WWE Network subscriber count down to 1.44 million

WWE released its Q3 financial report today and that meant an updated number on the WWE Network subscriber count. Not surprisingly, subscribers are down to 1.44 million at the end of the quarter, down from the 1.51 million reported after giving away WrestleMania 32 for free.

The detailed numbers from the report:

Network revenues, which include revenue generated by WWE Network and pay-per-view, increased 10% to $45.1 million. WWE Network subscription revenue increased 18% to $42.8 million from $36.4 million in the prior year quarter based on a 24% year-over-year increase in average paid subscribers to 1.46 million.

Network segment OIBDA of $17.4 million was essentially unchanged from the prior year quarter as the growth in WWE Network subscription revenue was offset by increased programming expenses, including a $3.2 million allocation of certain expenses shared between the Company’s Network and Television segments.4 A portion of the increase in Network programming expenses relates to the Company’s previously communicated strategic investments.

The Company continued to increase the global subscriber base of WWE Network, as measured on a year-over-year basis, with launches over the trailing 12 months in five countries including Germany and Japan. WWE Network had 1.44 million total paid subscribers at the end of the third quarter, which represented a 17% increase from September 30, 2015. WWE Network had 1.07 million U.S. paid subscribers and 373,000 international paid subscribers at quarter-end.

And, of course, the handy table:

That’s not a bad drop, considering, but there is a real fear of a bigger drop in Q4, one that they acknowledged on the conference call by saying “some attractions mean more than others.”

Indeed.