By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
ViacomCBS issued the following press release to announce its multi-year distribution agreement with WOW.
LOS ANGELES – Oct. 6, 2021 – ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group announced today a new multi-year distribution agreement with WOW – Women Of Wrestling (WOW), marking the return of the world’s leading women’s wrestling league. This historic and exclusive media rights deal gives WOW the biggest distribution opportunities for the U.S. and abroad in the history of women’s professional wrestling. WOW is owned by Jeanie Buss and was created by David McLane, founder of women’s wrestling’s original hit series GLOW.
New episodes of WOW will launch in weekend syndication beginning in the fall of 2022. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group has already secured clearance in 160 markets, representing 70 percent of the United States via licensing agreements with deals that include CBS-owned-and-operated stations and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Historical seasons will be available on CW Seed and Pluto TV platforms, expected in December 2021.
“We are thrilled to partner with Jeanie Buss and David McLane to create a significant global footprint for WOW and expand our diverse, world-class content portfolio,” said Dan Cohen, President of ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group. “This series offers audiences unique, compelling and creative entertainment that features female ‘superheroes’ in the ring, behind the cameras and in all aspects of the business. Both in the U.S and abroad, we believe this is an event program that will make some noise in the marketplace.”
Former WWE world champion and New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Is My Superpower AJ Mendez will provide color commentary during each broadcast, which will feature the return of WOW World Champion The Beast and former world champion Tessa Blanchard to the squared circle.
“Wrestling’s presentation of women has long been very important to me, and we now are presenting the epitome in sports entertainment that will highlight the athleticism of these superstars as we reintroduce WOW,” said Jeanie Buss, Owner of WOW. “Our partnership with the entire ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group family allows us to continue our mission of providing wrestling fans and WOW Superheroes what they have all deserved: a global platform for a dedicated women’s wrestling league.”
Buss and Mendez will serve as executive producers, while WOW creator and founder McLane is the executive producer of the production, along with two-time Emmy Award nominee Nick Staller. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group distributes the series in the U.S. and internationally.
About ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group
ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group is the leading distributor of premium content across multiple media platforms throughout the global marketplace. The division’s portfolio is comprised of some of the world’s most-recognized brands, including feature films and television programs from Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, Paramount Players, Paramount Animation, CBS Studios, CBS Media Ventures, CBS News, SHOWTIME Networks, Nickelodeon, MTV Entertainment Group and Miramax. The division also has the largest distributed library of series and film titles, including global franchises such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “NCIS,” “Star Trek,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Transformers,” “Mission: Impossible” and more. In addition, the division licenses a diverse lineup of scripted and unscripted formats for local production and international co-productions. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group is a division of ViacomCBS Inc.
About WOW – Women Of Wrestling
WOW – Women Of Wrestling is the premier organization and content provider for live events and programming featuring women’s professional wrestling. Its empowered women from all different backgrounds and professions are marketed as “WOW Superheroes” and are the main attraction of every WOW presentation. WOW’s digital ecosystem consists of its owned web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel. Together these systems comprise the ‘WOW World’ customer platforms under the handle @wowsuperheroes. The WOW owner is Jeanie Buss and its programming is produced by David McLane. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group is the exclusive distributor of WOW worldwide. For further information on the WOW Superheroes, its villains and over-the-top characters visit www.wowe.com.
Powell’s POV: Man, this promotion just won’t die. It looked like the end was near when WOW completed its run on AXS-TV, but now they’ve found a new partner in ViacomCBS. It will be nice to have Mendez involved in pro wrestling again, though I am surprised that she hasn’t ended up in AEW with her husband CM Punk.
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