WrestleMania Event Pins 1 Million PPV Buys

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

The WWE pinned down 1 million global pay-per-view buys for its April 3 WrestleMania 27 event, company officials confirmed Friday.

While the WWE would not break out domestic and international PPV buys, the event - which featured former WWE wrestlers Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin - easily bested last year's take of 885,000 orders, said the company.

The WrestleMania PPV buys, which are still being collected, were first reported in Variety.

The WWE stepped up its marketing efforts for its biggest event of the year, heavily promoting the event on social media outlets to reach beyond its rabid fan base. It also looked to increase the event's star power, bringing back Johnson and Austin as well as adding Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi to its lineup of WWE Superstars.

Johnson has already committed to appear in next year's WrestleMania event in a match against one of the WWE's top draws, John Cena.

Austin is currently hosting the WWE's reality series Tough Enough, which pits a pits a group individuals looking to become the next WWE Superstar or Diva. The series' April 4 debut on USA Network generated 3.3 million viewers.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.