23.03.2006, 22:33
Folgend die drei Statement`s am 23 Maerz 2001 von WWE, WCW President Brad Siegel und CNN.
WWF Ankuendigung am 23 Maerz 2001
STAMFORD, Conn., March 23, 2001 - World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWF) today announced its purchase of the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brand from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS Inc.), a division of AOL Time Warner.
The purchase of WCW creates a tag team partnership with the World Wrestling Federation brand that is expected to propel the sports entertainment genre to new heights.
In keeping with the company's strategic alliance with Viacom, new WCW programming is anticipated to air on TNN in the near future. The possibility of cross-brand storylines and intrigue, however, may start as early as Monday night during WWF Raw Is War on TNN and the final performance of WCW Monday Nitro Live on Turner Network Television (TNT).
The binding agreement provides World Wrestling Federation Entertainment with the global rights to the WCW brand, tape library, and other intellectual property rights.
"This acquisition is the perfect creative and business catalyst for our company," said Linda McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. "This is a dream combination for fans of sports entertainment. The incendiary mix of World Wrestling Federation and WCW personalities potentially creates intriguing storylines that will attract a larger fan base to the benefit of our advertisers and business partners, and propel sports entertainment to new heights."
"The acquisition of the WCW brand is a strategic move for us," said Stuart Snyder, President and Chief Operating Officer for World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. "We are assuming a brand with global distribution and recognition. We are adding thousands of hours to our tape library that can be repurposed for home videos, television, Internet streaming, and broadband applications. The WCW opens new opportunities for growth in our Pay Per View, live events, and consumer products divisions, as well as the opportunity to develop new television programming using new stars. We also will create additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities. In short, it is a perfect fit."
WCW President Brad Siegel`s Ankuendigung vom 23 Maerz 2001
Today, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. is announcing that we have reached an agreement for the sale of WCW. This agreement with WWF holds tremendous potential for the WCW brand and assets. The press release announcing the news is attached.
As we told you last week, WCW programming will not appear on TNT and TBS Superstation after March 27. We will share more information with you about the WWF's immediate plans for WCW in the all-staff meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Power Plant. Thank you.
Linda McMahon did a press conference later that day, again stressing that WWF planned to keep WCW as a separate organization. Rumors and speculation ran wild that day, but it did come out that while WWF was purchasing WCW and their contracted wrestlers, the higher priced talent, like Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Sting and Ric Flair, would not be included. Their contracts were not with WCW, but with AOL-Time Warner itself. This left AOL-Time Warner in the position of having to pay out their deals, or get them to accept a buy out of some kind. Over the next few months, some would take a buyout (and go work for the WWF), while others would get every cent owed to them in their contracts.
CNN`s Pressemitteilung vom 23 Maerz 2001
World Wrestling Fed. ends 20-yr. rivalry, buys World Championship Wrestling
NEW YORK (CNN) - The World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. agreed Friday to acquire rival World Championship Wrestling, ending a near 20-year rivalry.
Stamford, Conn.-based World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (WWF: Research, Estimates) now has global rights to the World Championship Wrestling brand, tape library and other intellectual rights.
TNN is anticipated to be the new home of WCW, a WWF spokesman said, and WCW will not air on TNT or WTBS. Cross-brand storylines may start as soon as Monday during the "WWF Raw is War" on TNN and Monday's final performance of "WCW Monday Nitro Live" on Turner Network Television.
The WWF bought the wrestling firm from Turner Broadcasting System Inc., a unit of AOL Time Warner. CNNfn.com is also a unit of AOL Time Warner (AOL: Research, Estimates).
The two companies have been competing against each other for 18 years, and executives vowed that the WCW will not fade away.
"WWF has been a rival organization to the WCW for quite some time," said WWF CEO Linda McMahon on a conference call open to journalists. "With the new infusion of stars and the cross-branded story lines, this does nothing but raise the specter potential for us. We're very pleased to have come to agreement to purchase that brand."
No financial terms were released but McMahon said the purchase was not a stock transaction.
WWF is the largest provider of programmed wrestling entertainment, with such top-rated shows as "WWF Raw is War" and "WWF Smackdown!" on the UPN Network. Top stars also include The Rock, Chyna and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
"We bought WCW because it would be great way to propel our core business, the sports entertainment genre, to new height," said WWF spokesman Gary Davis.
WWF is also an equal partner with NBC in the fledgling professional football league XFL which scored record low ratings recently. Executives said the WCW purchase has nothing to do with the football league.
AOL Time Warner could not be reached for comment.
Atlanta-based World Championship Wrestling produces live wrestling shows and competes against the WWF. The World Championship Wrestling franchise includes popular cable television show "WCW Monday Nitro Live" and "WCW Worldwide," which is seen in syndication in 94 percent of the United States.
In January, Fusient Media Ventures inked a deal to buy World Championship Wrestling. However, the deal fell apart when AOL's Turner Broadcasting decided to drop WCW from its TBS and TNT channels.
The once-popular WCW is now losing money and analysts estimate that last year the wrestling franchise lost about $80 million. WWF executives declined to discuss WCW's financial situation but said they encountered no surprises when looking at the rival firm's financials.
The WWF is still working out many details of its agreement to buy WCW. The company will be assuming some actor's contracts but others it will not, executives said. The WCW also plans to expand its pay-per-view offerings but not in the near future.
Shares for WWF lost 1 cent to $12.10 Friday while AOL gained $2.75, or 7.48 percent, to $39.52 Friday.
