Roman Reigns is the best wrestler in the WWE.
Don't believe it? Well, it doesn't matter because Vince McMahon owns professional wrestling in the United States, and if he says that fans will watch Roman Reigns as the top guy then they will watch him.
As most predicted months ago, Roman will officially challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal title at Wrestlemania 34 after he won the Elimination Chamber match to become the number one contender. The eventual victory for the belt at WM will be yet another culmination of the Reigns super push that has continued over the past four years. In the expected fashion, Braun eliminated the competition from the chamber, implying that he's the unstoppable monster, but that build up was simply to further highlight Roman as the only one in the field of top stars that could pin the monster.
Very similar to the way Braun was built throughout the chamber match to be fed Roman, the Universal champion is on the same path. After Lesnar beat Goldberg, who had an unexpected run as a result of the tremendous reaction he received during his return, at WM 33 to claim the championship, he was promoted as the unbeatable champion. Brock beat Samoa Joe, Strowman, and Kane in various matches throughout the rest of his current title run to emphasize his dominance. The momentum that both Joe and Strowman had earlier this year were used to build the status of Brock, who will ultimately be used to push Roman with the title win at WM 34. The conclusion of Wrestlemania will be a plan that was a year in the making, an aspect that further demonstrates the glass ceiling that exist within the WWE landscape. An athlete can work their way to the spot of the most over star on the roster, the way Braun is right now, and it will be secondary to the plans for Reigns.
WWE brass is "all-in" on Roman Reigns, and no amount of booing from the fans will change that plan.
The reason why is very simple, until it affects revenue, and it won't, there's no reason for management to change their path. It's common knowledge to even the most casual fan that Roman Reigns is the featured WWE star, and earlier this month during a conference call, management touted record-setting revenue of $801 million and profits of nearly $40 million. Clearly, Vince is doing something right. At the very least, Reigns isn't enough to make fans decide to stop spending money on the product. So, from a business prospective, the Roman Reigns push is successful. Keep in mind, drawing money is the entire point of any business. Vince doesn't care if fans pay to cheer Reigns or if they pay to boo him, as long as they buy tickets and network subscriptions, the goal is accomplished.
Granted, the direction of sports entertainment industry was dictated by the fans in the past because they voted with their dollars. If fans didn't approve of what they saw on Raw, they could change the channel to Nitro. As I wrote a few weeks ago, the lack of competition within sports entertainment led to complacency for the WWE. If Vince still battled Ted Turner for ratings and pay-per-view buys, would Roman get another WM push after three failed attempts? It's a harsh reality, but if the general public wants to watch pro wrestling then they will watch WWE. Yes, there are independent promotions, but casual fans are a different demographic and the WWE has 95% of the market. Now, management tells the fans what product is there, and in most cases, wrestling fans will find something they enjoy to justify the time they invest in the product.
The most vocal objections to Reigns are from the diehard fans because those fans are the most aware of the reasons why he gets the forced push. However, their objections are moot because diehard fans follow the product regardless so until the general public rejects Roman, there's no reason to halt his push. Again, business is about money and WWE just had the highest revenue in the history of the company so why change anything?
The other major factor is that Roman Reigns is the prime example of the WWE system because he was trained from scratch after he signed a developmental deal in 2010 because of his last name. If management throws in the towel on Roman as the next John Cena, what does that say about their system to build talent? An entire performance center was built with the theory that the WWE machine can make stars.
So, make no mistake about it, "Big Dawg" will beat Lesnar for the title at WM and he will continue to be the most pushed competitor on the roster. Will the fans suddenly embrace him? Probably not, but it won't make a difference. You can't blame Reigns either, he works hard and he's just doing what he's told, and it's disappointing that the writing team doesn't help the situation. At the same time, the fans have every right to be hostile as well because they've made it more than clear that they don't approve of the anointed champion. It doesn't matter how many scripted matches he wins, the fans don't think Reigns has "earned" his spot. If he has or not depends on who you ask, but if Joe AnoaŹ»i didn't fail at a football career, would Roman Reigns be granted the top spot? His last name is legendary, but the bottom line is, Reigns is only a sports entertainer because he didn't make it in the NFL.
Braun might be the most over star on the roster, but it doesn't matter because he's not Reigns. As mentioned, the company is making major cash so Roman at the top isn't a problem now. But, if missing the boat on several talents during the super push leads to a lack of money-drawing stars in a few years is a different situation. Essentially, the opportunity cost to force the Reigns push is the chance to capitalize on the popularity of other stars when they have the momentum to be elevated to the next level. Strowman got over organically and spontaneously, which is the exact opposite of the road that Roman took to the top spot. Arguably, it's Braun's time to become a big star and he should be the one to take the title from Lesnar at WM 34. On the flip side, WWE brass has too much invested in Reigns to change plans and at this point, if he doesn't work the main event scene, what else is he going to do? He already had the "consolation prizes" of the US and IC belts between main event title runs. Plus, the Shield reunion already happened to try to build him up just prior to the start of the road to Wrestlemania.
