Earlier this month during the jam-packed Wrestlemania weekend, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling co-promoted an event at the legendary Madison Square Garden, a building associated with the fabric of the foundation of the WWE. After the announcement of the joint venture last year, WWE's legal team attempted to block the Ring Of Honor booking, but Sinclair's legal team cleared the way for the show to happen, and tickets sold out in minutes. Much happened to ROH, New Japan, and the wrestling world as a whole since that MSG announcement. The biggest story being the formation of All Elite Wrestling and the ripple effect it had on everyone involved in those promotions. The Elite trio used ROH as their biggest platform in the United States while New Japan provided them international exposure that created a lot of buzz around the brand that ultimately led to the AEW project today. At the same time, the scenario was mutually beneficial for everyone, as the popularity of the Bullet Club members helped draw some of ROH's biggest crowds in its history and the North American stars helped in the New Japan expansion in recent years. That goes along with the situation that Cody, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, etc. are tremendous in-ring athletes as well that deliver quality bouts.
As I've written previously, it's a little concerning that the vast amount of talent among the current landscape might be spread too thin for any one company to make a major impact, which is why I hope that some type of working agreement can be reached to allow for occasional special appearances from certain talent for the biggest matches possible. However, as of right now, AEW has its announced partnerships, and the ROH/NJPW deal is solid. That being said, it creates a situation where both ROH and New Japan have to add depth to the roster and elevate some key talents on the card, which was a primary narrative at the MSG event. For All Elite, they will have to make new stars from some of the stellar independent talent that they inked to deals in the past few months and look to promote a successful product without the ROH and New Japan talent that played an important role in the success of the All In pay-per-view last year.
With a dozen matches on the card, it would be difficult to discuss each match in-depth from the G1 Super Card so I want to generally discuss some of the more important aspects of the show that might be an indication of the direction of both groups in the future.
Jeff Cobb defeated Will Ospreay to retain his ROH TV title and claim the New Japan Open Weight belt, making him a double champion within each company. This was a tremendous opening contest that set the tone for the event and these two athletes are great assets for the rosters. Cobb is a more recent addition to ROH, but he had the skills to be there for at least a few years so it's good to see him get this platform to showcase his ability. Ospreay is one of the best aerial wrestlers of the modern era and that covers a lot of ground, considering how many in the sport use high flying offense as compared to previous years. Another key aspect for the British grappler is the noticeable improvements to his style, still risky, but a much more measured approach to his offense, which will add years to his career. Both Cobb and Ospreay are exactly the type of competitors that can be used to add more depth to the roster as they are pushed further up the card.
The Women of Honor title match was more or less an average match and didn't exactly stand out as a pay-per-view quality contest. The post-match attack from The Beautiful People went too long and stalled much of the momentum that the opening bout generated. The impromptu six-man street fight that followed was a little overbooked, but maybe that was just the nature of the match. Still, that match with all it's pieces added right after the tedious Beautiful People segment didn't help the pace of the show. Regardless, the Bully Ray angle works well because it adds variety to the product, something that the group didn't have until the past few years. It was explained well on a recent edition of the Talk is Jericho podcast when Bully talked about how his feud with Flip Gordon allowed for Flip to get over as a persona instead of just the moves that are done from a lot of wrestlers on the roster.
The IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title bout was a short, but great match that provided a lot of great action. More specifically, the lucha addition to Ring Of Honor gives the organization something unique to promote for events. If a full-fledged lucha libre company could get off the ground in the United States remains to be seen, but there's undoubtedly a value to the "special appearance" aspect of lucha talent booked for American shows. It's somewhat odd how Sinclair reacted to the shift and bid for talent in 2019, considering that the first few years that they owned ROH, it was strictly a way to provide programming to its syndicated network. Earlier this year, they put down the cash to sign Bandido and Rush to contracts that make them exclusive to ROH in the United States and still allows them to work Mexico. In some ways, this is more or less an extension of the previous working agreement with CMLL, as the former Mistico and other CMLL stars worked the ROH tour two weeks ago. At the same time, All Elite recognizes the draw of lucha competitors and has a working agreement with AAA in Mexico. Bandido is a tremendous aerial athlete and has a character that can get over with the audience. Rush is a polished performer that brings the potential to be a major piece of the puzzle for the Sinclair-owned league. Bandido and Rush could be big stars in the United States under the ROH banner. Still, it remains to be seen if Sinclair Broadcasting will want to spend the money to maintain its roster if there's a bidding war for talent in a few years.
The tag title match was brief, but had its moments. The bigger story was the post-match "invasion" by Enzo and Cass, a confrontation that wasn't shown on the broadcast, but made news on social media. The attempt to "avoid" the run-in on camera made for a choppy presentation of the show as the announcers were left to stall for time. Footage of the "fight" that surfaced online looked staged and it was obvious that this was a work to attempt to garner attention during the Wrestlemania weekend. But, I have to ask, was this really needed? What purpose did it accomplish? Ring Of Honor sold out Madison Square Garden at an event that featured The Great Muta as a surprise in the battle royal. Why exactly did they need a worked shoot run-in from Enzo?
The Zack Sabre Jr./Tanahashi and Ibushi/Naito matches were tremendous. It was authentic New Japan quality and it spoke well for the company on a big stage. More than anything, it gave a North American audience a sample of the quality of the major matches that the NJPW product brings to the table.
The ladder match for the ROH title was probably the best ROH match on the card, but it was a little too long with just under 30 minutes on the show. With as popular as Marty Scurll is, I'd say that he should've won the title, even for a short run despite his contract expiring later this year. Since Marty had a different contract than the rest of the Bullet Club, he still had nearly a year on his deal prior to the AEW talent exit so he's somewhat in limbo. That being said, it still makes sense that Sinclair doesn't want to invest too much stock into a talent that will almost certainly sign with All Elite when his contract expires. I'm not sure Matt Taven is at an ROH World Champion level, which isn't a jab against him, but rather that the role has a lot that goes with it. It will be very interesting to see how his run as champion goes because it's definitely an opportunity for him to make himself a bigger star.
The IWGP Heavyweight title match was solid, but the logic of how the belt was booked is a little puzzling. Since Kenny Omega finished up with New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom, the switch had to be made to Tanahashi. At the same event, Jay White pinned Okada in under 15 minutes. In February, White shocked the wrestling world and defeated Tanahashi to claim the title at just 26 years old. Less than two months later, White dropped the title to Okada at MSG, which doesn't help add depth to the roster of a promotion that saw Kenny Omega leave a few months ago. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand the logic of Okada winning the title in Madison Square Garden because he's the top athlete in the roster and earned that spot through the incredible matches he had in the past few years. At the same time, I don't think it helps establish Jay White as a main event level talent when he dropped the belt without successfully defending it. Despite several Okada/Tanahashi matches already, it's considered a legendary series of matches so I think it would've been a suitable main event to bring the match to America in Madison Square Garden. After that, perhaps it would've been better for Jay White to win the title at Dominion in June as a better way to push him to the main event. Okada is a top level star, but the problem is that he's already defeated every major challenger on the roster so it might be difficult for New Japan to book his current reign as champion if his opponents aren't considered a threat to the championship.
