WWE® AND NINE EXTEND PARTNERSHIP TO TELEVISE RAW® AND SMACKDOWN® IN AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY AUSTRALIA and STAMFORD Conn. August 17 2018 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) and Nine today announced an agreement to continue broadcasting WWE’s flagship programs Raw®and SmackDown® on free-to-air television in Australia. Channel 9GO! will continue airing a weekly one-hour version of Raw between 11:15 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. on Thursdays and a weekly one-hour version of SmackDown between 11:15 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. on Fridays.
“We are excited to be able to present Raw and SmackDown to our audience and WWE’s massive fan base in Australia ” said Alison Hurbert-Burns Nine’s Director of Content Acquisition & Commercial Development.
“We are thrilled to extend our relationship with Nine a best-in-class TV partner in Australia ” said Michelle Wilson WWE Co-President. “This continued partnership enables us to expand our reach in Australia and complements our live programming in the region.”
Raw and SmackDown will also be available on 9NOW Nine’s platform for authenticated subscribers for a VOD catch-up window.
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 24 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/.
About Nine
When it comes to connecting brands with the passions of Australians there’s no other media company like Nine. As the home of Australia’s most trusted and loved brands spanningnews lifestyle entertainment and sport we pride ourselves on creating and curating quality content accessed by consumers when and how they want. With investments spanning digital and broadcast we reimagine how Australians are entertained informed and connect through content each and every day. Nine assets include the Nine Network Nine Digital a 50% stake in subscription video-on-demand provider Stan Yellow Brick Road CarAdvice and a strategic partnership with Microsoft.
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.
Media Contacts:
Brad Klein
WWE
203-352-1106
Brad.Klein@wwecorp.com
Victoria Buchan
Nine
(02) 9965 2296
vbuchan@nine.com.au
Investor Contact:
Michael Weitz
+1-203-352-8642
Michael.Weitz@wwecorp.com