The demand might be to see Braun vs. Brock, or maybe anyone else that was in the chamber to get the main event spot of Wrestlemania, but Vince McMahon decided that Roman Reigns is the "best" option for the company so there will be another lackluster conclusion to the biggest show of the year.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
The career of Lee Moriarty
As a commentator around the Pittsburgh independent scene, I have the chance to call the matches of a variety of athletes with different levels of experience and varying degrees of potential. Some are well established veterans that have the skills, but just weren't at the right place at the right time to get the major spotlight. Instead, those seasoned grapplers have respectable careers within their area and give back to the industry as a resource for younger talent. On the other end of the spectrum, there will inevitably be dreamers that aren't skilled enough or dedicated enough to make it so they float around local shows until eventually they move on to a new hobby. There are also those that you can tell from the moment they step into the ring that they have the "it factor" to make it big in an often unforgiving industry.
Locally, the Western PA scene has several outlets to showcase several talented athletes. Before he put on the headset to broadcast Raw weekly as Corey Graves, Sterling James Keenan was a mainstay of the iron city. The ability to entertain extended through family ties, and Graves' brother, Sam Adonis is currently one of the biggest heels in Mexico for CMLL. Plus, prior to rejuvenating the X-Division on Impact, DJ Z polished his skills around the Pittsburgh area. But, who is the next breakout star?
Granted, there are several factors that play a role in the path a wrestler takes in their career, but based on pure skill alone, there is a clear answer for who could represent the steel city next on the main stream stage. When I first talked to Lee Moriarty at a Pro Wrestling Express event, he was a quiet, respectful student of one of the most respected veterans of Pittsburgh, Brandon K. When Brandon told me, "Lee is going to be really good," I knew the endorsement meant that the young trainee must've done well learning the basics. However, when I called the action for his debut match in late-2015, it was clear that Lee Moriarty was well beyond basic. Just 22 years old at the time, the rookie carried himself in the squared circle at the level of an athlete with years of experience. He absorbed professional wrestling knowledge as quickly as the sport itself consumed him just over a decade ago when he discovered it.
"I was home alone channel surfing and come across The Boogeyman. His entrance was enough to make me stop and watch what was going to happen next. I immediately became obsessed from that moment on. Nothing else came close to keeping my interest like wrestling has," Lee explained.
However, professional wrestling wasn't his first exposure or interest in athletics. Moriaty played sports extensively throughout his school years, which allowed him to use that athleticism to transition to the sports entertainment genre.
"I studied Tae Kwon Do for a bit around the same time I started watching wrestling, and played on my high school rugby team. Both sports helped me prepare for wrestling mentally and physically because both sports require thick skin and discipline."
As his career progressed throughout 2016, he won championships and elevated his profile with every in-ring performance, impressing fans and contemporaries. His rise through the ranks wasn't without setbacks, as he suffered a serious shoulder injury that required surgery to repair a torn labrum in June of that year, putting him on the shelf for six months. The healing process was as challenging mentally as it was physically.
"I couldn't stay away. I never considered quitting but I did fall into a deep depression my time out. The only thing that would pull me out was still going to training to watch my friends grow and improve," Moriarty said.
It wasn't the first time that the talented athlete had to overcome an obstacle. A few years into his Tae Kwon Do training, his family couldn't afford for him to continue the lessons during his time in high school years so he continued to practice what he learned on his own. Around the same time, he discovered one of his heroes and biggest influences, the legendary Bruce Lee.
"Bruce Lee created his own version of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do that boils down to removing limitations. That always stuck with me. Removing the mindset that I can't do something and changing it to I don't know how to do it yet, but I can learn has helped me through my life. Especially in wrestling. Flipping in the air and landing on my back wasn't something natural to me. Thankfully, I had a mindset to get past those mental blocks. The way I wrestle now is completely different than when I started because of that mindset," he explained.
When Moriarty returned to action inside the ring ropes in early 2017, he was more focused than ever and wanted to expand upon the lessons that he learned from extensive film study of styles used around the world. Soon, he began wrestling for more groups around the tri-state area and his ability earned him an invitation to add international experience to his resume. The previously mentioned DJ Z was impressed with Moriarty's skills and arranged for him to tour Mexico in May of last year. He considers the two weeks he spent south of the boarder to be extremely valuable and one of the highlights of his career so far.
"He set me up with one of his friends, who is a worker named Low Rider, to help me out while down there. He and his wife, Sadika took really good care of me and helped me a ton. I even got to train under a lucha legend named El Oriental. The experience was amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
When he returned to the United States, his momentum continued throughout the year with a series of stellar bouts and culminated when he won a tournament to become the first Grand Champion of his trainer's organization, Ryse Wrestling.
