Press Release
5th November 2007
WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2008 Kicks off Global Marketing Campaign on WWE® Monday Night RAW®
Multi-million Dollar Effort for Pre-eminent Fighting Video Game Franchise Supports Upcoming Simultaneous Release on Seven Platforms
AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) today announced that the WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2008 global marketing campaign, aimed at highlighting the franchise’s debut on the WiiTM home video game system, the Nintendo DS™ and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, will kick off tonight on Monday Night RAW®. The campaign is a multifaceted, multi-million dollar global marketing effort to support the biggest SmackDown vs. Raw launch in the franchise’s nine year history. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is scheduled for simultaneous release on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Wii and Nintendo DS, plus wireless devices, on November 9, 2007 across Europe, Australia and New Zealand; and on November 13, 2007 across North America.
“The exciting and frenetic atmosphere of Monday Night RAW provides the perfect stage from which to launch our WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 global marketing campaign,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “This comprehensive worldwide effort will show fans how their love of wrestling can find intense new outlets through this year’s SmackDown vs. Raw debut on Wii, Nintendo DS and the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Each platform provides unique fighting experiences that will bring fans closer than ever to their favorite Superstars.”
“The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 global marketing campaign is the most comprehensive effort to date for the SmackDown vs. Raw franchise,” said Nelo Lucich, vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific. “We are excited by the unique game play delivered across an impressive seven systems and look forward to the upcoming launch of this year’s game.”
The cross platform marketing strategy for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 also includes:
A global TV campaign in eight different countries, including advertising, broadcast and event sponsorships.
Print advertising in consumer publications and holiday buyer guides, including a Nintendo-specific campaign.
A comprehensive online campaign including advertising, a demo campaign via Xbox Live® Marketplace for the Xbox 360, as well as the annual roster reveal and daily Superstar profiles campaign on IGN.
A worldwide gaming tournament where top SmackDown vs. Raw gamers will win the opportunity to compete at the 6th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge in Orlando, FL, which kicks off WrestleMania® 24 weekend
First-ever launch event for the franchise at Toys”R”Us Times Square, including an appearance and autograph signing by WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio®
Retailer-specific promotions including Superstar appearances, exclusive gift with purchase opportunities, co-marketing with WWE DVD and more
Wireless promotions through major carriers
More information about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 can be found at www.smackdownvsraw.com and www.thq.com.
About World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. Information on television ratings and community activities can be found at parents.wwe.com.
About THQ Inc.
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, THQ Wireless and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.
About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite®, Color Workshop®, JAKKS Pets™ and Plug It In & Play TV Games™. JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit www.jakks.com.
Trademarks: All World Wrestling Entertainment programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ECW is a trademark owned by WWE Libraries, Inc. ECW is a trademark owned by WWE Libraries, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, the Xbox logos, and the Xbox Live logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
"PlayStation", "PS" Family logo and "PSP" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Memory Stick Duo™ may be required (sold separately).
Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo.
The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “THQ”), including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to the marketing campaign for WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, and are based upon management’s current beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business, competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ’s financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2007, and particularly the discussion of risk factors set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
This press release may contain forward–looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.
Contacts
THQ/Media RelationsJaime Jensen, 818-871-5111
or
THQ/Investor RelationsJulie MacMedan, 818-871-5125orJAKKS Pacific/Media RelationsGenna Rosenberg, 310-455-6235
gennar@jakks.net
or
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.Kevin Hennessy, 203-352-8657
kevin.hennessy@wwecorp.com
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Chris Benoit drugs 'unusual' amongst WWE wrestlers, by Howard Kotton - Herald Sun - 4th November 2007
The recent death of World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Chris Benoit has forced the organisation into damage control again about alleged drug abuse among its performers.
Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and son Daniel, 7, and placed bibles beside their bodies before hanging himself from a cable on one of his weights machines in June.
Police have said anabolic steroids and other prescription drugs were found inside the house.
Claims of illicit drug use in professional wrestling have been around for many years.
William Regal, who is general manager on the WWE's RAW program, is keen to dispel the widely-held belief that professional wrestlers are nothing more than drugged-up lunatics.
"We have strict (drug) testing going on," Regal said.
"It's just unfortunate that everybody is jumping on the bandwagon and making us out to be the creatures that we're not."
