Vince McMahon to Appear on Tonight's Smackdown
http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2013-07-19/five-point-preview-26131933
WWE.com Exclusive Interview with the Ultimate Warrior
http://www.wwe.com/videos/ultimate-warrior-talks-about-his-legendary-career-wwecom-exclusive-july-19-2013-26133462
Hulk Hogan Among Those in TNA Behind in Pay
According to Bryan Alvarez, a source confirmed that Hulk Hogan was behind in his pay at one point. No word on whether or not that has been resolved.
Credit Bryan Alvarez, Figure Four Weekly Newsletter
Looking at these headlines, my first thought was, "This IS 2013, right?"
ReplyDeleteWarrior saying nice things about Vince? That's why it so hot this week.. Hell has indeed frozen over and the heat is rising to Earth.
ReplyDelete"Hulk Hogan Among Those in TNA Behind in Pay
ReplyDeleteAccording to Bryan Alvarez, a source confirmed that Hulk Hogan was
behind in his pay at one point. No word on whether or not that has been
resolved."
Yep, no reason to think TNA is in trouble. Nosirree. Nothing to see here.
Crap. If they're not paying Hogan, there's real trouble. So long again, wrestling.
ReplyDeleteIt would actually be a positive move for TNA just to cut Hogan. He brings nothing to the table.
ReplyDeleteDixie Carter is going to have to decide (and SOON) if she wants TNA to survive. If she does, she's going to have to let go of the idea that she NEEDS big names like Hogan, Sting, etc. who aren't full-time wrestlers, aren't moving merchandise, and have salaries that are on the high end of their pay scale. Yes, they still might go under if they try to rely solely on new stars, but they're going to fold if they stay on the current path. Might as well try something different.
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to Paul Heyman's old idea - cut everybody over 40 who isn't a viable star right now. Keep one old vet, which should probably be Kurt Angle. The rest have to go.
We can't see their financials! It is all speculation on our part!
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for TNA to kick the bucket. Despite its low-brow nature, wrestling can be made into a nice little earner when the person running a company has the right business savvy to go for the gusto, be it regional in most cases or nationally in the rare case of someone like Vince McMahon. TNA's problem was being stigmatized as a Jarrett Family vanity project from the outset, and they never really shed that backdoor operation image after ten plus years in business.
ReplyDeleteIf TNA indeed goes out, that could open the door for the right party to come along and attempt a true, proper-run organization that could be given a real chance to establish itself as more than just a niche product. The odds are low of course, but I'd rather see someone try and fail than survive in the current market—McMahon needs competition in the worst way to fully kick the decade-long malaise hanging over the WWE. Plus, it frees up Hogan for a final nostalgia tour leading to WrestleMania XXX, which while undesirable from a creative aspect would be a nice tip of the cap to history considering the historical ramifications of next year's event.
They may still take a financial hit. Knowing Hogan, that contract may have all kinds of early termination fees attached to it. It probably isn't costing them anything more to keep him around than it would to let him go.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is who is gonna fill that niche? It's going to take a shit ton of money and a good tv deal for any new promotion to be in the same galaxy as the WWE. Who's got the start-up money, time and connections to do that?
ReplyDeleteOk, so TNA is behind to Hogan... How about some things Hogan has been behind? Every push Ed Leslie ever had. His daughter's awful music career. Bubba the Love Sponge's wife.
ReplyDeleteI don't really agree with the second-part of your statement. Why if TNA folds does that open the door? I don't think anyone would say TNA has some stranglehold on the No. 2 position where someone is just waiting for them to falter to swoop in and become the second-biggest promotion in the country.
ReplyDeleteIf there is someone out there with the talent and resources to make a run at this, TNA's existence should mean absolutely nothing to achieving that goal, IMO.
I haven't seen impact in a few months but I recall hogan being fine as a figure head. Reading about how hogan has interjected himself in the bubba dudley angle I can see how people would get sick of him on TV. I still don't see what it hurts to have hogan attached to a wrestling promotion though.
ReplyDeleteBack when Aries was the TNA champ I really thought they had finally found two superstars they could build around in aa and roode. But I guess they thought a corny biker gang gimmick as the cornerstone of the show is better.
