The Hollywood Reporter
‘Girls’ wild for PPV with WWE
February 19, 2003

“Girls Gone Wild” is venturing into the pay-per-view business, partnering with World Wresting Entertainment on its first live special, scheduled for March 13.

“Girls Gone Wild: Spring Break Live and Uncensored” will air from three locations: Panama City, Fla., South Padre Island, Texas, and Jamaica. In addition to the usual parade of partial nudity, “Girls” will hold its first beauty pageant, which will air live, WWE personalities also will play a role at the event.

“We have an incredible partnership with the WWE,” said Joe Francis, founder of “Girls” production outfit Mantra Entertainment. “They own the pay-per-view space, so there’s no better people to be in business with.”

For Mantra, PPV opens a new front for its direct-response empire, which extends to home video, DVD and an upcoming feature film. For WWE, co-producing the event could become a new revenue stream while the company looks to expand its business.

Both entities will also be able to introduce their predominantly young male audiences to each other’s programming – particularly important to the WWE, which has seen its ratings wane, has slated Wilson for the cover

of its May issue, which will appear on newsstands just days before the WWE’s premier annual event, Wrestlemania. Playboy chief Hugh Hefner has already appeared on WWE programming, as has Mantra’s Francis.

In an effort to mainstream the “Girls” brand, Mantra has been collaborating with such celebrities as Eminem and Snoop Dogg, who will appear at the event. Francis is hoping the March 13 special is just the beginning of a partnership with WWE, which is likely taking a wait-and-see attitude, including more PPV events this year.