WWE Expanding Digital Presence
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 1/29/2007
STAMFORD, CONN. — World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the sports entertainment and media company that has produced such pugilistic personalities as Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper, is tapping into emerging digital technologies to leverage its vast programming library and fan base.
The $380 million business is already a staple at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and Trans World Entertainment thanks to an expansive assortment of licensed gaming software and its Sony-distributed home video catalog, which adds 26 new titles a year and shipped 3 million units in 2006.
Now, under the direction of Tom Barreca, digital media executive VP, WWE is expanding its presence within the cable and wireless industries in addition to bulking up its own site, www.WWE.com. Last August Comcast joined Cox Communications, Insight, Mediacom, RCN and Rogers Communications in offering the company's video-on-demand subscription service while WWE Mobile, which provides ring tones, wallpapers, video content and text-message packages to wireless handset users, launched last May.
To support the expansion, WWE maintained a high profile at CES this month, where Barreca led a contingent that included legacy wrestler and reality TV star Hogan, who appeared at the Polaroid booth.
