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June Wrasslin' |OT| Powered by Bluekaveli

I

Ithil

Member
FlammableD said:
Let's say USA drop WWE. They pay WWE "approximately $127 million" this year.

WWE Network has 1.22 million subscribers at last count.

Put Raw and Smackdown on the Network, and charge an extra $5. Assuming you don't lose anyone (of course you would, I'm Devil's Advocating here).

That's seventy-three million two hundred thousand dollars a year. Could you do Raw and Smackdown for that?

Alternatively, charge an extra 8.67, and you make 127 million dollars.

Could WWE survive without traditional TV?
Click to expand...

WWE would have to downsize greatly without traditional TV.
 
S

Sephzilla

Member
WWE could not survive without TV. However the quality of their product would be greatly improved by a slightly reduced TV presence.
 
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
That said Smackdown is supposedly getting upped to there hours in the brand split.

It's totally unnecessary and serves to make PPV's at least IMO feel less important.
 
BFIB

BFIB

Member
I miss the old days when I'd get up on a Saturday morning to watch WWF Wrestling Challenge and then Superstars on Sunday. No inside looks like we have now. Just my childhood mind thinking the Bushwackers walk like that all the time. Mr. Perfect WAS perfect, and the Big Boss Man actually was a cop in Cobb County Georgia. Squash matches, blue screen interviews. A live event on TV was something you couldn't afford to miss.

Now it's all taken for granted.
 
K

klonere

Banned
Sweeney Tom said:
Holy shit, an LGBT pride month sighting in wrestling. Never thought I'd see the day

Happy pride month <3
Click to expand...

OTT seems to be run and backed primarily by a bunch of theater/comedy types so I'm not surprised at all. I'm pretty sure the official event after party is in the biggest gay bar in Dublin as well. There's also an openly gay wrestler who is massively over as a face.

Good promotion i m o
 
Tom Nook

Tom Nook

Member
FlammableD said:
Let's say USA drop WWE. They pay WWE "approximately $127 million" this year.

WWE Network has 1.22 million subscribers at last count.

Put Raw and Smackdown on the Network, and charge an extra $5. Assuming you don't lose anyone (of course you would, I'm Devil's Advocating here).

That's seventy-three million two hundred thousand dollars a year. Could you do Raw and Smackdown for that?

Alternatively, charge an extra 8.67, and you make 127 million dollars.

Could WWE survive without traditional TV?
Click to expand...


WWE survive without traditional TV? Nope.

If WWE Network provide live Raw and Smackdown at the current price, I think they'll get more subscribers.

Dark Ninja said:
Asuka in street clothes. DAMN
Click to expand...

pic?
 
K

klonere

Banned
Raw is 3 hours long.

I am not watching a non-PPV show for 3 fucking hours. Especially 3 hours of widely varying quality, even if it was on the Network same day.
 
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Whenever I watch Puro I am always amazed by the number of photographers at ringside there is usually about 6 to 8 at the ring apron.

Holy shit there are 20 photographers on Destiny 2005, you can tell because they are wearing numbered blue vests. That plus the usual cameramen, the referee, the trainer and the wrestlers themselves makes for interesting scene .
 
A

Anth0ny

Member
Lightning Count said:
That said Smackdown is supposedly getting upped to there hours in the brand split.

It's totally unnecessary and serves to make PPV's at least IMO feel less important.
Click to expand...

i was almost ready to watch a wrestling focused, mauro called, roman-less, 2 hour live wrestling show

if it becomes 3 hours they can fuck right off
 
Tom Nook

Tom Nook

Member
If Raw is 3 hours, I believe the Women's division should just stay in Raw, don't brand split that division.

If Rusev and Lana are in SD, Lana can stay in SD since she's not an active wrestler but consider a manager.
 
R

Roland_Gunner

Member
FlammableD said:
Let's say USA drop WWE. They pay WWE "approximately $127 million" this year.

WWE Network has 1.22 million subscribers at last count.

Put Raw and Smackdown on the Network, and charge an extra $5. Assuming you don't lose anyone (of course you would, I'm Devil's Advocating here).

That's seventy-three million two hundred thousand dollars a year. Could you do Raw and Smackdown for that?

Alternatively, charge an extra 8.67, and you make 127 million dollars.

Could WWE survive without traditional TV?
Click to expand...


