The market’s enthusiasm for WWE stems largely from its lucrative TV contracts, combined with its early success in direct-to-consumer streaming TV apps. In 2014 the company made a risky move, deciding essentially to cannibalize its traditional pay-per-view business. Instead of paying their cable companies one-time fees to see WWE’s marquee events—say, $44.99 for the Royal Rumble—fans would be encouraged to subscribe to a streaming video service, the WWE Network, and pay a monthly fee. After some early turbulence, the move is paying off. Roughly 1.5 million people now hand over $9.99 a month for the WWE Network, making it the 11th-most-popular streaming video service in the U.S., according to Parks Associates, and the second-most-popular, after Major League Baseball’s, in the “sports-related” category.
From the article "WWE Is Laying the Smackdown on the World" by Felix Gillette and Kim Bhasin.
OTT viewing is increasingly taking place in the living room, with more than half (52%) of U.S. broadband households now watching online video on an internet-connected television, according to a new re...
We reported last week that more consumers were adding home security systems. The number of U.S. broadband homes with security systems ticked upward – from 26% to 28% — as of the end of the fourth quar...
People who use their smartphones to watch more than six hours of video per week are more likely to cut the cord during the next year than those who watch 2.5 hours, according to Parks Associates. The...
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the perceived value of technology in 53% of broadband households, according to a Parks Associates’ survey. The study, “COVID-19: Impact on Consumer Spending and...