Regal, 39, said WWE's popularity had not been affected by the murder-suicide in Georgia.
"Nobody in the WWE could have helped what happened to change the unfortunate ending to Chris Benoit's life and his family's life," Regal said.
"If anybody would have known any different, we would have helped him.
"There have been a lot of live events since that tragedy and the same amount of people are coming in. "They're sticking by us because they know this is not the norm."
Regal, from Blackpool in England, has done it all in professional wrestling since starting out as a teenager in the UK.
He has held numerous championships and wrestled all over the world. He has lived in the US for the past 14 years, but said he has never felt at home there.
He has been to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and admits he feels more comfortable in Australia than his adopted home.
"I'm a big Australian fan," he said. "It's the only place outside of England I've gone to that I've felt at home in."
Regal breeds lizards as a hobby and is fascinated by Australian reptiles. "You've got the best lizards in the world," he said.
He said the audience at the Rod Laver Arena this weekend should expect a hell of a show.
"People come to our shows knowing that we're going to entertain them and ultimately give everybody something that they can enjoy and go home happy," he said.
"You're going to get every able-bodied RAW superstar there and we're going to have a lot of fun and hopefully everybody else will as well."
The recent death of World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Chris Benoit has forced the organisation into damage control again about alleged drug abuse among its performers.
Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and son Daniel, 7, and placed bibles beside their bodies before hanging himself from a cable on one of his weights machines in June.
Police have said anabolic steroids and other prescription drugs were found inside the house.
Claims of illicit drug use in professional wrestling have been around for many years.
William Regal, who is general manager on the WWE's RAW program, is keen to dispel the widely-held belief that professional wrestlers are nothing more than drugged-up lunatics.
"We have strict (drug) testing going on," Regal said.
"It's just unfortunate that everybody is jumping on the bandwagon and making us out to be the creatures that we're not."
Regal, 39, said WWE's popularity had not been affected by the murder-suicide in Georgia.
"Nobody in the WWE could have helped what happened to change the unfortunate ending to Chris Benoit's life and his family's life," Regal said.
"If anybody would have known any different, we would have helped him.
"There have been a lot of live events since that tragedy and the same amount of people are coming in. "They're sticking by us because they know this is not the norm."
Regal, from Blackpool in England, has done it all in professional wrestling since starting out as a teenager in the UK.
He has held numerous championships and wrestled all over the world. He has lived in the US for the past 14 years, but said he has never felt at home there.
He has been to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and admits he feels more comfortable in Australia than his adopted home.
"I'm a big Australian fan," he said. "It's the only place outside of England I've gone to that I've felt at home in."
Regal breeds lizards as a hobby and is fascinated by Australian reptiles. "You've got the best lizards in the world," he said.
He said the audience at the Rod Laver Arena this weekend should expect a hell of a show.
"People come to our shows knowing that we're going to entertain them and ultimately give everybody something that they can enjoy and go home happy," he said.
"You're going to get every able-bodied RAW superstar there and we're going to have a lot of fun and hopefully everybody else will as well."
Woman behind U.S. banking rumble - Financial Post - 2nd November 2007
CIBC World Markets analyst Meredith Whitney
Duncan Mavin, Financial Post
Published: Friday, November 02, 2007
CIBC World Markets analyst Meredith Whitney, an outspoken television pundit who is married to a professional wrestler, delivered a body slam to the U.S. banking sector this week that has sent stocks reeling in markets around the world.
The champion stock-picker even talks a bit like Rowdy Roddy Piper.
"No one had the moxie to put in print, what I put in print," Ms. Whitney said yesterday.
She had earlier hit Citigroup with a downgrade when it was already hurting from weak profits.
"Is Citigroup's dividend safe?" she demanded in a tough report that followed a 57% drop in third-quarter earnings at the world's largest bank.
Ms. Whitney said Citigroup, one of the world's largest banks, is US$30-billion short of enough capital to keep up with payments to shareholders and its plans for growth during the current credit crunch.
Bank stocks fell sharply. Her report triggered the steepest tumble in Citigroup shares since September 2002, and it's not done falling yet, according to Ms. Whitney.
U.S. stocks were dragged down, with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index losing 2.6% on Thursday, destroying $369-billion in market value.