Thing is WWE only keeps half the revenue from the network. The other half goes to MLB, their network provider. So even if they charged another $10 and doesn't lose any subscribers they are only getting another $70M in revenue which is a huge loss from where they are.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
lol @ Meltzer's kayfabe rankings:

A level babyfaces: Brock Lesnar (limited dates), Dean Ambrose, John Cena, Randy Orton (who can turn heel), Roman Reigns

A level heels: Kevin Owens, A.J. Styles, Seth Rollins

A- level babyfaces: Big Show, Kane, Sami Zayn

A- level heels: Bray Wyatt (who can turn face), Chris Jericho, Rusev

B level babyfaces: Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler, Kalisto, Neville

B level heels: The Miz, Alberto Del Rio (who really should be a babyface right now), Baron Corbin, Braun Strowman, Luke Harper (injured), Sheamus

C level babyfaces: Apollo Crews, Darren Young, Jack Swagger, Sin Cara, Mark Henry (expected to retire soon and likely not applicable to this), Titus O&#8217;Neil, Zack Ryder

C level heels: Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Heath Slater

A level babyface tag teams: Enzo & Cass, New Day, Usos

A level heel tag teams: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

B level babyface tag teams: Goldust & R-Truth

B level heel tag teams: Vaudevillains, Dudleys, Shining Stars, Fandango & Tyler Breeze, The Ascension

A level babyface women: Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Natalya, Paige

A level heel women: Charlotte, Dana Brooke

B level babyface women: Alicia Fox (can be a heel as well)

B level heel women: Emma (injured), Eva Marie, Lana (if she wrestles), Naomi, Tamina, Rosa Mendes (out on maternity leave and of little consequence if she returns), Summer Rae
Click to expand...
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
He also seems to think Jimmy Snuka is faking his condition to get away with murder
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Lightning Count said:
Is there a separate ranking for NXT or Impact?
Click to expand...

He only put it there to try and guess at how the brand split would work because he thinks you need equal levels of all of them on each show.

The question then includes what do you do with NXT. You need to keep enough NXT stars so that they can tour successfully, because far more than the main brand, NXT touring, while not dependent on any single person, there are key difference makers who do help on the roster: Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor and Bayley. There is also Bobby Roode and Eric Young, who are clearly good enough for main roster spots, but could be used more effectively right now in NXT which needs some talent depth if some of the guys leave.

Samoa Joe can, and should be, an A level heel, which helps balance things out. Plus, he’s one of the few people who are heels that can have, with the right protection, and build, a viable program with Lesnar. Nakamura should be an A level babyface. Really, he’s the most charismatic wrestler on the roster right now, and while he doesn’t have the name value of Cena, he can and should, surpass the popularity of everyone, including Reigns, if used the way he should be.

Austin Aries can be used as a face or a heel, and should be a solid person on the B list. I could see Vince McMahon seeing him as a C level guy, but no way. Finn Balor is an interesting one. He can be a face or heel. My gut slots him at the A- level on either side, similar to a Sami Zayn. He should be on the main roster, and he’s more of a natural babyface at first glance, and did great in the role in NXT. But his Japan role showed he has strong potential as a heel. Still, it may be tough to sell Vince McMahon on an 185 pound high flyer and strong technical wrestler being an A level heel.

The former La Sombra, Andrade Cien Almas, who isn’t likely to be called up shortly, is a natural babyface, and can be the Latin star they’ve been searching for, who isn't small. The reality is that Del Rio, at his age, has been slotted, and while he should be a face right now, because he’s played out as a heel, he’s not the future superstar they wanted him to be. Almas, who was actually a great, cool heel in CMLL, can be that babyface, depending on his interviews and his ability to adapt and fit in with the style.

On the tag team scene, Jason Jordan & Chad Gable should be an A level team. I’d go so far as to have The New Day as the top face team on one brand, and Jordan & Gable on the other, and introduce Jordan & Gable quickly for the slot. But as the chart shows, they would be the fourth A level babyface team, with only one A level heel team. Of the current B level heel teams, the Dudleys could be an A level team, but they’ve been badly abused already and the Vaudevillains may be put there, but aren’t going to have legs to stay there. That does seem to be an opening for Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder, who are a strong technical team, but they are weak on interviews.

On the women’s side, the obvious names are Bayley and Asuka, who should be in the A category on the main roster. Nia Jax isn’t ready, but looks different enough from everyone else, and she’s Dwayne Johnson’s cousin, so both help. Eventually, she’ll be there and pushed hard because they need A list women heels right now, not faces.

If Charlotte & Dana Brooke are kept together, unless all the women are put in the same brand, it means Paige, Natalya, Banks or Lynch has to turn to be top heel on the other brand. Paige has turned too often. Banks is a natural face and should be groomed right now as the face chasing Charlotte. Asuka can be a heel, but if she and Bayley are both brought up, that leaves NXT dead when it comes to being able to showcase the women as they’ve done the past two years. Bayley should be introduced soon as a face because her uniqueness will be compromised the longer they wait as her character has a finite shelf life.
Click to expand...
 
S

Sephzilla

Member
Jesus H fucking Christ, just when I thought all of my ex-girlfriend shit was behind me and she moved away.... guess who my grandpa saw working at her old bank job again today in my town!?
 
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Welp this makes me worry that the rumours of NXT closing and all the talent getting shuffled around in the brand split might be true.

I really hope that isn't the case.
 
N

Nocturnowl

Member
Sweeney Tom said:
TNA released a director's cut of the Hardys segment https://youtu.be/2jzScgAhSt0
Click to expand...
This is art, I almost want to watch this match now.

DMczaf said:
tumblr_o81a5jrMFh1r2zt15o4_250.gif
Click to expand...

