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In short, WWE's long term plans are for the Network to be much more than just professional wrestling themed programming. While the company is trying out several different concepts (they used developmental talents to shoot some pilot programming last week in Florida, I'll have more on that in another post) for pro wrestling, including behind the scenes discussion shows similar to what VH-1 presents for music, there is actually a much grander, long term plan already in place.
As I mentioned several weeks back in the PWInsider.com Elite section, the plan is to use the WWE fan base to create a push to request the Network on their providers (remember the "I Want My WWE Network campaign we wrote about last week?) and to bring some of the existing WWE wrestling programming (PPV events, NXT, Superstars, new live events) to the Network to help create a need for the Network among their audience. If they can force the Network into being carried, the feeling internally is that it will become their most important intellectual property, as they'll have a continuous base to promote and market the company and their products.
Once the Network can get itself established, WWE hopes to find outside of the box original programming that won't be wrestling related to help brand and build the Network as a destination point for fans outside of the WWE audience. As it was explained to me, "Pawn Stars" doesn't fit the mode of what The History Channel "should" be, but is the most popular show on that cable network. WWE hopes to eventually reach out to producers and find original content that they can use in a similar vein.
The long term plan is to use the Network to help eventually brand WWE as more of a lifestyle brand instead of just a "sports-entertainment/pro wrestling" company. This is a long term plan and something Vince McMahon has been pushing the company to cultivate for years, so this will not be a one and done XFL type of project. The company intends to completely re-invent their wheel over the next few years, using the Network as their springboard.
The WWE Network is currently scheduled to launch on 4/1/12.
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