WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that it has retained The Raine
Group, LLC as financial advisor, Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal
advisor, and August LLC as strategic communications advisor to
support WWE’s management team and its Board of Directors in
connection with a review of strategic alternatives to maximize
value for all WWE stockholders and other stakeholders.
Vince McMahon, WWE’s Founder and Executive Chairman said, “WWE’s
upcoming media rights cycle will take place amid a rapidly evolving
media and entertainment landscape, and we believe exploring our
strategic alternatives at this critical juncture will enable WWE to
fully capitalize on the significant value of our intellectual
property. I am highly confident that our outstanding Directors,
outside advisors and executive team will provide valuable expertise
and counsel to help guide the Company through this important
process while our management team and employee base continue to
deliver results and content our fans love.”
There can be no assurances given regarding the outcome or timing
of the strategic alternatives review process. WWE does not intend
to comment further until the process has concluded or the Company
has otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or
required.
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,
premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s
TVPG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide
in 30 languages through world class distribution partners including
NBCUniversal, FOX, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The
award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events,
scheduled programming and a massive video on-demand library and is
currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United
States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive
home to WWE Network.
Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and
corporate.wwe.com.
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, and oral statements made from time to time
by our representatives may contain, forward-looking statements
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements include statements
regarding our outlook regarding future financial results, the
impact of recent management changes as well as recent changes on
our board of directors (the “Board”), the timing and outcome of the
Company’s media rights negotiations and the Company’s review of
strategic alternatives, our plans to remediate identified material
weaknesses in our disclosure control and procedures and our
internal control over financial reporting, and regulatory,
investigative or enforcement inquiries, subpoenas or demands
arising from, related to, or in connection with these matters. In
addition, the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “anticipate,” “plan,”
“continue,” “project,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “expect,”
“outlook,” “target,” “goal,” “guidance” and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain such words. These statements
relate to future possible events, as well as our plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and are not historical facts and
accordingly involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and
other factors that may cause the actual results or the performance
by us to be materially different from expected future results or
performance expressed or implied by any forward-looking
statements.
These forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties
relating to, without limitation, the impact of the actions
described herein; the ability of Mr. McMahon, through his
beneficial ownership of a substantial majority of our Class B
common stock, to exercise ultimate control over our affairs; the
complexity of the Company’s rights agreements across distribution
mechanisms and geographical areas; the recent changes relating to
the composition of the Board; the assumption by Nick Khan of the
role of sole CEO of the Company; perception by the Company’s
management, stockholders, customers, talent and partners of the
actions described herein; reputational harm to the Company’s
relationships with its stockholders, customers, talent and
partners, which may have adverse financial and operational impacts;
and future financial and operational results, including our outlook
for future financial results, among other factors.
Such forward-looking statements are based on available current
information and our current expectations, including beliefs and
forecasts concerning future developments and the potential effects
of such developments on us. The following additional factors, among
others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in forward-looking statements: COVID-19, which may
continue to affect negatively world economies as well as our
industry, business and results of operations; our ability to enter,
maintain and renew major distribution and licensing agreements (on
attractive terms or otherwise); the Company’s review of strategic
alternatives and the outcome(s) thereof; a rapidly evolving and
highly competitive media landscape; WWE Network; computer systems,
content delivery and online operations of our Company and our
business partners; privacy norms and regulations; our need to
continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events;
our need to retain and continue to recruit key performers; the
possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports
entertainment; 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/or our inability to compete
effectively, especially against competitors with greater financial
resources or marketplace presence; 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; potential
substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries
occurring during our physically demanding events; large public
events as well as travel to and from such events; our expansion
into new or complementary businesses, strategic investments and/or
acquisitions; our accounts receivable; the construction and move to
our new leased corporate and media production headquarters;
litigation and other actions, investigations or proceedings; a
change in the tax laws of key jurisdictions; our feature film
business; inflationary pressures and interest rate changes; our
indebtedness including our convertible notes; our potential failure
to meet market expectations for our financial performance;
conflicts of interests between holders of our Class A common stock
and Mr. McMahon, our controlling stockholder with beneficial
ownership of a substantial majority of our Class B common stock;
our share repurchase program; 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 cause our stock price to
decline; and the volatility in trading prices of our Class A common
stock. In addition, our dividend and share repurchases are
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 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 any documents filed, or to be filed, by
the Company with the SEC, including, but not limited to, the
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of our annual
reports on Form 10-K and 10-K/A and quarterly reports on Form
10-Q/A and Form 10-Q.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230112005878/en/
Media: Chris Legentil, WWE 203-352-8793
Chris.Legentil@wwecorp.com Steven Goldberg/Beau Falgout, August
WWE@AugustCo.com
Investors: Seth Zaslow 203-352-1026
Seth.Zaslow@wwecorp.com
All Other Inquiries: Jeff Sine/Christopher Donini, Raine
212-603-5586 WWE@raine.com
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