WWE announced on December 12, 2016, that they raised the low end of its projected range of average paid WWE Network subscribers for the fourth quarter 2016. The specific number the company expects is 1.4 million average paid subscribers for the WWE Network at the end of the fourth quarter 2016.
Here is the press release issued by Business Wire as well as the WWE Corporate page:
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) today announced that the Company has raised the low end of its projected range of average paid WWE Network subscribers for the fourth quarter 2016 and reaffirmed its 2016 Adjusted OIBDA and Operating income guidance.
Specifically, the Company announced that it expects at least 1.40 million average paid subscribers to WWE Network for the fourth quarter 2016. The Company reaffirmed its projections for fourth quarter Adjusted OIBDA of approximately $20 million to $24 million (Operating income of $12 million to $16 million). For the full year, the Company anticipates 2016 Adjusted OIBDA of $80 million to $84 million (Operating income of $54 million to $58 million) and average paid subscribers to WWE Network of approximately 1.42 million representing growth of 25% for the full year.
Note: Reconciliation of Q4 2016 and full year 2016 Operating Income to Adjusted OIBDA can be found in the Supplemental Information in this release.
The number of subscribers in the report for the third quarter of 2016 was up about 600,000 as compared to the projected number for the fourth quarter, with an average of 1.46 million. The number of subscribers in the report for the second quarter of 2016 showed higher numbers as well, with an average of 1.52 million paid network subscribers.
The subscription count for the WWE Network was low heading into the first quarter 2016 of with an average of 1.29 million paid subscribers, but they managed to reach 1.47 at the end of the quarter.
The highest network number in company history was recorded during WrestleMania 32 when the subscriptions totalled 1.82 million, following the advertisements telling fans they could get WrestleMania for free if they subscribed less than a month before the PPV.
The trend with the WWE network subscriptions seems to reach the greatest number just after WrestleMania, but steadily decrease as time goes on. Last year’s WrestleMania card suffered from multiple legends and top star injuries like Sting, Seth Rollins, and John Cena.
With a healthy roster and the return of Goldberg to WWE, the Network subscriptions for WrestleMania 33 could potentially surpass the 1.82 million subscribers from WrestleMania 32.
The network subscribers have consistently increased for WrestleMania over the last two years. The network subscribers following WrestleMania 31 was 1.3 million. The year before, after WrestleMania 30, the number of network subscribers was 667,000; two months after the Network’s launch in 2014.
The WWE Network was advertised for 2012, but the launch of the network was pushed back by two years. Here is its first trailer:
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