WWF Ankuendigung am 23 Maerz 2001
STAMFORD, Conn., March 23, 2001 - World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWF) today announced its purchase of the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brand from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS Inc.), a division of AOL Time Warner.
The purchase of WCW creates a tag team partnership with the World Wrestling Federation brand that is expected to propel the sports entertainment genre to new heights.
In keeping with the company's strategic alliance with Viacom, new WCW programming is anticipated to air on TNN in the near future. The possibility of cross-brand storylines and intrigue, however, may start as early as Monday night during WWF Raw Is War on TNN and the final performance of WCW Monday Nitro Live on Turner Network Television (TNT).
The binding agreement provides World Wrestling Federation Entertainment with the global rights to the WCW brand, tape library, and other intellectual property rights.
"This acquisition is the perfect creative and business catalyst for our company," said Linda McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. "This is a dream combination for fans of sports entertainment. The incendiary mix of World Wrestling Federation and WCW personalities potentially creates intriguing storylines that will attract a larger fan base to the benefit of our advertisers and business partners, and propel sports entertainment to new heights."
"The acquisition of the WCW brand is a strategic move for us," said Stuart Snyder, President and Chief Operating Officer for World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. "We are assuming a brand with global distribution and recognition. We are adding thousands of hours to our tape library that can be repurposed for home videos, television, Internet streaming, and broadband applications. The WCW opens new opportunities for growth in our Pay Per View, live events, and consumer products divisions, as well as the opportunity to develop new television programming using new stars. We also will create additional advertising and sponsorship opportunities. In short, it is a perfect fit."
WCW President Brad Siegel`s Ankuendigung vom 23 Maerz 2001
Today, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. is announcing that we have reached an agreement for the sale of WCW. This agreement with WWF holds tremendous potential for the WCW brand and assets. The press release announcing the news is attached.
As we told you last week, WCW programming will not appear on TNT and TBS Superstation after March 27. We will share more information with you about the WWF's immediate plans for WCW in the all-staff meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Power Plant. Thank you.
Linda McMahon did a press conference later that day, again stressing that WWF planned to keep WCW as a separate organization. Rumors and speculation ran wild that day, but it did come out that while WWF was purchasing WCW and their contracted wrestlers, the higher priced talent, like Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Sting and Ric Flair, would not be included. Their contracts were not with WCW, but with AOL-Time Warner itself. This left AOL-Time Warner in the position of having to pay out their deals, or get them to accept a buy out of some kind. Over the next few months, some would take a buyout (and go work for the WWF), while others would get every cent owed to them in their contracts.
CNN`s Pressemitteilung vom 23 Maerz 2001
World Wrestling Fed. ends 20-yr. rivalry, buys World Championship Wrestling
NEW YORK (CNN) - The World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. agreed Friday to acquire rival World Championship Wrestling, ending a near 20-year rivalry.
Stamford, Conn.-based World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (WWF: Research, Estimates) now has global rights to the World Championship Wrestling brand, tape library and other intellectual rights.
TNN is anticipated to be the new home of WCW, a WWF spokesman said, and WCW will not air on TNT or WTBS. Cross-brand storylines may start as soon as Monday during the "WWF Raw is War" on TNN and Monday's final performance of "WCW Monday Nitro Live" on Turner Network Television.
The WWF bought the wrestling firm from Turner Broadcasting System Inc., a unit of AOL Time Warner. CNNfn.com is also a unit of AOL Time Warner (AOL: Research, Estimates).
The two companies have been competing against each other for 18 years, and executives vowed that the WCW will not fade away.
"WWF has been a rival organization to the WCW for quite some time," said WWF CEO Linda McMahon on a conference call open to journalists. "With the new infusion of stars and the cross-branded story lines, this does nothing but raise the specter potential for us. We're very pleased to have come to agreement to purchase that brand."
No financial terms were released but McMahon said the purchase was not a stock transaction.
WWF is the largest provider of programmed wrestling entertainment, with such top-rated shows as "WWF Raw is War" and "WWF Smackdown!" on the UPN Network. Top stars also include The Rock, Chyna and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
"We bought WCW because it would be great way to propel our core business, the sports entertainment genre, to new height," said WWF spokesman Gary Davis.
WWF is also an equal partner with NBC in the fledgling professional football league XFL which scored record low ratings recently. Executives said the WCW purchase has nothing to do with the football league.
AOL Time Warner could not be reached for comment.
Atlanta-based World Championship Wrestling produces live wrestling shows and competes against the WWF. The World Championship Wrestling franchise includes popular cable television show "WCW Monday Nitro Live" and "WCW Worldwide," which is seen in syndication in 94 percent of the United States.
In January, Fusient Media Ventures inked a deal to buy World Championship Wrestling. However, the deal fell apart when AOL's Turner Broadcasting decided to drop WCW from its TBS and TNT channels.
The once-popular WCW is now losing money and analysts estimate that last year the wrestling franchise lost about $80 million. WWF executives declined to discuss WCW's financial situation but said they encountered no surprises when looking at the rival firm's financials.
The WWF is still working out many details of its agreement to buy WCW. The company will be assuming some actor's contracts but others it will not, executives said. The WCW also plans to expand its pay-per-view offerings but not in the near future.
Shares for WWF lost 1 cent to $12.10 Friday while AOL gained $2.75, or 7.48 percent, to $39.52 Friday.