In Canada and elsewhere, bank stocks also fell. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Ms. Whitney's own employer, has seen 4% slashed off its stock price since her report was issued.
The CIBC analyst said yesterday that she has been inundated with attention from media and investors since making the call in a report issued in New York on Wednesday evening.
A spokesman for CIBC in Toronto said the bank has also had a high number of requests to get in touch with Ms. Whitney or to see her report.
"It's a very controversial call despite being a very straightforward call," Ms. Whitney said in an interview.
"I took this extremely seriously. The report is very thorough. But in my 14 years as an analyst this is the most straightforward call that I've made. It's black and white."
Despite her assuredness, the downgrade is widely seen as bold move. But as a regular guest on Fox News, Ms. Whitney has made a name for herself with forthright views.
On a Fox panel discussing the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis in July, she said, "I don't feel sorry for the teacher who's making $40,000 a year who squeezed herself into a $2-million dollar home and can't afford it."
On the same show, the 37-year old analyst said, "You have to have creative destruction to have a capitalist society. You have to let people fail."
Those words could also now be ringing in the ears of Citigroup chief executive Charles Prince, whom Ms. Whitney blames for the bank's declining fortunes.
"There's no question he has to leave,'' said the New York-based analyst.
Ms. Whitney is currently number two in Forbes magazine's ranking of capital markets analysts. She graduated with honors from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and married John "Bradshaw" Layfield in Key West in 2005.
Mr. Layfield is a former World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. champion and author of "Have More Money Now: A Common Sense Approach to Financial Management."
Known to his fans as JBL, Mr. Layfield apparently models his character after J.R. Ewing from the television show Dallas. His signature wrestling move is the 'Clothesline From Hell,' and his WWE Smack Down website profile warns, "Never challenge John Bradshaw Layfield to a street fight -- especially on Wall Street, or when he's offering valuable investment pointers to help bulk up your portfolio."
Like his wife, Mr. Layfield is a regular contributor to Fox News.
Ms. Whitney said her twenty-three page report on Citigroup which downgraded the bank from 'sector perform' to 'sector underperform' has been vindicated by an 11% drop in the company's stock price in the past two days.
"I had a lot of support [before issuing the report] from my firm and I've got a good track record. I lay the case out, they think about it and they trust me."
Analysts in the U.S. tend to be more aggressive with their ratings than their counterparts here in Canada, said Mario Mendonca, financial services analyst at Genuity Capital Markets in Toronto.
It is very unusual for Canadian bank analysts to give bank stocks a "sell" recommendation, though Mr. Mendonca was among a handful of his peers who did downgrade Bank of Montreal earlier this year. When he switched his recommendation on the stock to "sell" from "hold" based, the reaction to his downgrade was mixed.
"If you don't downgrade you are criticized for being too soft on the banks and if you do downgrade then people say you are wrong and missing the point of bank stocks," he said.
Meanwhile some observers in the U.S. have reacted in opposition to Ms. Whitney's report.
David Hilder, an analyst at Bear Stearns & Co., wrote in a note that "concerns about Citigroup's capital position and dividend policy raised by a competitor are over-stated."
Mr. Hilder, based in New York, maintained his 'outperform' rating on Citigroup and said the shares may climb to US$58 by the end of next year.
Anton Schutz, who oversees US$270-million as president of Mendon Capital Advisors in Rochester, New York, said the bank has too much cash to cut its payout.
"I don't believe that to be true, that they will need to cut the dividend," said Mr. Schutz, who owns Citigroup shares and said he has been buying as prices declined. "There's no doubt that there's a lot of uncertainty here, but overall this company generates a ton of capital and can certainly weather a storm."
Financial Post with files from Bloomberg News
CIBC World Markets analyst Meredith Whitney
Duncan Mavin, Financial Post
Published: Friday, November 02, 2007
CIBC World Markets analyst Meredith Whitney, an outspoken television pundit who is married to a professional wrestler, delivered a body slam to the U.S. banking sector this week that has sent stocks reeling in markets around the world.
The champion stock-picker even talks a bit like Rowdy Roddy Piper.
"No one had the moxie to put in print, what I put in print," Ms. Whitney said yesterday.
She had earlier hit Citigroup with a downgrade when it was already hurting from weak profits.
