WWE Back to Planning For Tiered WWE Network Launch, 2019 Launch Date Possible

– WWE is reportedly back into deep planning mode for its long-anticipated tiered subscription model for the WWE Network. PWInsider reports that the company is looking at potentially launching the tiered subscription model sometime in 2019, with Vince McMahon personally overseeing the planning and working one-on-one with Kevin Dunn and Chief of Starr Brad Blum on new strategies for original programming.

The tiered subscription service has been in the plans for many years, being publicly referenced as far back as June of 2016. The plan would be to turn the network into a service with different pricing levels. As the site reports, this was the network’s plans back in 2016:

2016’s Plan One – FREE, featuring five hours of archived material, five minute video clips, and a 24/7 live stream that would feature WWE content without PPVs, NXT and the Cruiserweight Classic. The idea would be that this would be a free service, featuring commercials, that would be available to watch on all devices. Think Hulu’s free content without a subscription.

2016’s Plan Two – Priced $4.99 a month would feature the WWE Network as it currently exists, with the exception of NXT and its Takeover specials, would feature limited commercials and access to only the “Big Four” WWE PPV events. The tier would also feature a VOD proponent that would add all new WWE “live events” (assuming this would mean Raw, Smackdown, etc.) 30 days after they air. This content would only be available for those watching via phones and tablets.

2016’s Plan Three – Priced at the still-current WWE Network price of $9.99 would offer the WWE Network as it currently exists, except WWE NXT would air live every week (similar to how Raw and Smackdown currently air). This would also have limited commercials.

2016’s Plan Four – Priced at $14.99, this version would feature a commercial free version of the WWE Network with all the current bells and whistles, a live version of NXT, a weekly Cruiserweight Classic series, and “access to independent wrestling content such as TNA & Ring of Honor” plus additional “Fan Perks” including early ticket ordering access, the right to vote in the WWE Hall of Famer, “offline” content download, small group online chats, exclusive second screen content and invites to exclusive in-person VIP meet-ups.

The company has taken feedback about potential premium tiers that would include things like like events, region-specific tournaments, independent promotions and other content, including TV-14 rated stuff. It is worth noting that WWE met with Impact Wrestling officials, and that some reports have said that WWE requested the meeting. While there was no discussion of buying Impact (which is not for sale), one report suggested that the discussion was about Impact footage in relation to the Network. As PWInsider notes, current content is legally tied up in television deals, but older content could potentially air on the Network.

The company is also said to be considering acquiring other video libraries, which they had previously backed off on doing over the last few years. WWE has rights to PROGRESS and ICW’s video libraries in Europe, and could also work out a deal with WWN who they have a working relationship with. There is also discussion of more original content, including more interactive programming.

The current hope is that the future plans will be locked in within the next month, with plans to implement them in early 2019.