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March 29, 2024, 09:24:33 AM

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Wrestling In The Time Of COVID-19: the new thread

Started by sevendaughters, April 06, 2020, 09:29:30 AM

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BeardFaceMan

Quote from: Delete Delete Delete on April 15, 2020, 06:29:49 PM
I bet its the Stake in the XFL, apprently WWe owned a 22% stake in it, even though Vince sid they were entirly seprate enterties.

Didnt Vince sell a load of his WWE stock in order to fund the XFL?

Timothy

What a fucking horrible time to release these wrestlers.


Ja'moke

I know that hummingofevil alleviated some of my concerns about AEW before, but with WWE in this state, I am worrying about AEW's survival again.

It was pretty obvious that WWE we signing as many wrestlers as it could to stop competiton useing them. Now that hardly anyone can use em, there on the chopping block.

Deanjam

Probably the names that would've been chopped a while ago had AEW not begun, so can't say I'm shocked. Still, a horrible time for a company with WWE's finances to dump talent. I presume there'll be some behind the scenes staff released too. Really, this is the perfect time for WWE's talent to unionise against Vince. But they won't, cos wrestling.

Ja'moke

QuoteWWE Producers Dave Finlay, Mike Rotunda, Shane Helms and Lance Storm have departed WWE as part of today's cutbacks, PWInsider.com has confirmed.

Ja'moke


Timothy

WWE Producers Billy Kidman, Mike Rotunda, Dave Finlay, Pat Buck, Shawn Daivari,Scott Armstrong, Sarah Stock, Shane Helms and Lance Storm have departed WWE as part of today's cutbacks, PWInsider.com has confirmed.

hummingofevil

Quote from: Ja'moke on April 15, 2020, 07:03:18 PM
I know that hummingofevil alleviated some of my concerns about AEW before, but with WWE in this state, I am worrying about AEW's survival again.

I will be listening to Meltzer's take on this very closely but my first instinct is that by bankrupting XFL Vince has shown his hand that he thinks future TV deals are not going to be the cash cow that they currently are (the WWE deals are ridiculous for the amount of viewers they bring in). I suspect this is all about trying to do whatever he can to try to reassure investors. WWE value depends as much on money to come that current earnings and if investors bail Vince is fucked.

WWE stock was plummeting before all this and Vince's wealth has taken a hammering (the irony of those sack execs cashing when they could). Suddenly that $40 share price doesn't look under priced. No house shows, no merch, network figures dropping under a million, wrestlers in NXT and UK just picking up pay cheques without bringing any value to "the product". So I suspect the way the markets work this is all for them. Markets love people doing cunty things.

And as usual fuck the wrestlers. What a cunt! I hope he died penniless and weeping after giving Trump his last $10million.

None of the above really applies to AEW. God I hope I am right.

Ja'moke

Man, this video from Drake is sad: https://twitter.com/WWEMaverick/status/1250493936185102339

They're still letting him compete in the CW tournament, though.

Ja'moke

Quote from: hummingofevil on April 15, 2020, 07:43:20 PM
I will be listening to Meltzer's take on this very closely but my first instinct is that by bankrupting XFL Vince has shown his hand that he thinks future TV deals are not going to be the cash cow that they currently are (the WWE deals are ridiculous for the amount of viewers they bring in). I suspect this is all about trying to do whatever he can to try to reassure investors. WWE value depends as much on money to come that current earnings and if investors bail Vince is fucked.

WWE stock was plummeting before all this and Vince's wealth has taken a hammering (the irony of those sack execs cashing when they could). Suddenly that $40 share price doesn't look under priced. No house shows, no merch, network figures dropping under a million, wrestlers in NXT and UK just picking up pay cheques without bringing any value to "the product". So I suspect the way the markets work this is all for them. Markets love people doing cunty things.

And as usual fuck the wrestlers. What a cunt! I hope he died penniless and weeping after giving Trump his last $10million.

None of the above really applies to AEW. God I hope I am right.

That is true. Plus WWE has been signing up tons of talent and stockpiling them over the past couple of years. Literally paying millions of dollars to talent that are barely or never used. AEW doesn't have that issue.

Also, it probably helps that AEW is a private company right?

Timothy

Firing your employees during a fucking pandemic is absolutely horrible.

peanutbutter

So WWE decide they're gonna run live at a time where it's just fucking mental to, and quickly release a bunch of guys...

I don't think Vince is totally nuts to think that a network _could_ use some of this stuff as an excuse to back out of a contract, but the fact nothing leaks to suggest they've said as much suggests they haven't and he's making assumptions. Surely it'd be more professional to seek assurances from networks that they wouldn't use the lack of live content to void a contract given the circumstances? I don't see what'd be lost from that.


Quote from: Timothy on April 15, 2020, 07:52:49 PM
Firing your employees during a fucking pandemic is absolutely horrible.
"Independent Contractors"

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: Timothy on April 15, 2020, 07:52:49 PM
Firing your employees during a fucking pandemic is absolutely horrible.

That's what happens when you don't try and reach that brass ring. Or something.

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: peanutbutter on April 15, 2020, 07:57:39 PM
Surely it'd be more professional to seek assurances from networks that they wouldn't use the lack of live content to void a contract given the circumstances?

This is the bit I don't understand. Every other sport has shut down, like the NFL and NBA, and they're not worrying about tv contracts being voided or anything, I can't see how WWE can use that as an excuse. Are they really saying their tv contract is going to be cancelled if they dont fulfill it while theres a lockdown on? No other companies or organisations are saying anything like this are they?