Overall, the G1 Super Card was a quality event, but New Japan proved to have a better night than Ring Of Honor in almost every category. As mentioned previously, the sports entertainment landscape has a lot of groups trying to get their piece of the pie and it might be a matter of time until certain organizations get pushed out. For example, regardless of the quality of the product, I don't see how Impact Wrestling maintains any status within the industry because of its lack of distribution. With All Elite and ROH basically marketing toward the same demographic, it will be very interesting to see if ROH maintains its spot or if AEW will have enough star power to get off the ground on a national level in the next few years.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
Will AEW be an alternative?
With new opportunities on the horizon, including All Elite Wrestling's rumored TV announcement within the next few weeks, there's the potential for a shift in the direction of the industry. After Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling was bought by Vince McMahon in early 2001, it altered the course of the business, giving the WWE empire much more leverage for talent negotiations. While many released WWE stars appeared for TNA in the mid-2000s, that was basically only considered a secondary choice if the biggest company wasn't a option at the time. In fact, Abyss and Christian were among the very few names in that era that willingly chose to work for TNA instead of WWE.
Since the wild popularity of the trio of the Young Bucks and Cody, and the announcement of the AEW, there's much speculation about what this does to the wrestling landscape. As the billionaire Khan family funds the project to make it possible for the organization to become a national promotion, for the first time since the previously mentioned shut down of WCW, there's an opportunity for the talent to make comparative money to the WWE in the United States without the restrictions of the publicly-traded company. A lighter, more flexible schedule is only second to the legitimate money offered for a competitor under an All Elite contract. Those possibilities have fueled a narrative that most of WWE's underutilized talent look to jump ship to AEW, which isn't necessarily true, but there are undoubtedly situations where frustrated performers could seek an AEW deal when they get the chance.
The Revival made waves a few months ago when they requested their release from the company after nearly a year and a half of more or less being lost in the shuffle on the Raw brand. Granted, injuries affected some of that progress, but still, for a team that shined in NXT, the duo wasn't presented as relevant on the main roster. Considering the ability of Dash and Dawson, management didn't grant the release, but the pair were given a run with the tag titles and featured more regularly on television.
Sasha Banks, the former four-time Raw Women's champion, appeared to be on hiatus from the company after she was discontent with the direction of her character. In truth, Banks might have a point because despite the previously mentioned four title runs, her time on the main roster did more to hinder than help her star power. After she had such a memorable feud with Bayley for the NXT Women's title in 2015, it looked as though both athletes were set to be major stars upon their arrival to main stream television. Sasha Banks unquestionably has the charisma and the skills to be a major star. Unfortunately, the sum total of their respective runs on Raw leaves them with less momentum than they had prior to their TV debuts. Even as Raw Women's champion, Sasha wasn't ever given an extended run to further establish herself, but rather had short reigns that in retrospect were probably designed to boost the number of title runs for Charlotte flair, a stat that is often used to push her storylines today. The nonsensical feud with Bayley last year that had a series of heel turns while the two remained a tag team made them look silly and did nothing to make them bigger stars. After those shenanigans, they were finally an actual team and won the first women's tag titles in February at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but similar to Sasha's previous run as champion, they dropped the belt to the Iconics just over a month later at Wrestlemania. So, the historic win at the Elimination Chamber wasn't done with a plan to reemphasize the skills of Sasha and Bayley, but rather as just a pop that night.
There were rumors online that Banks has an attitude problem that could've contributed to her decision to temporarily step away from WWE, but to be fair, that is merely hearsay that nobody with direct knowledge has confirmed so that should be taken with a grain of salt. Signing a contract in 2012, the 27-year-old might not even be in the prime of her career yet, which is exactly why WWE brass probably won't grant her a release. Reportedly, she signed a multi-year extension last year so while the situation appears unresolved for now, it's doubtful that Sasha will surface at another promotion at least until her contract expires.
Luke Harper announced on Twitter that he requested a release from WWE and it looks as though he will depart from the company. After a successful run on the independent scene, Harper signed a developmental deal in 2012 and eventually found what looked to be the perfect role for him in a stable with Bray Wyatt in NXT. When the Wyatt faction debuted on WWE TV the following year, it was a group that had a dynamic presence on-screen. It was disappoint that Bray Wyatt's ability to make his opponents look good in the ring often led to him being presented in a secondary role. Since Harper and Rowan were linked to Wyatt, they were often seen as merely background characters to a performer that was used to push others. After an anti-climatic conclusion to the stable in 2014, Harper had a short run with the IC title, but his persona lacked direction without any specific feuds on TV. An eventual Wyatt reunion provided some direction for a while, but an injury in 2016 put him on the shelf for several months.
When he was reunited with Rowan for the Bludgeon Brothers gimmick last year, it gave him TV time, but the presentation with the giant hammers looked too comical for them to be perceived as a dangerous team. Another injury in late-2018 put him on the sidelines again until he returned to action just last month. Since that time, he worked a match at Axxess and the Andre The Giant Memorial battle royal at Wrestlemania. Despite a lack of mic skills, management didn't really know how to use Harper properly during his WWE career. He deserved better and was rarely used to his full potential. At 39, Harper is at the latter stages of his career and if WWE brass doesn't have any specific plans for him, there's not really a reason to keep him on the roster. Assuming that he's granted the release, Harper could theoretically be an asset for AEW, but he might have a bigger run in New Japan, especially considering his style and that the group could use more depth after a series of exits prior to the All Elite announcement earlier this year.
While only time will tell if certain competitors get a release from WWE and where they might sign after that, it speaks volumes about the status of the global promotion when it seems like there's a trend of those under contract that request a release. Make no mistake, WWE will continue to be the biggest sports entertainment company in the world, but the scenario of underutilized talent under the WWE banner emphasized how the potential success of All Elite Wrestling could help the entire industry.
Since the wild popularity of the trio of the Young Bucks and Cody, and the announcement of the AEW, there's much speculation about what this does to the wrestling landscape. As the billionaire Khan family funds the project to make it possible for the organization to become a national promotion, for the first time since the previously mentioned shut down of WCW, there's an opportunity for the talent to make comparative money to the WWE in the United States without the restrictions of the publicly-traded company. A lighter, more flexible schedule is only second to the legitimate money offered for a competitor under an All Elite contract. Those possibilities have fueled a narrative that most of WWE's underutilized talent look to jump ship to AEW, which isn't necessarily true, but there are undoubtedly situations where frustrated performers could seek an AEW deal when they get the chance.
The Revival made waves a few months ago when they requested their release from the company after nearly a year and a half of more or less being lost in the shuffle on the Raw brand. Granted, injuries affected some of that progress, but still, for a team that shined in NXT, the duo wasn't presented as relevant on the main roster. Considering the ability of Dash and Dawson, management didn't grant the release, but the pair were given a run with the tag titles and featured more regularly on television.
