WWE Network hits million mark

Wrestling entertainment company WWE claims its international OTT channel is the “fastest-growing digital subscription service” after reaching its targeted one million subs mark.

This comes 11 months after WWE Network first launched in the US, and follows 37% increase in subs since WWE’s last reported financial quarter.

The recent growth was attributed to a free November trial promotion, the launch of the service in the UK and Ireland and “significant additions” for last week’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.

The firm was forced to switch its pricing offer to a rolling monthly contract aking to Netflix or Amazon after its initial six-month commitment demand was met with negative market response.

It is not clear if this week’s announcement includes consumers that cancelled their subscription following heated backlash against the Royal Rumble event, whose outcome lead to a worldwide-trending hashtag, #CancelWWENetwork.

“We’re thrilled that we’ve surpassed the one million subscriber milestone less than a year after launching WWE Network and in advance of WrestleMania, our biggest event of the year on March 29,” said WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

WWE also unveiled data that suggests around 90% of subs access WWE Network at least once a week, 99% access it at least once a month and that 86% are “satisfied” with the service.

WWE Network, priced at US$9.99 a month in the US, is currently in 170 territories.