WWE PROVIDES PUNCH IF STRIKE CONTINUES
  • 12/06/2007 (3:07:26 pm)
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by David Goetzl, Thursday, Dec 6, 2007 8:45 AM ET
IF NETWORKS FIND THEMSELVES SCRAPING for new programming during a prolonged "Hollywood" writers' strike, the WWE is ready to jump in the ring and ramp up production.

With weekly shows on the CW network, NBC Universal's USA and Sci Fi networks, the wrestling/entertainment company is determining both companies' interest in offering additional events.

"We have reached out to our partners and said if we can help you in any way in terms of creating more product for you, then we'll be happy to consider that," said Mike Sileck, WWE COO.

Sileck added Wednesday at an investor event that WWE executives have been "thinking creatively internally in terms of additional programming that we could provide."

Even before the strike, NBCU has dabbled in bringing the WWE--a staple of late-night programming in the 198Os when it was the WWF--back to its flagship network. This summer, it twice brought back "Saturday Night's Main Event" as a sub for "Saturday Night Live" repeats, after running a prime-time special in 2006.

"SNL" has been in repeats since the strike began, so "Main Event" might hold some allure for the network. NBCU airs the two-hour "Monday Night RAW" on USA and "ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling" weekly on Sci Fi. CW carries the two-hour "Friday Night SmackDown" each week--somewhat of an anomaly on a network that looks to target young females.

Both NBC and CW have strike-proof reality series lined up for January should the work stoppage continue. And the CW airs only 13 hours a week. Still, Sileck said, "we look at the writers' strike kind of as an opportunity that will play out, just depending on the length of how long it goes."

In 2000, before it was NBC Universal, NBC agreed to take a 3% stake in WWE, worth $30 million at the time. WWE stock was trading at $13 a share then and is now up to the $15 range. The deal was in advance of the unsuccessful XFL alternative football league co-venture between the pair.

A call to WWE to determine whether NBCU still owns a portion of the company was not immediately returned.

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