Sasha Banks, the former four-time Raw Women's champion, appeared to be on hiatus from the company after she was discontent with the direction of her character. In truth, Banks might have a point because despite the previously mentioned four title runs, her time on the main roster did more to hinder than help her star power. After she had such a memorable feud with Bayley for the NXT Women's title in 2015, it looked as though both athletes were set to be major stars upon their arrival to main stream television. Sasha Banks unquestionably has the charisma and the skills to be a major star. Unfortunately, the sum total of their respective runs on Raw leaves them with less momentum than they had prior to their TV debuts. Even as Raw Women's champion, Sasha wasn't ever given an extended run to further establish herself, but rather had short reigns that in retrospect were probably designed to boost the number of title runs for Charlotte flair, a stat that is often used to push her storylines today. The nonsensical feud with Bayley last year that had a series of heel turns while the two remained a tag team made them look silly and did nothing to make them bigger stars. After those shenanigans, they were finally an actual team and won the first women's tag titles in February at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but similar to Sasha's previous run as champion, they dropped the belt to the Iconics just over a month later at Wrestlemania. So, the historic win at the Elimination Chamber wasn't done with a plan to reemphasize the skills of Sasha and Bayley, but rather as just a pop that night.
There were rumors online that Banks has an attitude problem that could've contributed to her decision to temporarily step away from WWE, but to be fair, that is merely hearsay that nobody with direct knowledge has confirmed so that should be taken with a grain of salt. Signing a contract in 2012, the 27-year-old might not even be in the prime of her career yet, which is exactly why WWE brass probably won't grant her a release. Reportedly, she signed a multi-year extension last year so while the situation appears unresolved for now, it's doubtful that Sasha will surface at another promotion at least until her contract expires.
Luke Harper announced on Twitter that he requested a release from WWE and it looks as though he will depart from the company. After a successful run on the independent scene, Harper signed a developmental deal in 2012 and eventually found what looked to be the perfect role for him in a stable with Bray Wyatt in NXT. When the Wyatt faction debuted on WWE TV the following year, it was a group that had a dynamic presence on-screen. It was disappoint that Bray Wyatt's ability to make his opponents look good in the ring often led to him being presented in a secondary role. Since Harper and Rowan were linked to Wyatt, they were often seen as merely background characters to a performer that was used to push others. After an anti-climatic conclusion to the stable in 2014, Harper had a short run with the IC title, but his persona lacked direction without any specific feuds on TV. An eventual Wyatt reunion provided some direction for a while, but an injury in 2016 put him on the shelf for several months.
When he was reunited with Rowan for the Bludgeon Brothers gimmick last year, it gave him TV time, but the presentation with the giant hammers looked too comical for them to be perceived as a dangerous team. Another injury in late-2018 put him on the sidelines again until he returned to action just last month. Since that time, he worked a match at Axxess and the Andre The Giant Memorial battle royal at Wrestlemania. Despite a lack of mic skills, management didn't really know how to use Harper properly during his WWE career. He deserved better and was rarely used to his full potential. At 39, Harper is at the latter stages of his career and if WWE brass doesn't have any specific plans for him, there's not really a reason to keep him on the roster. Assuming that he's granted the release, Harper could theoretically be an asset for AEW, but he might have a bigger run in New Japan, especially considering his style and that the group could use more depth after a series of exits prior to the All Elite announcement earlier this year.
While only time will tell if certain competitors get a release from WWE and where they might sign after that, it speaks volumes about the status of the global promotion when it seems like there's a trend of those under contract that request a release. Make no mistake, WWE will continue to be the biggest sports entertainment company in the world, but the scenario of underutilized talent under the WWE banner emphasized how the potential success of All Elite Wrestling could help the entire industry.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Crawford vs. Khan
This weekend will see the pay-per-view return of boxing, as Bob Arum's Top Rank and ESPN PPV are set to broadcast a welterweight clash between Terence Crawford and Amir Khan at Madison Square Garden. With the retirements of names like Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward in recent years, the undefeated Crawford looks to cement his name among the best pound-for-pound in the sport. At the same time, Amir Khan, who at one time looked to become one of the more recognizable names in the genre, has to consider this a must-win scenario if he wants to maintain his status.
However, despite the hefty stakes and the potential spike in drawing power on the line for the athletes in this bout, a much bigger question might be answered this Saturday from the world's most famous arena, is the sport of boxing still a major draw on pay-per-view?
When HBO discontinued the sport on its network after 45 years at the end of 2018, it was disappointing, considering the historic moments that took place on that platform and that much of the foundation of boxing is linked to HBO. However, it was a simple matter of economics, and when a combination of the previously mentioned ESPN/Top Rank partnership and DAZN deals with some of HBO's top fighters, the network was squeezed out of the boxing business. DAZN, the streaming service that has made many waves recently with its acquisitions of major prize fighters to add to its collection of sports content, might be a a factor in the future of traditional pay-per-view.
When Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez inked a mega five-year, $365 million deal with DAZN last year, it proved that the streaming platform wants to be a major distributor in the boxing business. So far, under that DAZN banner Canelo won via TKO against Rocky Fielding late last year, and is signed to fight the tough Daniel Jacobs on Cinco De Mayo weekend. Other key additions made to DAZN were the dangerous Gennady Golovkin and arguably Europe's most popular fighter, Anthony Joshua. Both fighters are scheduled to return to the ring in June for their respective bouts and will make millions for it based on their new contracts. With a price tag of just $9.99 upon its US debut last year, it's questionable if DAZN's business model is sustainable, considering that it was announced last month that the subscription price would double to $19.99 per month in the future. In my opinion, it's doubtful that the service can garner enough subscriptions to cover the cost of these major contracts, especially considering that boxing skews toward an older audience, a demographic that doesn't lend itself to new technological trends.
But, if DAZN gets off the ground as far as a long-term distributor of boxing content, that might force others to alter their own distribution plans. For example, knockout artist, Vasyl Lomachenko fought last weekend on ESPN+, knocking out his opponent in devastating fashion in the fourth round. That ESPN subscription cost just $5 a month so will ESPN be able to transition Lomachenko to a PPV exclusive platform at a higher price when he becomes more well known?
The point is, if DAZN can offer fans access to some of the biggest stars in boxing for a fraction of the price of traditional pay-per-view, why exactly would fans pay $70 for this weekend's Crawford/Khan card?
As mentioned, Crawford brings an undefeated record to the table and that provides a level of intrigue, more specifically for the potential bouts on the horizon if he's successful at MSG. Amir Khan had a lot of momentum behind him before a pair of losses to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia stalled his progress. After he gained some momentum again with a few wins, he was knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in a middleweight bout in 2016. He didn't resurface again until two years later and has a two-fight win streak ahead of this clash with Crawford. The bottom line is, much of the shine of Khan's star power has worn off in recent years because he just hasn't reached the top level yet and his lack of fights didn't really keep him in the conversation of the sport's top stars.
In truth, despite the promotional push from ESPN, this Crawford/Khan contest is more for purists and should be a solid bout, but there's nothing about this fight that said it should be worth $70. That speaks to the bigger question, what fighters could be paired for a bout that would sell under the traditional PPV banner? Obviously, Triple G signed with DAZN for not only the millions of dollars to ink the deal, but also the millions more for the eventual trilogy fight against Alvarez. The rumored Deontay Wilder-Anthony Joshua fight already had enough hurdles to possibly get signed, but after Wilder rejected the DAZN contract, where would the fight be broadcast if it was signed?
