Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
As noted earlier, CBS Radio affiliates will broadcast a live "Taz Show" from 11 PM-2 AM following Summerslam this Sunday. Guests on the broadcast thus far will include WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, Cody Rhodes and yours truly. The post-Wrestlemania broadcast was excellent and a lot of fun, so I expect more of the same zainess with Taz, his Producer the Captain, etc. For more, visit www.TazShow.com.
Speaking of Jim Ross, tickets for his Wrestlemania 33 weekend events in Orlando, Florida will go on sale next Monday 8/22. For details, visit www.JrsBarBQ.com. I've seen Ross' live show on three different occasions and it never fails to entertain.
This morning, United States District of Connecticut Court Judge Vanessa L. Bryant approved a motion from Vito LoGrasso and Evan Singleton, expanding their response time to WWE's motion for judgment in the remaining count against the company in the pair's concussion-related civil lawsuit until 9/9, giving them the same amount of time that WWE had to prepare their own response previously to the pair. WWE would then have until October to make their arguments against the response.
Charlotte and several other WWE stars will be at Yankee Stadium this Tuesday for batting practice.
Regarding rumors of Undertaker being seen with a cane in a recent photo with a fan, we are told he is not using a cane and was simply posing with one that was nearby.
WWE NXT champion Samoa Joe was interviewed by Channel Guide Magazine today to promote Takeover. On gaining WWE's trust, Joe commented, " "It was really WWE kind of taking their hands off and letting me do me. They kind of gave me the reins to be Samoa Joe and do what I needed to do. They let me keep my moniker. I think the biggest thing is they respected me and my artistic integrity. It has been very welcome to see while working for WWE. …The majority of my career, you see people released or on their way out of the company saying various horror stories about how things are. So my expectations were pretty low. But being a part of the company has far exceeded my expectations. It has been a blast the entire time I've worked here. I'm not one to grumble and complain much, but I have to admit it has been refreshing just being a part of the company and being part of the NXT brand."
Officially added to the WWE Network is a Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels Collection, as it was voted by fans as being the best Summerslam rivalry.
Episodes of Xavier Woods' Up Up Down Down Youtube series have also been added to the WWE Network.
The following press release was issued today:
DCM Ventures, BDMI Lead Series B Financing
Austin, TX (Aug. 15, 2016) – FloSports today announced it has received $21.2 million in new funding to accelerate the online sports network’s growth into new sports and expand its existing verticals. DCM Ventures and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) led the financing, with participation from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Discovery Communications and existing investor Causeway Media Partners.
“We want to partner with world-class investors who share our vision to transform sports media,” FloSports co-founder and CEO Martin Floreani said. “It’s exciting that visionaries in the media and OTT space have backed us to achieve this goal.
“We are the best direct-to-consumer solution for leagues, governing bodies and independent rights holders to monetize their events. In turn, this allows our company to serve millions of sports fans and supports our mission to grow the sports, the athletes, the events and the fans.”
FloSports focuses on live sports and currently operates a subscription-based network of 14 dedicated verticals in sports including wrestling, track, grappling, MMA, elite fitness, boxing, fastpitch softball, gymnastics, basketball, tennis, volleyball, cheerleading and eSports. This year, FloSports has launched four new sites, including FloVolleyball, FloCombat, FloTennis, and FloKO, which covers the Fighting Game Community (FGC).
In recent months, FloSports has live streamed events such as the PGF National Championships on FloSoftball.com, the 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship on FloGrappling.com, the 2016 Pan-American Championship and the 2016 Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament on FloWrestling.com, and The Cheerleading Worlds™ and The Dance Worlds™ on FloCheer.com.
“Over-the-top video services will disrupt the media ecosystem from top to bottom over the next 5-7 years,” said Jason Krikorian, General Partner at DCM Ventures and Co-founder of Sling Media. “Of particular interest to me are companies that create content with an authentic voice that appeals to and cultivates passionate communities. FloSports has been exceptional at delivering high-quality live content and original programming, and we are thrilled to be a part of the team as the company extends its exceptional offering to more communities of sports fans.”
With today’s funding, FloSports now has raised $32.2 million, including an $8 million Series A round from Causeway Media Partners.
“As video consumption fragments and everyone from big media companies to individuals on YouTube pursue meaningful monetization on mobile and the web, FloSports has found a way to capture the passion of athletes and fans to build a thriving subscription business,” Keith Titan, partner at BDMI, said. “FloSports doesn’t merely stream live competitions, they partner with event organizers and governing bodies to provide top quality original content and in-depth coverage.
“What impresses us most is that the FloSports team is part of the community and they are as passionate about the sports they stream as their subscribers. They’ve created a successful model that is a unique and potentially huge global opportunity.”
ABOUT FLOSPORTS
FloSports is a direct-to-consumer, subscription-based sports media company located in Austin, Texas. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is unlocking a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Current verticals under the FloSports header are Wrestling, Track, Grappling, MMA, Elite Fitness, Boxing, Softball, Gymnastics, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, eSports, and Cheerleading.
ABOUT DCM VENTURES
DCM Ventures is a venture capital firm with over $3.0 billion under management. Since 1996, DCM Ventures has invested in more than 280 technology companies across the U.S. and Asia. With offices in Silicon Valley, Beijing, and Tokyo, DCM Ventures empowers their entrepreneurs with hands-on operational guidance and a global network of business and financial resources.
ABOUT BERTELSMANN DIGITAL MEDIA INVESTMENTS (BDMI)
Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the global media, services and education company Bertelsmann. As a financially driven corporate venture investor, BDMI draws upon Bertelsmann’s global reach to provide not only capital, but also access to their network of businesses within Bertelsmann and across the media industry. BDMI has invested in over 50 startups since 2007 and is currently focused on the categories of online video, ad tech, SaaS, content and e-commerce. For more information visit: www.bdmifund.com
Thanks to Paul Jordan and Michael Lehman.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
