).

I'm really intrigued by the whole situation. Honestly, I thought we would know by now, which suggests there's something going on behind the scenes, and I think there's more of a chance that it will actually move.

 

[scomvp316]

I apologize guys with the wrong info regarding Viacom and AMC

Would it be best with the company that owns Spike for WWE to purchase Spike TV and slowly turn it into the WWE Network for cable

 

[resignedknight]

I apologize guys with the wrong info regarding Viacom and AMC

Would it be best with the company that owns Spike for WWE to purchase Spike TV and slowly turn it into the WWE Network for cable

No worries scomvp. As far as Spike, it seems like they're probably too invested in the online network to branch out into something else new. I get the impression they spent a lot of money building the online network, and if they tried something like that they'd be replacing a pretty big influx of TV money, which would offset some of the Network expenses, for another big investment of out flowing money. I doubt they can afford that right now, but my guess is they may have considered something like that when they were thinking of going the traditional TV route, but that ship has probably sailed.

My personal opinion is that Spike is probably the last place of discussed options I would like to see them go. It has just always felt bush league to me. I keep reading that their highest rated show is Cops in syndication. Seriously?? Any of the other options occasionally get upwards of multi-million viewers (AMC's big three, football games on Fox Sports, and even some of USA's originals, though they are clearly weaker than the other 2) that you could advertise the WWE to lots of viewers. I really think part of the problem with TNA (though they have certainly hurt themselves also) is that nobody watches that channel, so they don't see ads for TNA. My guess is part of the deal will be a set number of ads for the WWE programming (more than they're currently getting I would assume), so it seems like that should almost automatically eliminate Spike, at least I hope so.

 

[NancyBenoit]

Disney is the only answer here, they already have a show for children...including a plethora of dancing clowns trying to get the title.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I don't know. I'm happy with the way things have been over the past year. ESPN sounds great but also opens the door for preemption, timeslot and channel changes, plus the whole Mickey Mouse threat. NBC has always been a great partner to WWE to me as a viewer. I don't think I want that to change.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

The other thing with Viacom is one of their lack luster networks could be converted into the WWE Network

Actually, all of Viacom's networks are pretty successful. MTV, Spike, MTV2, VH1, Comedy Central, TVLand, CMT, Nickelodeon, TeeNick, and the rest aren't going anywhere any time soon. MTV Jams and the other very niche channels also have small budgets and enough following to be successful.

If anything, I think it's FOX who would be more likely to grant WWE its own channel. They've already converted SPEED and FUEL to Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2. And even then, Fox Sports 2 is only available in about 33% of households (37,707). I could easily see FS2 being converted into the WWE Network, where it will probably get a much larger audience.

In fact, NBC is sitting on G4 and doing absolutely NOTHING with it. The channel gets really low ratings with absolutely no original programming, and yet it's still available in 54% of TV homes. I frankly don't get why they don't hand the channel to WWE which will definitely make them more money.

 

[scomvp316]

Its funny that you mention G4
Last year UFC and WWE were in a bidding war for G4
In the end WWE threatend NBC if UFC got G4 that they would never do business with them again That was from a report on WZ
Eventually UFC made the deal with Fox Sports
I do think the end game for WWE Network is to have both a online version and a cable version
Online can be whatever they want it to be
Cable version they would have edits and in some cases not show certain material to keep the PG-13 audience and sponsors happy

 

[resignedknight]

Actually, all of Viacom's networks are pretty successful. MTV, Spike, MTV2, VH1, Comedy Central, TVLand, CMT, Nickelodeon, TeeNick, and the rest aren't going anywhere any time soon. MTV Jams and the other very niche channels also have small budgets and enough following to be successful.

If anything, I think it's FOX who would be more likely to grant WWE its own channel. They've already converted SPEED and FUEL to Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2. And even then, Fox Sports 2 is only available in about 33% of households (37,707). I could easily see FS2 being converted into the WWE Network, where it will probably get a much larger audience.

In fact, NBC is sitting on G4 and doing absolutely NOTHING with it. The channel gets really low ratings with absolutely no original programming, and yet it's still available in 54% of TV homes. I frankly don't get why they don't hand the channel to WWE which will definitely make them more money.

There's just no way they go the route of terrestrial cable at this point. They get four million viewers for Raw, and there's a sharp drop off even for their 4th and 5th hours of the week on Smackdown, making 168 hours a week pretty much out of the question. Plus, with the online network out there where people can watch what they want, there's no way the rest of the content would generate ratings high enough to justify its own channel. Plus, they clearly explored the possibilities when they first announced the network and came to the conclusion it wouldn't work.

 

[scomvp316]

I agree with you on some ground
One thing VKM didn't want to happen is the well documented colossal failure of Oprah's network
The reason why this network wasn't picked up according to Forbes and other investment publications was the disagreement of distribution costs something like the battle between the NFL and Time Warner
I have always said for this network to succeed they need another partner from hollywood like Disney or LGF
Just can't garner enough viewers just from wrestling and that has been the critique of this network since day 1
It can work on cable if you have themes either each week or each day and must have just as much non-wrestling material as you do wrestling material

 

[MattRhys20]

21st Century Fox. Purely because it is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who owns BSkyB here in the U.K. What I'm hoping for, is for then, Murdoch to organise some sort of bargaining agreement so we can get some sort deal with WWE on Sky Sports (like giving us more free PPV's, I take it as an insult that they are gonna charge for MITB this year, when it's been free since Day 1)

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Whoever is in the most households and offers the most money. Vince knows cable is dying but he's going to milk every last drop out of it he can. Eventually streaming TV will be where we're at. So the window is 5-15 years until the cable bubble pops and probably 5-10 years after that until it's dead.