04.04.2005, 15:14
WWE gab gerade durch eine Pressemitteilung bekannt das man nach 5 Jahren zum USA NETWORK zurueckkommen werde. Das war zwar schon seit einigen Monaten erwartet worden, doch erst jetzt gibt es dafuer durch die WWE die offizielle Bestaetigung. Damit wird als WWE Monday Night Raw ab October 2005 wieder auf dem USA NETWORK laufen. Monday Night Raw lief seit dem Debut am 11 Januar 1993 bis zum 25 September 2000 auf dem USA Network bevor man im October 2000 zu TNN (spike TV) wechselte. Mit Raw wechseln auch Heat, Velocity und The WWE Experience denn Sender.
In der Presseerklaerung wird auch bekannt gegeben das der USA Network zwei 90 minuetige Samstag Abend Specials ausstrahlen wird, pro Jahr! Dies koennte noch ziemlich interessant werden, da mit so einem Primetime Timeslot sicherlich einiges angefangen werden kann. Folgend die originale Presseerklaerung von WWE:
WWE'S RAW Returns to USA Network
NEW YORK & STAMFORD, Conn., Apr 04, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- World Wrestling
Entertainment® and NBC Universal have inked a new, three-year agreement that
will return WWE cable programming, including ratings titan Monday Night RAW®,
to USA Network beginning in October 2005, it was announced today by Linda
McMahon, WWE CEO, and Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and SCI FI Channel.
RAW, a cable mainstay for more than 12 years, continues to be the most watched
regularly scheduled year-round program on ad-supported cable television.
The agreement is a homecoming of sorts for WWE, which introduced Monday Night
RAW on USA on January 11, 1993. The prime time cable series flourished for seven
years, establishing cable ratings records, before moving to Spike TV on
September 25, 2000.
"I'm thrilled to be back in business again with Vince and Linda McMahon," said
Hammer. "I led the USA team that helped grow RAW into a true pop phenomenon, and
it's great to welcome it home."
In addition to Monday Night Raw, USA will air a one-hour weekend RAW-branded
program, and NBCU's Telemundo will air Spanish-language versions of RAW. NBC
will also air at least two yearly, 90-minute Saturday late night RAW specials.
"This broad and diverse distribution will provide WWE excellent platforms from
which to reach our existing fans as well as broaden our audience," said McMahon.
"We're very happy to be returning to USA Network, where we experienced some of
our greatest successes, and to NBC, where we had tremendous success with our
series of late-night specials, Saturday Night Main Event, in the 1980's."
"The WWE's return to USA Network and our arrangement with the other NBC
Universal properties, is indicative of how we as a company can offer unique
cross-networking opportunities," added Jeff Gaspin, president NBC Universal
Cable Entertainment and Cross-Network Strategy. "RAW will put USA and NBC
Universal Cable into an incredibly competitive position and I couldn't be
happier about this relationship."
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) is an integrated media and
entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York
City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can
be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. Additional information relating to
the agreement can be found in a Form 8-K filed with the SEC today by WWE.
USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and
feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster
theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA
Network Web site is located at http://www.usanetwork.com.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC
Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the
development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information
to a global audience.
In der Presseerklaerung wird auch bekannt gegeben das der USA Network zwei 90 minuetige Samstag Abend Specials ausstrahlen wird, pro Jahr! Dies koennte noch ziemlich interessant werden, da mit so einem Primetime Timeslot sicherlich einiges angefangen werden kann. Folgend die originale Presseerklaerung von WWE:
WWE'S RAW Returns to USA Network
NEW YORK & STAMFORD, Conn., Apr 04, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- World Wrestling
Entertainment® and NBC Universal have inked a new, three-year agreement that
will return WWE cable programming, including ratings titan Monday Night RAW®,
to USA Network beginning in October 2005, it was announced today by Linda
McMahon, WWE CEO, and Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and SCI FI Channel.
RAW, a cable mainstay for more than 12 years, continues to be the most watched
regularly scheduled year-round program on ad-supported cable television.
The agreement is a homecoming of sorts for WWE, which introduced Monday Night
RAW on USA on January 11, 1993. The prime time cable series flourished for seven
years, establishing cable ratings records, before moving to Spike TV on
September 25, 2000.
"I'm thrilled to be back in business again with Vince and Linda McMahon," said
Hammer. "I led the USA team that helped grow RAW into a true pop phenomenon, and
it's great to welcome it home."
In addition to Monday Night Raw, USA will air a one-hour weekend RAW-branded
program, and NBCU's Telemundo will air Spanish-language versions of RAW. NBC
will also air at least two yearly, 90-minute Saturday late night RAW specials.
"This broad and diverse distribution will provide WWE excellent platforms from
which to reach our existing fans as well as broaden our audience," said McMahon.
"We're very happy to be returning to USA Network, where we experienced some of
our greatest successes, and to NBC, where we had tremendous success with our
series of late-night specials, Saturday Night Main Event, in the 1980's."
"The WWE's return to USA Network and our arrangement with the other NBC
Universal properties, is indicative of how we as a company can offer unique
cross-networking opportunities," added Jeff Gaspin, president NBC Universal
Cable Entertainment and Cross-Network Strategy. "RAW will put USA and NBC
Universal Cable into an incredibly competitive position and I couldn't be
happier about this relationship."
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) is an integrated media and
entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York
City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can
be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. Additional information relating to
the agreement can be found in a Form 8-K filed with the SEC today by WWE.
USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and
feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster
theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA
Network Web site is located at http://www.usanetwork.com.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC
Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the
development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information
to a global audience.