The Unknown Poster

WWE's investors call is today discussing business for the year 2018. Call will commences shortly (sometimes there are interesting things said by Vince or others), but key data: - Revenue for year set a record at $930 million - Operating income rose 51% to set a record at $114.5 million - International revenue rose 58% to set a record at $317.8 million (you see where their increases are coming...international growth) They reported profit on house shows for the year but noted a decline in attendance was made up by an increase in ticket prices which I dont think bodes well. The Network subs are aprox 1.59 million which I believe shows rather stagnant growth. Declining attendance, declining ratings but record revenue and record profits. Its why Vince didnt care if the Saudi prince murdered half the Times editorial staff, he was going to keep that deal.

Meltzer et al news round up: - WWE are pushing talent with expiring deals to sign multi-year. I know that even over the past year, thats been the case with 5 year contracts offered (I believe Owens has a 5 year deal and Banks might as well). They've promised a greater focus on tag team wrestling and are upping money in all new deals. - Regarding Smackdown on FOX, they havent announced a decision on whether it will air live on the west coast (5pm) or delayed to air in prime time. Talk of making SD three hours with the third hour airing on FS1 since the cost to create the third hour would be almost nothing. - Pentagon & Fenix, who are much sought after by everyone, lost the MLW Tag Team Championship to The Hart Foundation (Teddy Hart & Davey Boy Jr). Some have speculated WWE might bring the new Hart Foundation in as part of the original Hart Foundation HOF induction but Teddy is 39 and nuts. - Penta & Fenix will be doing some dates with AEW but, like many, they have Lucha Underground contracts which reportedly pay $4000 a year to hold them from signing anywhere. Lucha Underground has not announced if they are filming a new season and there is now a couple of law suits (one includes Joey Ryan) against them for the restrictive contracts. Guys want out from under them so they can sign with WWE, AEW, ROH etc. - Jerry Lawler is investigating the death of his son Brian Christopher. He doesnt believe it was suicide. - Lars Sullivan was meant to be a made man on RAW, with a huge push and a WM match against Cena. Reportedly he backed out of his debut last minute with issues of anxiety. He was supposed to return last week but didnt. - Starrcast, the convention/podcast deal that was held in conjunction with All In, is back for Double or Nothing and has announced Sting and Bret Hart as appearing. WWE tried to stop certain guys from doing the original so they wont be thrilled with those announcements. Hints of big names being asked to be there....I sort of wonder if Undertaker is one of them. Want to bring him to Winnipeg? $25,000 per hour is his asking rate... - WWE returns to Saudi Arabia in May. - Dany Garcia (The ex-wife of The Rock and head of his production company) noted that they could find no one in Hollywood interested in buying the film "Fighting with My Family", based on Paige. Which is telling considering The Rock is in it. They produced it as an independent film and Dany said she was told the issues were "the subject matter" ie. wrestling. - Talk of Steph vs Becky at Summerslam which makes sense, especially if Ronda is taking time off after WM (transferring her heat to Steph). So, who's going to Double or Nothing?

They signed that deal awhile ago. Both RAW and SD tv deals expire this year. WWE made out like bandits by de-coupling the two shows and selling them separately. FOX is paying $1 billion over 5 years for SD. It will be live on Friday nights on the main network. Interestingly, when they signed the deal it was meant to provide consistent good ratings in that slot but since then, FOX friday night ratings are up and SD's are down. FOX draws about twice as many viewers than SD right now. They wont be happy if thats the case when SD moves there. SD will fall under the FOX Sports umbrella and get a lot of cross-promotion among their sports properties. Rumor has it FOX wants a more sports orientated production from WWE.

I dont often end up out at the wee hours of the morning anymore, but those places used to be very very well in the post-bar rush. When I worked bars, we always had our regular hang out (usually Perkins) and would often assist the staff in dealing with issues. We often complained to management that they had 2-4 staff, almost always women, working these over-night shifts and it was unsafe. But they always had the regular bar staff to act as unpaid security. In recent years it went from drunks to gang members so maybe its not worth being open. The cops were quick to point out that there was no danger to the public so these guys shot each other (or it was a contained gang on gang situation). Still, next time you're in that area at 3 am are you going there? Not likely.

Only an alt right would pretend to be upset about Bernie Sanders not being the Dem candidate for president.

Thats a hell of an idea to freshen it up. Suddenly jump 30 years...

gone fishing again

Im sure I read somewhere that only Galecki had a really high salary but his schedule was more an issue. Sara Gilbert is an executive producer and was the one pushing for the Roseanne revival and it sounds like she's pretty close with everyone. Her and Galecki are really close friends. With Big Bang coming to an end, maybe he'd join the Connors full time. Was anyone else even doing much? Goodman is a movie actor. The rest were doing some theatre or minor TV roles or nothing, if Im not mistaken. In fact, its probably a pretty cheap series for ABC with strong return.

