In a play for more Latino viewers, World Wrestling Entertainment will roll out several Spanish-language on-demand wrestling and sports-entertainment pay-per-view programs beginning this fall.
WWE will offer five to six hours a month of mostly library content consisting of thematic shows, classic matches, wrestler biographies, and historic in-ring moments, according to WWE Enterprises executive vice president Tom Barreca.
He noted that the Spanish-language content would not be available simultaneously on the network's 24/7 subscription VOD service.
Operators don't need a WWE 24/7 affiliate deal to secure rights to this transactional Hispanic product.
Barreca said the WWE will allow operators to set the purchase price for the content. He would not reveal whether the grappling organization would receive a minimum fee for each buy.
“We're trying to do everything we can to demonstrate to the business that we're delivering the WWE fan base to the on-demand platform,” Barreca said. “We index well among Hispanic demos with our genre. They are among the most loyal groups of pay-per-view and WWE consumer product buyers we've identified.”
While WWE has yet to reach any carriage deals for its new service, Barreca anticipates that operators on board with its SVOD service might add the Spanish-language offerings. WWE 24/7's roster includes Cox Communications Inc., RCN Corp., Insight Communications Co., Blue Ridge Communications, Sunflower Broadband, Massilon Cable and more recently Rogers Cable Inc. in Canada.
In other WWE news, the company will offer its Jul. 24 The Great American Bash PPV event free to the Armed Forces Network to air the next day in Japan/Korea and Central Europe.
“While our men and women of the Armed Forces are serving throughout the world, we know they are away from their homes and their families, so we are pleased to provide them with a little “piece of home” as a token of our thanks for all they are doing during this challenging time,” said WWE executive vice president of television production Kevin Dunn in a statement. “The Armed Forces have shown WWE great support during our base visits and hospital visits so we look at this broadcast as one way we can honor all of them for their bravery and courage.”
