PWTorch.com - WWE Q1 & Q2 RESULTS: Business Break Down through first half of 2015, including snapshot of "WrestleMania Period"

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WWE Q1 & Q2 RESULTS: Business Break Down through first half of 2015, including snapshot of "WrestleMania Period"

Jul 30, 2015 - 8:48:21 AM

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By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE Revenue Break Down - First-Half of 2015

With WrestleMania occurring in the First Quarter of 2015 and Second Quarter of 2014, it's worth looking at the total picture of the first-half of both years for some comparisons...

- TOTAL REVENUE: $326.4 million, up 15 percent from $281.9 million in the first-half of 2014.

WWE said the increase was "driven by the escalation of television rights fees and the expansion of WWE Network as reflected in the Company’s Media Division," plus higher video game sales, higher average ticket prices for live events, and an increase in revenue from outside North American "driven by the increased monetization of content."

Media Division

- OVERALL: Revenue of $203.9 million, up from $173.5 million in the first-half of 2014.

This was mainly due to the "escalation of TV Rights Fees and the ramp-up of WWE Network." WWE added that the increase "more than offset the revenue declines from the Home Entertainment and Digital Media segments."

- WWE Network/PPV: Revenue of $77.7 million, up $16 million from $61.7 million in the first-half of 2014.

- Television Rights Fees: Revenue of $110.3 million, up 32 percent from $84.1 million in the first-half of 2014.

- Home Entertainment: Revenue of $7.8 million, about half of $15.9 million through the first-half of 2014. DVD sales has turned into one of WWE's weakest divisions.

- Digital Media: Revenue of $8.1 million, down 32 percent from $11.8 million in the first-half of 2014. This division was hurt by a lack of online PPV buys through the website as part of the switch-over toq WWE Network.

Live Events Division

- OVERALL: Revenue of $65.7 million, up slightly from $62.0 million in the first-half of 2014.

- Live Event Sales: Revenue of $63.9 million, up from $60.0. million in the first-half of 2014, mainly due to a "comparable increase in average ticket prices at the Company’s events in North America, including WrestleMania."

- Travel Packages Sales: Revenue of $1.8 million, about even with $2.0 million in the first-half of 2014.

Consumer Products Division

- OVERALL: Revenue of $52.0 million, up 33 percent from $39.2 million in the first-half of 2014.

- Licensing Revenue: Revenue of $27.8 million, up nearly $10 million from $19.5 million in the first-half of 2014.

WWE said "growth was driven by higher sales of the Company’s franchise video game in domestic and international markets."

- Venue Merchandise: Revenue of $13.1 million, up from $11.5 million in the first-half of 2014, mainly due to stronger WrestleMania merchandise sales.

- WWE Shop: Revenue of $11.1 million, up from $8.2 million in the first-half of 2014, mainly due to better marketing and product mixes.

WWE Studios Division

- WWE Studios Revenue: Revenue of $3.6 million, cut in half from $6.1 million in the first-half of 2014.

WWE said "the decrease in revenue was primarily due to the performance and timing of results from the Company’s portfolio of movies as the prior year quarter reflected the strong performance of 'The Call' (released theatrically in March 2013)."

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Source of Revenue

- OVERALL: Total Revenue of $326.4 million, up from $281.9 million in the first-half of 2014.

- North America: Revenue of $247.8 million, up from $225.0 million in the first-half of 2014.

- International: Revenue of $78.6 million, up from $56.9 million in the first-half of 2014.