Thats very possible, though it was Sid's last match and there was no way he was going out on that stretcher. lol I believe it was Superbrawl 1. I fondly remember that PPV and might still have it on VHS somewhere. I loved Bobby Eaton and he beat Arn Anderson (another favourite) for the TV title. Flair vs Fujinami in the main. I liked WCW but maybe just because it was so different from WWE. Southern 'rasslin! Speaking of Sid, man, he had the IT factor like almost no one. Funny he was also involved in a screw up on his way out of WWE when Papa Shango ran in late at WM VIII and Sid had to kick out of Hogan's leg drop. The guy almost stabbed Anderson to death and still ended up a top guy. El Gigante was flat awful. But props to Turner for his creative thinking in trying to salvage his investment in him as an NBA player lol

Interesting report that The Undertaker has removed mentions of WWE from his social media and listed a website where he can be contacted for bookings. He was not scheduled for a WrestleMania match this year so perhaps he's unhappy (that one shot a year was a big payday). Also reports that AEW made an offer to a significant top WWE star that is being considered. Timing would suggest Styles but rumours are Orton of all people. And WWE is "searching for answers" in regards to their declining ratings and house show attendance. The fact they dont immediately know their booking sucks should be worrisome. And Im not sure Road Dogg and Jeff Jarrett in 2019 is the answer lol

If they don’t get rid of this ******* rule they’re nuts.

Technically it's both. Although in the past they'd sometimes do competitive matches/angles on your way out. Squashing a guy doesnt gain you much and especially if you you're down the list of guys doing the squashing. But I agree, its the obvious thing, though if its me I'd probably just keep him off TV if he's leaving without a non-compete. But either way, it doesnt really matter. Everyone is born again when they go somewhere else. The way they had Ambrose sell it as a shock, they probably intend to keep using him, at least on the house shows which need the star power. One attempted burial I remember fondly was Sid Vicious leaving WCW for WWE the first time. He was feuding with El Gigante and they climaxed it with a Stretcher Match. Great stuff...except Sid refused to do the stretcher job (didnt want to look weak going into WWE) so they did a quick flash pin and One Man Gang ran in to take the stretcher spot. Absurd. lol Jake Roberts leaving WWE was done well. Super hot angle with Savage, transitioned to Undertaker and his face turn, solid match at WM with a decisive win for Taker. And ofcourse, Bret was leaving WWE for WCW and the original plan was a competitive angle and loss on his way out.

"Fishing expedition" will be the new "witch hunt". I look forward to the trump supports coming in here to claim they hate trump and then slipping up with their constant defense of him. Its not like any of us are on the jury. If you love the guy, admit it. Stand and be judged. lol

Caught a lot of fish.

Yeah Ill defer to those that watch him. He seemed to develop slower than expected initially but I was happy with him over the last season. Probably unfair of me. He's probably the toughest part to part with being a D man but for the return..., I'd do it.

Hard to turn down. Petan is someone that wont make this team. Who knows about Stanley but it doesnt look great. And a first...with the Jets near top in the league. Thats almost not enough for a bonafide superstar that makes your team a lot better. But he's a rental.

That article notes that Modern Family is #2 behind The Connors so one can presume they will also be renewed unless their cast is unusually expensive. And I dont really see it outside of maybe John Goodman.

Remind me of Scheif's contract again... lol

Haha

You get the impression that the DOJ considered the Trump Organization to be, essentially, a major criminal enterprise. There is a full court press, multiple investigations, multiple agencies, Federal & State, looking into all manner of issues, Must be a lot of crap going on there.

So about five weeks after the entire McMahon family promised change, nothing has changed. The steph/becky segment was, generally, good. But Steph always does little things to avoid being shown up too bad. She's out there in high heel boots to add to her height so she towers over Becky. Blows smoke up Becky's ass to ensure the fans dont completely boo her. And when getting beat up by one half of your WM main event, Steph makes her own comeback by kicking Becky in the knee. The male authority figures, THEY can get beat up, not Steph. Too funny. Ronda...just let her be a full fledged heel. Fans WANT to boo her and man, her scripted promos are terrible. So they bury Angle the last few weeks and low and behold, Seth gets hurt so they have to change directions and frantically heat Angle back up to take Seth's place against Drew & Corbin. I love some nostalgia and it's nice to see Jeff Jarrett as opposed to the usual group of "legends" but man...they didnt do him any favours by having him do all his heel catch phrases AND be saddled with Road Dogg. To be fair, when Road Dogg was fired from WWE and had a serious drug & alcohol problem, was down and out and needed a job, JJ hired him at TNA and took care of him. This is Dogg returning the favour. Its now a DQ to hit the illegal man in a tag match? Oy. In news that actually matters, AEW is said to be closing in on their TV deal. Meltzer reported they have two offers and both are more prestige than SPIKE (the last non-WWE promotion to get a major deal, TNA on SPIKE). Its heavily believed one of them is TNT (or TBS) as it was reported AEW team was negotiating the deal on the weekend and they were in Atlanta...but with the Superbowl having a lot of media around, who knows. It would be pretty cool for them to end up on WCW's old network. AEW had originally trademarked "Tuesday Night Dynamite" but has since backed away from the Tuesday thing which also lends credence to a Turner station because I believe Tuesday night isnt available. Wednesday would seem to be the likely night.

If I recall, Ivanka was the one setting the price for Trump properties as far as what they were charging the inauguration and someone else raised a red flag about over-charging. So this investigation hits pretty close to home for Ivanka. Probably not Donald unless they have correspondence from him (or others in the organization implicate him). But it might end up on Ivanka's doorstep.

Won’t trade Myers. You don’t trade pending ufa when you’re trying to win the cup unless it’s for an upgrade and I don’t see that. If jets were out of the playoff hunt sure, trade him. But they won’t.

If they keep doing that they’re going to make him a bigger star on the way out.