Streaming Technology and Pro Wrestling

Professional wrestling was the catalysts of the pay-per-view model (PPV) that most people recognize today, but the emergence of streaming services such as the WWE Network has changed the game of how to watch wrestling. The WWE Network launched in 2014 available by subscription for less than $10 per month. Available on various platforms such as Smart TVs, game consoles, phones and tablets, admirers of wrestling can now engross themselves with nearly endless amounts of sports entertainment. Previously, fans would have to ante up anywhere from $30 to $100 (HD was more expensive than SD) each month for a wrestling PPV, which became quite the burden on American wallets.

The WWE Network’s streaming service model has changed the business for the better. The 24/7 on-demand format needed to carry more programming. WWE has acquired the video libraries from many of the now-defunct wrestling promotions (WCW, ECW, AWA, etc.) endowing viewers the ability to re-live wrestling’s history. The libraries have been used to produce programming based on the real stories of the wrestlers by pulling back the curtain and breaking the fourth wall with behind the scenes and in-depth interviews with their performers. The WWE still produces their traditional pay-per-views that are broadcasted live on their network, but now they have added shows labeled “Network Specials” that are glorified house shows with PPV presentation. Recently the WWE Super Show-down from Melbourne, Australia in front of 70,000 ecstatic fans was the most recent extravaganza streamed live by the network.

The WWE Super Show-down was a four-hour event that gave the fans from “down under” match quality similar to traditional PPVs. The show aired live at 5 am EST featuring premium WWE Superstars for a stacked card for Aussie fans, and the show delivered. Two bouts will be considered “Match of the Year” candidates as a hometown boy, Buddy Murphy, defeated Cedric Alexander for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and AJ Styles retained the WWE World Championship versus Samoa Joe. The convenience of on-demand service that the WWE Network offers, fans did not have to rise with the roosters, privileged to devour their wrestling on their own time.

There will be the first ever all women’s WWE PPV upcoming titled Evolution thanks to the power of the network. The WWE will follow up with the Crown Jewel from Saudi Arabia, and then their classic fall PPV Survivor Series in November. The WWE would not be able to produce these shows under the old model, because the average fan would not have the finances to purchase four PPVs in two months. The on-demand nature of the network for the $10 price tag, fans can shower themselves in all that wrestling.

For the WWE to change to subscription-based service was a huge risk but has turned out to be extremely positive as the stock has tripled for the company and the USA Network (Raw), and Fox (Smackdown) dug deep and paid billions for their television rights to their flagship programming respectively.

The movement to a la carte style people consume their entertainment has allowed a more significant number of wrestling promotions have followed the WWE’s model. New Japan Pro Wrestling offers NJPW World; Global Network Wrestling from Impact Wrestling; Ring of Honor’s Honor Club, and WWN from Evolve to name a few. These services promoted to fans have launched a new era of professional wrestling. Fans of wrestlers outside of the WWE have the opportunity to concatenate their favorites no matter the organization, increasing the amount cross-promotional shows, strengthening professional wrestling’s popularity to the mainstream.