Still the current Ryse champion for Brandon K's promotion, Lee hopes to continue and grow as an athlete in 2018. Perhaps the main quality that will lead to success for him is his humble approach to the sport and his desire to continue to learn as much as possible.
"I think my entire 2017 is a highlight. Between touring Mexico and becoming the first Ryse Grand Champion, I've been very blessed. My overall goal is to make this my primary living. My dream is to do it as a regular competitor in Japan. I just want to thank everyone for their support and help. I honestly didn't expect things to go this well this fast in my career," he said.
Professional wrestling is an unpredictable business, but talent is talent and Lee Moriarty has the skills to become a major star within the industry. All things considered, it might be just a matter of time before this Pittsburgh protege makes his way onto national television, similar to others that had their start in the steel city before they become known to the main stream audience.
Locally, the Western PA scene has several outlets to showcase several talented athletes. Before he put on the headset to broadcast Raw weekly as Corey Graves, Sterling James Keenan was a mainstay of the iron city. The ability to entertain extended through family ties, and Graves' brother, Sam Adonis is currently one of the biggest heels in Mexico for CMLL. Plus, prior to rejuvenating the X-Division on Impact, DJ Z polished his skills around the Pittsburgh area. But, who is the next breakout star?
Granted, there are several factors that play a role in the path a wrestler takes in their career, but based on pure skill alone, there is a clear answer for who could represent the steel city next on the main stream stage. When I first talked to Lee Moriarty at a Pro Wrestling Express event, he was a quiet, respectful student of one of the most respected veterans of Pittsburgh, Brandon K. When Brandon told me, "Lee is going to be really good," I knew the endorsement meant that the young trainee must've done well learning the basics. However, when I called the action for his debut match in late-2015, it was clear that Lee Moriarty was well beyond basic. Just 22 years old at the time, the rookie carried himself in the squared circle at the level of an athlete with years of experience. He absorbed professional wrestling knowledge as quickly as the sport itself consumed him just over a decade ago when he discovered it.
"I was home alone channel surfing and come across The Boogeyman. His entrance was enough to make me stop and watch what was going to happen next. I immediately became obsessed from that moment on. Nothing else came close to keeping my interest like wrestling has," Lee explained.
However, professional wrestling wasn't his first exposure or interest in athletics. Moriaty played sports extensively throughout his school years, which allowed him to use that athleticism to transition to the sports entertainment genre.
"I studied Tae Kwon Do for a bit around the same time I started watching wrestling, and played on my high school rugby team. Both sports helped me prepare for wrestling mentally and physically because both sports require thick skin and discipline."
As his career progressed throughout 2016, he won championships and elevated his profile with every in-ring performance, impressing fans and contemporaries. His rise through the ranks wasn't without setbacks, as he suffered a serious shoulder injury that required surgery to repair a torn labrum in June of that year, putting him on the shelf for six months. The healing process was as challenging mentally as it was physically.
"I couldn't stay away. I never considered quitting but I did fall into a deep depression my time out. The only thing that would pull me out was still going to training to watch my friends grow and improve," Moriarty said.
It wasn't the first time that the talented athlete had to overcome an obstacle. A few years into his Tae Kwon Do training, his family couldn't afford for him to continue the lessons during his time in high school years so he continued to practice what he learned on his own. Around the same time, he discovered one of his heroes and biggest influences, the legendary Bruce Lee.
"Bruce Lee created his own version of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do that boils down to removing limitations. That always stuck with me. Removing the mindset that I can't do something and changing it to I don't know how to do it yet, but I can learn has helped me through my life. Especially in wrestling. Flipping in the air and landing on my back wasn't something natural to me. Thankfully, I had a mindset to get past those mental blocks. The way I wrestle now is completely different than when I started because of that mindset," he explained.
When Moriarty returned to action inside the ring ropes in early 2017, he was more focused than ever and wanted to expand upon the lessons that he learned from extensive film study of styles used around the world. Soon, he began wrestling for more groups around the tri-state area and his ability earned him an invitation to add international experience to his resume. The previously mentioned DJ Z was impressed with Moriarty's skills and arranged for him to tour Mexico in May of last year. He considers the two weeks he spent south of the boarder to be extremely valuable and one of the highlights of his career so far.
"He set me up with one of his friends, who is a worker named Low Rider, to help me out while down there. He and his wife, Sadika took really good care of me and helped me a ton. I even got to train under a lucha legend named El Oriental. The experience was amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
When he returned to the United States, his momentum continued throughout the year with a series of stellar bouts and culminated when he won a tournament to become the first Grand Champion of his trainer's organization, Ryse Wrestling.
Still the current Ryse champion for Brandon K's promotion, Lee hopes to continue and grow as an athlete in 2018. Perhaps the main quality that will lead to success for him is his humble approach to the sport and his desire to continue to learn as much as possible.
