Warner Bros. To Distribute WWE DVDs

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and WWE® Announce New Partnership

BURBANK, CA AND STAMFORD, CT – November 19, 2014 – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) and WWE (NYSE: WWE) have announced a multi-year partnership for home video distribution of WWE programming that will start on January 1, 2015 and include US distribution rights for physical and digital formats.

The new agreement will provide WBHE the home entertainment distribution rights to release new documentaries, match compilations and pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania® and SummerSlam®, as well as a robust catalog of collectible titles throughout the US. The companies have recently worked together on two animated series tied to the Scooby Doo and The Flintstones franchises.

“WWE is an iconic brand that has one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment,” said Jeff Brown, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Television, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “Since WWE titles accounted for all of the Top 10 sports DVDs of 2013 and WrestleMania® 29 was the #1 sports title, we’re very excited to expand our distribution in 2015 and beyond.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros Home Entertainment, a brand that has proven itself to be the market leader,” said Casey Collins, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products, WWE. “They have already demonstrated success leveraging the WWE brand with the hit Scooby Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, and we look forward to expanding our home video relationship utilizing their expertise.”

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

variety.com/2014/film/news/wwe-warner-bros-home-video-deal-exclusive-1201359931/

Warner Bros. Locks Down Multi-Year Deal to Distribute WWE Homevideo Titles

WWE has a new distribution partner to release its homevideos.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has signed a multi-year pact that will have the studio distribute WWE’s library of titles, pay-per-view events and documentaries in the U.S. on DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats starting Jan. 1.

WBHE replaces Cinedigm, who itself, inherited the WWE distribution deal as part of its purchase of Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment in 2013.

It formed a relationship with Warner Bros. starting with direct-to-video animated film “Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania” and one that will pair up WWE’s wrestlers with the characters from “The Flintstones.” A “Scooby-Doo” sequel is now also in the works. The films are co-productions with WWE Studios.

“We are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros Home Entertainment, a brand that has proven itself to be the market leader,” said Casey Collins, executive VP, consumer products, WWE. “They have already demonstrated success leveraging the WWE brand with the hit ‘Scooby Doo! WrestleMania Mystery,’ and we look forward to expanding our home video relationship utilizing their expertise.”

WWE released around 30 homevideo titles a year. That includes its 12 PPVs like “WrestleMania” and “SummerSlam.” WWE owns the rights to its vast library of TV shows like “Raw” and “SmackDown” and live events.

Films that WWE Studios produces will continue to be released by those films’ distributors, which currently involves 20th Century Fox, Sony and Lionsgate.

WWE’s homevideo biz isn’t as lucrative as it once was. It has seen a decline in sales of its documentaries and live events, especially now that they are available to subscribers of its WWE Network, a streaming service that costs $9.99 a month.

As a result, Cinedigm has called WWE’s homevideo deal a low-volume breakeven business.

Either way, Warner Bros. said WWE is “an iconic brand that has one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment,” according to Jeff Brown, general manager and executive VP, television, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “Since WWE titles accounted for all of the Top 10 sports DVDs of 2013 and ‘WrestleMania 29′ was the No. 1 sports title, we’re very excited to expand our distribution in 2015 and beyond.”