STAMFORD, Conn., June 11, 2007 – World Wrestling Entertainment® is placing a greater focus on umbrella sponsorship of the WWE to build new brand relationships and provide greater value to business partners. The new approach has WWE focused on using its multi-platform assets to provide a diverse mix of opportunities for brands looking to develop more year-round integrated marketing programs and tap into the significant buying power of WWE’s sizeable and unrivaled fan base. In the past, companies were limited to sponsoring individual events such as WrestleMania®, SummerSlam® and other major pay-per-view events.
“WWE can combine its robust assets and rights with a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities to help multinational companies implement effective marketing programs that will resonate with consumers. We are definitely a more economically-viable and efficient option to comparable sports and entertainment brands, such as NFL, MLB and NBA,” said Basil V. DeVito Jr., Senior Advisor, WWE. “Especially considering we have no off-season, no repeats and the weekly delivery of WWE.com.”
Patricia Clark, Vice President Digital Sales, and Ethan Green, Vice President, Sponsorship and Talent Brands, will work closely together to develop comprehensive, integrated marketing efforts for business partners that take full advantage of WWE’s broad variety of media platforms, including live events, pay-per-view, digital and mobile assets, and WWE Superstar integration.
Patricia Clark, Vice President Digital Sales for WWE, has led the digital sales team since joining WWE in 2006 from Fox Interactive Media, where she was Director of Integrated Sales. During her time at Fox, Clark coordinated integrated sales efforts for multiplatform deals with broadcast, online, print, cable, DirecTV, events and mobile.
Under Clark’s leadership, WWE has expanded its sales staff over the past year, including opening offices in Chicago and Los Angeles in addition to its offices in New York City, London, Toronto and its headquarters in Stamford, Conn.
Green joined WWE in 2006 as Vice President, Talent Brand Management. Before WWE, Green was Senior Director of Marketing at NBC Universal’s Dew Action Sports Tour. Previous experiences include serving as Vice President at UK sponsorship agency Redmandarin and Manager, Global Sponsorship Strategy, at Compaq Computer Corp. Green’s current efforts at WWE have focused on developing talent brands, initially working with WWE Champion John Cena. The effort has successfully elevated Cena’s brand standing, resulting in placement in high profile commercials for Subway and participation in the upcoming Gillette-sponsored reality series, “Fast Cars and Superstars” debuting in June on ABC. Cena will be part of upcoming promotions for Gillette Fusion razors.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
Media Contact: Gary Davis, 203-353-5066
Jason Howarth, 617-412-4000
Investor Contact: Michael Weitz, 203-352-8642
Trademarks: All World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. ECW is a trademark of WWE Libraries, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company’s brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