"I think my entire 2017 is a highlight. Between touring Mexico and becoming the first Ryse Grand Champion, I've been very blessed. My overall goal is to make this my primary living. My dream is to do it as a regular competitor in Japan. I just want to thank everyone for their support and help. I honestly didn't expect things to go this well this fast in my career," he said.
Professional wrestling is an unpredictable business, but talent is talent and Lee Moriarty has the skills to become a major star within the industry. All things considered, it might be just a matter of time before this Pittsburgh protege makes his way onto national television, similar to others that had their start in the steel city before they become known to the main stream audience.
Friday, February 16, 2018
The marketing of Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, the brash Dublin native that fought Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match last August, is still widely regarded as the top star of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the promotion that the WME group bought for $4.2 billion in 2015. McGregor, the current Lightweight champion, formerly held the 145 LBS belt before he vacated the title to defend the championship of the 155 division. It was quite the promotional tool, one that UFC brass delightfully shoehorned into each division, as Conor received a shot at the Lightweight title before he ever defended the Featherweight championship he won after he defeated Jose Aldo.
Clearly, management wanted to market Conor as the two-division champion. But, the marketing monster that they created might come back to bite them.
When management saw their two-division project completed, McGregor posed on top of the octagon with two championships after he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. Ronda Rousey suffered her second career loss and was TKO'ed into retirement a month later, cementing Conor as the top star in the organization by a large margin.
The problem is, the Irishman took his status as the top draw in mixed martial arts to the sport of boxing to make exponentially more cash for the previously mentioned Floyd fight than he made in the octagon prior to that. The rumored $100 million payday gave him much leverage in negotiations with UFC president, Dana White. Conor hasn't fought in the cage since he posed with those two championships in November 2016, and questions remain about his status in the company.
Since the McGregor/Mayweather super fight, Max Holloway claimed the Featherweight belt after a pair of wins against Aldo, while Tony Ferguson beat Kevin Lee to win an interim Lightweight title last October. Theoretically, that would set up a Conor/Ferguson contest to determine a unified 155 LBS champion, but Khabib Nurmagomedov is scheduled to fight Ferguson at UFC 223 in April. Khabib, an undefeated contender with a record of 25-0, impressed the UFC pay-per-view audience just a few months ago when he won a lop-sided decision against tough challenger Edson Barboza at UFC 219. It remains unclear if McGregor will be stripped of the title or will be scheduled to fight the winner of Khabib/Ferguson.
To further complicate this situation, a video was posted on social media of Floyd as he walked into the octagon, implying a Mayweather/McGregor rematch could be in the future. On a recent edition of UFC Tonight, Dana suggested a rematch was possible. If Floyd actually signs to fight in the cage and/or if it would sell as well as the boxing pay-per-view is another discussion for another time. The point is, another "super fight" would take McGregor out of the championship conversation and halt the entire division for another extended period of time if he isn't stripped of the belt. On the flip side, if he eventually is stripped, he will go from a two-division champion to a a non-champion without any title defenses, which would dilute the UFC's original marketing plan.
The bottom line is, the UFC pushed Conor as THE fighter of the organization, and it's debatable if the return will be worth the investment. The opportunity cost was the ability to build other legitimate, money-drawing stars while both 145 LBS and 155 LBS divisions were halted so that Conor could fight Floyd in boxing for a mega paycheck. In some ways, that boxing match made McGregor bigger than the UFC because the payoff gave him the financial security to retire if he didn't want to fight in the octagon again. It also forces the UFC to increase the money they offer him to step into the cage again. Basically, the UFC needs Conor more than he needs the organization right now. While management put the pieces in place to give him the opportunity to win two belts, other talented fighters weren't given the same chance to become major stars for the company. Outside of Stipe and Cormier, a bout that is penciled in for July, what UFC regulars truly boost numbers on pay-per-view? The price of UFC events was increased to $65 so who on the roster is really a draw to the casual fan? Keep in mind, diehard MMA fans will watch and appreciate the other talented fighters regardless, but the key to major money in any genre is the ability to draw the general public.
There can be tremendous action on a fight card, but if there aren't stars to motivate the general public to buy the event then from a business prospective, the show isn't as successful as it could be. A prime example is the event from last weekend, Rockhold vs. Romero for an interim belt. The show took place in Australia and featured some entertaining bouts, but the event isn't expected to do major numbers because mostly unknowns were on the card. Rockhold and Romero are well known among fight fans for their impressive skills, but neither athlete is necessarily known to the general public. Ironically, very similar to the lightweight division, the middleweight rankings are left unresolved because Georges St. Pierre was given a title shot four years after he vacated the welterweight title. GSP won the MW title and promptly vacated it, which made the entire title shot pointless.
The sum of all this is, that it's no coincidence that the only major stars currently on the UFC roster are Stipe and Cormier because they fight in divisions that aren't diluted or halted. Sure, one could make the argument that Demetrius Johnson or Cyborg stand out in their respective divisions, but there's not enough depth there to create bouts that are anything more than glorified exhibition contests. On the flip side, the lightweight division has the depth to create intriguing fights, but the ranks are halted because there are questions about if McGregor will actually defend a championship.