The ESPN deal along with the Premiere Boxing Champions series will give the sport more main stream exposure than it had in years, but the biggest money is usually reserved for pay-per-view bouts. Stars can be discovered fighting on network TV and then when the right match-up presents itself, that's when the sell can be made for pay-per-view. Showtime also has its boxing cards, often in association with Al Haymon, who promoted the PBC deal, for the diehard boxing fans that want to watch quality bouts, including the previously mentioned Wilder's fight next month.
So, this Saturday will see Terence Crawford set into the ring as a major favorite against Amir Khan, but how many fans will pay the steep price tag to watch what most expect to be a glorified exhibition bout? If this fight garners dismissal numbers, is it time for boxing to reconsider its pay-per-view distribution model? That being said, if DAZN eventually folds until the financial pressure of its major contracts then the argument is moot. It remains to be see if that streaming platform gets off the ground, but it's certainly a very interesting situation for the sport.
However, despite the hefty stakes and the potential spike in drawing power on the line for the athletes in this bout, a much bigger question might be answered this Saturday from the world's most famous arena, is the sport of boxing still a major draw on pay-per-view?
When HBO discontinued the sport on its network after 45 years at the end of 2018, it was disappointing, considering the historic moments that took place on that platform and that much of the foundation of boxing is linked to HBO. However, it was a simple matter of economics, and when a combination of the previously mentioned ESPN/Top Rank partnership and DAZN deals with some of HBO's top fighters, the network was squeezed out of the boxing business. DAZN, the streaming service that has made many waves recently with its acquisitions of major prize fighters to add to its collection of sports content, might be a a factor in the future of traditional pay-per-view.
When Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez inked a mega five-year, $365 million deal with DAZN last year, it proved that the streaming platform wants to be a major distributor in the boxing business. So far, under that DAZN banner Canelo won via TKO against Rocky Fielding late last year, and is signed to fight the tough Daniel Jacobs on Cinco De Mayo weekend. Other key additions made to DAZN were the dangerous Gennady Golovkin and arguably Europe's most popular fighter, Anthony Joshua. Both fighters are scheduled to return to the ring in June for their respective bouts and will make millions for it based on their new contracts. With a price tag of just $9.99 upon its US debut last year, it's questionable if DAZN's business model is sustainable, considering that it was announced last month that the subscription price would double to $19.99 per month in the future. In my opinion, it's doubtful that the service can garner enough subscriptions to cover the cost of these major contracts, especially considering that boxing skews toward an older audience, a demographic that doesn't lend itself to new technological trends.
But, if DAZN gets off the ground as far as a long-term distributor of boxing content, that might force others to alter their own distribution plans. For example, knockout artist, Vasyl Lomachenko fought last weekend on ESPN+, knocking out his opponent in devastating fashion in the fourth round. That ESPN subscription cost just $5 a month so will ESPN be able to transition Lomachenko to a PPV exclusive platform at a higher price when he becomes more well known?
The point is, if DAZN can offer fans access to some of the biggest stars in boxing for a fraction of the price of traditional pay-per-view, why exactly would fans pay $70 for this weekend's Crawford/Khan card?
As mentioned, Crawford brings an undefeated record to the table and that provides a level of intrigue, more specifically for the potential bouts on the horizon if he's successful at MSG. Amir Khan had a lot of momentum behind him before a pair of losses to Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia stalled his progress. After he gained some momentum again with a few wins, he was knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in a middleweight bout in 2016. He didn't resurface again until two years later and has a two-fight win streak ahead of this clash with Crawford. The bottom line is, much of the shine of Khan's star power has worn off in recent years because he just hasn't reached the top level yet and his lack of fights didn't really keep him in the conversation of the sport's top stars.
In truth, despite the promotional push from ESPN, this Crawford/Khan contest is more for purists and should be a solid bout, but there's nothing about this fight that said it should be worth $70. That speaks to the bigger question, what fighters could be paired for a bout that would sell under the traditional PPV banner? Obviously, Triple G signed with DAZN for not only the millions of dollars to ink the deal, but also the millions more for the eventual trilogy fight against Alvarez. The rumored Deontay Wilder-Anthony Joshua fight already had enough hurdles to possibly get signed, but after Wilder rejected the DAZN contract, where would the fight be broadcast if it was signed?
The ESPN deal along with the Premiere Boxing Champions series will give the sport more main stream exposure than it had in years, but the biggest money is usually reserved for pay-per-view bouts. Stars can be discovered fighting on network TV and then when the right match-up presents itself, that's when the sell can be made for pay-per-view. Showtime also has its boxing cards, often in association with Al Haymon, who promoted the PBC deal, for the diehard boxing fans that want to watch quality bouts, including the previously mentioned Wilder's fight next month.
So, this Saturday will see Terence Crawford set into the ring as a major favorite against Amir Khan, but how many fans will pay the steep price tag to watch what most expect to be a glorified exhibition bout? If this fight garners dismissal numbers, is it time for boxing to reconsider its pay-per-view distribution model? That being said, if DAZN eventually folds until the financial pressure of its major contracts then the argument is moot. It remains to be see if that streaming platform gets off the ground, but it's certainly a very interesting situation for the sport.
Friday, April 12, 2019
AEW TV deal
Just days after the WWE's biggest event on the wrestling calendar, rumors began to swirl about the potential television deal for All Elite Wrestling, the group founded by the Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes, and funded by the billionaire Khan family. All Elite sold out its first pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, a spin off of last year's All-in event, a few months ago in mere minutes. Next month, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will host the kickoff PPV as the new promotion officially launches. Considering the money behind it and the talent already inked for the project, this is probably the biggest chance at a true alternative in the professional wrestling industry since WCW shut down.
Warner Media, which was included in a merger purchase by AT&T last year, has a complex history through its acquisitions, sales, and mergers. However, the point being that networks such as, TBS, TNT, and HBO are under that umbrella. As reported by the Fight Oracle on Twitter, Warner Media is scheduled to promote All Elite Wrestling at its "upfronts"next month for potential advertisers. A television-based term, "upfronts" is essentially a conference that allows networks to sell commercial time to different advertisers and sponsors. For Warner, it gives them a chance to secure revenue and guarantee that revenue prior to a show's debut. For advertisers, it gives them the best possible price to get that slot for the commercial time because obviously, higher rated shows demand a higher price for advertisements. So, in theory, it's a win-win situation for everyone involved. That being said, this showcase and more specifically, the initial response to it could give an indication if AEW could be a main stream success.
One of the main reasons that WWE is the publicly-traded global company that it is today is based on its ability to generate multiple revenue streams. As reported a lot, the promotion will have record-setting revenue and profits next year because of the new TV contract that starts in October of this year. Networks wanted live sports to attempt to offset DVR viewing and were willing to invest major cash because despite any complains about the shows, WWE delivers a consistently solid ratings in terms of the television business. The WWE network subscriptions, merchandise, live event tickets, international TV deals, and ad revenue are among the other revenue streams for the company. Main stream sponsorships from Snickers, and licensing deals from Mattel not only generate money, but also add to the intrinsic value of the organization, which helps the stock price.
The point being, AEW or any other entity that attempts to be a major force in the sports entertainment industry simply can't rely on just ticket sales and pay-per-view buys to be successful. All Elite's ability to secure decent money to produce their television show and to garner advertisers are some of the keys to success for the organization. You can produce the best wrestling show on TV, but if networks aren't willing to pay for it, and it's not easily accessible to fans, what difference does it make?