I'm not so sure that there is much money in wrestling, on the whole.
ReplyDeleteMost territories were only barely profitable at best from most of what I've ever read of the time, and that was without anywhere near the overhead that you would have trying to establish yourself today.
WCW was never profitable outside of a couple of fluke years. ECW, SMW, and every other promotion of note has come and gone in a relatively short period of time. ROH and TNA have been around a while but both of them are essentially on a death watch.
The only person who has ever figured out how to make real money from pro wrestling is Vince McMahon.
Well, how profitable the territories were is probably debatable. Many of the successful territories had a few 'hot' periods you can point at where it looked like they were making money. Of course, it's not like those guys were the type who would open their books to public scrutiny. I'm sure if any tax official sniffed around or any wrestler tried to get more money, they'd be told that the promotion was barely scraping by.
ReplyDeleteHis daughter.
ReplyDeleteAllegedly.
I thought Hogan had a contract with Panda to prevent him losing out on any failure on the wrestling side of things?
ReplyDeleteI'm naive, but I think there's plenty of room for more wrestling. Those who think there can't be another #2 promotion in wrestling might want to think again. If TNA goes, it won't be the end.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, networks like Spike, Syfy, and USA have seen the positives in hosting a wrestling program. Looking at the ratings numbers and some DVR data, there are probably about 6 million wrestling fans regularly watching WWE and/or TNA. I'm not even thinking about lapsed fans here with that number. Anyway, with the splintering of audiences for every network and every form of media imaginable, 6 million (and that's just in the USA, so you could just about double that for worldwide numbers) is more than a niche market now. It's tried, trusted, and more viable than ever these days. And unlike other entertainment programming, these are fans who spend a lot of money on what they are watching. Advertising opportunities and revenue will only increase for any semi-successful wrestling program, I believe.
Why isn't ROH succeeding then? Syndication sucks and has not been all that profitable since the days of Hercules and Xena. Why isn't TNA succeeding? Their ratings aren't bad, but the shitty decision making and investing in the wrong people is starting to bite them in the ass. The opportunity to be successful is out there, though.
One more thing: A promotion needs someone with a connection to a network. I think all else falls into place after that.
ReplyDeleteThe reason wrestling was always so popular with networks in the past is because it was cheap to produce. Nowadays you can throw together some half ass reality show for 1/3 the price of putting on a wrestling show and get similar or better tv numbers. Just have a camera crew follow around a bunch of dog-sledders' girlfriends or have 12 attractive people fight over a hammock and get enough viewers to lure advertisers who are wary of buying ad time during wrestling shows.
ReplyDeleteMcMahon "welcomed" Warrior back to WWE in a twitter message (whatever that means). Warrior had plenty of nice things to say about Vince in recent interviews.
ReplyDeleteSo... a question for the BoD: Are McMahon and Warrior just older, wiser, and more content to let bygones be bygones OR do they both see $$$$ again and are using each other one more time?
A dollar's a dollar. If you can make a few bucks without hurting anyone else, go for it. It's as good a reason to let old issues go as any other. If Fleetwood Mac can still hangout with each other, just about anyone can.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go out on a limb and say that Vince isn't aware a Twitter account exists in his name.
ReplyDeletewrestling still does well in valuable demos, but your overall point is fair.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. Honestly, it'd be like if Vince decided to push Crush and DOA in '97 at the expense of Austin and Mankind. I'm only half joking.
ReplyDeleteWrestling has a history tied to bad fiscal and creative decision making. Usually tied in to the egos of those booking and running the books. I think if someone attacked it from a level headed standpoint they could be profitable. Although, might be boring as hell to have a reasonably sane person in charge.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they haven't already done that. It seems like common sense if you're trying to keep things exciting and on a budget. I mean, how much drawing power does Sting have outside of wrestling circles? I'm guessing 99% of people have no idea who he is. Not worht the money.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know that it is even possible for them to cut Hogan? He might have a contract that guarantees he gets paid 100% even if he does nothing.
ReplyDeleteWhat I was alluding to was the availability of certain talent in the event that TNA floundered. The overall point was a veiled rant on the misuse of certain wrestlers under contract, and how a smarter promoter could take that talent and possibly draw better. Granted, as I mentioned at the start, it's always going to be a long shot. But I would rather someone a bit more competent be handling things.
