RADICAN'S TAKE EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER EXCERPT: Radican's in-depth review of how the WWE Network will affect other companies, with quotes from industry promoters
Feb 7, 2014 - 2:15:39 PM
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This week's PWTorch Newsletter #1341 - available for VIP members and print subscribers - features an in-depth review of how the WWE Network will affect independent promotions and other companies that promote their content online by PWTorch columnist Sean Radican.
The following are excerpts from the special report, which includes quotes from DGUSA head booker Gabe Sapolsky, AIW co-owner John Thorne, and Highspots.com owner Michael Bochicchio.
- Sapolsky said he believes the Network's $9.99-per-month price point is dangerous, but not deadly, as he pointed to the recent HD upgrade on WWNLive iPPVs as a factor working in their favor.
“Promotions like DGUSA, EVOLVE, SHINE, and FIP in the WWNLive Family are like mom and pop stores and WWE is like Walmart,” said Sapolsky. “This is like Walmart moving in and lowering the consumer’s expectations on price point. This is a dangerous thing for us; however, it’s not deadly. We can whine and cry about how we can’t offer all that content for that price point or we can get better and offer a more exciting product. We started that with the EVOLVE shows earlier last month by going HD widescreen without raising our prices. You can still watch our shows starting at just $10, which is still a low, competitive price. It is up to us to offer a compelling product that offers an alternative.”
- Thorne believes that distributors might be forced to develop an app to make their content available on all platforms like the WWE Network.
“Our strategy will stay the same. As long as you offer something exciting and create match ups people will want to see, they will support you,” said Thorne. “There is a value in Independent wrestling and the freedom the performers have to go out with no restrictions and put on amazing professional wrestling matches that are nothing like the WWE in-ring product. And that is something fans are going to have to pay for.
“The price of Independent wrestling is not unreasonable. You can download a show in minutes for $11.99 from Smart Mark Video or stream it on your computer almost instantly. I think the only change we could see is video companies like Smart Mark Video eventually developing apps to make their content available on all platforms like the WWE Network.”
- Bochicchio is in a different position than Sapolsky and Thorne as the owner of Highspots, which houses a lot of different content for various independent companies, including his own “over the top” on-demand site Highspots.tv, which features a ton of content for a fixed rate per month that varies depending on the commitment made by the consumer. Highspots also sells VODs, iPPVs, and DVDs.
When asked about how the price point of the WWE Network would impact his business, Bochicchio discussed how he saw the writing on the wall in terms of DVDs being phased out in favor of digital distribution years ago, but he’s been surprised that Highspots continues to sell DVDs, despite offering download and streaming options.
“When I started Highspots, we exclusively dealt with VHS tapes,” said Bochicchio. “After a few years, we moved to DVDs . I saw the writing on the wall years ago that DVDs were going to be replaced by digital distribution. As somebody who hasn’t purchased a DVD in years, I’m shocked that we continue to sell DVDs to our customer base, particularly when we offer all our new content through both digital download and streaming options. The $9.99 price that WWE is charging for the Network is their entry price. It’s also a price that you only get when you commit to buying six months at a time. I’m sure their price will only go up as they feel more comfortable with their ability to charge more, the same way PPV pricing has increased continually.”
- Radican's Final Take: This is an exciting, but also a dangerous time for WWE and independent promotions. WWE is taking a big risk launching the WWE Network and offering a lot of content, including all of their PPVs for an extremely low price point with a long-term commitment. Independent companies have a big opportunity to take advantage of what WWE is doing if the WWE Network is successful...
VIP ALERT: Read Radican's entire Final Take and even more quotes and insight on this game-changing topic in this week's PWTorch Newsletter, available HERE for VIP members. Not a VIP member? Find out how to subscribe by going to PWTorch.com/GoVIP.
Also in this week's Torch Newsletter:
- The latest backstage insight and insider news on C.M. Punk's WWE departure.
- Behind-the-scenes details on WWE Creative meetings held last week.
- Wade Keller's Newsletter-exclusive Raw Report & Analysis.
- Bruce Mitchell's special column on Submission Part 4.
- Greg Parks's weekly column on Tag Team Break-ups (so long, Prime Time Players).
- Jake Roberts Torch Talk Part 4 from the same week Roberts was announced for the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame.
- Full Torch Newswire & Results, plus more features.
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