Board 8 > All-Purpose Wrestling Topic 439: F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S-YES

(+) Yeah! (+)

Aries was just asked about this live on Impacts media conference on YouTube...

Interviewer: "Hi Austin, was wondering what your reaction to TNA being mentioned by Kurt Angle on Raw?"

Aries: "Yeah we are hiring. If you come here we won't test you, or take money out of your pocket for smoking marijuana."
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Jakyl25 posted...

Looks like the new UFC deal is getting finalized. ESPN and NBC split the programming, each with some fighters exclusive to their networks, PPVs drop to 6/year

Should all this be true, the domino effect is that WWE is almost certainly moving to Fox in September 2019. USA is going to have to pony up a lot more money than WWE is worth to keep them.

What kind of numbers is UFC looking at?

WWE is going to be asking for 400m if UFC got a strong deal.
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voltch posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

Looks like the new UFC deal is getting finalized. ESPN and NBC split the programming, each with some fighters exclusive to their networks, PPVs drop to 6/year

Should all this be true, the domino effect is that WWE is almost certainly moving to Fox in September 2019. USA is going to have to pony up a lot more money than WWE is worth to keep them.

What kind of numbers is UFC looking at?

WWE is going to be asking for 400m if UFC got a strong deal.

350 million from all info I've seen.
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So WWE is about to double their annual tv revenue.

....offers no wrestlers can refuse?

Man imagine if wrestlers had a union as powerful as baseball or even basketballs.

They would be getting half of that PLUS all the other profits from other revenue streams.

Roman is making good money when he could be making Kershaw money.
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scarletspeed7 posted...

Aries was just asked about this live on Impacts media conference on YouTube...

Interviewer: "Hi Austin, was wondering what your reaction to TNA being mentioned by Kurt Angle on Raw?"

Aries: "Yeah we are hiring. If you come here we won't test you, or take money out of your pocket for smoking marijuana."

Points for honesty
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There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.
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Hardcore_Adult posted...

There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.

Yup....

One of the many reasons (and god damn there are many) that I get pissed at people who hate Benoit more than Hogan.

Hogan is without debate the worst human this
Industry has ever known.

Way I'm reading this UFC deal, they're adding a 165 division, which is bleh, a 105 women's division, which is something Michelle Waterson could do well in and you have network exclusive fighters.

If I was living in the US, that would be infuriating seems like it would get in the way of matchmaking when guys can move up or down divisions. I don't know if it'll be division exclusive or not, but if a fighter has picked the wrong weight class, he's theoretically fucked.

UFC will no longer be paying for their production either, so their overall deal moneywise if all this is true, is excellent.

WWE should be expected to command a massive fee, but will they also make FOX pay for the production? Depending on how much they can squeeze out of them, Vince can go nuts on the XFL with all the money he'll be making!
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Jakyl25 posted...

PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

I have no idea how Fox would even fit WWE into their lineup. Their TV schedule is usually stacked.

It would just be Raw

Well, RAW works I guess

I'm more interested in what it means for the Network. Will they have a deal where they can have streaming rights for RAW or their other shows on the Network? I remember when it first came out for a lot of people no RAW immediately or live was a deal breaker for them.

I still maintain that three hours of RAW and Smackdown is still kind of needed given how massive their roster is, but the issue is still that they just don't know how to make three hours of TV worth sitting through. They might be able to start at 7, which may actually help ratings in the long run since people are willing to watch the whole show if it starts earlier.

If they end the brand split as a result of this, it will make it even harder to utilize their roster. It's going to be interesting how they make this work.
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PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

I still maintain that three hours of RAW and Smackdown is still kind of needed given how massive their roster is

It's really not. The only thing that's important to realize is you don't actually need to see everyone every week. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and whatnot.

Trim the hell out of video packages and rotate your talent and 2 hours is plenty to use the entire roster well
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UInstinctGogeta posted...

Hardcore_Adult posted...

There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.

Yup....

One of the many reasons (and god damn there are many) that I get pissed at people who hate Benoit more than Hogan.

Hogan is without debate the worst human this
Industry has ever known.

Hogan only killed careers, in his defence. I liked Benoit in the ring and still enjoy his barnburners with Kurt, Jericho, Hunter and Shawn but you can't really gloss over what he did.
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When Jose Gonzalez doesn't even enter the radar on that topic.
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PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

I have no idea how Fox would even fit WWE into their lineup. Their TV schedule is usually stacked.

It would just be Raw

Well, RAW works I guess

I'm more interested in what it means for the Network. Will they have a deal where they can have streaming rights for RAW or their other shows on the Network? I remember when it first came out for a lot of people no RAW immediately or live was a deal breaker for them.

I still maintain that three hours of RAW and Smackdown is still kind of needed given how massive their roster is, but the issue is still that they just don't know how to make three hours of TV worth sitting through. They might be able to start at 7, which may actually help ratings in the long run since people are willing to watch the whole show if it starts earlier.

