Exclusive Multi-Year Partnership Represents
Blockchain Creative Labs’ First Third-Party Collaboration
STAMFORD, Conn. and LOS ANGELES, October 27, 2021 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) and Blockchain Creative Labs, the new non-fungible token (NFT) business and creative studio formed by FOX Entertainment and Bento Box Entertainment, today announced an exclusive multi-year agreement to launch an NFT marketplace for licensed digital WWE tokens and collectibles. The partnership marks Blockchain Creative Labs’ first-ever content alliance with an external property beyond FOX.
In collaboration with Blockchain Creative Labs, WWE will create authentic NFTs that celebrate the company’s entire catalog of digital assets, including its most iconic moments, past and present WWE Superstars and premier events, such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam. Powered by Eluvio’s eco-friendly blockchain technology, the marketplace will serve as a hub for consumers to purchase, trade, sell and store digital tokens that will be authenticated through Eluvio’s blockchain and will be interoperable across Ethereum and other blockchains. The marketplace’s name and launch date will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Blockchain Creative Labs has quickly become a leader in the space with an incredible executive team that truly understands the NFT arena and its tremendous potential,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development. “This new partnership allows us to deepen our relationship with FOX, as we continue to explore new and creative ways to engage our passionate fanbase.”
“Blockchain Creative Labs is excited to partner with WWE in launching its official NFT ecosystem. We know WWE’s passionate fan community will love owning authentic digital goods across the organization’s creative universe -- from past and present stars to classic, culture-defining moments,” said Scott Greenberg, CEO of Blockchain Creative Labs and Co-Founder/CEO of Bento Box Entertainment. “Our NFT studio is all about enabling fans to own NFTs and tokens that carry utility and social clout directly from the creators and brands they are passionate about, spanning animation, sports, shows and movies to music, books, art, pop culture and every other Web3-powered media asset you can possibly imagine.”
To participate in the WWE NFT marketplace, fans create a secure and easy-to-use WWE digital wallet through Eluvio that acts as a vault and enables consumers to purchase collectibles using traditional currency or cryptocurrency.
Today’s announcement represents the second partnership between WWE and FOX. In October 2019, FOX Sports began to broadcast “Friday Night SmackDown,” which airs 52 weeks a year, live in primetime from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT, and will play an important role in promoting the marketplace to WWE fans.
Earlier this year, FOX Entertainment and Bento Box Entertainment entered the NFT business with the formation of Blockchain Creative Labs and a $100 million creator fund to identify growth opportunities in the space. In addition to the WWE NFT Marketplace, Blockchain Creative Labs recently launched “The MaskVerse” for FOX’s “The Masked Singer,” and will also launch a dedicated digital Marketplace for Emmy Award-winning creator Dan Harmon’s upcoming animated comedy, KRAPOPOLIS, marking the first animated series to be curated entirely on the blockchain
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’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 900 million homes worldwide in 28 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN CREATIVE LABS
Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL), a new business and creative studio formed in 2021 by FOX Entertainment and its Emmy Award-winning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment, provides content creators, IP owners and advertising partners end-to-end blockchain computer ecosystem solutions to build, launch, manage and sell Non-Fungible Token (NFT) content and experiences, and fungible tokens, as well as digital goods and assets. BCL also manages a $100 million creator fund, established by FOX Entertainment and Bento Box, which identifies growth opportunities in the NFT space. In August of 2021, Fox Corporation made a strategic investment in Eluvio, a global pioneer for managing, distributing and monetizing premium content via blockchain, that will provide the underlying technology platform for BCL.
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: the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business, results of operations and financial condition; entering, maintaining and renewing major distribution agreements; a rapidly evolving media landscape; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to attract, retain and renew subscribers); 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 including possible disruptions and reputational risks; 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 alleging traumatic brain injury; 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; privacy norms and regulations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness including our convertible notes; 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 volatility 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.