WWE announced on Wednesday via a WWE.com video and an email message to WWE Network subscribers that an updated, sleeker version of the WWE Network would be debuting across all platforms in the coming days. But it turns out that was just the first of many changes WWE is making to their Over-the-top streaming service.
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While giving Pro Wrestling Sheet an early look at the new network prior to its launch, WWE confirmed that a new tier system for the network was on the way.
“Over the next few months we plan to launch a free tier with select WWE programming and — a few months after that — a VIP tier with additional programming similar to the EVOLVE 10th anniversary celebration that WWE Network streamed earlier this month,” the company told the website. Official dates and prices were not disclosed.
Though WWE has had a working relationship with the Evolve independent promotion since 2015, the company finally broadcast one of the company’s live events on the WWE Network on July 13 (the same night as AEW’s Fight for the Fallen event). The company did not confirm whether or not ICW or Progress, two United Kingdom promotions, would also have its events be featured on the VIP tier.
The WWE Network officially launched back in February 2014 and by January 2015 had reached one million subscribers. In April 2018 the company announced it had finally broken two million subscribers, though because of their new pay structure (which allows a new subscriber to sign up for a free month without paying for a full subscription) only 1.8 million of those signed up were paying subscribers.
WWE’s report for the second financial quarter of 2019 was released on Thursday, revealing that the number of network subscribers stood at 1.69 million.
The company’s next live network event, Smackville, will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday. The one-hour special will feature three championship matches — WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Samoa Joe vs. Dolph Ziggler, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Finn Balor.
