Wwe And German Tv Broadcaster Reach New Deal
German pay-TV broadcaster 'Premiere' announced today that the negotiations with World Wrestling Entertainment has come to a successful conclusion. In an official press statement 'Premiere' was proud to present a new 2 year TV-contract as the final result of what happened in the last weeks. "We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with WWE and to present a much better and more exclusive wrestling offer", said Premiere's sports-executive Roman Steuer. "Premiere is still the #1 Wrestling broadcaster in Germany".
Therefore WWE's 14 ppvs will continue to be offered live on 'Premiere's' ppv channel 'Premiere Direkt', including the upcoming Armageddon 2008 event on December 14, for 15€ (live broadcast + 7 replays).
'Premiere' wasn't able to reach a deal for the complete version of WWE's flagship Monday Night RAW, as it was one of the goals in the negotiations with WWE. In the last several weeks 'Premiere' started the rumors themselves, when they announced RAW would be aired in its complete version starting Thursday, December 11 at 11pm - as it was planned by Premiere. RAW will indeed be aired with a 3 day delay on that date, still in the 1 hour international version.
However 'Premiere' reached a much better deal for the weekly programs of WWE as it has been in the last 6 years. Next week WWE's international edition of RAW, ECW, Afterburn and Experience will be broadcast up to date, and not more with a one week delay.
SmackDown! isn't' included in the new TV deal for Premiere, because WWE presents the 1 hour international version with a 1 week delay Saturdays on the German free TV channel "DSF" since 2007, as WWE kept SmackDown! ever since 2000 only for German free-TV. WWE mobile services are also included on the "DSF" TV deal.
For more info visit: info.premiere.de or http://info.premiere.de/inhalt/de/me...122008_wwe.jsp
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