According to Variety.com, NBC Universal must accept or reject WWE's final offer for a television rights renewal agreement by February 15 of 2014. If NBC Universal declines, then WWE will accept bids from other potential partners until February 28. WWE is planning to select its media partners by March 4. However, WWE programming will remain with its current television partners until October 2014. Vince McMahon was quoted as saying the following in the Variety report:
"WWE is a proven ratings juggernaut, making USA Network No. 1 for the past eight years and delivering more average viewers than every sports property, with the exception of the NFL. Given the increasing demand for live, DVR-proof content, we believe the market will value our programming significantly above where we’ve been in the past."
Variety.com is also reporting that Hulu might lose the next day air rights to WWE programming if a new TV deal is signed. WWE CFO George Barrios told Variety that partners who pay licensing fees are now expecting to get the TV Everywhere distribution rights.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
