arnisador
12-02-2007, 09:16 PM
WWE and mixed martial arts in grudge match (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/chi-ym-wrestling-1202dec02,0,1375353.story)
Wrestling company expanding as rival's popularity soaring (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/chi-ym-wrestling-1202dec02,0,1375353.story)
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. is flexing its muscles overseas, looking to fight off a challenge from an increasingly popular combat sport known as mixed martial arts.
The Stamford, Conn., wrestling entertainment and media company is expanding operations around the world, adding businesses in London, Shanghai, Sydney and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The company also aims to discover emerging markets, improve its Web site and wireless business and increase sales of pay-per-view events amid growing competition from mixed martial arts.
Such diversification has reinvigorated the firm's stock (WWE)
I read this in the Wall Street Journal, then saw it again in today's Chicago Tribune. I hadn't thought that there was such an issue here, though some people think there could be a synergy:
But industry watchers said growth in various divisions is helping to camouflage slow pay-per-view sales. They warned the chances for WWE's global strategy to work to its full potential are slim, as its television and pay-per-view programs overlap with mixed martial arts events on competing networks.
As a result, WWE is going to face a challenge of keeping men loyal as it competes with mixed martial arts, a combat sport that combines kickboxing and grappling. Ultimate Fighting Championship and International Fight League are top promoters of U.S. televised competitions of mixed martial arts, which is sanctioned by more than 20 state athletic commissions.
"If there is a UFC event on a Saturday and a WWE event on a Sunday, people are not going to order both," said Dave Meltzer, editor and publisher of the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Meltzer said the competition cuts into WWE's pay-per-view buys. "People are not going to have friends over for pay-per-view parties twice a month. That is just kind of excessive."
Combat sport a boon
Sileck said mixed martial arts isn't a major threat to WWE, and that, more or less, the growth of the combat sport is helping reinvigorate the pay-per-view category. He said mixed martial arts is filling a void from declining interest in boxing.
Wrestling company expanding as rival's popularity soaring (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/chi-ym-wrestling-1202dec02,0,1375353.story)
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. is flexing its muscles overseas, looking to fight off a challenge from an increasingly popular combat sport known as mixed martial arts.
The Stamford, Conn., wrestling entertainment and media company is expanding operations around the world, adding businesses in London, Shanghai, Sydney and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The company also aims to discover emerging markets, improve its Web site and wireless business and increase sales of pay-per-view events amid growing competition from mixed martial arts.
Such diversification has reinvigorated the firm's stock (WWE)
I read this in the Wall Street Journal, then saw it again in today's Chicago Tribune. I hadn't thought that there was such an issue here, though some people think there could be a synergy:
But industry watchers said growth in various divisions is helping to camouflage slow pay-per-view sales. They warned the chances for WWE's global strategy to work to its full potential are slim, as its television and pay-per-view programs overlap with mixed martial arts events on competing networks.
As a result, WWE is going to face a challenge of keeping men loyal as it competes with mixed martial arts, a combat sport that combines kickboxing and grappling. Ultimate Fighting Championship and International Fight League are top promoters of U.S. televised competitions of mixed martial arts, which is sanctioned by more than 20 state athletic commissions.
"If there is a UFC event on a Saturday and a WWE event on a Sunday, people are not going to order both," said Dave Meltzer, editor and publisher of the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Meltzer said the competition cuts into WWE's pay-per-view buys. "People are not going to have friends over for pay-per-view parties twice a month. That is just kind of excessive."
Combat sport a boon
Sileck said mixed martial arts isn't a major threat to WWE, and that, more or less, the growth of the combat sport is helping reinvigorate the pay-per-view category. He said mixed martial arts is filling a void from declining interest in boxing.