8 Things We Learned From WWE's First Quarter 2017 Earnings
2. More Local Content Is Coming
WWE’s dedication to “local content” was one of the conference call’s biggest talking points. The executives called January’s popular UK Title Tournament a “large success locally and internationally,” and noted that Triple H is still actively scouting British wrestlers to add to their talent pool. There was no announcement on a weekly UK TV show, but the company did hold two nights of tapings in Norwich, England over the weekend.
The group added that they see local content as vital in appealing to viewers in the targeted countries. This is in-line with the previous earnings call, when Vince spoke positively on the subject of expanding their operations in fresh markets around the world. There was no concrete news on what this might entail, however.
The Network’s total international subscribers rose by 39,000 compared to the previous quarter, with the total now sitting at 409,000 outside the United States. At roughly 10%, this increase is lower than that found in the company’s total Network subscriptions, which jumped by 12%. A disappointing statistic, but one that WWE hope will improve by delivering on their promise of increased local tournaments and events.