WWE News: Latest Update on Pay-Per-Views Airing on the WWE Network

When news broke about the launch of the WWE Network, it was a huge moment for the company.

Not only did Vince McMahon get the 24/7 WWE channel he’s always wanted, but he also got an opportunity to revolutionize the pro wrestling business. 

The WWE Network will allow the WWE to do things that no wrestling company has ever done before, like completely alter the pro wrestling pay-per-view philosophy. Many have speculated that the WWE will do just that by moving some, if not all, pay-per-views to the network and billing them as “live specials.” 

Will that actually happen, though? Here is the very latest on the WWE’s PPV plans for the WWE Network. 

From the Wrestling Observer (via WrestleNewz.com): 

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As of right now, the monthly pay-per-views will be available on the WWE Network according to The Wrestling Observer. The only pay-per-views that will remain exclusive to traditional pay-per-view ordering is WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series.

This will begin once the network launches which is expected on April 1st, the day of WrestleMania 28. This means that the Extreme Rules PPV would be the first to be available for those who have the WWE Network. 

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This is the ideal pay-per-view philosophy for me because it essentially gives the WWE the best of both worlds. 

Moving the “B-level” pay-per-views to the WWE Network will prevent fans from having to shell out 50 bucks a pop for pay-per-views that often don’t deliver, and it was also make fans much more likely to purchase the WWE Network. 

If I know that I can spend, let’s say, $10 per month to get the WWE Network 24 hours a day and access to Sunday PPVs (or “live specials”), I’m going to be a pretty excited fan because that’s a thousand times better than dropping 50 bucks once or even twice a month. 

That being said, WWE officials would be wise to keep the “Big Four” on pay-per-view because they really aren’t sure how successful moving B-level PPVs to the WWE Network will be. It may not result in as much revenue as keeping those shows on PPV would, so having at least four shows on PPV allows the WWE to still cash in. 

At the end of the day, the WWE’s goal is to make money, and though the company will have no way of knowing what will produce the most revenue until it tries this philosophy, I could certainly see it working. 

As with anything in life, the WWE’s gotta compromise with its fans at some point. This seems to be the perfect way to do that.