---

WWE’s risky gamble on streaming video is paying off

World Wrestling Entertainment set out last year to completely rework its business model — and maybe change the way people watch sports in the process.

The company launched a bold gambit: Selling subscriptions to an online streaming service for $10 a month, a fraction of the $45 to $60 WWE has traditionally charged for a fight on pay-per-view.

WWE posted loss after loss as the upstart online service, WWE Network, got underway. Its stock tanked.

But the company on Thursday showed signs that the model is working, adding more paid online subscribers than Wall Street expected and turning a second-straight quarterly profit, if a modest one. It now makes more from Web subscribers, which reached 1.2 million during the quarter, than it ever did from pay-per-view, WWE’s chief executive Vince McMahon told investors.

That helped the WWE bring in $5.1 million, or 7 cents a share, in the second quarter, compared with a loss of $14.5 million during the same period last year. Its shares jumped surged 20 percent to $19.80 by Thursday afternoon.

----------------------------------

During the second quarter, WWE also managed to pass a test posed by investors: Would online subscribers drop the service after the WWE’s marquee event, WrestleMania, in March? That would indicate that fans were treating the Web service like a low-cost pay-per-view purchase, not a long-term subscription service, indicating questions about its ability to grow long-term.

About 100,000 subscribers canceled their online subscriptions after the fight, but that was fewer than some analysts had feared.

FULL ARTICLE - http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/b...ts-paying-off/

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

According to Pwinsider.com, the WWE Network is cracking down on account sharing. Users are reporting an error message “stream limit exceeded” when logging into accounts simultaneously on multiple devices. Here is what they have been receiving…

Here is what the WWE help article is on the issue:

If you see an error that says “STREAM LIMIT EXCEEDED” or “TOO MANY USAGE ATTEMPTS” it means your WWE Network account is in use on another device. WWE Network allows one Network stream per login.

To resolve:

• Log out of all devices

• Log back in to the primary device you are trying to view on

If you have shared your account with friends or family, they may be using WWE Network while you’re trying watch some content. WWE Network allows one Network stream per login.

If you think someone is using your account without your permission:

• Log out of all devices

• Change your WWE Password

• Log back in to the primary device you are trying to view on

– WWE has also updated their terms of service, specifically discussing shared accounts…

Access to WWE Network is subject to approval of your Payment Method information and verification of other information you submit to us or that is otherwise provided to us. Accordingly, if your payment (flat fee or monthly) cannot be processed for any reason, including because your Payment Method is no longer valid, we may terminate your access to the WWE Network immediately. Although your WWE Network subscription is accessible on a number of devices, your use is limited to one (1) WWE Network stream on one (1) device at any given time. IF YOU CIRCUMVENT OR ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT ANY OF THE USE RESTRICTIONS IN THESE TERMS, YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE TERMINATION AND YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL ACTION. SHARING OF LOGIN INFORMATION, INCLUDING PASSWORDS, IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

---

---

---