ReplyDeleteCan't anyone follow the Heyman template. Get on regional syndicated programming like MSG, NESN, etc.?
ReplyDeleteWarrior is the guy they needed for the tea party gimmick. Just a five minute pre-taped segment with Warrior every week and that would be enough for me. I don't think the guy needs to be handed a live mic under any circumstance.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he got a signed photo of Zeb
ReplyDeleteI doubt nothing when it comes to that guy.
ReplyDeleteTriple H never did get that win back.
ReplyDeleteDo you guys wanna launch a kick starter to buy TNA?
ReplyDeleteSo where do folks chat during Smackdown on the BOD?
ReplyDeleteI thought Hogan was great in his interactions with Aries - really put him over. He also did a good job putting over the importance of the title and deciding who gets title matches. I haven't been following as closely as I have, so he might still be doing positives like that, but all the foolishness with him feuding with Bully and Brooke turns me off.
ReplyDeletethis place called "the club"
ReplyDeletewhy buy something you can get for free.
ReplyDeletethats how jcp went under
that was the original 2 year deal.
ReplyDeletehe may have gotten a new on tna side...dumb, but possible
...id hit it...
ReplyDeleteif you cant cut him. take him off tv asap.
ReplyDeleteyou dont have to use him.
This bass gets it.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued bu this hammock fight show.
ReplyDeleteAttractive people you say? If they're also dumb, I think you're on to something!
Interesting fact of the night:
ReplyDeleteTony Schiavone is currently on my TV. And no, it's nothing old.
This is truly one of the last signs of the apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteAccidental upvote! Seriously though how much did Ted Turner pay to buy out the Crockett's in '88?
ReplyDeleteHmm . . . "PW.net reports that Impact drew a a 1.16 rating, up 17% from the 0.99 the show did last week."
ReplyDeleteI know he used to do the rain delay show for the Braves radio broadcast. It was so hard to resist calling in and asking if this was going to be the most important Braves game we've ever seen. What's he doing now?
ReplyDeleteI can't promise they'll be dumb, but I can promise they'll be drunk.
ReplyDeleteHe already does nothing.
ReplyDeleteGwinnett Braves baseball (AAA affiliate of Atlanta).
ReplyDeleteHe's quite good, actually. Still has the "TNA Heel" beard, filled out quite well actually. But he calls more like a calmer 80's/early 90's Tony. Before he stopped giving two shits.
I think it had to be low seven figures... even if just in picking up Crockett's debt.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if a batter ever charges the mound he will accidentally revert to old Tony... "Johnson is going after him, and it's a shoot! This isn't on our format! The powers that be must be behind this!"
ReplyDeleteAs Fuj already explained, it's a good rating that means nothing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree. Either way (cut him or get him off TV), his run with TNA was ultimately unsuccessful and it should end at this point.
ReplyDeleteAT this point though, I wouldnt even cut or take him off TV.
ReplyDeleteI would use the shit out of him as the company continues to crumble, so he squarely gets the blame as opposed to being MIA towards the end of WCW.
I predict another back surgery in Hogan's future. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTed Turner?
ReplyDeleteSad to think that we were saying this about WCW like 13 years ago
ReplyDeleteThey were doing a great job building the promotion around Aries and Roode, but for some reason, they decided that they just had to abandon that direction to give Jeff Hardy his 100th chance.
ReplyDeleteI wish there were a viable contender to Vince just so he'd book wrestling again and not this Hollywood horseshit. TV writers aren't wrestling bookers, though I love Jenifer Bloodsworth. As bookers are literally dying off, I fear for the medium
ReplyDeleteConsidering how quickly he backed down to UFC, I'm guessing nothing would change if TNA or another company was a serious threat.
ReplyDeleteThere was a good stretch of time where Hogan shockingly played the role of a "General Manager".
ReplyDeleteHe actually made decisions based on things that were relevant to the situation, even if they went against his own self interest. He even pulled some of that stuff during his heel run.
It made the show pretty interesting, so they never ran with it consistently.