STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE (NYSE: WWE) and Nickelodeon today announced that WWE Slam City™, WWE’s kids property that includes an original animated short-form series, will debut tomorrow night during the NickSports programming block from 9–11 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons. The 26-episode series is comprised of two-minute shorts featuring WWE Superstars John Cena®, Randy Orton®, Sheamus®, The Miz™, Rey Mysterio®, Kane® and Mark Henry® in a new animated world. The NickSports block airs every Wednesday from 9–11 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons and features a rotating lineup of sports-themed content including series, specials and documentaries from leagues and key athletes, as well as acquired theatrical movies.
WWE Slam City, filmed in the next generation of stop-motion animation, features a new WWE animated character, The Finisher, who fires all of the WWE Superstars and sends them to WWE Slam City to find day jobs. With John Cena as an auto mechanic, Randy Orton as a zookeeper and Sheamus as a theater usher, these Superstars stay true to their WWE personas as they face life outside of the ring with new career challenges.
“This exciting partnership will allow us to bring WWE’s passionate fan base to the NickSports programming block while also creating new WWE fans through Nickelodeon’s massive audience,” said Michelle D. Wilson, Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, WWE. “WWE programming reaches 3 million kids each week and we’re sure they’ll be excited to watch WWE on Nicktoons.”
“True to the spirit of the NickSports programming block, WWE Slam City offers kids and their families a fun, fresh way to experience these exciting WWE Superstars, and the series is a great complement to our diverse, and ever expanding, sports lineup,” said Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Nick Jr.
WWE Slam City is a key component of WWE’s larger strategy to expand its reach to kids. In 2013, WWE’s national TV programming reached nearly 3 million kids each week, representing more than 20 percent of WWE’s average weekly TV audience. WWE also reaches kids through the number 2 action figure property in the U.S., WWE Studios productions of The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo WrestleMania Mystery and Christmas Bounty as well as partnerships with Mattel, Kraft Foods, Frito-Lay, Post Foods and MilkPEP. In addition, WWE supports programs that positively impact children and families around the world, including a 30-plus year relationship with Make-A-Wish as well as various literacy, education, anti-bullying and military initiatives.
Since its launch earlier this year, WWE Slam City has secured nearly 20 million views across a variety of platforms including WWEslamcity.com, Cartoonium, WWE Network, Hulu, Kabillion, Nintendo and AOL.
About Nicktoons
Nicktoons has the highest concentration of B2–11 across all television and offers programming such as the NFL RUSH ZONE franchise, Rob Dyrdek’s Wild Grinders, Dragon Ball GT, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, the Digimon franchise and the Power Rangers franchise as well as a roster of hits that have defined kids’ and animation lovers’ TV, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, Invader Zim, Danny Phantom, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. Nicktoons currently reaches almost 68 million homes via cable, digital cable and satellite. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nicktoons and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).
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, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 35 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all 12 live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 170 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
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 entering into, maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television and pay-per-view programming and our new network distribution agreements; risks relating to the launch and maintenance of our new network; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to regulatory matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive and fragmented nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; risks relating to our film business; risks relating to new businesses and strategic investments; risks relating to our computer systems and online operations; risks relating to general economic conditions and our exposure to bad debt risk; risks relating to litigation; risks relating to market expectations for our financial performance; risks relating to our revolving credit facility; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. 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, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.
