Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited, (SPN) and WWE
(NYSE: WWE) today announced a five-year extension with an expanded
broadcast agreement that will deliver WWE’s weekly flagship
programming and localized content in India and the Indian
subcontinent, making SPN the exclusive home to WWE in-ring content
across its television and digital platforms.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200331005215/en/
Sony Pictures Networks India and WWE®
Expand Partnership in India (Graphic: Business Wire)
As part of the agreement, SPN will have the rights to air Raw®,
SmackDown®, NXT® as well as WWE pay-per-view specials live on its
sports and digital platforms in English, Hindi and regional
languages.
The expanded partnership also provides SPN the rights to WWE
Network which hosts thousands of hours of content to be made
available to audiences in India exclusively through SonyLIV, SPN’s
OTT platform. In addition and for the first time, SPN will curate
content from WWE’s extensive video library which includes live
events, iconic matches, interviews with Legends, reality shows,
documentaries and more, on its own platforms.
WWE will also return to India with even bigger live events and
Superstars will visit the region for promotional tours to engage
with fans.
Comments:
Rajesh Kaul, Head Sports and Chief Revenue Officer
Distribution, Sony Pictures Networks India
“WWE has been consistently ranking in the top three
properties across all sports networks in India, dominating the
sports entertainment space. We are delighted to extend our
partnership with WWE in a first of its kind deal that will give us
an increased exposure to valuable content and reach out to a
broader viewer base across India on multiple platforms.”
James Rosenstock, WWE Executive Vice-President,
International
“India is a strategically important market for WWE and Sony
Pictures Networks has been an extraordinary partner in helping to
grow our fanbase in the region making it one of the most-watched
sports properties. The expanded partnership gives our passionate
fans new opportunities to engage with the WWE brand.”
The agreement comes at a time when WWE’s popularity in India
continues to grow. WWE is one of the most-watched sports properties
in India, and India ranks #1 for WWE YouTube consumption and #1 in
WWE Facebook followers. In addition, WWE has been actively
recruiting elite athletes and performers from the country. Last
year, WWE hosted its largest tryout in history, where more than 70
top athletes from India showcased their abilities in Mumbai. Four
Indian recruits were selected to begin training at the WWE
Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, U.S.
About Sony Pictures Networks India
(SPN)
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), is an indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Sony Corporation, Japan.
SPN has several 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; AXN and AXN HD, the channels
showcasing the best in Reality, Entertainment and Drama; 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; YAY!, the kids entertainment
channel; 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 Marathi, the Marathi
general entertainment channel; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment
VOD platform; SPN Productions, the networks’ film production arm
and Studio NEXT the independent production venture for original
content and IPs for TV and digital media. 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 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 and adjudged one of India’s Great Workplaces by the
Great Place to Work® Institute. Sony Pictures Networks India
Private Limited is in its 24th year of operations in India. It has
a subsidiary, MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited and an
affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India.
For more information, log onto www.sonypicturesnetworks.com
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 28 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: the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business, results of
operations and financial condition; entering, maintaining and
renewing major distribution agreements; a rapidly evolving media
landscape; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to
attract, retain and renew subscribers); our need to continue to
develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the
possibility of 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 including
possible disruptions and reputational risks; 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 alleging traumatic brain injury; 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; privacy norms and regulations; a possible
decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial
markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness including our
convertible notes; litigation; our potential failure to meet market
expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely
affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our
affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our
Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares 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 volatility of our Class A common stock. In addition, our
dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among
other things, our liquidity and historical and projected 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 and are subject to change without any obligation on the
part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should
not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks
and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please
refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of
the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our
annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200331005215/en/
Media: Kaumudi
Naithani +91 9833931953 | kaumudi.naithani@setindia.com
Matthew Altman 203-352-1177 | Matthew.Altman@wwecorp.com
Investor: Michael
Weitz 203-352-8642 | Michael.Weitz@wwecorp.com
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