WWE has been at the forefront of the media industry’s attempts to establish a business providing programming straight to viewers, without an intermediary like cable or satellite networks, while still maintaining lucrative TV deals. The company made all its content, including live events, available on the internet to paid subscribers in February 2014. Last year, WWE Network was the fifth-largest streaming service by subscriber volume, beating even HBO Now, according to Parks Associates.
Only Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Major League Baseball’s MLB.TV ranked higher.
“WWE was making a long-term bet that they could grow subscribership online and revenues online better than they were doing with pay TV,” said Brett Sappington, senior director of research overseeing entertainment services at Parks Associates, who spoke before the earnings were released. “It was a big risk, a big bet. It looks like it’s paying off.”
From the article "WWE Gets Streaming Boost As Wrestling Fans Subscribe" by Brooke Fox.
The effect on the companies’ bottom lines remains unclear, but a study by Parks Associates, a research group, found that sharing cost the streaming video industry $500 million in 2015. One reason t...
A study released this month by Parks Associates found only 18 percent of consumers would buy a smart thermostat at $250, but offering a $100 rebate more than doubled the pool of interested buyers....
When it comes to live streaming content, sports tops the leaderboard in U.S. households, according to Parks Associates. The firm found that of the 43% of homes that streamed live content online in the...
“Really it’s a chance for Netflix to set the standards and dialogue before the industry does or their competitors do,” said Paul Erickson, an analyst at Parks Associates. From the article "What's b...