Timothy

From what I read 4 months ago Lance Storm closed his wrestling school to go and work as a producer for WWE. Today he got fired.

peanutbutter

Lawler presumably only being kept on cos the risk of him being diagnosed in a week and dying is too high, I assume? Not sure what the fuck he contributes compared to someone like Finlay, like.

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on April 15, 2020, 08:02:25 PM
This is the bit I don't understand. Every other sport has shut down, like the NFL and NBA, and they're not worrying about tv contracts being voided or anything, I can't see how WWE can use that as an excuse. Are they really saying their tv contract is going to be cancelled if they dont fulfill it while theres a lockdown on? No other companies or organisations are saying anything like this are they?
See, those other sports will be in huge demand afterwards, Fox and USA might use the chance to undo a big fucking mistake on their ends RE the amount they paid WWE this time around. I do get why Vince would be paranoid about it.

Ja'moke

Quote from: peanutbutter on April 15, 2020, 08:05:15 PM
Lawler presumably only being kept on cos the risk of him being diagnosed in a week and dying is too high, I assume? Not sure what the fuck he contributes compared to someone like Finlay, like.


You didn't hear his amazing Ramen Noodle joke about Tozawa on Raw? (sarcasm obviously)

Ja'moke

Pro Wrestling Sheet have tweeted the following: "According to sources, the producers seem to have all been furloughed ... not let go from the company entirely."

hummingofevil

Quote from: Timothy on April 15, 2020, 08:03:53 PM
From what I read 4 months ago Lance Storm closed his wrestling school to go and work as a producer for WWE. Today he got fired.

I suspect that the next time he is back on WOW with Alvarez it might be worth a listen! I would hope for a Danny Baker BBC London Bridge burning but suspect Lance is just too much of a good guy for that.

Ja'moke

#111
So far...

QuoteWWE have released a whole host of their staff so far today. Here is the list in full:

- Drake Maverick (James Curtin)
- Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers)
- Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra)
- Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson)
- Heath Slater (Heath Miller)
- Aiden English (Matthew Rehwoldt)
- Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz)
- EC3 (Michael Hutter)
- Lio Rush (Lionel Green)
- Kurt Angle
- Sarah Logan (Sarah Rowe)
- Mike Chioda
- Primo (Edwin Colon)
- Epico (Orlando Colon Nieves)
- Rowan (Joseph Ruud)
- Mike Kanellis (Mike Bennett)
- Maria Kanellis
- Zack Ryder
- No Way Jose



The likes of PWinsider, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful and Alex McCarthy of Talksport are also reporting that the following names have been let go. However, WWE haven't confirmed anything relating to the following names at the time of writing:


Pro Wrestling Sheet have tweeted the following: "According to sources, the producers seem to have all been furloughed ... not let go from the company entirely."


- Dave (Fit) Finlay
- Lance Storm
- Mike Rotunda
- Shane (Hurricane) Helms
- Scott Armstrong
- Pat Buck
- Sarah Stock
- Shawn Davari
- Billy Kidman


Mobius

Are all of those wrestlers definitely binned permanently, or just out for a while? I'm confused.


Ja'moke

Quote from: Mobius on April 15, 2020, 08:43:23 PM
Are all of those wrestlers definitely binned permanently, or just out for a while? I'm confused.

The wrestlers (and Mike Chioda) released, yes.

The producers apparently furloughed.

Mobius

Wow that sucks. Well I guess they could always be re-signed somewhere down the line.. it's what usually happens. I imagine a lot will happen once the world goes back to normal.

Hope they've all got a bit of money saved up. Bad times for businesses but come on Vince you couldn't have looked after these guys who put their body on the line for you?

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: peanutbutter on April 15, 2020, 08:05:15 PM
See, those other sports will be in huge demand afterwards, Fox and USA might use the chance to undo a big fucking mistake on their ends RE the amount they paid WWE this time around. I do get why Vince would be paranoid about it.

I definitely get why he would be paranoid, fuck knows how he got so much for those TV deals in the first place but with AEW around now he wouldn't get anywhere near that if he had to renegotiate. I more meant that the network haven't got a leg to stand on by trying to cancel a tv contract not being fulfilled during a pandemic, surely?

Quote from: Mobius on April 15, 2020, 08:48:45 PM
Bad times for businesses but come on Vince you couldn't have looked after these guys who put their body on the line for you?

It's how he got on top in the first place.

peanutbutter

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on April 15, 2020, 08:51:42 PM
I definitely get why he would be paranoid, fuck knows how he got so much for those TV deals in the first place but with AEW around now he wouldn't get anywhere near that if he had to renegotiate. I more meant that the network haven't got a leg to stand on by trying to cancel a tv contract not being fulfilled during a pandemic, surely?
The impression I get is that they wouldn't dream of it and on the whole the WWE money is peanuts compared to the kind of bad press that'd bring their way, but (a) Vince drastically overestimates his importance and (b) I guess it is possible 12 months from now that someone could try it, more likely as a bargaining chip rather than a threat they'd follow through on.



Just saw someone mention on Twitter than Vince is worth 1.7 billion and that this is disgraceful etc etc, but it got me thinking, he was nearing like $4 billion less than a year ago... how much of this is just blind panic at the idea that he might not be a billionaire anymore?

Mobius