Streaming Service Shahid to Become the New
Home of WWE in MENA, including All Premium Live Events and Live
Episodes of Raw and SmackDown
WWE (NYSE: WWE) and MBC GROUP – the largest and leading group in
the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – today announced a major
broadcast partnership that will see MBC’s video on demand (VOD)
streaming service, Shahid, become the new home of WWE in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the MENA region.
The partnership includes all WWE premium live events, kicking
off with WrestleMania 38 on April 3rd and April 4th, live episodes
of Raw® and SmackDown®, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of
original programming and archived content.
Additionally, MBC ACTION, a free-to-air television channel by
MBC GROUP, will broadcast one-hour highlight versions of Raw® and
SmackDown® each week, in addition to WWE magazine shows Afterburn
and Main Event.
“MBC GROUP is a market leader in the region and a great partner
for WWE,” said WWE President Nick Khan. “By delivering our premium
live events including WrestleMania and SummerSlam, our weekly
programming including Raw and SmackDown, as well as WWE’s massive
library, we believe we will expand our reach throughout the Middle
East and North Africa.”
Natasha Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at
Shahid, added: “It’s no secret that WWE is massively popular in
Saudi Arabia and the rest of the MENA region. This new partnership
is sure to be incredibly exciting for fans, and with more and more
live sporting events – including WWE – coming to the Kingdom, we
cannot wait to see where this partnership takes us. We’re delighted
that Shahid will be the home of WWE!”
Beginning 26 March 2022, Shahid will air SmackDown live on
Saturdays at 4am KSA in Arabic, with a one-hour version of
SmackDown then airing the same-day with Arabic subtitles on MBC
Action at 9PM KSA. Beginning Tuesday, March 29, Shahid will air Raw
live on Tuesdays at 4am KSA in Arabic, with a one-hour version of
Raw then airing the same-day with Arabic subtitles on MBC Action at
9PM KSA.
The weekly programming will be broadcast 52 weeks a year,
captivating fans with a unique combination of edge-of-your-seat
action, unpredictable drama and world-class athleticism.
In addition to weekly programming, Shahid will launch a
dedicated WWE channel making the entire WWE Network archive – more
than 10,000 hours of content – available to stream on-demand. The
new WWE destination on Shahid will allow fans to browse and access
the entire library including NXT® airing next day following the US
broadcast.
Shahid is currently available on the Apple devices, including
iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and
devices, including Android, Android TV devices, Chromecast, and
Chromecast built-in devices; PCs, Macs, and a wide range of
connected Smart TVs including Samsung, LG, Hisense, TCL, Sony &
Toshiba.
About WWE WWE, a publicly
traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and
recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of
a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content
52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to
family-friendly entertainment on its television programming,
premium live event, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s
TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes
worldwide in 30 languages through world-class distribution partners
including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and
Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live
events, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library
and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the
United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the
exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information on WWE (NYSE:
WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
About MBC GROUP MBC GROUP is
the largest and leading media company in the Middle East &
North Africa region that enriches people’s lives through
information, interaction and entertainment. In 2002, nearly a
decade after the launch of MBC1 in London, in 1991, MBC GROUP moved
its headquarters to Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates.
Today, MBC GROUP includes over 17 leading TV channels: MBC1
(general family entertainment); MBC2 & MBC MAX (24-hour western
movies); MBC3 (children’s edutainment with a mix of both local
productions and western acquisitions); MBC4 (entertainment for
young families with a female-focus); MBC ACTION (an indigenous
adrenaline-packed channel targeting young males with local and
homegrown productions); MBC VARIETY (Western films and general
entertainment with uninterrupted broadcasting); MBC DRAMA (24/7
Arabic drama) & MBC+ DRAMA (a joint pay-TV channel between MBC
and OSN); MBC PERSIA (general family entertainment dubbed and
subtitled in Farsi); WANASAH (24-hour Arabic music channel); MBC
MASR & MBC MASR2 (general family entertainment geared towards
the Egyptian family); MBC BOLLYWOOD (delivering the freshest in
Bollywood content geared towards the region via an Arabized
interface); MBC USA (on “Dish Network” in the US); MBC IRAQ (a
premium channel aimed at the entire Iraqi family), MBC5 (new
satellite channel dedicated to the Maghreb); all of them benefit
from MBC STUDIOS which produces the region’s most compelling
premium content for cinema, television and on-demand platforms. MBC
GROUP also includes two FM radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music) and
Panorama FM (contemporary Arabic hit music).
Furthermore, part of MBC GROUP is Shahid and its premium
subscription-based service Shahid VIP, the world’s leading Arabic
streaming platform, home to highly rated original productions from
the Arab world, a wide range of exclusive movies and premieres, as
well as the top watched live Arab TV channels.
Trademarks: All WWE programming,
talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves,
trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE
and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights
are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This
press 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, without limitation, risks relating
to: the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business, results of
operations and financial condition; entering, maintaining and
renewing major distribution agreements; a rapidly evolving media
landscape; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to
attract, retain and renew subscribers); our need to continue to
develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the
possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports
entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the
services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the
regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the
highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented
nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial
resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors;
uncertainties associated with international markets including
possible disruptions and reputational risks; our difficulty or
inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other
businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our
dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect
those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’
intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights
agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas;
potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or
injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including
without limitation, claims alleging traumatic brain injury; large
public events as well as travel to and from such events; our
feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary
businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and
online operations; privacy norms and regulations; a possible
decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial
markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness including our
convertible notes; litigation; our potential failure to meet market
expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely
affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our
affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our
Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible
for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of
possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and
the volatility of our Class A common stock. In addition, our
dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among
other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow,
strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our
financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions
on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit
facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such
other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.
Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the
date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the
part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should
not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks
and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please
refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of
the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our
annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220323005269/en/
Media: WWE Joel Zietcer
Joel.Zietcer@wwecorp.com
MBC GROUP Sasha Gemayel +971 50 4507504
Sasha.Gemayel@mbc.net
Investor: Seth Zaslow 203
352 1026 Seth.Zaslow@wwecorp.com
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