Monthly News Thread (April 2019)

[KaseMeOutside]

Vince McMahon: Talent absences to blame for declining WWE numbers

"
On Thursday's Q1 call for investors, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon pointed to 15 top and mid-card talents being out as the reason for declining numbers.
"When you don't have talent, you don't have storylines. When you don't have storylines, you're not going to do that well in terms of live events and television ratings. It was like a cascade of things that happened," he said.
McMahon followed that up by saying that all those talents were back and that they "made new talent." He was optimistic for the future, citing new additions to the writing team and a new live events team that is now in place.
WWE Co-President George Barrios later said it wasn't just talent absences, but "the magnitude all at one time that felt unique." He said in his time at the company, he can only remember one similar time that happened: spring/summer 2010.
The company announced Q1 revenue was down 3% year-over-year to $182.4 million due to lower merchandise and lower ticket sales. Live event revenue was down 15% year-over-year to $26.2 million while consumer products were down 11% year-over-year to $20.8 million."

Imagine the problem with this company being not enough talent!

They're completely delusional!!

 

[Alex Jones]

They're completely delusional!!

I mean, what do you expect them to say? That the product sucks?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

- PWInsider says Dean Malenko DID quit contrary to a previous report.

- Stacey Ervin Jr. has confirmed that he is indeed finished with wrestling. This stems from a concussion scare.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I mean, what do you expect them to say? That the product sucks?

They blame lack of talent when in reality the product is completely incoherent from week to week

 

[GKJ]

Dean Malenko already scooped up for Starrcast

 

[UnrealMachine]

They blame lack of talent when in reality the product is completely incoherent from week to week

There is certainly a lack of talent at WWE, it's just doesn't happen to be an issue applicable to WWE's wrestlers.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

This is the most talented roster in-ring they’ve ever had.

Personality wise it’s different.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

WWE’s allowing Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee to be screened at Starrcast.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Their brand is storytelling stunts the personalities of the talent, especially with the faces.

They are forced to constantly regurgitate their branding buzz words instead of speaking and acting like real human beings.

Then they give two or three heels free range to just bury everyone else and it’s no wonder no one gets over.

 

[ColePens]

WWE’s allowing Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee to be screened at Starrcast.

They had to make a trade off for the taker and angle deals. I believe they would have been obligated but WWE probably gives a little to save their butts.

 

[Cor]

According to Fiteful, Lio Rush’s backstage heat may be so bad that we might not see him on TV again. Apparently people backstage are fully fed up and want him gone. It partly stems from Lio demanding his wife be around at all times when she’s on the road with Lio and it’s caused some incidents.

Finn Balor once tried to pull Rush aside to give him advice, saying management likely wouldn’t look positively at Rush’s wife sitting in on rehearsals. Rush reacted very negatively, and this story spread quickly backstage.

In another incident, Rush proclaimed that he and his wife would get a reality show soon and this led to such a stir that management had to step in.

If the report is to be believed, we may have seen the last of Lio Rush

 

[Emperoreddy]

The women’s division still has me so depressed. Sasha almost gone. Asuka buries. Lacy Evans Super push.

Sad

 

[Cor]

- Jim Ross revealed that he recently asked WWE about “an undercard guy who helps to teach others” but was told he wasn’t available as he recently signed a new deal worth $500K.

So take your guesses at who that is.

 

[Cor]

- TakeOver: San Jose is being pushed back from the night after the Saudi show in June. The new date will be announced this week. It might be June 15th.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I don't watch game of thrones but people are very invested in it. Why? Seems like when they begin a storyline they follow through

Then you compare to WWE and nothing matters, not matches, not championships, not stipulations, not storylines. So people aren't invested they should really look at these successes and then look at themselves the product is so incoherent that why would you invest in it?

I have a feeling this Fox deal is going to cause more reactionary behavior instead of building story arcs now in preparation for the move

The ratings don't lie the audience is shrinking and it's because Vince won't allow ppl to for their jobs.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

- Jim Ross revealed that he recently asked WWE about “an undercard guy who helps to teach others” but was told he wasn’t available as he recently signed a new deal worth $500K.

So take your guesses at who that is.

Ziggler was my immediate thought when I heard the interview

 

[GKJ]

I don't watch game of thrones but people are very invested in it. Why? Seems like when they begin a storyline they follow through

Then you compare to WWE and nothing matters, not matches, not championships, not stipulations, not storylines. So people aren't invested they should really look at these successes and then look at themselves the product is so incoherent that why would you invest in it?

I have a feeling this Fox deal is going to cause more reactionary behavior instead of building story arcs now in preparation for the move

The ratings don't lie the audience is shrinking and it's because Vince won't allow ppl to for their jobs.

In my view, apart from the frequency of stuff that doesn’t matter, Vince has to find about somewhere around 1.4 MILLION people who not only aren’t watching, but need to start watching (again) and stay there.

Comparing it to Game of Thrones is quite humorous (not that you brought it up, but because of just how much their paths differ). GOT added 8 million people from its open to right now, a lot of the time going off pre-written material with some differences I’m sure, but there’s been events that GOT fans knew were coming and knew would happen, just like any other series based on books.

 

[ColePens]

The sudden changes week in/week out definitely drive people away. If they could give me stories to invest in, then ill invest my time. NXT gives me those stories, thus I invest my 1 hour. WWE has a problem with stories and a problem with too much content.

Brand split/draft was hilarious. If i actually watched the show Monday, by next Monday everything I watched was changed. Hell even names of wrestlers changed.

And yes - you can take less money up front and make more on the backend by saying no to the 3rd hour. It's far too long.

 

[JackSlater]

I find it funny that Game of Thrones was brought up. The point is generally correct that people buy in when you actually do stories properly, but I've thought and regretted that the show has become quite similar to WWE over the last few years.

 

[GKJ]

I find it funny that Game of Thrones was brought up. The point is generally correct that people buy in when you actually do stories properly, but I've thought and regretted that the show has become quite similar to WWE over the last few years.

Even at that, as shows go on the trend seems to be that the end of the series is very rarely the peak storyline. With that in mind, you've been with that show for however long you've been there, your desire is still to see where these characters end up even if the show itself isn't as good as it used to be in your mind and can look past that decline because its still worth paying off.

 

[JackSlater]

Even at that, as shows go on the trend seems to be that the end of the series is very rarely the peak storyline. With that in mind, you've been with that show for however long you've been there, your desire is still to see where these characters end up even if the show itself isn't as good as it used to be in your mind and can look past that decline because its still worth paying off.

Yes, that would be why I said that the point is generally correct.

 

[tony d]

Proper storytelling is an absolute must for anything to be successful. The WWE has the talent to give us great stories, time for them to utilize that a bit more.

 

[Disclose]

WWE’s June PPV will be the first ever... STOMPING GROUNDS! at the Tacoma Dome.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

WWE’s trying to relaunch the network as a Netflix app with “a touch of WWE” whatever that means.

Some growth comparisons:



This dude is a must follow btw if you’re interested in the business stuff on WWE’s side.

 

[SeidoN]

im actually shocked they still have positive growth