Don't get me wrong, All Elite has the talent and the funding, but distribution might be the biggest piece of the puzzle for them. Remember when ECW went out of business? Ultimately, what tanked ECW? The fact that they spent themselves into debt to produce a TV show that didn't do anything to generate money beyond the platform to further promote live event tickets or pay-per-view buys. When TNN cancelled ECW, how exactly was the company supposed to advertise there was going to be an event in a specific city? Even with television, the promotion of live events or pay-per-view isn't an automatic success, which was proven by TNA's dismal numbers during their run on Spike TV.
Ironically, since TBS and TNT are a part of the same cable package, both channels yield nearly 80% television clearance, which is comparable to the now-Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV. Assuming that the speculation is true and AEW would land under the Warner Media banner, that would give their show main stream exposure and the easy accessibility for the promotion to get off the ground. Furthermore, if the "upfronts" of Warner show that advertisers want to invest commercial time into the product, that's a solid indication of stability for the project on a long term basis. Keep in mind, as great as the All-In and MGM sellouts were, it's very different to book a company successfully on a continuous base than booking individual shows based on dream matches.
Some have already jumped to the conclusion that All Elite Wrestling is already competition for the WWE, but those fans are very misguided. The WWE empire has decades of history and establishment behind it. As I've mentioned several times before, success for AEW shouldn't be measured by competition against Vince McMahon, but rather its ability to generate revenue and become profitable. From a business prospective, profitability is the only measure of success that matters. With HBO under the Warner umbrella, some speculation surfaced that perhaps a few AEW specials might land on the channel, and while it would be unique, I doubt it will happen. HBO, which had 45 years of boxing coverage in its history, was more or less pushed out of the boxing business by DAZN's mega offers to Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, and Anthony Joshua, as well as the Top Rank/ESPN deal that brought boxing bouts to that network on a regular basis. HBO could use a spark in terms of its sports-based programming, but if AEW is going to run on any type of premium platform, it makes sense to broadcast on pay-per-view to maximize the potential revenue from the event.
When and where AEW lands on TV remains to be seen, but this story and the potential impact it could have on the structure of the industry is one of the most intriguing scenarios of the past decade and a half. There's a promotion with a stacked roster and a TV deal to at least put them in the same conversation as the WWE, which was something that didn't seem possible just a few years ago. While it's under different ownership, it's still somewhat ironic that the same channels that broadcast WCW, Vince McMahon's last legitimate competition, might be the same network to showcase the next alternative in the industry.
Warner Media, which was included in a merger purchase by AT&T last year, has a complex history through its acquisitions, sales, and mergers. However, the point being that networks such as, TBS, TNT, and HBO are under that umbrella. As reported by the Fight Oracle on Twitter, Warner Media is scheduled to promote All Elite Wrestling at its "upfronts"next month for potential advertisers. A television-based term, "upfronts" is essentially a conference that allows networks to sell commercial time to different advertisers and sponsors. For Warner, it gives them a chance to secure revenue and guarantee that revenue prior to a show's debut. For advertisers, it gives them the best possible price to get that slot for the commercial time because obviously, higher rated shows demand a higher price for advertisements. So, in theory, it's a win-win situation for everyone involved. That being said, this showcase and more specifically, the initial response to it could give an indication if AEW could be a main stream success.
One of the main reasons that WWE is the publicly-traded global company that it is today is based on its ability to generate multiple revenue streams. As reported a lot, the promotion will have record-setting revenue and profits next year because of the new TV contract that starts in October of this year. Networks wanted live sports to attempt to offset DVR viewing and were willing to invest major cash because despite any complains about the shows, WWE delivers a consistently solid ratings in terms of the television business. The WWE network subscriptions, merchandise, live event tickets, international TV deals, and ad revenue are among the other revenue streams for the company. Main stream sponsorships from Snickers, and licensing deals from Mattel not only generate money, but also add to the intrinsic value of the organization, which helps the stock price.
The point being, AEW or any other entity that attempts to be a major force in the sports entertainment industry simply can't rely on just ticket sales and pay-per-view buys to be successful. All Elite's ability to secure decent money to produce their television show and to garner advertisers are some of the keys to success for the organization. You can produce the best wrestling show on TV, but if networks aren't willing to pay for it, and it's not easily accessible to fans, what difference does it make?
Don't get me wrong, All Elite has the talent and the funding, but distribution might be the biggest piece of the puzzle for them. Remember when ECW went out of business? Ultimately, what tanked ECW? The fact that they spent themselves into debt to produce a TV show that didn't do anything to generate money beyond the platform to further promote live event tickets or pay-per-view buys. When TNN cancelled ECW, how exactly was the company supposed to advertise there was going to be an event in a specific city? Even with television, the promotion of live events or pay-per-view isn't an automatic success, which was proven by TNA's dismal numbers during their run on Spike TV.
Ironically, since TBS and TNT are a part of the same cable package, both channels yield nearly 80% television clearance, which is comparable to the now-Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV. Assuming that the speculation is true and AEW would land under the Warner Media banner, that would give their show main stream exposure and the easy accessibility for the promotion to get off the ground. Furthermore, if the "upfronts" of Warner show that advertisers want to invest commercial time into the product, that's a solid indication of stability for the project on a long term basis. Keep in mind, as great as the All-In and MGM sellouts were, it's very different to book a company successfully on a continuous base than booking individual shows based on dream matches.
Some have already jumped to the conclusion that All Elite Wrestling is already competition for the WWE, but those fans are very misguided. The WWE empire has decades of history and establishment behind it. As I've mentioned several times before, success for AEW shouldn't be measured by competition against Vince McMahon, but rather its ability to generate revenue and become profitable. From a business prospective, profitability is the only measure of success that matters. With HBO under the Warner umbrella, some speculation surfaced that perhaps a few AEW specials might land on the channel, and while it would be unique, I doubt it will happen. HBO, which had 45 years of boxing coverage in its history, was more or less pushed out of the boxing business by DAZN's mega offers to Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, and Anthony Joshua, as well as the Top Rank/ESPN deal that brought boxing bouts to that network on a regular basis. HBO could use a spark in terms of its sports-based programming, but if AEW is going to run on any type of premium platform, it makes sense to broadcast on pay-per-view to maximize the potential revenue from the event.
When and where AEW lands on TV remains to be seen, but this story and the potential impact it could have on the structure of the industry is one of the most intriguing scenarios of the past decade and a half. There's a promotion with a stacked roster and a TV deal to at least put them in the same conversation as the WWE, which was something that didn't seem possible just a few years ago. While it's under different ownership, it's still somewhat ironic that the same channels that broadcast WCW, Vince McMahon's last legitimate competition, might be the same network to showcase the next alternative in the industry.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Wrestlemania 35 review
The marathon that was Wrestlemania 35 is in the books, and as with most things in sports entertainment, there are varying opinions on what was or wasn't a success at the event that saw 80,000 fans in attendance at the venue. Since it would be rather difficult to cover each of the 12 matches on the main card in-depth, I will attempt to generally summarize the action and how the results could impact the product.