If they end the brand split as a result of this, it will make it even harder to utilize their roster. It's going to be interesting how they make this work.

SDL's third hour is technically 205L (which is the best In-ring product at the minute)
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Hardcore_Adult posted...

UInstinctGogeta posted...

Hardcore_Adult posted...

There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.

Yup....

One of the many reasons (and god damn there are many) that I get pissed at people who hate Benoit more than Hogan.

Hogan is without debate the worst human this
Industry has ever known.

Hogan only killed careers, in his defence. I liked Benoit in the ring and still enjoy his barnburners with Kurt, Jericho, Hunter and Shawn but you can't really gloss over what he did.

Hogan at the VERY LEAST killed Owen. (Probably Pillman too) I don't know if there are others whose death can 100% be attributed to no Union, but those two definitely.

That's ignoring the fact that Benoit's brain was gone at that time, and had he lived he would not have been convicted of murder for that very reason.

voltch posted...

When Jose Gonzalez doesn't even enter the radar on that topic.

Yeah, hands down the worst motherfucker in wrestling history.
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^ Even so, Career woulda been fucked.

If anything, more fingers were pointed at Vinnie Boy (who allegedly was having nightmares) for Owen's death.
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voltch posted...

When Jose Gonzalez doesn't even enter the radar on that topic.

pretty scummy.... yes.

UInstinctGogeta posted...

pretty scummy.... yes.

Literally murdered a man in cold blood and intimidated other works throughout the rest of his career to keep quiet about it.

"Pretty" scummy.
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Hardcore_Adult posted...

^ Even so, Career woulda been fucked.

If anything, more fingers were pointed at Vinnie Boy (who allegedly was having nightmares) for Owen's death.

I mean, yeah, his career would have been over.... but given his brain it already should have been... which is by the way another thing a Union would have stopped. No way someone in his condition gets to wrestle for the chance to hurt others (or himself).

scarletspeed7 posted...

UInstinctGogeta posted...

pretty scummy.... yes.

Literally murdered a man in cold blood and intimidated other works throughout the rest of his career to keep quiet about it.

"Pretty" scummy.

Dude sucked. He's easily top 5.

You're not gonna convince me he's worse than Hogan, Vince, or the pimptress.

The way you go about a 2 hour raw is make one hour exclusive on the network or do a 30 minute ore show and post show
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Not excusing Vince but he had a REAL shitty life, Stepdad beat him like a cheap rug and his mother apparently... well, google it.
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I don't think smackdown as network only moves the needle unless it's like a bryan exclusive thing
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ScareChan posted...

I don't think smackdown as network only moves the needle unless it's like a bryan exclusive thing

The SD roster.

Am Drag
AJ
Kevin
Sami
Seth
Finn
Samoa Joe.

All they do is have 2 round robin one hour iron man matches every week network exclusive.

I'd subscribe just for this.

Kev and/or Sami will end up on RAW in the shakeup even though they flopped on Monday.
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I could see SD as Network only moving the needle in the sense that some more people might actually want more WWE wrestling in any given week-- particularly if Raw also drops to 2 hours.

Like me at least if there wasn't a SD I'd more more likely to watch NXT regularly or 205 when I have the network. As it is, on any given week I've pretty much had my fill so it's rare for me to bother with them.
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ScareChan posted...

I don't think smackdown as network only moves the needle unless it's like a bryan exclusive thing

It wouldnt be Network only, just on FS1 instead of main Fox

And when you have that sort of disparity between audience numbers, you HAVE to either end the Brand Split or make SD a stepping stone between NXT and Raw. You cant pretend they are equal at that point.
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RAW on Fox also means an end to the overrun. Local affiliates are not going to push back the news for anything.
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Hardcore_Adult posted...

There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.

I take solace in knowing that labor laws were so completely eviscerated that a fledgling union like that would have almost been immediately squashed anyway.

I feel like Nash/Hall/Sid/Michaels/Trips, especially Nash and Sid, dont get nearly the credit they deserve for forcing the major reforms to the pay structure that they did even without a union. You may not like the members of that group all that much but that accomplishment is significant.
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Eddv posted...

Hardcore_Adult posted...

There were Union talks back in the 80s and Ventura wanted to get the ball rolling but Hogan apparently ran his mouth to Vince, which soured Jesse on him permanently.

I take solace in knowing that labor laws were so completely eviscerated that a fledgling union like that would have almost been immediately squashed anyway.

I feel like Nash/Hall/Sid/Michaels/Trips dont get nearly the credit they deserve for forcing the major reforms to the pay structure that they did even without a union. You may not like the members of that group all that much but that accomplishment is significant.

Sid and HHH?

What did they do?

The other 3 for sure obviously.

Triple H was admittedly just along for the ride.

Sid, fucking softball fanatic that he was, would just not go to events unless he was 100% guaranteed to be used and even then he spent like 6 months selling farm equipment rather than showing up to raw tapings because the money was that much better.

