Memphis Rasslin Update

[OSJ]

Apologies if this belongs somewhere else, but I think this is huge:

 

Source: WON

 

"Lawler said at an indy show that he has sorted out the ownership issues of the Memphis tape library and is looking to sell it to WWE"

 

That alone would make the network worthwhile.

[Matt D]

That's terrible news.

 

Almost all the TV we have is available on youtube right now.

 

At the rate WWE is putting up any territory footage at all, we might see some Memphis on the network in 2024.

[T.Rex-n-effeckx]

I'd also say it sounds pretty bullshit to me. If you followed the sale of USWA and the various lawsuits that followed, it's pretty clear that issues of who owns what and all the different competing claims by different conmen who were sold "ownership" of footage by other conmen is a giant clusterfuck.

[odessasteps]

I could vince/hhh pay for the lawsuits to all go away so they could get the footage.

[BillThompson]

That's terrible news.

 

Almost all the TV we have is available on youtube right now.

 

At the rate WWE is putting up any territory footage at all, we might see some Memphis on the network in 2024.

 

I can see this being a potential problem. However, as I said somewhere else, the Network needs all the diverse content it can get. I can see a scenario where people get burned out on the Network if it's the same WWF/E stuff over and over again. However, if you back up the WWF/E library with libraries from WCCW, ECW, WCW, Crockett, Mid-South, SMW, OVW, AWA, WWC, and Memphis, well, that's diverse enough that subscribers should always be able to find something to watch.

[cool arrow]

That's why I haven't gotten the Network yet.  Not nearly enough territorial stuff up.

[Matt D]

It's not just that they won't put it up for a long time. It's that they'll also actively have it taken down on youtube. So we're better off now than we would be if they bought it. 

[OSJ]

It's not just that they won't put it up for a long time. It's that they'll also actively have it taken down on youtube. So we're better off now than we would be if they bought it. 

 

 I guess you're right, Matt. I have delusions about WWE finally getting the whole tape library on the network with a searchable database.

[Mookieghana]

To be clear, I think the original post was from spman on the f4w board. On 3/29/14 he wrote:

So I got a chance to ask Jerry Lawler last night about the staus of the Memphis tapes, and he told me that he's finally got everything worked out and is negotiating the sale to WWE. Of course, the problem with the Memphis footage was not only the complicated question of who owns the rights, but the condition and location of the master tapes.

I would imagine if Lawler hands over what he has, and they acquire whatever might have come out of Corey Maclin's estate, and maybe make deal with Cornette to let them source everything he has, they might have a pretty close to complete library of the top years of that promotion.

Personally I can't wait if this ever materializes, Memphis is by far my favorite of the old territories.

[Matt D]

In general, it's probably a good thing if they get the library. I feel like more people have seen World Class in the last few weeks than in decades, and it'd be great to expose Memphis to people and to have some reliable way to watch it, sure, and maybe some people might get royalties (but I doubt it). 

 

It's just not necessarily a good thing for the people here. I don't think anything would necessarily be unearthed from it as opposed to other libraries they've gotten and it'd be years and years before is available to all of us for free. 

[twiztor]

so if this all goes through, what's left for WWE to pick up?

 

is Portland the next biggest/most important library? or maybe GWF? US-based of course.

[Cobra Commander]

the biggest non-WWE library after Memphis probably resides in Jim Cornette's basement

[Sublime]

I'm sure the WWE will make a play for the ROH library, maybe not the biggest or most important, sooner than later, since so many of their important players these days went through there. The first hint they get from Sinclair that they might sell I'm sure WWE will snap it up.

[J.H.]

Vince doesn't have Continental or Portland a far as I know. Is there a comprehensive library for "Wrestling At The Chase"? Would Vince care to have it?

 

James

[BEN!]

I thought Macklin simply released DVDs of poor quality dubs.  Lawler's at least probably got some master tapes.

 

When they bought the rest of the WCCW library from the Savoldis they went ahead and bought whatever Global they had too.

[Thomas Bugg]

Vince doesn't have Continental or Portland a far as I know. Is there a comprehensive library for "Wrestling At The Chase"? Would Vince care to have it?

 

James

 

I can see Vince making a bid for it seeing as how just about every great star made their way through there.

[davidb]

I thought I remembered reading that there was no Portland library.  Didn't Buddy Rose once say that the only Portland stuff that had survived was what he had taped off TV?

[Rev Ray]

I thought I remembered reading that there was no Portland library.  Didn't Buddy Rose once say that the only Portland stuff that had survived was what he had taped off TV?

 

For some reason, I want to find out that WWE buys Buddy Rose's tape library from his estate and it ends up being Buddy's porn collection when they start to inspect the tapes for transferral.

[Thomas Bugg]

When I first saw this topic, I was hoping that a new indy was running in Memphis, and not the weak ones they've had over the years.

[T.Rex-n-effeckx]

I kind of liked this preposterous Memphis fed that was main evented by Tatt2 v Atlantis:

[twiztor]

i'm curious to see how much footage is included. the Andy Kauffman stuff would be great to have in the archive. USWA? the Hogan-Paul Wight 2007 match?

[J.H.]

I hope this means we get all of "Macho Warrior" Ric Hogan!

 

James