The jump start of Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins to open the show was smart because it allowed for the match to be spotlighted while the crowd was fresh. The match itself was solid, and while it wasn't anything spectacular with just 10 minutes on the card, it was good enough to give Seth Rollins a boost going forward. If that scenario suited Brock's extended run as champion is a different matter. I wrote nearly two years ago that Lesnar's "rare appearance" schedule had led to diminishing returns so I think the overall positive that can be taken from this bout is that Raw might actually be able to use the champion to book a compelling product on a more regular basis. At the same time, I'm not sure the victory over Brock necessarily does anything to establish Rollins as a bigger star than he was previously. As far as momentum goes, much of Rollins' career was halted at various times because of injuries and that almost typecast him at a certain level in terms of star power. Just two weeks ago, during an interview to promote Wrestlemania, Rollins mentioned that he's working through some injuries. The point being that at a relatively young age, Seth already has a lot of miles on his body and the argument could be made that he's injury prone. Don't get me wrong, Rollins is one of the most talented in-ring performers of the modern era and he certainly brings a lot to the table, but historically, Wrestlemania is usually a platform to further establish a performer. That's not really what happened for Seth Rollins at the event.
The two four-way tag title matches seemed like they were booked more to get as many performers on the card as possible than anything. One four-way might've been okay, but with so many teams thrown into the mix, it almost takes away from the division in some ways because feuds aren't directly built between teams for the titles.
The AJ Styles/Randy Orton bout was solid, but nothing too spectacular. In truth, I expected more from this match, mostly because of the caliber of both athletes. AJ Styles doesn't seem to have a lesser gear, but Orton's effort at various times throughout his career might be questionable. Make no mistake about it, Orton has top-tier ability, but it rarely shows through, depending on what match he's booked for. Perhaps, Orton is just working smart because at 39, maybe he wants to avoid any potential injury while he continues to be one of the highest paid on the roster. Furthermore, the build to this contest was rather minimal so the fact that Styles won doesn't really make a difference for his status in the company.
Speaking of potential injuries, Samoa Joe/Rey Mysterio was a very short match because Rey was injured on the previous week's Raw. All things considered, there's nothing wrong with this finish, as it made Joe look like a monster on a big stage, and Rey is over to the point that it doesn't matter if he wins or loses. That said, it's concerning that Rey is already dealing with another injury this early in his return to the company. Hopefully, he will work a lighter schedule because it would be very disappointing if a major injury ended his career. I'd rather see him retire with a proper farewell than the risk of an injury to finish his run.
The Miz/Shane match was overbooked, but they got the highlight reel moment with the suplex so it's probably mission accomplished. I understand that they were going for heat when Shane attacked Miz's dad, but instead of heat, it looked like a rather lame attempt at comedy. Was Miz's dad in the ring really needed for this angle? More than anything, on a show that had several weapons and tables used, was this match more than the previously mentioned suplex spot?
The WWE title match was an example of tremendous story-telling and the results of when the fans are emotionally invested in an angle. This heel run continued to prove why Daniel Bryan will be known as one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots when his run in the sport concludes. After management fumbled his return to the ring last year, Bryan was able to make the most of a heel turn and become one of the most over villains in the company after he was the most over babyface just a few years earlier. I've written several times that when a competitor gets over organically and spontaneously, the audience is emotionally invested in them. That emotional investment is the key to drawing money in sports entertainment. When Kofi Kingston had a chance to win the WWE title at the Elimination Chamber, it was a night that elevated his status. The fans know that Kofi worked over a decade to reach that level and rallied to see him win it. The defeat at the chamber only set up for a bigger moment for a win at Wrestlemania. It's often said that sports entertainment is about moments, and when Kofi embraced the New Day with his kids, it was a very emotional moment in the ring. It's obvious how much it meant to the members of the New Day and what it represented for the fans.
The Roman Reigns/Drew McIntyre match was decent, but aside from the entrances, this match was something that could've been seen on Raw. That said, there's probably not any contest that could've gotten a reaction after the emotional conclusion to the WWE title match. However, as mentioned earlier, in theory, Wrestlemania is supposed to be a stage where performers are bigger stars afterward. Again, I don't think this scenario did anything to elevate McIntyre or Reigns in the company.
The Triple H/Batista match was another on the card that was overbooked and went too long, especially when you consider that it took place roughly four hours into the show. It appears that they tried to use weapons to camouflage the fact that two part-time wrestlers near 50 went almost 25 minutes at the biggest show of the year. Ironically, this match was the longest bout on the card. Kurt Angle's retirement match followed this and was short enough, considering the physical wear that Angle has shown recently, but I don't know why Baron Corbin had to go over. Does Corbin have the potential for a major run in the future? After that, Finn Balor defeated Bobby Lashley for the IC title, and it was probably the best a match can be when it's given less than 5 minutes on the show.
The main event was solid and it was the right decision to book Becky Lynch to win the titles. I've read conflicting reports about if Ronda was supposed to keep her shoulder off the canvas for the finish or if it was a botch. If the shoulder up was planned, it's almost counterproductive to the entire angle. If WWE brass is going to put Lynch over, why not put her off as much as possible? Why not use the stage of a historic main event to make her the biggest star possible?
Overall, Wrestlemania 35 was a solid event that had some entertaining matches. However, the biggest takeaway from this event is that the show is way too long. The show went 5 and a half hours, there's no way that management doesn't see the pitfalls of this. Wrestlemania should be entertaining, not tedious chores to watch for the audience. Too often on this show, you just wanted to be able to fast forward through the cannon fodder and get to the matches that were important on the event.
The jump start of Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins to open the show was smart because it allowed for the match to be spotlighted while the crowd was fresh. The match itself was solid, and while it wasn't anything spectacular with just 10 minutes on the card, it was good enough to give Seth Rollins a boost going forward. If that scenario suited Brock's extended run as champion is a different matter. I wrote nearly two years ago that Lesnar's "rare appearance" schedule had led to diminishing returns so I think the overall positive that can be taken from this bout is that Raw might actually be able to use the champion to book a compelling product on a more regular basis. At the same time, I'm not sure the victory over Brock necessarily does anything to establish Rollins as a bigger star than he was previously. As far as momentum goes, much of Rollins' career was halted at various times because of injuries and that almost typecast him at a certain level in terms of star power. Just two weeks ago, during an interview to promote Wrestlemania, Rollins mentioned that he's working through some injuries. The point being that at a relatively young age, Seth already has a lot of miles on his body and the argument could be made that he's injury prone. Don't get me wrong, Rollins is one of the most talented in-ring performers of the modern era and he certainly brings a lot to the table, but historically, Wrestlemania is usually a platform to further establish a performer. That's not really what happened for Seth Rollins at the event.
The two four-way tag title matches seemed like they were booked more to get as many performers on the card as possible than anything. One four-way might've been okay, but with so many teams thrown into the mix, it almost takes away from the division in some ways because feuds aren't directly built between teams for the titles.
