STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE (NYSE: WWE) and the Texas Lottery today announced a partnership around WWE’s pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania 32, making a WrestleMania scratch ticket game available starting Monday, November 16, with revenue supporting Texas public schools. The new game gives fans a chance to instantly win more than $10 million in prizes, including top prizes of $25,000, and the opportunity to enter one of four promotional second-chance drawings with prizes that include trips to WrestleMania, VIP all-access experiences at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, and replica WWE World Heavyweight Championship belts.
“When we found out that WrestleMania 32 is taking place in Dallas, we knew we wanted to be involved,” said Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “We are excited about this opportunity and believe this partnership will be an asset in generating revenue for Texas education.”
“We're very excited that two of our close friends - WWE and Texas Lottery - have decided to enter into a partnership," said Dallas Cowboys Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones Anderson. “We've built a strong relationship with the Texas Lottery over the years and are encouraged to see WWE replicate the same success as we lead up to hosting WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium on April 3, 2016."
“We are proud to partner with the Texas Lottery, a long-standing and valuable Cowboys partner, and help generate substantial funds for educational programs in Texas,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “This new partnership will not only provide fans with a chance to instantly win cash prizes, but an opportunity to win exclusive once-in-a-lifetime WWE experiences.”
As part of the agreement, the Texas Lottery will be a promotional partner for WrestleMania 32 which includes integration at WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day, interactive fan festival, presence at WWE live events leading up to WrestleMania, as well as custom digital and social media activations across WWE’s platforms.
There are a total of five WrestleMania scratch tickets, featuring WWE Superstars and Divas including John Cena®, Seth Rollins®, Undertaker®, Brock Lesnar®, Roman Reigns®, The Bella Twins® and Paige®.
Fans that do not win instantly can enter their tickets into the promotional second-chance drawings that will be held throughout the duration of the program. Those prizes include:
VIP WrestleMania Ticket Packages for Two
- Two (2) WrestleMania Tickets.
- Two (2) Tickets to the VIP WrestleMania Pre-Party.
- Two (2) WrestleMania Axxess Tickets with VIP Superstar Autograph Signings.
- Two (2) Tickets to a Private Dinner with WWE Legends.
- Travel and accommodations.
VIP Trip to WWE’s Performance Center: All Access
- A VIP trip for two (2) to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. This world-class training facility serves as the home to NXT, the training ground for WWE Superstars and Divas of the future.
- Throughout this day-long immersive experience, winners will tour the facility, interact with NXT Superstars and coaches, watch exclusive live matches and participate in a private NXT live event.
- Autographs, photos and merchandise.
- Travel and accommodations.
WWE Merchandise
- Replica WWE World Heavyweight Championship Belts.
Tickets to WrestleMania 32, will go on sale Friday, November 6 at 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central. WrestleMania 32 will take place Sunday, April 3, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX, and will be broadcast live around the world on WWE Network.
Over the past seven years, WrestleMania has generated more than half a billion dollars in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event. WrestleMania is more than just a one day event; it is a week-long celebration as WWE will take over the Dallas region during WrestleMania Week. In addition to WrestleMania 32, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day, interactive fan festival at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center; WWE NXT® at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Arena; the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at American Airlines Center; Monday Night Raw® at American Airlines Center and more than a dozen activities designed to give back to the host community including “Be a STAR®” anti-bullying rallies, hospital visits and Make-A-Wish events. Additional information on these events will be announced in the future at www.wrestlemania.com.
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 25 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 175 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/
About the Texas Lottery
Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated $24 billion in revenue for the state and distributed $47 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $18 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $52 million for programs benefitting Texas veterans.
The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™, Cash Five®, Texas Triple Chance™ and scratch ticket games. For more information visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or at www.txlottery.org.
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: WWE Network; major distribution agreements; our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including, without limitation, claims relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our revolving credit facility; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common stock. 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 (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
