SolidGoldBomb Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 55 minutes ago, SorceressKnight said: Of course- but even the stock price crash was likely not just the "disappointing TV deal", but ties into the same "stock price crashes when Vince McMahon's limo explosion happens or Donald Trump 'buys Raw' in an angle" problem. When that huge WWE stock price explosion happened, it may have partially been about the WWE Network and the new TV deal...but more importantly, while WWE was shopping around the deal, one of the places they shopped their TV to was AMC (and a game of telephone turned "WWE is shopping their TV deal to AMC in a natural part of the negotiation" into "AMC NETWORKS BUYING WWE IS IMMINENT, IT WILL HAPPEN BY THE END OF THE WEEK- BUY NOW AND GET AMC STOCK AT A DIRTCHEAP PRICE, YOU GUYS!!!!") It's important to remember when that happened- NO FANS bought that this was about to happen and everyone called the "AMC to buy WWE?" thing as a load of bullshit- but the stock markets fell for it hook, line, and sinker...and once the TV deal was announced (even though it was a fairly high deal), the more important thing was it officially confirmed the AMC rumor was false...and THAT caused the bubble to burst more than anything else. So, a lot of this can boil down as well to "Wall Street bigwigs fall for something that wouldn't fool a wrestling geek in their mom's basement, and demand heads roll before admitting to that". No, Wall Street big wigs aren't dumber than wrestling marks. It's a thing they do with every company in the world, it's part of a manufactured propaganda campaign to drive up prices to their highest then sell for max profits. You short squeeze the stock, then pump n dump. In a Pump N Dump, the only thing that matters is hype. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MapRef41N93W Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 While I agree that some fans are interested in business minutiae to a bewildering extent, I think it makes perfect sense to be at least a little concerned with the business side of things. In fact, it would be way weirder if you were a remotely serious fan of wrestling and you didn't care about that at all. The creative and business sides are totally intertwined. Interest in things like quarter-hour ratings might sometimes reflect a weird fixation held over from the late '90s. But I suspect it's often based on the belief that WWE itself pays attention to these things and makes booking adjustments accordingly. So if you enjoy Cesaro's matches and would to see him featured more prominently, you might naturally be curious about how his segments are rated. (NB: I'm a Cesaro fan but I don't pay much attention to ratings.) The same reasoning applies to things like merch sales and house show numbers. Similarly, complaints that WWE gave a certain match away for free might sometimes be based on weird obsessions with financial details irrelevant to the quality of the shows. But I suspect it's often just a way of lamenting that WWE often puts on matches too early, without building to them in a way that makes them more exciting. You might see that as a (bad) creative decision, but it affects the business end of things, which in turn affects the creative side, and so on. It would be silly to decide whether something was fun to watch based only on whether it did good business, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone actually do that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph2112 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I've seen people say the WWE hates money, and that's not real. They love it, but Vince has built a power monopoly over this one industry and he will make money on his own terms till he dies. And Gregg is right, they could write terrible stories, 50/50 book people into oblivion and not give two shits about the audience or their reactions and still rake money hand over fist. It's a 70 year old's vanity project. But, all the kudos to him for creating the empire. Plenty of people had a chance to beat him along the way and didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nature Boy Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Speaking of Vince and his weirdness: WWE is doing a house show at East Carolina University (Vince's alma mater) tomorrow night. I know we've discussed it before but Vince's reinvention of himself is truly amazing. How many eastern North Carolina rednecks can reinvent themselves into old rich men from Connecticut? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thee Reverend Axl Future Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Related to some of Greggulator's very succinct points is this article I read just recently on the fellow who was instrumental for Adobe as they switched from their old biz model of selling yearly software versions at hundreds of dollars that caused much bootlegging and piracy to a monthly cloud service, very analogous to WWE's switch from PPVs to the Network. Getting the old men in charge to see the new paradigm (if you will) was the real challenge. ( http://blog.lumi.com/wellmade/1-jeff-veen ). For me, I would buy maybe one WWE DVD and possibly the WM PPV if I didn't go to a pal's house or a bar to watch it and now I gladly give Mr. McMahon $119.88 annually. I also spend less from online sellers buying old territory comps. it's a brave new world, RAF 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 11 hours ago, Zakk_Sabbath said: Agreed. Who betta than Canyon? at volleyball? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I know we've joked about it but does anyone know what the real story is with Sasha? No televised matches since the night after Mania, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorceressKnight Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 14 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said: I know we've joked about it but does anyone know what the real story is with Sasha? No televised matches since the night after Mania, correct? I thought all the stories going on boil down to "they want to keep her undefeated so she could go after Charlotte's title and presumably win it at Summerslam- and due to the wait, they'd rather keep her off TV for that moment to happen [since, if she actually got TV time, eventually WWE would have her lose matches since it's TV and everyone goes 50/50 on television.]" Which really says it all about WWE programming right now, actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If that's true it's the dumbest shit ever. She was red hot and they could have kept her hot in a little mini feud with Naomi or teaming with Becky against Emma/Dana (since they wanted to debut her anyway). She wouldn't have to drop a fall at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go2Sleep Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 It's funny because from the start of the revolution right up to Mania, they did a great job booking her strong without the title. She won 90% of her matches, and only lost by cheating