In order to get Sid to be there day in and day out they had to offer him guaranteed paydays regardless of use, the first contract of that kind. The very existence of that contract strengthens Nashs position significantly and leads to it becoming standard.
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CybrMonkey posted...

RAW on Fox also means an end to the overrun. Local affiliates are not going to push back the news for anything.

They do for other sports
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Eddv posted...

spent like 6 months selling farm equipment rather than showing up to raw tapings

Sid was a Jawa?
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Eddv posted...

Triple H was admittedly just along for the ride.

Sid, fucking softball fanatic that he was, would just not go to events unless he was 100% guaranteed to be used and even then he spent like 6 months selling farm equipment rather than showing up to raw tapings because the money was that much better.

In order to get Sid to be there day in and day out they had to offer him guaranteed paydays regardless of use, the first contract of that kind. The very existence of that contract strengthens Nashs position significantly and leads to it becoming standard.

Wow... I never knew Sid was able to strong arm that.

Strong arm, yes

Strong leg, no
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Wait, people think they'd put RAW on FOX itself, not like, use it as a way to try and convince people that FS1 is a legitimate channel that we should care about?
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Jakyl25 posted...

They do for other sports

I thought that was just football and baseball on Sundays. Have they had sports on week nights before?
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I'd imagine WWE probably doesn't take the deal if Raw is on FS1
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Well, I don't think WWE is going to take an offer that puts it on their B station.

I mean, TNA was once on FS1. WWE ain't going on it.
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CybrMonkey posted...

RAW on Fox also means an end to the overrun. Local affiliates are not going to push back the news for anything.

And possibly cutting back to 2 hours, unless Vince starts Raw at 7 PM EST. Some FOX stations start their news at 10 PM, others 11.
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SmartMuffin posted...

Wait, people think they'd put RAW on FOX itself, not like, use it as a way to try and convince people that FS1 is a legitimate channel that we should care about?

Yes, thats the rumor. It would save them a lot of production money for (ideally) similar ratings as their normal stuff

And then SD would be used for that purpose
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PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

Well, I don't think WWE is going to take an offer that puts it on their B station.

I mean, TNA was once on FS1. WWE ain't going on it.

Naw, TNA was on local Fox Sports Nets

That was long before a national FS1 existed
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CybrMonkey posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

They do for other sports

I thought that was just football and baseball on Sundays. Have they had sports on week nights before?

Thursday Night Football moves to Fox this fall!
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Jakyl25 posted...

XIII_rocks posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

Right. Saudis wont allow it

Which shows how much the womens revolution really means to WWE

Wait, explain this one to me.

Saudi Arabia is paying major amounts of money to get WWE to come there and give them a big event

But one of their cultural rules is that women cant participate in sports which includes pro wrestling

So no women are allowed on the card

No, I'm acutely aware of that

I just don't know how those two points you made connect. They're doing a show in a foreign country where it's literally illegal for women to perform. Is your point that the women's revolution should be so important to WWE that they boycott Saudi over it?
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XIII_rocks posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

XIII_rocks posted...

Jakyl25 posted...

Right. Saudis wont allow it

Which shows how much the womens revolution really means to WWE

Wait, explain this one to me.

Saudi Arabia is paying major amounts of money to get WWE to come there and give them a big event

But one of their cultural rules is that women cant participate in sports which includes pro wrestling

So no women are allowed on the card

No, I'm acutely aware of that

I just don't know how those two points you made connect. They're doing a show in a foreign country where it's literally illegal for women to perform. Is your point that the women's revolution should be so important to WWE that they boycott Saudi over it?

Yes obviously

I mean if you're actually passionate about your message boycotting the country should be on the table, shouldn't it?
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Boycott the country if they dont at least allow for some sort of progress

Like in Abu Dhabi, where they finally let women perform as long as they wore bodysuits. I would demand AT LEAST the same amount of compromise from the Saudis or I wouldnt take their money.
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But then this is the same company that told Darren Young to shut up when he spoke out against going to the UAE because they punish gay people for existing
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What does "on the table" mean? As in something they consider and then reject?

The next two World Cups are in Russia and Qatar. One nation poisons people in the UK and the other goes against absolutely any equality stance the English might hold themselves to. I can guarantee we won't boycott either tournament, and nor will any other big European nation. Neither will the US.

It smacks of holding WWE to an exceedingly high moral standard. They got offered a lot of money.

Honestly, WWE should boycott Saudi, because fuck Saudi so much, but I don't think this specific reason is super high on that list. And aggressively boycotting them isn't necessarily the way to make progress - given MBS' 2030 vision, if this is still an issue by then I'd be surprised. But baby steps. Women only just got allowed to drive there.
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If you're a company that is touting something like a "women's revolution," not going to a country where it's illegal for women to perform doesn't seem like an "exceedingly high moral standard."
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