• Wrestling News & Wrestling Rumors – WWE & TNA

It’s that dreaded time for WWE that comes 4 times a year, the reporting of their financial results. Being a public company they release a whole host of figures, and like the fourth quarter of last year the numbers aren’t good. There are many reasons for this, primarily the economy, but hardcore fans may also point to the product itself,and i wouldn’t argue with them. This is how it broke down:

- Revenues totaled $107.8 million as compared to $162.6 million in the comparable prior year quarter.

- Operating income was $16.7 million as compared to $27.1 million in the prior year quarter.

- Net income was $10.3 million, or $0.14 per share, as compared to $19.5 million, or $0.27 per share, in the prior year quarter.

- WWE conveniently held Wrestlemania in the second quarter of the year, disallowing any comparison of revenue and buyrates to last year. However other comparisons can be made:

Live and Televised Entertainment

Revenues from our Live and Televised Entertainment businesses were $64.1 million for the current quarter as compared to $99.8 million in the prior year quarter. The 36% decline in revenues primarily reflects the $31.3 million timing difference for WrestleMania previously discussed.

• Live Event revenues were $18.0 million as compared to $24.6 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to the timing of WrestleMania XXIV. WrestleMania XXIV generated approximately $5.9 million in revenue in the prior year quarter.
• There were 87 events, including four international events, during the current quarter as compared to 74 events, including eight international events, in the prior year quarter.
• North American events generated $17.0 million of revenues from 83 events as compared to $21.8 million from 66 events in the prior year quarter. North American average attendance was approximately 6,100 in the current quarter as compared to 7,200 in the prior year, a decrease of approximately 15%. The average ticket price for North American events was $33.54 in the current quarter as compared to $45.39 in the prior year. Excluding the impact of WrestleMania XXIV in the prior year quarter, revenues were $18.7 million, North American average attendance was 6,300 and average ticket price was $38.08.
• International events generated approximately $1.0 million of revenues as compared to $2.8 million in the prior year quarter. All 4 international events in the current period were structured as buy-out deals with guaranteed fixed revenues as compared to 6 of the 8 international events being structured as buy-out deals in the prior year quarter. Average international attendance in the current quarter increased by approximately 3% to 9,300.
• Pay-Per-View revenues were $13.6 million as compared to $41.2 million in the prior year quarter. There were two Pay-Per-View events produced in the current year quarter as compared to three in the prior year quarter. As discussed above, WrestleMania XXIV generated approximately $23.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2008.

The details for the number of buys (in 000s) are as follows:

• Venue Merchandise revenues were $4.6 million as compared to $5.6 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease is due to lower per capita spending of $9.29 in the current quarter as compared to $11.20 in the prior year quarter. Excluding the impact of WrestleMania XXIV, revenues were $4.3 million and per capita spending was $9.87 in the prior year quarter.
• Television Rights Fees revenues were $24.9 million as compared to $24.0 million in the prior year quarter.
• WWE 24/7 Classics on Demand™ revenues were $1.5 million as compared to $1.6 million in the prior year quarter.

Consumer Products

Revenues from our Consumer Products businesses were $33.1 million versus $43.4 million in the prior year quarter, representing a 24% decrease.

• Home Video net revenues were $9.2 million as compared to $14.0 million in the prior year quarter. The decrease in Home Video revenues primarily reflects the release of two fewer titles than the prior year and a reduction in the sale of titles from our catalog. DVD shipments declined 23% to approximately 912,000 units in the current period.

• Licensing revenues were $19.8 million as compared to $26.2 million in the prior year quarter, primarily reflecting lower video game and toy sales. Video game revenues declined by $5.7 million, while revenues related to toys declined by approximately $0.6 million in the current quarter.
• Magazine publishing net revenues were $3.5 million as compared to $2.9 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting $0.5 million associated with our WWE Kids Magazine in the current year quarter. WWE Kids Magazine’s first issue was distributed in the second quarter of the prior year.

Digital Media

Revenues from our Digital Media related businesses were $6.9 million as compared to $8.1 million in the prior year, representing a 15% decrease.

• WWE.com revenues were $3.9 million as compared to $4.5 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting a decline in online advertising revenues.
• WWEShop revenues were $3.0 million as compared to $3.6 million in the prior year quarter. The average revenue per order decreased slightly to $49.63, as compared to $51.17 in the prior year quarter, while the number of orders declined by 12% to approximately 60,000.

WWE Studios

We recorded revenue of $3.7 million in the current quarter related to our three theatrical releases, See No Evil, The Marine, and The Condemned, as compared to $11.3 million in the prior year quarter. During the first quarter we released our fourth feature film, 12 Rounds, which generated approximately $11.8 million in domestic box office receipts through May 3, 2009. During the current quarter we also released one Direct-to-DVD film, Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia.

[To put in bluntly evrything is down from lastyear].