MUMBAI India and STAMFORD Conn.  February 26 2018 - Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) and WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that WWE’s flagship TV programs Raw and SmackDown will air with live Hindi commentary for the first time beginning tomorrow on SONY TEN 3.

Fans can tune into SONY TEN 3 to hear the new announce team of Fahad Sheikh and Sandeep Iyer calling the action live in Hindi. SONY TEN 1 will continue to air Raw and SmackDown live with English language commentary. 

“We are delighted to announce the live Hindi commentary for WWE’s flagship shows Raw and SmackDown LIVE ” said Rajesh Kaul President Sports and Distribution Business Sony Pictures Networks India. “Both programs have their own unique rosters which amplifies the excitement and interest with our fans in India. WWE enjoys a significant following and with the Hindi commentary we are attempting to engage our viewers with localized content in Hindi speaking markets and further grow the viewership.”

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Sony and offer Raw and SmackDown live in Hindi for the first time ” said Michelle Wilson WWE Co-President. “India is a priority market for WWE and this is another example of our continued commitment to localizing content and engaging our passionate fans.”

WrestleMania 33 was the first WWE special event to air with live Hindi commentary. Since then all WWE special events have aired with live Hindi commentary on WWE Network. Last June  Sony Pictures Networks India and WWE launched WWE Sunday Dhamaal a weekly show in Hindi featuring the best of Raw and SmackDown plus exclusive features and interviews.  

Watch Raw LIVE in Hindi beginning 6.30am tomorrow (Tuesday) and SmackDown LIVE in Hindi beginning 6:30am this Wednesday exclusively on SONY TEN 3. Watch WWE Sunday Dhamaal at 6pm every Sunday on Sony MAX. 

Media Contacts:

Kaumudi Naithani PR Manager SPSN | Kaumudi.naithani@setindia.com  
+919833931953

Craig Michael WWE / Edelman | craig.michael@edelman.com
+91 9820166060

About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN)

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of television channels.

SPN comprises 31 channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SET and SET HD) one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2 another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; MAX HD a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; WAH the FTA channel for Hindi movies; SAB and SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; PAL a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; PIX and PIX HD the English movie channels; LePlex HD showing critically-acclaimed Hollywood films; AXN and AXN HD the action and adventure-oriented English entertainment channels; Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD the premium factual entertainment channels Sony AATH the Bangla entertainment channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel; ROX HD a channel for contemporary Hindi music; YAY! the kids entertainment channel; Sports Network comprising 11 sports entertainment channels – SONY SIX SONY SIX HD SONY ESPN SONY ESPN HD SONY TEN 1   SONY TEN 1 HD SONY TEN 2 SONY TEN 2 HD SONY TEN 3 SONY TEN 3 HD SONY TEN GOLF HD; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform SPN Productions the networks’ film production arm and Sony Pictures Networks Distribution Pvt Ltd. (SPND) that distributes the networks television channels across different genres and languages through multiple content delivery platforms. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.

The network is recognized as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. SPN is a recipient of several awards including the ‘Aon Best Employers India’ Award in the 2017 edition in recognition of SPN’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners listed by Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India in 2017 and adjudged one of India’s Great Mid-Size Workplaces by the Great Place To Work® Institute for the 2017 edition.

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited is in its 23rd year of operations in India. Its subsidiaries include Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India Private Limited MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited MSM Discovery Private Limited Taj Television (India) Private Limited Aqua Holding Investments [Pvt.] Ltd. and Bangla Entertainment Private Limited.

About WWE

WWE a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming pay-per-view digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 20 languages. WWE Network the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library is currently available in more than 180 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford Conn. with offices in New York Los Angeles London Mexico City Mumbai Shanghai Singapore Dubai Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming talent names images likenesses slogans wrestling moves trademarks logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include without limitation risks relating to: WWE Network; major distribution agreements; our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights our need to protect those rights and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including without limitation claims relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our revolving credit facility; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance which  could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercising control over our affairs and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares which are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale or the perception of possible sales of those shares could lower our stock price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common stock. In addition our dividend is dependent on a number of factors including among other things our liquidity and cash flow strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital) our financial results and condition contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility) general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them and undue reliance should not be placed on these statements.