WWE Financials: Live & Televised Entertainment Increases

WWE saw revenues from Live and Televised Entertainment businesses increase 13% to $89.5 million, primarily due to the expansion of rights fees from the production and licensing of new television programming, contractual increases from existing programs and changes in the mix of live events. Here is the breakdown…

Live and Televised Entertainment
Live Event revenues increased 10% to $25.0 million primarily due to changes in the mix of events, with a higher proportion of international events, which are typically characterized by higher average attendance and ticket prices than events in North America.

There were 76 total events in the quarter, including 62 events in North America and 14 events in international markets, as compared to 77 events in the prior year quarter, including 70 events in North America and 7 events in international markets.

North American events generated revenues of $17.5 million as compared to $17.0 million in the prior year quarter representing an increase of $0.5 million as a 9% rise in average ticket prices to $46.78 and 6% higher average attendance to 5,500 attendees were partially offset by the scheduling of eight fewer events in the quarter.

International live events generated revenues of $7.5 million as compared to $5.8 million in the prior year quarter, with the scheduling of 7 additional events in the quarter.

Partially offsetting the impact of holding more events, average international ticket prices decreased 26% to $72.30 and average attendance decreased 20% to approximately 6,700 from 8,400 in the prior year quarter. The decreases in average ticket price and average attendance were due in part to changes in territory mix as the incremental events in the period were concentrated in South Africa, a region that has shown a high proportion of WWE fans, but that has experienced significant economic challenges. In addition, changes in foreign exchange rates contributed to the reduction in average ticket price.

Venue Merchandise revenues decreased 11% to $4.0 million from $4.5 million in the prior year quarter primarily due to a 9% reduction in total domestic (U.S.) attendance, reflecting fewer events during the quarter and an 11% decline in per capita merchandise sales at those events to $9.53 in the current year quarter.

Television revenues increased 30% to $44.1 million from $34.0 million in the prior year quarter primarily due to the production and monetization of new programs, including Total Divas and WWE Main Event, and to a somewhat lesser degree, contractual increases for existing programs both domestically and internationally. Total Divas, a new original series, began airing on the E! Network in July, 2013 while WWE Main Event was licensed to and began airing on ION Television in the fourth quarter 2012.

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