AEW - NOVEMBER 2023

[Elsalvajeloco]

4 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

It’s not like they even have rights to his footage, except maybe for NJPW stuff TK could license from them. 

Footage for what exactly?

[odessasteps]

If they wanted to do some kind of legends deal or show or what have you.

matt asked if you could trust him on live TV and I said no, but maybe some kind of pre-packaged project.

[Elsalvajeloco]

2 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

If they wanted to do some kind of legends deal or show or what have you.

matt asked if you could trust him on live TV and I said no, but maybe some kind of pre-packaged project.

I mean they really don't have a home video release component that would warrant needing a ton of footage.

[ExcellenceofAirPollution]

I'm not enjoying AEW's conversion into TNA 2.0

[Godfrey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfnWtx1XjIk&ab_channel=AllEliteWrestling

Everyone wants over two hours of Samoa Joe TV title defenses, right?

[Cobra Commander]

as for what Flair could do while under a contract... former ballplayers who become special assistants to the GM don't necessarily have to do anything public-facing so if Flair could have the occasional coherent piece of advice or observation of what he notices on TV, that's probably not bad as long as the energy drink people pay most of his salary.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

I don't love it, but if it opens up doors licensing-wise, or maybe has any sway with regard to the next TV deal (execs unaware of some of the less-savory aspects of his past may still see him as a Babe Ruth-type figure) then I guess I can see it as a reasonable business decision. I CERTAINLY understand the TNA/WCW connotation with signing an aging, inactive star (specifically him) and agree that it's really hard not to have that reaction - but at the same time, I thus far have no reason to distrust AEW as to how they'll use him as of yet - similarly positioned folks like Arn, Tully, and Jake were used fairly effectively. We're not talking World title #23 here or anything - if he can stay straight, I could see some value in managing, or being used as an occasional de-facto authority figure (not for any BS commissioner angle, but like for example, something like the dumb ass 'big announcement' last night, or when Adam Cole gave the info on Forbidden Door)

Edited November 2, 2023 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Matt D]

Just use him like Blears reading declarations in the ring before title matches. There’s literally nothing else you can do with him.

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fwoau0fosiz6a1.jpg

[John from Cincinnati]

30 minutes ago, ExcellenceofAirPollution said:

I'm not enjoying AEW's conversion into TNA 2.0

No no, TNA is converting into TNA 2.0

[Zakk_Sabbath]

2 minutes ago, John from Cincinnati said:

No no, TNA is converting into TNA 2.0

I'll be dead serious I haven't watched TNA in years but I happened to catch it on their YTTV channel yesterday and there's a four way tag coming up with Hawkins/Ryder, the MCMGs, Rhyno/Heath Slater, and I wanna say the Hooligans, that kinda piqued my interest from a 'what will this even be' perspective

[John from Cincinnati]

5 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I'll be dead serious I haven't watched TNA in years but I happened to catch it on their YTTV channel yesterday and there's a four way tag coming up with Hawkins/Ryder, the MCMGs, Rhyno/Heath Slater, and I wanna say the Hooligans, that kinda piqued my interest from a 'what will this even be' perspective

Cross the line!

[NoFistsJustFlips]

57 minutes ago, For Great Justice said:

Struggling to find a worthwhile use for Flair.

On screen? Sure I can agree with that. But he's one of the most recognizable wrestlers in the history of the business. There's a ton of ways to make money with him and off of his name that doesn't even require him to be on TV. Shirts, action figures, DLC for the game. Having a name TV & business to business execs will know and have heard of will always have value in negotiations.

On screen I mean they can at least get as much use out of him as Arn & Tully & Jake. A random pre tape with MJF and Flair has character value for MJF. A random FTR promo with Flair or them needing him in their corner in Charlotte or Atlanta has value. Flair helping Andrade find his mojo has value. Flair doing promo shit with Lethal & Jarrett has value. There's things they could do that are worthwhile. I understand if he has worn out his welcome with people. That's totally fine to not enjoy him personally, but I find it pretty hard to believe all the people reacting negatively can't at least grasp the potential value he could bring even if you don't enjoy him personally.

