AEW TV DEAL

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

Just now, Elsalvajeloco said:

Yeah, I know that but are they still going to do it? 

Oh! Sorry, I misunderstood the question. CBS/Turner Sports are locked up with the NCAA tournament until 2032, and Ernie said he's not leaving Turner Sports, so they'd at least have him. I don't know about the others.

[Elsalvajeloco]

17 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

I’m not close to it anymore, but years ago, I would have said PTI. 

I would say the various podcasts have lapped Wilbon and Kornheiser. By a lot especially in recent years. It's funny but ESPN and Fox/FS1 have tried w/ the younger personalities with varying success (honestly, limited success). It's intriguing way to look at how credibility is applied in addition to the likability factor. Millennials and Gen Z just aren't going to watch a good number of people placed in front of them (be they ex-athletes or not), but you need some type of legitimacy to cultivate a fanbase. A Paul Finebaum is going to still have his listeners, but how many 19 years olds are like, "shit, I got to fit in this SEC football talk between my true crime podcasts"? Can't be that many. 

13 minutes ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

Oh! Sorry, I misunderstood the question. CBS/Turner Sports are locked up with the NCAA tournament until 2032, and Ernie said he's not leaving Turner Sports, so they'd at least have him. I don't know about the others.

Chuck may be up shit creek cause as an analyst, he's just okay at best and there are like 25 or so ex NBA players of various reps who are better at breaking down the game. He's going to find a job, but Inside the NBA/NBA on TNT was the perfect vehicle for him. Same for Shaq really, who has extremely dry sense of humor and comes off as too self important sometimes. 

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, Technico Support said:

WBD doesn't want ROH

I mean, you can just coincidentally book only ROH guys on Rampage and see if they really notice. Just do a backdoor ROH show if they're not gonna pick up the main ROH show.

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

5 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

I would say the various podcasts have lapped Wilbon and Kornheiser. By a lot especially in recent years. It's funny but ESPN and Fox/FS1 have tried w/ the younger personalities with varying success (honestly, limited success). It's intriguing way to look at how credibility is applied in addition to the likability factor. Millennials and Gen Z just aren't going to watch a good number of people placed in front of them (be they ex-athletes or not), but you need some type of legitimacy to cultivate a fanbase. A Paul Finebaum is going to still have his listeners, but how many 19 years olds are like, "shit, I got to fit in this SEC football talk between my true crime podcasts"? Can't be that many. 

Chuck may be up shit creek cause as an analyst, he's just okay at best and there are like 25 or so ex NBA players of various reps who are better at breaking down the game. He's going to find a job, but Inside the NBA/NBA on TNT was the perfect vehicle for him. Same for Shaq really, who has extremely dry sense of humor and comes off as too self important sometimes. 

Pardon the Interruption became insufferable when it became the "Mike Wilbon complains about millennials not getting sports" show, where everything Wilbon hated was the fault of millennials. This was not helped by Tony Kornheiser refusing to watch anything past 9pm or acknowledge anything that wasn't personally airing on his TV.

Re: Chuck, he said he wanted to retire when he was 60. He's 61 now, so I'm guessing he decided to stay because he was enjoying himself with the Inside the NBA crew. If WBD loses the NBA rights and Inside the NBA ends, him hitting the golf course for the rest of his life would be the least surprising thing in the world.

[odessasteps]

12 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

I would say the various podcasts have lapped Wilbon and Kornheiser. By a lot especially in recent years. It's funny but ESPN and Fox/FS1 have tried w/ the younger personalities with varying success (honestly, limited success). It's intriguing way to look at how credibility is applied in addition to the likability factor. Millennials and Gen Z just aren't going to watch a good number of people placed in front of them (be they ex-athletes or not), but you need some type of legitimacy to cultivate a fanbase. A Paul Finebaum is going to still have his listeners, but how many 19 years olds are like, "shit, I got to fit in this SEC football talk between my true crime podcasts"? Can't be that many. 

Chuck may be up shit creek cause as an analyst, he's just okay at best and there are like 25 or so ex NBA players of various reps who are better at breaking down the game. He's going to find a job, but Inside the NBA/NBA on TNT was the perfect vehicle for him. Same for Shaq really, who has extremely dry sense of humor and comes off as too self important sometimes. 

I don’t know that I’ve watched PTI in over 15 years. I know I haven’t been to see the show taped since Atlantic Video moved from the ATF building to the ABC studios in DC. I can’t imagine younger sports fans would want to watch (the original) TK and Wilbon, let alone the second tier talking heads from Around the Horn (if it’s even still on the air). 
 

 

[jaedmc]

29 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

Yeah, I know that but are they still going to do it? 

From what I understand Chuck has a poison pill or something and can become a free agent as soon as this season is over. So he's gonna get paid. Ernie is a lifer at Turner and will do general sports stuff and the NCAA. Shaq is supposedly not interested in pursuing another TV deal elsewhere. Comically none of the outlets reporting this even mentioned Kenny's contract.

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

15 minutes ago, jaedmc said:

From what I understand Chuck has a poison pill or something and can become a free agent as soon as this season is over. So he's gonna get paid. Ernie is a lifer at Turner and will do general sports stuff and the NCAA. Shaq is supposedly not interested in pursuing another TV deal elsewhere. Comically none of the outlets reporting this even mentioned Kenny's contract.

It's that he can opt out if Turner Sports loses the NBA rights, so he'll be around for next year.

Maybe Kenny's being sent to Galveston.

[SovietShooter]

1 hour ago, odessasteps said:

Modern wrestling needs the equivalent of 1-900 numbers as advertisers again. 

"Dial Down The Center" needs to make a comeback

[colonial]

Shaq did sign to co-host a game show for ABC this summer, so he's still open to other media deals.