Nice to see Seth believed in Barrett, he must've really believed in that KotR power.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Lightning Count said:
Welp this makes me worry that the rumours of NXT closing and all the talent getting shuffled around in the brand split might be true.

I really hope that isn't the case.
Click to expand...

NXT is obviously being cancelled.

In seriousness, I was sort of wondering if maybe they're going to not do NXT tapings while the CWC is on and maybe wait until the fall like a regular television show to resume taping and rebranding.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Dark Ninja said:
Speaking from experience if he really has stage 4 stomach cancer he should be dead at this point.
Click to expand...

Snuka is saying he has brain damage from CTE and acted like he couldn't hold a conversation, but Meltzer said he talked to a bunch of people who know him and said that right up to the murder charges he seemed completely fine.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
FWIW Meltzer thinks the Raw will be built around Rollins v. Reigns and SmackDown will be built around Cena v. AJ Styles and that once the SmackDown championship is instated, Styles or Cena will just immediately get it. Dave also just called someone up and asked them about the NXT Brooklyn cancellation thing and its still on, its just a rebranding/reworking of the graphics and such.
 
I

Ithil

Member
I think a gaffer got into the Observer.
Still, Goldberg is the last of the golden carrots they can get to return. And he is willing to return, but noted that, physically, at his age he can’t be the 300 pound monster he was in the past. He said he is significantly lighter and has trained for cardio through doing Muay Thai, and if he was to wrestle, would have to put on weight. Goldberg has always asked for significant money for appearances and for matches, which is why all talks of him, whether they be wrestling or fighting, have never culminated in anything, and his appearances are limited. In one of his first interviews for the project, with Romain Mahood, a video game journalist from France, he indicated being interested in another match.
Click to expand...
 
S

Sweeney Tom

Banned
Angry Grimace said:
Snuka is saying he has brain damage from CTE and acted like he couldn't hold a conversation, but Meltzer said he talked to a bunch of people who know him and said that right up to the murder charges he seemed completely fine.
Click to expand...

Not surprising. When police first questioned him shortly after the murder, he and Vince acted like he didn't even know English

Basically unfortunately he's already gotten away with it. Even if he's ever convicted, he's sick and old and not going to end up doing much time in jail at all.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
lol Dave is getting hissy because they're having Cena do promos like he's 45 and on his last legs even though he isn't.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Lightning Count said:
Welp this makes me worry that the rumours of NXT closing and all the talent getting shuffled around in the brand split might be true.

I really hope that isn't the case.
Click to expand...

He says he asked a source and they told him they're just rebranding/re-doing all the logos for the Brooklyn show and its not anything like that.

They haven't even started giving Cien Almas that monster push he's gonna get yet.
 
M

miserable

Member
Angry Grimace said:
FWIW Meltzer thinks the Raw will be built around Rollins v. Reigns and SmackDown will be built around Cena v. AJ Styles and that once the SmackDown championship is instated, Styles or Cena will just immediately get it. Dave also just called someone up and asked them about the NXT Brooklyn cancellation thing and its still on, its just a rebranding/reworking of the graphics and such.
Click to expand...

so Cena will match Flair's record with the B title on the B show?
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
miserable said:
so Cena will match Flair's record with the B title on the B show?
Click to expand...

At least to start, there's no way its going to be the B show.

There's only one actual reason the Brand Split is happening, which is that USA is riding the WWE's ass about SmackDown's ratings.
 
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Angry Grimace said:
He says he asked a source and they told him they're just rebranding/re-doing all the logos for the Brooklyn show and its not anything like that.

They haven't even started giving Cien Almas that monster push he's gonna get yet.
Click to expand...

Thank fuck for that, NXT is the best thing WWE has got right now.
 
B

Bluekaveli

Member
klonere said:
Oh its coming don't you worry. Cena gonna is going "I remember that podcast too, funny line!"
Click to expand...
tumblr_lpg3so4bvm1qiy6q1.gif


Hmmm, I hope Viktor goes to SD and they actually have something for him to do. His recent change with face paint has been awesome and he's good talent. You can't let one of the last dungeon boys go to waste.
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Lightning Count said:
Thank fuck for that, NXT is the best thing WWE has got right now.
Click to expand...

NXT is in a weird place right now there they don't really have a Sami Zayn or some kind of signature star given that Balor is almost certainly out the door. They've got Nakamura but he feels like a plant since he's so ridiculously over to begin with and I doubt even Vince is gonna let that dude languish in NXT when he could be selling a billion different shirts with "Strong Style" printed on them in arenas around the country. I don't know if anyone could have predicted just how over Shinsuke Nakamura is.

I'm guessing La Sombra is going to be a big deal and they are treating him like a big deal to begin with given that the ad copy suggested he's doing his televised debut at TakeOver.

The bigger problem they have is that their women's division is starting to be kind of bad. They need to infuse it with some actual characters because its Bayley, Nia Jax and Asuka, and 5 jobbers.
 
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