While WWE PPV is down for the quarter, the company’s Live and Televised Entertainment businesses increased 7% to $125.3 million. This was due to the expansion of rights fees from the production and licensing. WrestleMania XXIX contributed $6.2 million in additional revenue, Here is the breakdown…
Live Event revenues increased 13% to $40.1 million driven by the strong performance of WrestleMania XXIX and the timing of our Fan Axxess events held in conjunction with WrestleMania, which more than offset changes in the mix of live events, and the impact of fewer events in international markets. (Fan Axxess occurred primarily in the first quarter 2012 versus the second quarter 2013).
There were 87 total events in the quarter, including 65 events in North America and 22 events in international markets, as compared to 87 events in the prior year quarter, including 57 events in North America and 30 events in international markets.North American events generated revenues of $30.1 million as compared to $22.3 million in the prior year quarter representing revenue growth of $7.8 million that was predominantly due to a 39% increase in the average ticket price of WrestleMania, the timing of Fan Axxess, which added $2.3 million in revenue to the current year quarter and the scheduling of eight more events in the quarter. Overall, including the impact of WrestleMania, average ticket prices increased 13% to $64.23 while average attendance declined approximately 2% to 6,300. Excluding WrestleMania, average ticket prices increased approximately 2% to $41.44 while average attendance declined approximately 2% to 5,300.
International live events generated revenues of $10.0 million as compared to $13.1 million in the prior year quarter, reflecting a 27% decline in the number of events, with eight fewer events in the quarter. Partially offsetting the impact of fewer events, average International ticket prices increased 7% to $68.16 and average attendance increased 6% to approximately 6,600 from 6,200 in the prior year quarter. The increases in average ticket price and average attendance were due to changes in territory mix as the prior year quarter included weak attendance at our events in Mexico and our first live event in Brazil, a market with long-term strategic importance to WWE.
Venue Merchandise revenues increased 28% to $6.9 million from $5.4 million in the prior year quarter primarily due to the timing of our Fan Axxess activities (described above). Total paid attendance in North America increased 11% while per capita merchandise sales at those events were essentially unchanged from the prior year quarter.
