WWE Re-Ups BSkyB Deal

LONDON: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has extended its relationship with BSkyB for another five years, taking the partnership into its 25th year.

BSkyB continues to hold the exclusive British broadcast rights of WWE’s weekly programming and special events, providing content to more than 15 million homes across the U.K. and Ireland. The new agreement takes effect January 2010. BSkyB will carry 10-and-a-half hours of first-run weekly programming from WWE. RAW, SmackDown, ECW, Bottom Line, AfterBurn, WWE Vintage Collection and This Week in WWE will all air in HD on Sky Sports, along with five monthly specials annually. This includes WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series, airing on Sky Box Office.

Andrew Whitaker, the president of international for WWE, said: "The new agreement sees our broadcast partnership with BSkyB reach a history-making 25 years; there is no greater testimony to the mutually beneficial nature of our relationship. It has been pivotal to WWE reaching the new heights of popularity we now enjoy in the U.K. We look forward to continuing to grow our brand presence with BSkyB."

Sky Sports’ managing director, Barney Francis, added: "Our relationship with WWE goes back many years, since our network began in 1989. WWE fans have grown up watching all the big events and weekly programmes on Sky. We are delighted to once again extend our relationship and offer our viewers the globally renowned sports entertainment which is WWE for another five years—and all available in high definition."