or her tag partner taking the fall. Guess they don't want to do that anymore? Looking back, they really screwed the pooch by not having Sasha win at Mania. It's thrown everything completely out of whack. Charlotte got her moment by ending Nikki's reign and held the belt for a good 6 months, Mania was the perfect time to give someone else in the division some shine. Even though Charlotte is very "new generation," she's somehow manages to feel "last generation." It's probably Ric being the center of her angles and feuding with the definitively last-generation Nattie, but the crazy thing is that would've been a perfect non-title feud to really add depth to the division while Sasha was feuding with whoever. One of the reasons the NXT women's division has been great because the long-term pacing is spot on. Everyone wins and loses the belt at the right moment. It was definitely time for Charlotte to drop the strap at Mania. She already reached her peak value for her first run, and now she's getting diminishing returns at best while the rest of the division is losing value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I can't really agree with that. Charlotte just keeps getting better, and the division seems to be moving somewhat forward with Emma & Dana feuding with Becky. I don't think Charlotte losing at Mania would have worked as well with it being a triple threat anyways. The division loses value more from having a lack of multiple stories getting pushed. Becky vs. Emma/Dana is nice, but it feels weird that Emma/Becky didn't even make the pre-show for Payback. They need to at least do that much for Extreme Rules. Sasha not being on tv at all right now is just ridiculous, especially after they started a feud between her and Summer post-Mania Raw only to not follow it up at all the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go2Sleep Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Charlotte could be doing everything she's doing now without the belt. By keeping the belt on her, they're not only losing a chance to showcase someone as the new champ, but also a chance to showcase someone as the next challenger after the obligatory rematch. It's just a waste of a spot when airtime for the women inexplicably at a premium, and there's not any more value than Sasha taking the belt at Summer Slam than there would've been at Mania (especially with the brand new belt and Today Show appearance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxB Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Maybe Charlotte still has the belt because they want to play with the longest reign thing again. Although obviously it depends whether you recognise the old pink butterfly and the new white W as the same championship with a new name, or two different ones. 41 days with the new one, vs 237 days combined between the two, and Summerslam doesn't happen until August 21st, which is in 107 days... which would break Nikki's record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 The story I heard is they're keeping Sasha off TV because they literally want to keep her from hurting herself before the title program. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 WWE today announced its two annual shows in Japan at Sumo Hall in Tokyo. Both shows have already sold out with Shinsuke Nakamura as the reason. The most notable aspect of the announcement is that WWE did not at all cater the shows for the Japanese audience, but instead just did a regular show with Nakamura and Asuka working down on the card. In particular, Asuka is not working at all with Charlotte on the tour even though Asuka would be the lead babyface to the audience in the women's division, and Charlotte as the champion and lead heel. Instead, Asuka will be defending her NXT title. 7/1 lineup Roman Reigns vs. A.J. Styles vs. Kevin Owens for WWE title John Cena vs. Chris Jericho New Day vs. Usos vs. Vaudevillains vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson for the tag team titles Nakamura vs. Bray Wyatt Charlotte vs. Natalya for women's title Titus O'Neil vs. Baron Corbin Asuka vs. Becky Lynch for NXT women's title 7/2 lineup: Reigns vs. Styles vs. Jericho for WWE title Cena vs. Owens New Day vs. Vaudevillains for tag title Nakamura vs. Wyatt Usos vs. Gallows & Anderson Charlotte vs. Lynch for women's title Ziggler vs. Corbin Asuka vs. Natalya for NXT women's title 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Pretty good line ups. The 3 ways on top look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyanide Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Any word on the possibility of WWE Network coverage with these cards? Notice both shows lack the Lesnar bump (which seems to be the quickest way to a Network Special), so assuming standard international live event treatment... but Nakamura/Bray is probably my number one dream match right now. Edit: Reigns/Styles/Owens also sounds absurdly fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I'm completely ignorant about Joshi. Was Asuka a big star in Japan or a draw? I mean there is no way she was on the Nakamura level, but is she widely know?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Yes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Going back to the Wrestlemania triple threat match, I was in the mood to see Sasha's entrance recently. The presentation with Snoop rapping and the Eddie tights was so, so right. All stars were aligned and of all nights that should have been Sasha's night. The fact she didn't win after all that is sad and maddening. I'm sure come Summerslam I'll think "Cool, she won it. But man, she should have won it at Wrestlemania." Honestly, whoever came up with that should be punished. As for Japan, one of those shows has to be a network special, Brock or no Brock. Why wouldn't you want to display Nakamura and Asuka in the country they made their name? To say they'd get a hero's welcome would be a huge understatement. That'd be cool as hell to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyld Samurai Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I haven't followed Japan in 15 years... do they even do three way or or fatal four way matches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Yes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peck Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 2 hours ago, steve said: The story I heard is they're keeping Sasha off TV because they literally want to keep her from hurting herself before the title program. If you mean physically hurt, I'm pretty sure she's still working House Shows so I'm not sure that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I never claimed it made sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 lol. They don't want to hurt her by having her lose every week or every other week on TV. Then try to build her up 2 weeks before the show she wins the belt by having her lose some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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