Backstage WWE RAW Draft News + WWE Hires 35 Employees

Partial Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

? The actual number of fans for the Mar. 22 double RAW and SmackDown! taping in San Jose was 12,748 with approximately 11,000 paid and a gate of $282,220.

? The reason that RAW got the bulk of the "big name" talent in the draft is obviously due to SmackDown's status on MyNetworkTV. Many MNTV affiliates have started to move SmackDown! off of Friday nights, which will cause the show to have less penetration than it has in the past. The WWE realized that with this being the case, there is no reason to push the show at this time. They plan to build it back up with the move to SyFy in October.

? WWE recently hired 35 new employees to sort through their video library and make sure everything is in order and correctly cataloged to start their new network. Details of their new Network remain scarce but they are targeting it's launch within the next 18 months.