Vince wants his own cable network

What else do you want, Vince? A big blue balloon? An expensive haircut?

What else do you want, Vince? A big blue balloon? An expensive haircut?

Peep this, mother truckers, from the LA Times (which can be read here http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/08/wwes-vince-mcmahon-wants-to-launch-cable-network.html but I’m just going to quote it anyway):

Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., wants to start its own cable network.

In an interview with Company Town, McMahon said he wants to launch the channel within the next two years and that he will pitch it as a network for the basic tier, which is the hardest one to get carriage on.

Launching a cable network is just the latest push in McMahon’s effort to remake the WWE. For years, WWE programming was a tough sell to advertisers and families because of its raunchy nature and sexual innuendo. Now he’s pushing a softer, gentler WWE. For more on his strategy, please read our story in today’s Los Angeles Times.

Although this may not seem like the most ideal time to try to get a network off the ground, McMahon’s WWE has a pretty strong track record that cable and satellite operators will find hard to ignore. Whatever one thinks of WWE content, it does attract a big audience. USA Network’s “Raw,” for example, averages 5.5 million viewers and all of the WWE’s shows on broadcast and cable combined average 16 million viewers per week. WWE is also starting bringing in more blue chip advertisers, including AT&T, Pepisco and Procter & Gamble.

McMahon is also a force on pay-per-view. WWE does about 14 pay-per-view events annually that attract anywhere from 500,000 to 1.4 million buys. In other words, he has some juice with distributors. With a library of over 100,000 hours of programming, he’s not lacking for content.

“We have a lot of clout that most people don’t,” McMahon said. While WWE wants its own network, McMahon said he has no plans to take “Raw” off of USA or move any of his other properties.

“It won’t be a threat, it’ll be an integration,” he said, adding, “it’s good for `RAW’ to be on USA.” Of course, McMahon also knows it will also help him in negotiations with his partners. “Having your own network allows you a lot of leverage.”

Having worked for a cable company, I saw firsthand how difficult it was for Big Ten Network to get on the basic tier. That was tied up for months and years and decades before finally getting done. Wrestling is just a touch more taboo than college sports, so this is not going to be a walk through Central Park on a sunny, purse snatcherless day.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how every time Vince tries to do something other than promoting wrestling (XFL is one example, WWE Films is another, there’s more but you get it, you get it), it’s a monumental failure and he always loses money on the venture. You would think the greatest wrestling promoter of all time would be happy to just promote wrestling by day and dive into his Uncle Scrooge money bin by night, but he is a restless soul. They call him Restless Ronny, they do. – Dusty

2 Responses to “Vince wants his own cable network”

  1. CohibaDon 2009-08-25 at 7:27 am #

    So, when Shane, Steph and HHH dive into the vault, do they bounce off the coins like Huey, Dewey and Louie?

    And I don’t understand something. Will this be a new network with non-wrestling shows on it? If so, do we really need another network to show Fresh Prince in syndication? If not, what happens to WWE Classics?

  2. Fanatic 2009-08-25 at 4:21 pm #

    Yes we do need another network to show Fresh Prince. And hopefully Married with Children and King of tth Hill.

    Princess Bride will be shown at 8pm every Saturday NIght for when mom brings your food down to the basement. And Blade3 will be shown every Sunday afternoon since you don’t like real sports.

    The rant wasn’t for you Don, just a rant from yours truly.

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