[writeradam84]

Last night finally broke me with Dynamite. I thought the Acclaimed stuff with MJF over the past few weeks has been really annoying and the TK “major announcement” was a real let down. If I do watch next week it won’t be live and I’ll go heavy on the fast forward.

[porksweats]

My issue isn't with signing Flair to AEW, my issue is with them making his energy drink the exclusive energy drink of AEW. You'd think they'd want to hitch their wagon to something like Ghost or Monster.

[JLowe]

35 minutes ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

On screen? Sure I can agree with that. But he's one of the most recognizable wrestlers in the history of the business. There's a ton of ways to make money with him and off of his name that doesn't even require him to be on TV. Shirts, action figures, DLC for the game. Having a name TV & business to business execs will know and have heard of will always have value in negotiations.

On screen I mean they can at least get as much use out of him as Arn & Tully & Jake. A random pre tape with MJF and Flair has character value for MJF. A random FTR promo with Flair or them needing him in their corner in Charlotte or Atlanta has value. Flair helping Andrade find his mojo has value. Flair doing promo shit with Lethal & Jarrett has value. There's things they could do that are worthwhile. I understand if he has worn out his welcome with people. That's totally fine to not enjoy him personally, but I find it pretty hard to believe all the people reacting negatively can't at least grasp the potential value he could bring even if you don't enjoy him personally.

For a lot of people, at least based on Reactions on the Internet, it's bringing in a known sex pest at a time when a lot of the hardcore fans are losing faith and interest in the programs.

[Norwegian Rudo]

1 hour ago, Cobra Commander said:

as for what Flair could do while under a contract... former ballplayers who become special assistants to the GM don't necessarily have to do anything public-facing so if Flair could have the occasional coherent piece of advice or observation of what he notices on TV, that's probably not bad as long as the energy drink people pay most of his salary.

Why would the energy drinks company pay AEW to hire their spokesperson if he wasn't going to be on TV?

[Cobra Commander]

12 minutes ago, Norwegian Rudo said:

Why would the energy drinks company pay AEW to hire their spokesperson if he wasn't going to be on TV?

They’re energy drink people trying to glom off of Ric Flair in 2023. I figure they’re not exactly in a position of strength here

The whole thing is almost destined to end with Ric getting bored and hoping that he can get released so that he go back to being a WWE charity case.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

17 minutes ago, porksweats said:

My issue isn't with signing Flair to AEW, my issue is with them making his energy drink the exclusive energy drink of AEW. You'd think they'd want to hitch their wagon to something like Ghost or Monster.

You make a great point with that. It's a little small time - you want one of the big ones. I could be wrong, but I really feel like this is gonna end up being one of those weird 'time capsule' items, like watching old WWF/E TV and seeing ads for shit like ICOPRO or Tout everywhere

14 minutes ago, JLowe said:

For a lot of people, at least based on Reactions on the Internet, it's bringing in a known sex pest at a time when a lot of the hardcore fans are losing faith and interest in the programs.

Certainly not a great look, but after digesting for a bit, I've come to the conclusion this is one of those signings that is more for WWE/casuals/lapsed folks who either aren't aware, or have looked past it - it's a simple swing at growing the brand (ew). I mean, there is just such a dearth of free agents on that level - they're not gonna get Batista out of Hollywood, what do you realistically do for contract season when viewership is down fucking 25% since last year some weeks? Bill Goldberg? It sucks man, but Punk was the fish. Until some more top WWE talent become FAs, the pickings are slim in terms of people that are gonna impress a room of Turner suits (and even then it's a dice roll - some of those cats still might take a Google). That's the big picture. Like, no offense to him in any way, but why the fuck else would THE GIANT be back in the ring in 2023 the year of our Lord?

