Woodstock Wrestles WWF for July 25 PPV Date

Michael Reynolds

When it comes to pay-per-view, it's not all peace, love and Woodstock '99.

PPV distributor Viewer's Choice and promoter Woodstock '99 LLC have reached agreement on a deal to carry the event live on July 23-25 that would showcase more than 40 acts over the three days for $59.95. But due to a conflict with a WWF wrestling card on July 25, carriage may extend to only 23 million cable PPV households, not Viewer's Choice full universe of 28 million.

In addition to the multi-day package, viewers can also purchase single-day telecasts for $29.95. Jeff Rowland, SVP of Metropolitan Entertainment Group, which along with concert veteran Ossie Killkenny and past Woodstock promoter Michael Lang, comprise Woodstock '99 LLC, said that the rate card deal will provide cable operators with a 40% take of the revenues, a split that could go as high as 50% if they execute a certain number of marketing tactics.

The promoters have also reached agreements with satellite providers DirecTV and EchoStar for the concert event that will include such acts as the Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Metallica, Sheryl Crow, Aerosmith and Collective Soul.

Michael Klein, SVP of programming at Viewer's Choice, said that with the WWF's Fully Loaded event scheduled for channel VC1, the distributor will make the concert event available on VC2 and VC5. He also believes that cable systems will open "another one of our channels" for Woodstock '99. "We're confident we will get close to 28 million."

Relative to the scheduling conflict , Klein said: "We had a contract with the WWF for its Fully Loaded show for (July 25th). There was some negotiations to try and move the date, but it was too difficult because these events are planned out months in advance."

However, sources say that the wrestling organization sought compensation as an incentive to move the date, a request that was declined by Woodstock '99 LLC. Rowland declined to address the issue.

"With a lot of our TV programming geared toward the PPV events, moving a date is a very complex logistical situation that costs a lot of money," said Jim Byrne, SVP of marketing at WWF. "We wanted to accommodate them; they were nice people to work with. But I don't think the economics of their event could have supported that."

Rowland also noted that the promoters have reached deals with an unspecified broadcaster for a two-hour highlights program that will air "shortly after" the event, as well as MTV for a TV window about three months after the concert, coinciding with the release of attendant audio and video offerings from Woodstock '99. He would not specify the number of Woodstock '99 hours MTV will telecast.