Khabib is a marketable star and the persona of the Russian grappler fighting the lavish McGregor could create an intriguing dynamic. The UFC invested a lot of promotional work into the process to market Conor as the top draw in the sport so at least at this point, a McGregor pay-per-view fight is the biggest draw the company has right now. After last year saw a decline in buys, it remains to be seems if the company can cash in the star power of McGregor this year.
Clearly, management wanted to market Conor as the two-division champion. But, the marketing monster that they created might come back to bite them.
When management saw their two-division project completed, McGregor posed on top of the octagon with two championships after he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. Ronda Rousey suffered her second career loss and was TKO'ed into retirement a month later, cementing Conor as the top star in the organization by a large margin.
The problem is, the Irishman took his status as the top draw in mixed martial arts to the sport of boxing to make exponentially more cash for the previously mentioned Floyd fight than he made in the octagon prior to that. The rumored $100 million payday gave him much leverage in negotiations with UFC president, Dana White. Conor hasn't fought in the cage since he posed with those two championships in November 2016, and questions remain about his status in the company.
Since the McGregor/Mayweather super fight, Max Holloway claimed the Featherweight belt after a pair of wins against Aldo, while Tony Ferguson beat Kevin Lee to win an interim Lightweight title last October. Theoretically, that would set up a Conor/Ferguson contest to determine a unified 155 LBS champion, but Khabib Nurmagomedov is scheduled to fight Ferguson at UFC 223 in April. Khabib, an undefeated contender with a record of 25-0, impressed the UFC pay-per-view audience just a few months ago when he won a lop-sided decision against tough challenger Edson Barboza at UFC 219. It remains unclear if McGregor will be stripped of the title or will be scheduled to fight the winner of Khabib/Ferguson.
To further complicate this situation, a video was posted on social media of Floyd as he walked into the octagon, implying a Mayweather/McGregor rematch could be in the future. On a recent edition of UFC Tonight, Dana suggested a rematch was possible. If Floyd actually signs to fight in the cage and/or if it would sell as well as the boxing pay-per-view is another discussion for another time. The point is, another "super fight" would take McGregor out of the championship conversation and halt the entire division for another extended period of time if he isn't stripped of the belt. On the flip side, if he eventually is stripped, he will go from a two-division champion to a a non-champion without any title defenses, which would dilute the UFC's original marketing plan.
The bottom line is, the UFC pushed Conor as THE fighter of the organization, and it's debatable if the return will be worth the investment. The opportunity cost was the ability to build other legitimate, money-drawing stars while both 145 LBS and 155 LBS divisions were halted so that Conor could fight Floyd in boxing for a mega paycheck. In some ways, that boxing match made McGregor bigger than the UFC because the payoff gave him the financial security to retire if he didn't want to fight in the octagon again. It also forces the UFC to increase the money they offer him to step into the cage again. Basically, the UFC needs Conor more than he needs the organization right now. While management put the pieces in place to give him the opportunity to win two belts, other talented fighters weren't given the same chance to become major stars for the company. Outside of Stipe and Cormier, a bout that is penciled in for July, what UFC regulars truly boost numbers on pay-per-view? The price of UFC events was increased to $65 so who on the roster is really a draw to the casual fan? Keep in mind, diehard MMA fans will watch and appreciate the other talented fighters regardless, but the key to major money in any genre is the ability to draw the general public.
There can be tremendous action on a fight card, but if there aren't stars to motivate the general public to buy the event then from a business prospective, the show isn't as successful as it could be. A prime example is the event from last weekend, Rockhold vs. Romero for an interim belt. The show took place in Australia and featured some entertaining bouts, but the event isn't expected to do major numbers because mostly unknowns were on the card. Rockhold and Romero are well known among fight fans for their impressive skills, but neither athlete is necessarily known to the general public. Ironically, very similar to the lightweight division, the middleweight rankings are left unresolved because Georges St. Pierre was given a title shot four years after he vacated the welterweight title. GSP won the MW title and promptly vacated it, which made the entire title shot pointless.
The sum of all this is, that it's no coincidence that the only major stars currently on the UFC roster are Stipe and Cormier because they fight in divisions that aren't diluted or halted. Sure, one could make the argument that Demetrius Johnson or Cyborg stand out in their respective divisions, but there's not enough depth there to create bouts that are anything more than glorified exhibition contests. On the flip side, the lightweight division has the depth to create intriguing fights, but the ranks are halted because there are questions about if McGregor will actually defend a championship.
