WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan recently spoke with Joe Reedy of The Associated Press to move the WWE Network to Peacock in the United States. Khan revealed that WWE had discussions about the future of the Network long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
WWE realized in recent years that trying to maintain the WWE Network infrastructure could cost programming. This led to the relationship with NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform.
“The big question internally was how much can you invest and keep pace with technology? It would be a great investment, ”said Khan.
The WWE Network has an average of 1.5 million subscribers, but now it will see a huge jump in the number of potential viewers, as Comcast reported 33 million subscriptions to Peacock in its fourth quarter 2020 reports. are active spectators, Khan said the whole deal was a no-brainer.
“We can cut the price in half (WWE Network cost $ 9.99 a month, while Peacock cost $ 4.99 a month) and add your technical support. Ultimately, it became a no-brainer, especially with its scope, ”said Khan.
The move of the WWE Network to Peacock also gives WWE a financial boost during the pandemic, as they will see an average of $ 200 million per year during the 5-year contract.
The Associated Press article also mentioned how WWE does not expect a live event to return until at least July due to the pandemic. The summer of 2021 has been a rumored comeback date for the tour since last summer.
WWE brand director Stephanie McMahon was also interviewed by the AP. She commented on WrestleMania 38 taking place at AT&T Stadium near Dallas, while WrestleMania 39 is scheduled for SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, the original area they had booked for this year’s WrestleMania 37 event. Stephanie noted that logistical challenges and construction commitments are the reason the Los Angeles area must wait two years.
It was noted how WrestleMania 38 and 39 are scheduled to be one-night events as WrestleMania shows were in pre-pandemic years. Stephanie said the move to WrestleMania 36 for two nights proved to be popular, but trying to do two nights in the future may be more difficult due to the many events held during the week, except for a pandemic.
“I suppose anything in life is possible, but this format is unique for the time,” said McMahon of WrestleMania’s two-night events.