Rev Ray Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 If they are going to do the cruiserweight thing, I would try to get Spud as well. He and EC3 were a great combo and he was awesome as a lackey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxB Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 Spud would have Bubba Dudley's recommendation, assuming WWE would actually bother to ask Bubba who's good in TNA (that we haven't had already). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StretchMediatedHypertrophy Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 5 hours ago, RIPPA said: They would sign Trevor Lee in a heartbeat Galloway and EC3 are clearly on the radar already since they are now working with EVOLVE and both have previously been with the company and both left on good terms. They clearly had an interest in James Storm but I am not sure how they feel about him now since he chose TNA over them (and his ally in the office Billy Gunn is gone) I think they definitely would sign Lashley again I am pretty sure Jeff Hardy is on Vince's Kurt Angle list Eddie Edwards might get another look since it always seemed like Davey Richards was the one who did the bridge burning I believe they tried to sign Mike Bennett before and the Bellas aren't around as much to keep Marie from returning I think Robbie E is very signable. He is not a ***** guy, but people forget the schtick with Bayless and Terry was pretty solid. Not so sold on Jessie, but they'd work as Miz cronies if nothing else. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I think Eli Drake deserves another shot. Outside of his debut and The Rising, everything else he's done in TNA has been dog shit, but I blame that on TNA being TNA. He should have gotten an extended program with Drew Galloway after turning on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Lord Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I'm still convinced Storm went back to TNA as a double agent for Triple H. I mean he goes back and suddenly all these people flee TNA for NXT. It's amazing if they're going to treat this draft just as something for their own amusement again. I wish USA could have some input onto who should be where. Maybe they wouldn't dick people around so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Have any of you seen the "leaked' draft lists? Any comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I saw a list, but I tend to think it's fake since some of it contradicts some of what little Dave has said (Cena to Smackdown). I also don't see a couple of the NXT guys getting callups this soon. Or Funaki being rehired as an interviewer. Here's the list, in case anyone is interested, Spoiler Link: http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2016/0530/612224/rumored-wwe-raw-and-smackdown-draft-rosters-include-wwe-nxt/ WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns and WWE Women's Champion Charlotte on both shows SmackDown: Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Corey Graves, Mauro Ranallo Other Announcers: Funaki, JoJo Wrestlers: Rusev and Lana, The New Day, Apollo Crews, Becky Lynch, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, The Vaudevillains, The Wyatt Family, Baron Corbin, Emma, Tyler Breeze and Fandango, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, Randy Orton, Dana Brooke, Big Show, Titus O'Neil, Tyson Kidd, Alicia Fox, Natalya, Darren Young and Bob Backlund, Goldust and R-Truth, Kane, Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, Tamina Snuka, Eva Marie, Finn Balor, Peyton Royce, Tye Dillinger, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, Austin Aries, Mojo Rawley, Billie Kay, Nia Jax, No Way Jose RAW: Announcers: JBL, Michael Cole and Byron Saxton Other Announcers: Lilian Garcia, Renee Young Wrestlers: The Miz and Maryse, Seth Rollins, Sasha Banks, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Enzo Amore and Big Cass, Dean Ambrose, John Cena. Paige, Alberto Del Rio, Neville, Chris Jericho, The Dudley Boyz, Summer Rae, Kalisto, The Shining Stars, Zack Ryder, Naomi, Sin Cara, Sheamus, The Usos, Dolph Ziggler, The Ascension, Nikki Bella, The Social Outcasts, Bayley, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Revival, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Bobby Roode, Hideo Itami, Liv Morgan, Blake and Murphy, Elias Samson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I feel bad for Apollo if Lashley gets rehired. Vince would just look in his direction and Crews would be like 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy LaRue Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 The bit about the main champions makes sense. Raw would appear to be the stronger roster based on the back half being more flexible in what you could do with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 A big red flag to me about the "leaked" list is the inclusion of people like Tyson Kidd and Mark Henry 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLaw Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I missed the beginning of RAW, but did they say whether this was going to be a draft, the way Vince and Flair did it, or is the random draft stuff they did in later years? If Shane and Steph are actually drafting, I want to see someone pull a Andre' and waste a pick by drafting JTG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Their answer to everything was "We haven't decided yet" BTW - the PPV right after the split is Battleground so now I can easily see them doing something wacky/stupid and having matches to determine where guys go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 They should just do a shoot and let USA Network bigwigs conduct a draft, since this is apparently their idea. I'm still surprised how much influence USA wields. With the Network, Vince basically prepared to tell PPV carriers (and DVD distributors) to go to hell, he could do it himself. But he seems to take "suggestions" from the tv networks. Is the TV revenue really that much more than PPV revenue. At