WWE Network & PPV's

As of right now, the monthly pay-per-views will be available on the WWE Network according to The Wrestling Observer. The only pay-per-views that will remain exclusive to traditional pay-per-view ordering is WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series.

This will being once the network launches which is expected on April 1st, the day of WrestleMania 28. This means that the Extreme Rules PPV would be the first to be available for those who have the WWE Network.

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/247245-wwe-network-a-ppv-plans-more-on-michael-coles-commentary

Am I being thick?

Does this mean that all the PPV's except Mania, Rumble, SS & SS are only on the network. Or will they still be available via Sky?

Even though the statement is confusing, I would be surprised if the the WWE shelves sky for their own network. It would be shooting themselves in the foot. They have had a long and lucrative relationship with sky. Why damage that and go it alone? In hard times like this, not many people would be willing to pay an extra subscription fee for this, when they already have sky.

Unless the relationship between them as gone sour, or WWE has become incredibly naive (this may turn into an xfl or WWE films - a waste of cash), then I think ppv's would be on the network AND sky. They may try and undercut them when it comes to ppv prices however.

Will the wwe network be available on the uk?

This senario is happening in the boxing world, with Primetime and BoxNation taking PPV's off sky. I cant find anything on the web to state what the exact stance with WWE is.

Perhaps this is only for US/Canada?

^ Correct. Things will remain the same in the UK with PPV's still on SkySports, they may still charge us too.

They have a contract with sky so I assume for as long as that contract continues they can't just break the contract, I'm pretty sure they signed a new one recently as well. Once that contract has finished, we might get WWE Network, or WWE might sell the broadcasting rights in the UK for the WWE Network to Sky so there is a new Sky channel.

So following on from that leak, WWE is just testing the water to see how successful this could be before taking the plunge

After TWC failed on Sky, I doubt WWE would risk shunning Sky Sports over here in the UK for there own channel incase this fails too.

It will run in North America and it's success will determine whether they move it to Europe or not when the time comes to renew their contracts, the WWE is tied to SKY under it's current format until 2014 or 15

I think this is risky for the WWE, they do seem to have a hardcore base of around 150,000 who seem to buy every PPV in North America at near on $50 a pop, so unless they charge around $50 a month for WWE they look like they'll lose money straight odd the bat when you consider all the extra work they'll need to put into it, if Vince is willing to take a hit for the first 2/3 yyears then I do think it's going to be successful, but if he expects instant success and isn't willing to stick it out then it could be another XFL