[Cobra Commander]

I'm pretty confident that Ric Flair won't appear on TV with Timeless Toni Storm

I'm confident enough that Ric Flair and Shaq won't appear together in a tag team match

I'm pretty meh on the concept of having a championship committee at all. Much less having it involve Flair. If there's gonna be a committee, it has to almost be a last resort when nothing else will solve a problem. Like it's the wrestling equivalent of SNL's Ex-Presidents tandem and a group of Sting/Flair/etc has to decide on something

I'd put Arn in the Super-Committee but I don't follow enough old wrestler podcasts to know if Flair and Arn are friendly again. Jake Roberts has been employed for years and basically never does anything either

Basically Ric Flair gets some extra money and an energy drink company gets free plugs on a show watched by lots of people

[Elsalvajeloco]

Wait wait wait...do people know how sponsorship works? You don't seek them out, they seek you out.

I personally have no investment in who sponsors what company and I am not sure what's going on with some energy drink company, but blue chips sponsors are few and far between. And the ones that do want sponsor certain companies give out a disappointing amount of money and just assume you would like the exposure. If Monster or whomever does not do a deal with AEW, it's not cause AEW turned them down. It's cause they weren't interested. Moreover, companies don't have that mentality of we need to keep all our options open especially in a for profit business. The way it works is "____ is the official _____ of the (insert organization here)" up until the contract is done and people move on to bigger and better things. Hell, the UFC has had a bunch of spirit and beer sponsors over the last 15 years plus but they haven't had a consistent big blue chip sponsor until recent years. The other week, they just went from Modelo back to Anheuser Busch, which drew the ire of the far right something fierce to the point it was trending on Twitter from early in the morning until the night. Modelo ain't Bud Light, but they were paying the UFC more than when they had Bud Light. Now Bud Light is willing to pay the UFC more. That's how that works.

If you're in the game long enough, you're going to go through a series of fly by night sponsors before getting to any good ones. You don't pick and choose sponsors.

[Cobra Commander]

just remembered how the hottest period of WWF programming that I lived through had 10-10-321 all over it

[Elsalvajeloco]

3 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

just remembered how the hottest period of WWF programming that I lived through had 10-10-321 all over it

That and Stridex. 

[odessasteps]

Stacker 2

[Cobra Commander]

Wikipedia doesn't mention why it was called Stacker 2 instead of Stacker but i'm gonna assume "trademark issue"

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

23 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Wait wait wait...do people know how sponsorship works? You don't seek them out, they seek you out.

I personally have no investment in who sponsors what company and I am not sure what's going on with some energy drink company, but blue chips sponsors are few and far between. And the ones that do want sponsor certain companies give out a disappointing amount of money and just assume you would like the exposure. If Monster or whomever does not do a deal with AEW, it's not cause AEW turned them down. It's cause they weren't interested. Moreover, companies don't have that mentality of we need to keep all our options open especially in a for profit business. The way it works is "____ is the official _____ of the (insert organization here)" up until the contract is done and people move on to bigger and better things. Hell, the UFC has had a bunch of spirit and beer sponsors over the last 15 years plus but they haven't had a consistent big blue chip sponsor until recent years. The other week, they just went from Modelo back to Anheuser Busch, which drew the ire of the far right something fierce to the point it was trending on Twitter from early in the morning until the night. Modelo ain't Bud Light, but they were paying the UFC more than when they had Bud Light. Now Bud Light is willing to pay the UFC more. That's how that works.

If you're in the game long enough, you're going to go through a series of fly by night sponsors before getting to any good ones. You don't pick and choose sponsors.

Really the only time a company at AEW's level is actively engaging with sponsors is when:

1) They're doing an in-kind trade for time, like if AEW was buying their own TV time and were responsible for their own ad buys (they aren't)
2) They're keeping relationships open so when one sponsorship contract ends, if another is interested, they can move on.

And that's it. If energy drink companies like Ghost or Monster wanted to sponsor AEW by now, they would have. They didn't, so they have whatever flavored piss in a can that has Ric Flair's face on it instead. But hey! Free money!

At least when UFC had weird sponsorships they'd be limited to individual fighters, like when a whole bunch of random mid-level folks had "CONDOM DEPOT" printed on the seat of their shorts.