the same time, I'm not sold on the Network's exclusive content business model. There's a reason pro sport leagues are only showing games on their networks that the other outlets (ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox Sports, etc.) have passed on for various reasons. I'll believe the world is ready for the WWE model when the NFL or NCAA take it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 10 minutes ago, Vader does my taxes! said: I'm still surprised how much influence USA wields. With the Network, Vince basically prepared to tell PPV carriers (and DVD distributors) to go to hell, he could do it himself. But he seems to take "suggestions" from the tv networks. Is the TV revenue really that much more than PPV revenue. In 2013, the last year before the Network launched, TV revenue was almost twice what PPV revenue was. ($163M vs $82M). In 2015, TV revenue had gone up to $231M, while the PPV revenue dropped to $21M. Network revenue in 2015 was $139M. So yes, it was really that much more. Also, with the Network, WWE had an alternative to PPV. There's no alternative to TV, and as they found in the last time they renegotiated their television contract, no one wants to pay them more than USA does. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph2112 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 The other part about the TV is that without it, the network dies on the vine. Right now there is no way to mass promote wrestling without TV. I could see this changing in the future but for now, that is the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I didn't know what the numbers were, so thanks for that. The logical alternative to USA is to make the shows Network exclusives, but that's only viable if you can add enough subscribers to make up for the shortfall. At the current subscription rate ($90.99/month, about $120/year), they'd have to add around $2 million subscribers. What is the current subscriber base? 1-2 million? Adding and keeping another two million subscribers doesn't seem realistic for them. The other problem, of course, would be that, putting RAW on the Network would put it out of the hands of casual viewers who don't want to pay for it, so overall interest in the product would probably shrink even as the subscriber base grew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ray Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I would mark out for the return of Funaki... Smackdown NUMBA ONE ANNOUNCA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Sugar Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 The only thing on the leaked list I believe is Zack Ryder and Emma being split up, just because the WWE loves to fuck with Zack Ryder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorceressKnight Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 14 hours ago, RIPPA said: A big red flag to me about the "leaked" list is the inclusion of people like Tyson Kidd and Mark Henry I think the bigger red flag about the "leaked" list would be...uh, the "it misspelled Murphy's name" thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I could totally see someone like Kevin Dunn not actually knowing the workers names 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 4 hours ago, RIPPA said: I could totally see someone like Kevin Dunn not actually knowing the workers names I bet he knows all the Div.....i mean Women wrestlers names. Creepy little perv. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Random tidbits from the new WON (nothing really new) - The plan as of this moment, which you are seeing plan out at the moment is Reigns vs. Rollins to headline RAW, Cena vs. AJ to headline Smackdown at the start. - There is marketing that has been sent out to places that contradicts this (mainly with Reigns being on Smackdown) but we have all heard of plenty of cases where the marketing is comically out of date. - USA is making the WWE eat all the increased costs of the move to live Tuesday and the brand split. Basically - it truly feels like USA doesn't think it is getting its money's worth right now in the overall TV deal. - Nikki Bella will obviously be on whatever brand Cena is on if/when she returns. She is close to returning but will probably only work part-time from now on. - Belief is ref crew will be split but that isn't official - Corey Graves has teased (but again nothing official) that he will be working Smackdown and Byron Saxton will only be on RAW - Still no decision about tag team or women's titles - Pay is something to keep an eye on as pay is based on house - RAW crew will always have an advantage. (Besides the ratings issue - Smackdown's Monday house show will always draw poor and they won't have a Friday show (which is the 2nd best night to run a show) - Older talent with kids in sports might prefer Smackdown though as it would allow them to see games (especially those with kids who play Football) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Do they have enough refs or will Drake Younger get the callup? Paying based on the house is so fucking antiquated. They have built it up so the company is the draw, yet still pay as if the wrestlers are. If The WWE Brand couldn't draw a house with a set of crayons, why punish the boys for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spritenaut 32 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 ... because they can? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MapRef41N93W Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 2 hours ago, RIPPA said: - Pay is something to keep an eye on as pay is based on house - RAW crew will always have an advantage. (Besides the ratings issue - Smackdown's Monday house show will always draw poor and they won't have a Friday show (which is the 2nd best night to run a show) Did WWE always do a house show on Monday nights in the old brand split days? Why would they run a live event against their own flagship TV show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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