| Emperor Smeat |
02-12-2015 08:59 PM |
Dirtsheets:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Observer
Those who have to know where things are going because this is a major event with a lot of publicity that needs to be in place, were told this past week that the Lesnar vs. Reigns match is being changed to a three-way. The reality is, that still could change until the 2/22 show in Memphis, where they have to come up with a finish for Bryan vs. Reigns to build the title match.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Observer
While this is probably just coincidental, Russo and Lucha Underground are in talks and he’s expected in Los Angeles for a meeting this coming week. The public story is that he’s going there to interview talent for his podcast, notably Maria Santos, the super attractive ring announcer. But Eric Van Wagenen has been pushing to get Russo in, and even those who think he’s not going to get in have said they figure when he’s there he’s going to make a push for it. Others have questioned it saying besides his track record and he’s got no background or knowledge of Mexican wrestling.
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Originally Posted by Observer
A few weeks back I wrote that the idea of Jim Ross doing Lucha Underground was a dead issue. It was at the time but fences have been mended. Ross is not directly involved in the talks, since he pretty much has Barry Bloom do his negotiations for him. Well, it’s far from the idea there is a deal, but it’s back alive.
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Originally Posted by Observer
The reason more hasn’t come out regarding the May shows with ROH and New Japan because of internal issues regarding costs of the shows. It’s also not certain whether any of the shows would be on iPPV. One of them should have been on PPV because I sensed last year a lot more interest in the two shows with New Japan than in the PPVs they did after, even though the PPVs did far more because people still don’t trust the iPPV technology or simply won’t order it that way. Right now the decisions haven’t been made regarding how much talent will be used. New Japan wanted to send most of the top stars, like last year, figuring it helps their brand. ROH was looking to cut back to only a few, as a cost saver, but others in the company are still pushing to do it like last year and nothing is yet official. The official announcement may be made on the WrestleMania weekend show as far as who is coming in.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Observer
From one of the top performers, there is no enthusiasm of talent when it comes to booking. The term used is that from above it’s a “We are having fun Goddammit” type of speech from Vince, and compared it to forcing POW’s to sing and dance and pretend everyone is happy. The bad promos are also a topic of discussion, particularly since the people around who understand the concept of money promos and building anticipation in matches are considered by most in management as “old wrestlers” and not sports entertainers. The funny part is that at NXT, the head promo coach is Dusty Rhodes, which is why that show has promos that direct into a feud and match more directly. One person noted that the best thing for the company would be to take Lawler off commentary and hire him as the promo coach for the main roster talent. But there is negative in that. First, Lawler probably wouldn’t want it. Second, Lawler isn’t going to fight the system and the problem is systematic. Also, while Lawler was one of the all-time best at doing promos that build matches, some, like Dusty, can do it and coach it, and I’m not sure if Lawler, where it came so easy to him, would coach it as well.
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WWE TLC last December garnered the lowest number of pay-per-view buys in WWE history with 39,000 buys. The lowest number before TLC was last September's WWE Night of Champions pay-per-view, which garnered 48,000 buys. WWE TLC was headlined by Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt in a TLC match and John Cena vs. Seth Rollins in a tables match. It should be noted that TLC took place in December, after WWE ran it's free month for the WWE Network last November. WWE Network subscriptions rose 12% last quarter, with WWE reaching 816,000 subscribers at the end of 2014 so it's not surprising that fewer people order the event on pay-per-view. WWE Survivor Series, which took place last November during the month of the free WWE Network promotion, is at 100,000 buys. Last October's WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, which was headlined by Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins and John Cena vs. Randy Orton - with both matches taking place in the Hell In A Cell - garnered 83,000 buys.
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For those of you North of the Border, in today's earnings release, WWE announced that the WWE Network will soon be added to Cogeco Cable Canada, Eastlink, Shaw and Shaw Direct, TELUS Optik TV and TELUS Satellite, and Videotron via new deals struck by Rogers in Canada. The Network will debut for those carriers by Wrestlemania 31. Note: A representative for Eastlink contacted PWInsider.com this afternoon to note the WWE Network is already available by that carrier.
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Originally Posted by PWI
The blonde woman who jumped on Tyler Breeze during his entrance at WWE NXT Takeover: Rival was Gionna Daddio. She's a former Hooters model and has been signed to NXT for a few months now.
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Originally Posted by PWI
Brian Kendrick is expected to be at tonight's NXT TV tapings. Kendrick worked a recent set of tapings in a dark match but was reportedly there for a trainer's tryout.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PWI
During today's WWE Fourth Quarter 2014 conference call with shareholders, a caller asked about the #CancelWWENetwork movement that took place after the Royal Rumble PPV with Roman Reigns winning the Royal Rumble and not Daniel Bryan. WWE chairman Vince McMahon answered the caller's question with the following response:
"It created controversy and that's good by WWE. It was a gesture from a vocal minority because 'Santa Claus didn't come on that PPV.' The babyface didn't win, so that person says they aren't going to watch again, but they are."
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Supposedly investors weren't happy with this response especially after earlier continuing to boost how great the tv fees were (facing a lawsuit against this) and the breakdown of the actual userbase for the Network was (not the million promised). Also how little, if none, of the numbers revealed in today's conference were confirmed by auditors.
Some other sheets news include Destination America being relaly happy with TNA's ratings so far, ROH is planning on directly competing against TNA during a week in June, and the Abu Dhabi event for the WWE is looking like a bust in terms of attendance. Also the 1.04 million sub base for the Network was revealed to be around 816,000 for actual paid members. |