Khabib is a marketable star and the persona of the Russian grappler fighting the lavish McGregor could create an intriguing dynamic. The UFC invested a lot of promotional work into the process to market Conor as the top draw in the sport so at least at this point, a McGregor pay-per-view fight is the biggest draw the company has right now. After last year saw a decline in buys, it remains to be seems if the company can cash in the star power of McGregor this year.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Book Review:WWE and politics
When I was asked to write a book review about the Donald Trump/WWE connection, I was skeptical. I've written reviews for documentaries and pay-per-view specials, but this was unique territory. As divisive as the past few years have been on the political landscape, I wondered if this assignment was more hassle than it was worth. Depending on someone's political stance, they would either enjoy or despise the tale this book told. In my opinion, the government is more of a work than professional wrestling so I usually subscribed to the wise words of the legendary George Carlin to avoid any high blood pressure.
Still, the similarities between the world of sports entertainment and politics are almost undeniable. Both genres attempt to identify with the audience and motivate them to action. Bill Clinton drew people to the polls the same way that Ric Flair drew crowds to the box office. Regan motivated people to vote, while Bill Watts motivated fans to buy tickets. Another major similarity is that figures from both landscapes attempt to convince the audience that they have the power to impact the results of a particular contest. Barack Obama inspired voters that they cleared the way for "hope and change," which is the same premise Dusty Rhodes used two decades earlier when he told fans their support helped him overcome "hard times."
On the flip side, the blunders from government can be equally compared with some of the more infamous moments of pro wrestling. For example, Anthony Scaramucci's run in the White House was shorter than Al Snow's stint as the Avatar persona in the WWF in 1995. Former Press Secretary, Sean Spicer verbally stumbled his way through press conferences almost as effectively as Mike Adamle's run on WWE TV. Plus, the recent announcement of the return of the XFL might be the biggest mistake since Hillary decided to delete those e mails.
However, when Lavie Margolin, author of over two dozen books about various aspects of career building, sent a copy of "TrumpMania," it was a nice surprise to see the direction the book took on the controversial figure. The author cleverly weaves through the political red tape to trace the origins of the Trump/McMahon friendship in this nonpartisan literary compilation.
So, how exactly did the "battle of the billionaires start?
Margolin goes in-depth with impressive research to give readers solid background information about the way the future President became involved in the sports entertainment game nearly three decades ago. From an extremely wealthy and influential family, Donald Trump always looked for ways to expand his real estate empire. In the early 80s, Trump partnered with Harrah's for the construction of the Trump Plaza Casino, which opened in 1984, the same year that Hulkamania began to run wild, launching the "Rock N Wrestling" era. By 1986, he bought Harrah's share of the complex to gain full control of the establishment. But, he needed entertainment to draw gamblers to his tables. As he touts so often today, Trump negotiated a deal. In 1987, he made an umbrella payment of $3.2 million to book the Gerry Cooney/Michael Spinks boxing match for Trump Plaza. Cooney was an underdog ahead of the bout, as his opponent was undefeated at that point. Cooney was dropped to the canvas in the fifth round before the referee stopped the fight, and gamblers dropped an estimated $7.2 million inside the casino that weekend. Clearly, Trump's "gamble" to use sports to draw players to the tables paid off.
The following year, the WWF rode the wave of momentum of Wrestlemania III, an event that saw over 90,000 spectators in attendance, to fuel anticipation for the fourth edition of the trademark event. As the author explained quite well, the usual procedure to book venues was not the case for Wrestlemania IV. Instead of McMahon's rental of a building and the collection of ticket revenue, Trump actually paid Vince a base price to bring his premiere event to Atlantic City, and collected the box office money himself. It was a win-win situation for everyone, as the financial risk was reduced for McMahon, who still made his normal percentage of pay-per-view buys. At the same time, Trump received ticket revenue and the increase in gambling at his casino.
From a booking prospective, the event was usually viewed negatively because the highly anticipated Hogan/Andre rematch ended in a disappointing double disqualification mid-way through a tournament to determine a new WWF champion. The tournament format that featured over a dozen matches didn't lend itself to a live broadcast. But, the most important aspect of the event, the business side of the collaboration, was extremely successful. The 1988 edition drew nearly 20,000 fans and the same event was already booked at Trump Plaza the next year. After two consecutive years of collaboration, the McMahon/Trump tag team certainly proved successful.
However, there were other moments from pro wrestling that are often forgotten from Trump's Atlantic City empire. GLOW, the original women's group from the 80s, was booked for a non-televised event at a smaller Trump venue. The show was free for spectators in an attempt to draw more gamblers into the building, and Trump was featured in a hokey taped skit that aired in front of the live audience. There was also the little known attempt at a WCW pay-per-view, that was scheduled for a Trump-owned building, but was later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Turner event was relocated because Trump had another pay-per-view event planned, a one-on-one game of basketball between NBA legends, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving. While the basketball event on PPV flopped, the more infamous blunder from the same time period was the initial WBF pay-per-view that was held at the Trump Taj Mahal in 1991. The WBF folded the following year, and many of Trump's buildings in Atlantic City closed since his days of hosting high profile sports there.
