#layfield

Former WWE Champion JBL did an interesting new blog on his Facebook page where he looks at UFC and WWE wanting their own cable TV network. Here is an excerpt from his blog:

“PPV will change also dramatically over the next decade. PPV sold over the Internet is in its infancy, but with Internet enabled TVs growing-that will change.

Now imagine this. WWE or UFC does a PPV and they really now do sell it worldwide. Every Internet receiver in the world can buy it-no longer do they have to rely on a local Internet company in China or India-they own their own channel and sell it direct. This involves an education process, but one I think is taking place and will happen over the next 7-10 years.

PPV numbers will go up by a multiple of what they are now and all revenue is kept by the content owner. WWE could sell the PPV for $4.99 in Africa or China where they don’t have a cable partner and you can’t charge as much-but open it up to millions that way. Or, if you sell it for the current amount-you keep all the money.

Costs are a onetime issue. They remain the same-so all the extra income is pure bottom line profit.

See a change coming? I do.

A smaller group like TNA that has still marketable recognizable worldwide stars can do this as well and wouldn’t need cable deals all over the world to make it work. The Internet gives them a worldwide cable deal that they own. To me, this should be their model now.

I believe UFC will be the biggest sport in the world due to the fact that they can draw stars from virtually every continent and use them in front of their worldwide audience. When it comes time for a company with a billion people worldwide watching weekly to sell PPVs-what is five million buys. Futuristic? Yes. Will it happen? I believe it will.

So is wrestling dead? Not by a long shot, in fact it’s best days could easily be ahead-it’s just the way it is distributed will change…for the better.