The brands that will advertise on the 24/7 WWE Network in 2014-2015 also include Mountain Dew, 2K Sports and Pure TalkUSA. The announcement reflects WWE?s determination to turn its ability to reach audiences on a large number of viewing platforms into a revenue generator that will pare its financial losses.

?Limited advertising began running on WWE Network, across all platforms, including mobile and tablets,? said Michelle Wilson, chief revenue and marketing officer for WWE, Stamford, CT.

?WWE Network provides partners with 24/7 access to our fan base and enables them to reach audiences on multiple viewing platforms wherever our fans are.?

The ad launch comes after WWE swung to a second-quarter net loss of $14.5 million, or 19 cents a share. In the same period a year earlier, the wresting and entertainment brand had profit of $5.2 million, or 7 cents a share.

WWE Network launched in the U.S. in February, featuring WWE?s 12 live pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania, for $9.99 per month with a 6-month commitment. Its offerings also include original programming, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches and more than 2,000 hours of video on demand.

Delivered directly to fans through over-the-top digital distribution, WWE Network is available on desktops and laptops via WWE.com. 

It is also available through the WWE mobile application on Amazon Fire TV and Kindle Fire devices, and on Android and iOS devices. Content also can be consumed via Roku streaming devices, Sony PlayStation, Xbox, Sony Internet-connected TVs, and Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems.

The U.S. English language version of WWE Network is available in more than 170 countries and territories, including Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Spain and the Nordics. A UK edition of the network is expected to launch by next month.

WWE, formerly known as World Wrestling Entertainment, has gained a reputation as an effective marketer of its brand as it continues to leverage mobile to engage fans.

It has prioritized offering the most interactive and engaging experience possible, whether fans are watching WWE TV broadcasts, a pay-per-view event or attending a live show.

By the start of this year, its WWE App had received more than 10 million downloads in 220 countries since launching in August 2012.

Two years ago, when WWE ran a text-to-win campaign to support its annual Wrestlemania event, it generated participation from more than 900,000 fans, with more than 500,000 choosing to opt-in to receive ongoing communications from the brand.

WWE programming is broadcast in more than 170 countries and 35 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. Each week, WWE creates 11 hours of original programming that is watched by approximately 14 million fans in the U.S. 

Approximately 35 percent of WWE's audience is female and 24 percent are under the age of 18.

When it reported second-quarter results in July, WWE said the network subscriber base had expanded to 700,000, helping it to post a narrower loss than expected.

 

Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon called the WWE Network the single greatest opportunity to transform WWE?s business model. 

On WWE Network, advertising will include 30-second spots between shows, but there will be no commercial breaks within programming itself, Ms. Wilson was quoted in Advertising Age. For on-demand content, users will be served one 15 or 30-second spot on every fourth stream.

WWE Network is in discussions with advertisers about content.

?WWE Network has opened up conversations with new partners and expanded relationships with existing partners,? Ms. Wilson said.