"Is Citigroup's dividend safe?" she demanded in a tough report that followed a 57% drop in third-quarter earnings at the world's largest bank.
Ms. Whitney said Citigroup, one of the world's largest banks, is US$30-billion short of enough capital to keep up with payments to shareholders and its plans for growth during the current credit crunch.
Bank stocks fell sharply. Her report triggered the steepest tumble in Citigroup shares since September 2002, and it's not done falling yet, according to Ms. Whitney.
U.S. stocks were dragged down, with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index losing 2.6% on Thursday, destroying $369-billion in market value.
In Canada and elsewhere, bank stocks also fell. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Ms. Whitney's own employer, has seen 4% slashed off its stock price since her report was issued.
The CIBC analyst said yesterday that she has been inundated with attention from media and investors since making the call in a report issued in New York on Wednesday evening.
A spokesman for CIBC in Toronto said the bank has also had a high number of requests to get in touch with Ms. Whitney or to see her report.
"It's a very controversial call despite being a very straightforward call," Ms. Whitney said in an interview.
"I took this extremely seriously. The report is very thorough. But in my 14 years as an analyst this is the most straightforward call that I've made. It's black and white."
Despite her assuredness, the downgrade is widely seen as bold move. But as a regular guest on Fox News, Ms. Whitney has made a name for herself with forthright views.
On a Fox panel discussing the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis in July, she said, "I don't feel sorry for the teacher who's making $40,000 a year who squeezed herself into a $2-million dollar home and can't afford it."
On the same show, the 37-year old analyst said, "You have to have creative destruction to have a capitalist society. You have to let people fail."
Those words could also now be ringing in the ears of Citigroup chief executive Charles Prince, whom Ms. Whitney blames for the bank's declining fortunes.
"There's no question he has to leave,'' said the New York-based analyst.
Ms. Whitney is currently number two in Forbes magazine's ranking of capital markets analysts. She graduated with honors from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and married John "Bradshaw" Layfield in Key West in 2005.
Mr. Layfield is a former World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. champion and author of "Have More Money Now: A Common Sense Approach to Financial Management."
Known to his fans as JBL, Mr. Layfield apparently models his character after J.R. Ewing from the television show Dallas. His signature wrestling move is the 'Clothesline From Hell,' and his WWE Smack Down website profile warns, "Never challenge John Bradshaw Layfield to a street fight -- especially on Wall Street, or when he's offering valuable investment pointers to help bulk up your portfolio."
Like his wife, Mr. Layfield is a regular contributor to Fox News.
Ms. Whitney said her twenty-three page report on Citigroup which downgraded the bank from 'sector perform' to 'sector underperform' has been vindicated by an 11% drop in the company's stock price in the past two days.
"I had a lot of support [before issuing the report] from my firm and I've got a good track record. I lay the case out, they think about it and they trust me."
Analysts in the U.S. tend to be more aggressive with their ratings than their counterparts here in Canada, said Mario Mendonca, financial services analyst at Genuity Capital Markets in Toronto.
It is very unusual for Canadian bank analysts to give bank stocks a "sell" recommendation, though Mr. Mendonca was among a handful of his peers who did downgrade Bank of Montreal earlier this year. When he switched his recommendation on the stock to "sell" from "hold" based, the reaction to his downgrade was mixed.
"If you don't downgrade you are criticized for being too soft on the banks and if you do downgrade then people say you are wrong and missing the point of bank stocks," he said.
Meanwhile some observers in the U.S. have reacted in opposition to Ms. Whitney's report.
David Hilder, an analyst at Bear Stearns & Co., wrote in a note that "concerns about Citigroup's capital position and dividend policy raised by a competitor are over-stated."
Mr. Hilder, based in New York, maintained his 'outperform' rating on Citigroup and said the shares may climb to US$58 by the end of next year.
Anton Schutz, who oversees US$270-million as president of Mendon Capital Advisors in Rochester, New York, said the bank has too much cash to cut its payout.
"I don't believe that to be true, that they will need to cut the dividend," said Mr. Schutz, who owns Citigroup shares and said he has been buying as prices declined. "There's no doubt that there's a lot of uncertainty here, but overall this company generates a ton of capital and can certainly weather a storm."
Financial Post with files from Bloomberg News
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