Why People Aren't Buying The WWE Network, Russian Wrestler Reportedly "Wows" Developmental Trainers

Russian Wrestler Impressed WWE

Lately there have been reports on different tryouts at the WWE Performance Center. It has been reported independent wrestler Uhaa Nation made a good impression on WWE.

PWInsider.com is now reporting another wrestler who has recently worked out for WWE and “wowed” them. He’s a Russian wrestler with a Greco-Roman wrestling background. His name isn’t known but there is a feeling by many that he is close to being signed.

Why People Aren’t Buying

I listened and read along with the presentation WWE provided in their earnings meeting on Thursday where they revealed their latest numbers for the company the WWE Network. My column for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is a report and reaction. Plus, why people aren’t buying the WWE Network? The following is an excerpt:

WWE once battled Ted Turner and WCW. Now it is battling shareholders and subscribers.

WWE hosted its quarterly earnings report conference call Thursday to reveal updated financial numbers and plans. As with most everything about WWE nowadays, the meeting revolved almost entirely around WWE Network.

On April 7, WWE reported 667,000 network subscribers. On July 31, it was 700,000. As of Sept. 30, the number rose to 731,000. The last number is bothersome because WWE has international markets of more than 170 new countries that have gotten the network in the past quarter, but that didn’t provide a big increase.

According to WWE, 703,000 of those subscribers are domestic, and 28,000 are international.

In total since the launch in late February, WWE has attracted approximately 971,000 unique users to WWE Network. As of Sept. 30, only 75.2 percent remain subscribed.

A version of the network is on Rogers TV provider in Canada, which has only 20 percent clearance in Canada. The WWE is working on penetrating the other 80 percent, said chief strategy and financial officer George Barrios.

Barrios was the star of this call with his catchphrase, “I’m not going to get into specifics.”

Investors meetings require reading between the lines. The company can present numbers and spin them as they want. When an executive says he’s not getting into specifics, it means he does not have good news. If he did, he surely would tell everyone.

The catchphrase came when he had to field questions. WWE held onto the engagement positivity. Vince McMahon himself noted 90 percent of the subscribers access the network at least once a week.

One of the more interesting topics dodged was when Barrios was asked about information gleaned from those who have canceled their subscription.

Because Barrios wouldn’t address it, I will. I would guess people were upset with the quality of performance of pay-per-views this year because we’ve heard negative reports of people watching the network on various devices that the stream can be bad.

It especially makes sense because WWE admitted the live programs, notably the pay-per-views, are easily the most viewed content on the network.

The network still isn’t in the UK. I continue to hold strong that this is going to be a huge sign of success or failure. The UK is a great market for WWE. The fans have become known and acknowledged on television for their passion and voice. It’s scheduled to be available to UK fans in November. If the network can’t make it in the UK, I don’t know if it can make it anywhere.

This all is provided the network is made available in the best format possible, which is digitally on computers, mobile device and the other means it is in the United States. I have the feeling things aren’t going well so far in Canada, which would have to be attributed to the less-than-satisfying version of the network on a channel that only 20 percent of people in Canada can get.

I said on my radio show podcast Tuesday that I’ve been hearing rumors from backstage in WWE that McMahon has been more visible than ever wondering what it’s going to take to beef up the number of subscribers. This has been focus No. 1 and more noticeable than ever of late. After looking at this numbers, I’m not surprised with the rumors I was hearing.