Aside from a pair of Wrestlemania events in the 80s, Donald Trump's involvement in sports entertainment is often associated with his appearance at Wrestlemania 23, where he did a storyline with Vince McMahon for a hair vs. hair match. Margolin highlighted some of the promotional work the real estate mogul did for the event and did some digging to tell an interesting story about Stone Cold's involvement in the match. The McMahon/Trump showdown did good business, as it was one of the most lucrative Wrestlemania events in the history of the company.
Fast forward to his political campaign in 2016 and the former reality TV star, much as he did during his time on "The Apprentice," borrowed from the sports entertainment playbook to get his agenda across to the public. With a Hogan-level tan, the orange newcomer to the political scene held rallies that resembled pro wrestling promos from the 80s. He chanted, he had catchphrases, and there were occasional punches thrown in the audience. Basically, Trump played the role of the "pro wrestling villain," which isn't necessarily a negative depending on a person's political stance. Keep in mind, there is always a segment of the audience that wants to cheer for the villain in the movies. Similar to how a heel would break the rules in a match, Trump promised to "break the rules of Washington" with a pledge to "drain the swamp." He even insulted his challengers with names such as "Lyin' Ted," "Little Marco," and "Crooked Hillary."
Raven, the brooding grappler from ECW fame, once explained in an interview that "it's better to be loved or hated because nobody cares if you're in between." Trump certainly found that element of human psychology and exploited it to the fullest. Regardless of the opinion of his claims, Trump's election debates provided compelling television. In the past, the mild-mannered Bob Doyle generated about as much emotion at the podium as a Verne Gagne promo. When Trump's rhetoric garnered jeers from the audience, he scolded those in the crowd, similar to a typical wrestling heel. Plus, maybe Nikolai Volkoff did help him win the election?
As the book progresses, it covers Linda McMahon's appointment to Washington as a member of Trump's cabinet in a role as the administrator of the Small Business Administration. Margolin detailed Linda's two previous attempts to win a Senate seat, which costs her an estimated $100 million combined. However, Linda's contribution of $6.5 million to Trump's presidential bid was enough to get her a spot in his administration. Ted Dibiase was right, everyone has a price.
In the year since Trump's victory, the political scene had more swerves than a Russo WCW storyline. Reports of corruption within the DNC seemed to suggest that Hillary might not have been the unstained candidate she claimed to be during her campaign. Several from the Trump team were future endeavored, and Trump appears to be avoiding Robert Muller more than JTG avoids a phone call from Johnny Ace.
Overall, the book is an entertaining look at some of the over-the-top promotions of Trump and the WWE. The only major criticism toward the book is that while its nonpartisan view allows it to be enjoyed by a wider audience, that same approach can lack substance at times. Still, it provides an enjoyable read about a subject that too often results in nonsensical arguments on social media.
Still, the similarities between the world of sports entertainment and politics are almost undeniable. Both genres attempt to identify with the audience and motivate them to action. Bill Clinton drew people to the polls the same way that Ric Flair drew crowds to the box office. Regan motivated people to vote, while Bill Watts motivated fans to buy tickets. Another major similarity is that figures from both landscapes attempt to convince the audience that they have the power to impact the results of a particular contest. Barack Obama inspired voters that they cleared the way for "hope and change," which is the same premise Dusty Rhodes used two decades earlier when he told fans their support helped him overcome "hard times."
On the flip side, the blunders from government can be equally compared with some of the more infamous moments of pro wrestling. For example, Anthony Scaramucci's run in the White House was shorter than Al Snow's stint as the Avatar persona in the WWF in 1995. Former Press Secretary, Sean Spicer verbally stumbled his way through press conferences almost as effectively as Mike Adamle's run on WWE TV. Plus, the recent announcement of the return of the XFL might be the biggest mistake since Hillary decided to delete those e mails.
However, when Lavie Margolin, author of over two dozen books about various aspects of career building, sent a copy of "TrumpMania," it was a nice surprise to see the direction the book took on the controversial figure. The author cleverly weaves through the political red tape to trace the origins of the Trump/McMahon friendship in this nonpartisan literary compilation.
So, how exactly did the "battle of the billionaires start?
Margolin goes in-depth with impressive research to give readers solid background information about the way the future President became involved in the sports entertainment game nearly three decades ago. From an extremely wealthy and influential family, Donald Trump always looked for ways to expand his real estate empire. In the early 80s, Trump partnered with Harrah's for the construction of the Trump Plaza Casino, which opened in 1984, the same year that Hulkamania began to run wild, launching the "Rock N Wrestling" era. By 1986, he bought Harrah's share of the complex to gain full control of the establishment. But, he needed entertainment to draw gamblers to his tables. As he touts so often today, Trump negotiated a deal. In 1987, he made an umbrella payment of $3.2 million to book the Gerry Cooney/Michael Spinks boxing match for Trump Plaza. Cooney was an underdog ahead of the bout, as his opponent was undefeated at that point. Cooney was dropped to the canvas in the fifth round before the referee stopped the fight, and gamblers dropped an estimated $7.2 million inside the casino that weekend. Clearly, Trump's "gamble" to use sports to draw players to the tables paid off.