WBD will also run a few NASCAR races next season and, for some reason, I'd love to hear Shaq and Barkley call a race.

 

 

 

[odessasteps]

Growing up in the 1970/80s Alabama, I'd be curious to hear Charles talking about Gulf Coast or Southeastern wrestling

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

3 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Growing up in the 1970/80s Alabama, I'd be curious to hear Charles talking about Gulf Coast or Southeastern wrestling

I never knew I needed Chuck talking about how he couldn't stand those no good Fullers until now.

[odessasteps]

If I had unlimited funds and access, I’d have a sit down show with Karl Malone and Barkley discussing 1970s/80s Southern rasslin. 

[Cobra Commander]

38 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

If I had unlimited funds and access, I’d have a sit down show with Karl Malone and Barkley discussing 1970s/80s Southern rasslin. 

with Shannon Sharpe showing up to tell the people about T-Bolt and GCW

[odessasteps]

I couldn’t in good conscience put him on a show I was making.

[Curt McGirt]

2 hours ago, jaedmc said:

Is there  a Miss Cleo equivalent today?

"Lordhavemercy"

[Casey]

1 hour ago, colonial said:

Shaq did sign to co-host a game show for ABC this summer, so he's still open to other media deals.

WBD will also run a few NASCAR races next season and, for some reason, I'd love to hear Shaq and Barkley call a race.

 

 

 

Chase Elliott & FTR versus Denny Hamlin & the Young Bucks at Dynamite: Daytona Dash! Taz will make jokes about Dick Trickle that’ll leave Excalibur giggling and Schiavone speechless.

[Jenalysis]

4 hours ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

Most medications are just a bit above "shady mesothelioma lawyer" level. Basically saying that your audience is old enough to justify advertising a medication they may need to them.

/me googles Peyronie's disease

... though I suppose age doesn't factor into that.

 

One of my best friends has  that and it's incredibly painful for her. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

I mentioned this months and months ago in the RAW Netflix Panic thread, but if AEW ends up staying with WBD, I think it would make sense to try Collision on Mondays during the three months between RAW finishing up on USA and starting on Netflix. I know TK doesn't want to go against the NFL, but I think it would be crazy not to at least try and take advantage of ~40 years of habit (for those who still watch live - though maybe that audience is older and thus less ad-valuable? Unsure). Or see about doing a deal where it can go back to Saturday during the season and it's basically a lateral move with what we've got now for 16 weeks.

[Technico Support]

39 minutes ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I think it would make sense to try Collision on Mondays during the three months between RAW finishing up on USA and starting on Netflix.

That ship has sailed...WWE and USA worked out a deal to keep Raw on USA during that period.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

42 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

That ship has sailed...WWE and USA worked out a deal to keep Raw on USA during that period.

Ah thanks, I was outta the loop. That kinda makes sense though - who the hell would want to buy a show they're gonna lose in three months

[Technico Support]

From Fightful Select (c&p'd from reddit)
 

Quote

 

-An announcement of a new deal is expected to be kept very close to the vest and Summer or Fall could be a more likely announcement point.

-The exclusivity window for AEW and WBD to negotiate goes into the summer, unknown when it ends.

-There is a pilot for a new AEW-related program with WBD that was set to be announced for social channels this week. Fightful notes it’s not a reality series.

-WBD has had interest in adding AEW PPVs to MAX for “quite some time.” Every deal WBD makes has MAX in mind.

-If WBD does in fact lose the NBA, “they will be looking at reinvesting funds to maintain their position on cable, as they'll need to look at other properties to help attract viewers. Though we aren't sure if any of that is related to AEW or will affect it in any way.”

 

PPVs on Max for free as part of my sub?  Sure.  PPVs on Max for a like $5 extra per month?  I guess.  But if it's PPVs on Max for full price, then nah.  I can get PPVs for $20 on Triller.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

57 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

PPVs on Max for free as part of my sub?  Sure.  PPVs on Max for a like $5 extra per month?  I guess.  But if it's PPVs on Max for full price, then nah.  I can get PPVs for $20 on Triller.

I actually really like this idea as a happy medium between the WWE/NBC setup, and the traditional $50 PPV model - this might be a nice plan B for AEW to continue being able to get at least a small chunk of PPV revenue if they can't get WBD to bite on subsidizing those lost buys by massively overspending like NBC did (which, based on what we've learned about Zaslav's mindset re: the NBA, seems unlikely)

[Technico Support]

One post I read speculated that TK adding PPVs was designed to show more value to WBD, which makes some sense.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

31 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

One post I read speculated that TK adding PPVs was designed to show more value to WBD, which makes some sense.

I didn't see anything about that, but that was the assumption I made too - it's kind of the same school of thought as the 8 hour Dark tapings during the pandemic adding value to the company by padding the hours of archival content. I'd even wager theres a chance the ROH purchase may have been made with a similar thought in mind re: that tape library. It's one thing to simply stream PPVs on Max or anywhere else, but I think the real money in the deal is going to be in the licensing fees for the archive/'AEW Network,' if you will.

ETA: Honestly, at this point, it simply seems to be a game of whether or not the bubble has been timed right

Edited May 15 by Zakk_Sabbath

[SovietShooter]

7 hours ago, Technico Support said:

PPVs on Max for free as part of my sub?  Sure.  PPVs on Max for a like $5 extra per month?  I guess.  But if it's PPVs on Max for full price, then nah.  I can get PPVs for $20 on Triller.

So, isn't that basically what UFC does with ESPN? The "fight nights" or whatever are on ESPN+, but the numbered UFC events are available for an additional fee?

I can see the AEW/ROH archives and perhaps a MAX-exclusive weekly ROH show as part of the basic MAX package, and then the pseudo-monthly PPV as an additional fee right thru the MAX platform.