The AJ Styles/Randy Orton bout was solid, but nothing too spectacular. In truth, I expected more from this match, mostly because of the caliber of both athletes. AJ Styles doesn't seem to have a lesser gear, but Orton's effort at various times throughout his career might be questionable. Make no mistake about it, Orton has top-tier ability, but it rarely shows through, depending on what match he's booked for. Perhaps, Orton is just working smart because at 39, maybe he wants to avoid any potential injury while he continues to be one of the highest paid on the roster. Furthermore, the build to this contest was rather minimal so the fact that Styles won doesn't really make a difference for his status in the company.
Speaking of potential injuries, Samoa Joe/Rey Mysterio was a very short match because Rey was injured on the previous week's Raw. All things considered, there's nothing wrong with this finish, as it made Joe look like a monster on a big stage, and Rey is over to the point that it doesn't matter if he wins or loses. That said, it's concerning that Rey is already dealing with another injury this early in his return to the company. Hopefully, he will work a lighter schedule because it would be very disappointing if a major injury ended his career. I'd rather see him retire with a proper farewell than the risk of an injury to finish his run.
The Miz/Shane match was overbooked, but they got the highlight reel moment with the suplex so it's probably mission accomplished. I understand that they were going for heat when Shane attacked Miz's dad, but instead of heat, it looked like a rather lame attempt at comedy. Was Miz's dad in the ring really needed for this angle? More than anything, on a show that had several weapons and tables used, was this match more than the previously mentioned suplex spot?
The WWE title match was an example of tremendous story-telling and the results of when the fans are emotionally invested in an angle. This heel run continued to prove why Daniel Bryan will be known as one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots when his run in the sport concludes. After management fumbled his return to the ring last year, Bryan was able to make the most of a heel turn and become one of the most over villains in the company after he was the most over babyface just a few years earlier. I've written several times that when a competitor gets over organically and spontaneously, the audience is emotionally invested in them. That emotional investment is the key to drawing money in sports entertainment. When Kofi Kingston had a chance to win the WWE title at the Elimination Chamber, it was a night that elevated his status. The fans know that Kofi worked over a decade to reach that level and rallied to see him win it. The defeat at the chamber only set up for a bigger moment for a win at Wrestlemania. It's often said that sports entertainment is about moments, and when Kofi embraced the New Day with his kids, it was a very emotional moment in the ring. It's obvious how much it meant to the members of the New Day and what it represented for the fans.
The Roman Reigns/Drew McIntyre match was decent, but aside from the entrances, this match was something that could've been seen on Raw. That said, there's probably not any contest that could've gotten a reaction after the emotional conclusion to the WWE title match. However, as mentioned earlier, in theory, Wrestlemania is supposed to be a stage where performers are bigger stars afterward. Again, I don't think this scenario did anything to elevate McIntyre or Reigns in the company.
The Triple H/Batista match was another on the card that was overbooked and went too long, especially when you consider that it took place roughly four hours into the show. It appears that they tried to use weapons to camouflage the fact that two part-time wrestlers near 50 went almost 25 minutes at the biggest show of the year. Ironically, this match was the longest bout on the card. Kurt Angle's retirement match followed this and was short enough, considering the physical wear that Angle has shown recently, but I don't know why Baron Corbin had to go over. Does Corbin have the potential for a major run in the future? After that, Finn Balor defeated Bobby Lashley for the IC title, and it was probably the best a match can be when it's given less than 5 minutes on the show.
The main event was solid and it was the right decision to book Becky Lynch to win the titles. I've read conflicting reports about if Ronda was supposed to keep her shoulder off the canvas for the finish or if it was a botch. If the shoulder up was planned, it's almost counterproductive to the entire angle. If WWE brass is going to put Lynch over, why not put her off as much as possible? Why not use the stage of a historic main event to make her the biggest star possible?
Overall, Wrestlemania 35 was a solid event that had some entertaining matches. However, the biggest takeaway from this event is that the show is way too long. The show went 5 and a half hours, there's no way that management doesn't see the pitfalls of this. Wrestlemania should be entertaining, not tedious chores to watch for the audience. Too often on this show, you just wanted to be able to fast forward through the cannon fodder and get to the matches that were important on the event.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
What sells Wrestlemania?
The biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania is just a few days away and somehow there seems to be less buzz around the show than usual. Maybe it's the tedious and uninspiring booking ahead of the top show on the WWE calendar, considering that Baron Corbin worked the main event segment on the "go home" edition of Raw this week. Aside from a few particular bouts on the show, I'm not really looking forward to this card and can't choose a specific reason.
As I mentioned in an article a few months ago, the structure of the WWE business model promotes the brand ahead of any specific star, a strategy that has its positives and negatives. On one hand, building the WWE brand into a global entity gives the company leverage with licensing deals, TV contracts, and brand recognition. Let's not forget, Wrestlemania became an event that cities bid on to host and is considered one of the most valuable events in sports in terms of the economic boost it brings to the venue. When the organization begins to collect $2.4 billion on its new television deal later this year, much of that was possible because networks want live sports content and WWE programming has a dedicated viewing audience. Even the name value of Wrestlemania itself sells most of the tickets months before a card is announced. Fans buy tickets based on the history of the show and the chance to attend the spectacle, not necessarily because of what performers are booked on the card. In much the same way, pay-per-view isn't really sold based on the card, more so the value of the Wrestlemania name, because with just $10 a month for a network subscription, the event doesn't have to justify the traditional $50 cost as it did in years past, but rather just the usual $10 for the network subscription. The downside of this is that WM, from a PPV revenue standpoint became just another pay-per-view instead of a premium show in the past.
Post-WCW, when the business wasn't fueled by competition within the industry, Vince McMahon was able to present his empire as the example of professional wrestling in the United States. The letters WWE became the primary draw, not the stars on the show. The plus side for the publicly-traded company is that if someone get injured, their business doesn't take a major dive. Another aspect is that if a performer threatens to leave, the company isn't forced to meet their demands. The flip side of that is that when competitors basically become interchangeable, that's possible because their level of star power usually plateaus with the popularity of the company. This might be a drastic example, but when Raw and Nitro set ratings records, it was based on the stars that the audience tuned in to watch, which was emphasized when viewers switched between channels to watch specific stars.
How many wrestlers currently on the WWE roster truly move the numbers? How many under contract right now are legitimate money-drawing stars? That's not a jab at the current generation either. The argument could be made that there's more in-ring talent with more potential under WWE deals now than any other time in history. However, the structure of the product with the 50/50 booking and some of the cringe worthy segments almost hinder the process of competitors that become major stars. The example I used previously, Seth Rollins is a bigger star than Mojo Rawley, but would it really make a difference if Finn Balor was booked to wrestle Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania instead? Don't get me wrong, Rollins and Balor are two of the most talented athletes of their generation, but in terms of star power, would one sells more tickets than the other? Keep in mind, Rollins worked the same IC title picture for most of last year that Finn is booked for now. So, the question is, did Rollins vs. Lesnar sell WM or did the name itself sell the tickets? Again, when the organization is more of a draw than the performers, the popularity of individual stars will plateau under the glass ceiling. More often than not, competitors get lost in the shuffle until they are booked for a relatively short push then regulated to 50/50 mediocrity.