The following year, the WWF rode the wave of momentum of Wrestlemania III, an event that saw over 90,000 spectators in attendance, to fuel anticipation for the fourth edition of the trademark event. As the author explained quite well, the usual procedure to book venues was not the case for Wrestlemania IV. Instead of McMahon's rental of a building and the collection of ticket revenue, Trump actually paid Vince a base price to bring his premiere event to Atlantic City, and collected the box office money himself. It was a win-win situation for everyone, as the financial risk was reduced for McMahon, who still made his normal percentage of pay-per-view buys. At the same time, Trump received ticket revenue and the increase in gambling at his casino.
From a booking prospective, the event was usually viewed negatively because the highly anticipated Hogan/Andre rematch ended in a disappointing double disqualification mid-way through a tournament to determine a new WWF champion. The tournament format that featured over a dozen matches didn't lend itself to a live broadcast. But, the most important aspect of the event, the business side of the collaboration, was extremely successful. The 1988 edition drew nearly 20,000 fans and the same event was already booked at Trump Plaza the next year. After two consecutive years of collaboration, the McMahon/Trump tag team certainly proved successful.
However, there were other moments from pro wrestling that are often forgotten from Trump's Atlantic City empire. GLOW, the original women's group from the 80s, was booked for a non-televised event at a smaller Trump venue. The show was free for spectators in an attempt to draw more gamblers into the building, and Trump was featured in a hokey taped skit that aired in front of the live audience. There was also the little known attempt at a WCW pay-per-view, that was scheduled for a Trump-owned building, but was later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Turner event was relocated because Trump had another pay-per-view event planned, a one-on-one game of basketball between NBA legends, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving. While the basketball event on PPV flopped, the more infamous blunder from the same time period was the initial WBF pay-per-view that was held at the Trump Taj Mahal in 1991. The WBF folded the following year, and many of Trump's buildings in Atlantic City closed since his days of hosting high profile sports there.
Aside from a pair of Wrestlemania events in the 80s, Donald Trump's involvement in sports entertainment is often associated with his appearance at Wrestlemania 23, where he did a storyline with Vince McMahon for a hair vs. hair match. Margolin highlighted some of the promotional work the real estate mogul did for the event and did some digging to tell an interesting story about Stone Cold's involvement in the match. The McMahon/Trump showdown did good business, as it was one of the most lucrative Wrestlemania events in the history of the company.
Fast forward to his political campaign in 2016 and the former reality TV star, much as he did during his time on "The Apprentice," borrowed from the sports entertainment playbook to get his agenda across to the public. With a Hogan-level tan, the orange newcomer to the political scene held rallies that resembled pro wrestling promos from the 80s. He chanted, he had catchphrases, and there were occasional punches thrown in the audience. Basically, Trump played the role of the "pro wrestling villain," which isn't necessarily a negative depending on a person's political stance. Keep in mind, there is always a segment of the audience that wants to cheer for the villain in the movies. Similar to how a heel would break the rules in a match, Trump promised to "break the rules of Washington" with a pledge to "drain the swamp." He even insulted his challengers with names such as "Lyin' Ted," "Little Marco," and "Crooked Hillary."
Raven, the brooding grappler from ECW fame, once explained in an interview that "it's better to be loved or hated because nobody cares if you're in between." Trump certainly found that element of human psychology and exploited it to the fullest. Regardless of the opinion of his claims, Trump's election debates provided compelling television. In the past, the mild-mannered Bob Doyle generated about as much emotion at the podium as a Verne Gagne promo. When Trump's rhetoric garnered jeers from the audience, he scolded those in the crowd, similar to a typical wrestling heel. Plus, maybe Nikolai Volkoff did help him win the election?
As the book progresses, it covers Linda McMahon's appointment to Washington as a member of Trump's cabinet in a role as the administrator of the Small Business Administration. Margolin detailed Linda's two previous attempts to win a Senate seat, which costs her an estimated $100 million combined. However, Linda's contribution of $6.5 million to Trump's presidential bid was enough to get her a spot in his administration. Ted Dibiase was right, everyone has a price.
In the year since Trump's victory, the political scene had more swerves than a Russo WCW storyline. Reports of corruption within the DNC seemed to suggest that Hillary might not have been the unstained candidate she claimed to be during her campaign. Several from the Trump team were future endeavored, and Trump appears to be avoiding Robert Muller more than JTG avoids a phone call from Johnny Ace.
Overall, the book is an entertaining look at some of the over-the-top promotions of Trump and the WWE. The only major criticism toward the book is that while its nonpartisan view allows it to be enjoyed by a wider audience, that same approach can lack substance at times. Still, it provides an enjoyable read about a subject that too often results in nonsensical arguments on social media.
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