10 Step Investigation: Just How Successful Is WWE In 2017?
8. Network Subscriptions
The WWE Network subscription count is close to breaking the 2 million barrier as of this month, but it can be inferred, from the closing statement made by WWE Chief Strategy and Financial Officer George Barrios on the 2016 Fourth Quarter Results report that the model is still not as effective as the pay-per-view model of old.
Barrios chose his words carefully. "Given the current scale and leverage of WWE Network, increases in its subscribers have the potential to drive meaningful growth in revenue and profit." The words potential and meaningful are operative here. The Network does not yet attribute significantly to WWE's bottom line. The low cost, essential to compete with and render favourable in comparison to Netflix, has much to do with that - but recent flirtations with additional content to justify a price hike - i.e. the acquisition of Ring Of Honor - have cooled.
It's a slow process, but a necessary one; the old pay-per-view model is dying, resuscitated briefly only by boxing and MMA super fights. The Network itself, if not entirely intuitive, is excellent insofar as content goes. Between the vaults, pay-per-views and Cruiserweight/Women's tournaments, there is something on there for every wrestling fan.
But, as is evident elsewhere with WWE's strategy, the company is principally concerned with serving the diehards. Lapsed, old school territory diehards need not apply..