When you look at the main card with a dozen matches, it's no coincidence that the few matches that stand out are the bouts that feature performers that haven't been lost in the shuffle of the sports entertainment empire. Becky Lynch has maximized her minutes on TV and if it's presented right, she could be one of the few to move the numbers in 2019. Kofi organically and spontaneously got over at the Elimination Chamber, and while the writing team has tried to shoehorn the narrative of a repeat of Daniel Bryan's WM run from 2014, it's a safe bet that when the bell ring, Bryan and Kofi could set the stage for a career-making moment to elevate Kofi as a main event star. Surprisingly, Batista/Triple H is probably the best booked feud ahead of the show with only a few weeks to build it. How the match with two part-time wrestlers near 50 will go remains to be seen, but this angle proves that it doesn't take 38 writers with over-scripted promos to provide a compelling storyline. Batista is a tremendous heel and has heat based on the Ric Flair attack. Triple H is the babyface in this scenario that will try to get revenge for his friend. It's a rather simple situation if the right elements are used. At the same time, this bout is somewhat diluted when you consider that Triple H seems to inconspicuously switch from baby face to heel depending on the show. The whole "career on the line" stipulation seems rather silly, considering that Shawn Michaels worked a match less than six months ago.
That leaves another nine matches on the card, and while nothing jumps out as a potential train wreck, it almost guarantees that a portion of the night gets lost in the shuffle and solid matches could be overlooked simply because the show is too long. I've said it several times before and I will say it again, a longer show doesn't automatically translate to a better show. In this situation, a potential six-hour marathon could actually do more to takeaway than add to the event. Realistically, how are moments supposed to stand out during a six hour show? That lends to another key point, if nearly every wrestler on the roster is booked for the show, how exactly is a spot on the card prestigious?
Granted, much of this moot because the tickets are already sold and the previously mentioned TV deal is signed. Next year will bring record-setting revenue and profit for the company. Still, it's somewhat disappointing that a major portion of the show seems skippable. Finn/Lashley was already on Raw several times, the tag matches seemed to shoehorn as many teams as possible just to get more wrestlers on the card, Kurt Angle looked to be physically worn down in recent weeks, and does anyone really care if Shane McMahon is a heel? Maybe I'm too jaded, but considering the talent under WWE contract, it just seems like there should be more hype for this event. More than anything, this might be an indication that the structure that generated several hours of programming might actually hinder the quality of the product.
As I mentioned in an article a few months ago, the structure of the WWE business model promotes the brand ahead of any specific star, a strategy that has its positives and negatives. On one hand, building the WWE brand into a global entity gives the company leverage with licensing deals, TV contracts, and brand recognition. Let's not forget, Wrestlemania became an event that cities bid on to host and is considered one of the most valuable events in sports in terms of the economic boost it brings to the venue. When the organization begins to collect $2.4 billion on its new television deal later this year, much of that was possible because networks want live sports content and WWE programming has a dedicated viewing audience. Even the name value of Wrestlemania itself sells most of the tickets months before a card is announced. Fans buy tickets based on the history of the show and the chance to attend the spectacle, not necessarily because of what performers are booked on the card. In much the same way, pay-per-view isn't really sold based on the card, more so the value of the Wrestlemania name, because with just $10 a month for a network subscription, the event doesn't have to justify the traditional $50 cost as it did in years past, but rather just the usual $10 for the network subscription. The downside of this is that WM, from a PPV revenue standpoint became just another pay-per-view instead of a premium show in the past.
Post-WCW, when the business wasn't fueled by competition within the industry, Vince McMahon was able to present his empire as the example of professional wrestling in the United States. The letters WWE became the primary draw, not the stars on the show. The plus side for the publicly-traded company is that if someone get injured, their business doesn't take a major dive. Another aspect is that if a performer threatens to leave, the company isn't forced to meet their demands. The flip side of that is that when competitors basically become interchangeable, that's possible because their level of star power usually plateaus with the popularity of the company. This might be a drastic example, but when Raw and Nitro set ratings records, it was based on the stars that the audience tuned in to watch, which was emphasized when viewers switched between channels to watch specific stars.
How many wrestlers currently on the WWE roster truly move the numbers? How many under contract right now are legitimate money-drawing stars? That's not a jab at the current generation either. The argument could be made that there's more in-ring talent with more potential under WWE deals now than any other time in history. However, the structure of the product with the 50/50 booking and some of the cringe worthy segments almost hinder the process of competitors that become major stars. The example I used previously, Seth Rollins is a bigger star than Mojo Rawley, but would it really make a difference if Finn Balor was booked to wrestle Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania instead? Don't get me wrong, Rollins and Balor are two of the most talented athletes of their generation, but in terms of star power, would one sells more tickets than the other? Keep in mind, Rollins worked the same IC title picture for most of last year that Finn is booked for now. So, the question is, did Rollins vs. Lesnar sell WM or did the name itself sell the tickets? Again, when the organization is more of a draw than the performers, the popularity of individual stars will plateau under the glass ceiling. More often than not, competitors get lost in the shuffle until they are booked for a relatively short push then regulated to 50/50 mediocrity.
When you look at the main card with a dozen matches, it's no coincidence that the few matches that stand out are the bouts that feature performers that haven't been lost in the shuffle of the sports entertainment empire. Becky Lynch has maximized her minutes on TV and if it's presented right, she could be one of the few to move the numbers in 2019. Kofi organically and spontaneously got over at the Elimination Chamber, and while the writing team has tried to shoehorn the narrative of a repeat of Daniel Bryan's WM run from 2014, it's a safe bet that when the bell ring, Bryan and Kofi could set the stage for a career-making moment to elevate Kofi as a main event star. Surprisingly, Batista/Triple H is probably the best booked feud ahead of the show with only a few weeks to build it. How the match with two part-time wrestlers near 50 will go remains to be seen, but this angle proves that it doesn't take 38 writers with over-scripted promos to provide a compelling storyline. Batista is a tremendous heel and has heat based on the Ric Flair attack. Triple H is the babyface in this scenario that will try to get revenge for his friend. It's a rather simple situation if the right elements are used. At the same time, this bout is somewhat diluted when you consider that Triple H seems to inconspicuously switch from baby face to heel depending on the show. The whole "career on the line" stipulation seems rather silly, considering that Shawn Michaels worked a match less than six months ago.
That leaves another nine matches on the card, and while nothing jumps out as a potential train wreck, it almost guarantees that a portion of the night gets lost in the shuffle and solid matches could be overlooked simply because the show is too long. I've said it several times before and I will say it again, a longer show doesn't automatically translate to a better show. In this situation, a potential six-hour marathon could actually do more to takeaway than add to the event. Realistically, how are moments supposed to stand out during a six hour show? That lends to another key point, if nearly every wrestler on the roster is booked for the show, how exactly is a spot on the card prestigious?
Granted, much of this moot because the tickets are already sold and the previously mentioned TV deal is signed. Next year will bring record-setting revenue and profit for the company. Still, it's somewhat disappointing that a major portion of the show seems skippable. Finn/Lashley was already on Raw several times, the tag matches seemed to shoehorn as many teams as possible just to get more wrestlers on the card, Kurt Angle looked to be physically worn down in recent weeks, and does anyone really care if Shane McMahon is a heel? Maybe I'm too jaded, but considering the talent under WWE contract, it just seems like there should be more hype for this event. More than anything, this might be an indication that the structure that generated several hours of programming might actually hinder the quality of the product.
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