WWE/NXT/AEW/NJPW Thread

[CBBI]

I don't really care how much they're getting. A new deal to expand primetime wrestling programming is just great news.

Everybody I've heard talk about the business side of wrestling has said the exact opposite of this.

I’m honestly really confused by your constant negativity.

We shall see.

Personally, I’m pretty skeptical AEW can competently fill two more hours a week of live content when they struggle (my opinion of course) to fill the three hours they already have now. WWE certainly has too much programming that they can’t competently fill, and I would expect AEW to be no different there.

But obviously if WBD is willing to pay them more money, it makes complete sense for Tony to gleefully respond “how high?” when WBD says jump. I’m not at all suggesting that is a bad thing for AEW, it’s just how it is. You make concessions for the almighty dollar.

As far as the financial aspect, right now it costs $250 dollars to watch a full year of AEW programming. Five pay per views at $50 apiece.

If that figure remains the same, then I’ll gladly apologize and admit I was incorrect.

I don’t think it will remain the same though. And me pointing that out isn’t me being negative.

If WBD is gonna spend anywhere from $40-50M dollars more per year on a product that isn’t drawing better television ratings or generating higher per per view buys right now than it was when the company was founded, then how do you think WBD is going to attempt recoup that additional money they’re spending?

By charging more money. It’s common sense stuff.

 

[CBBI]

And just to be clear @Derek, I am nothing more than a long-time fan just like you.

The only difference between us is that I don’t like as much of the modern product as you do. But that’s it.

And for some reason you don’t seem to like it when it when I express my displeasure with some of the stuff that is presented to us on a weekly basis

 

[MattyFos.]

We’ll see where it ends up.

A billion dollars is a big eye popping number, but if it’s over 8 years that’s 125M a year, ya know?

And they are making about 82.5M annually right now from WBD on their tv deal and running their own PPVs.

So a nice increase, but not as crazy as $1B sounds.

Beyond that… the fans are the ones who are gonna be negatively impacted by this new deal the most when AEW PPV prices inevitably increase from $50 to $60 or $70 on top of having to subscribe to the streaming service for $10-$20 per month.

Believe me they’ll be going the UFC route of full price PPVs on top of the streaming monthly cost and not the current WWE route of pay for the streaming and get all the PPVs for free.

WWE will be changing their model in short order as well with their new ownership situation.

The Network has been around since WM30 I think.. Undertaker/Brok... 9 going on 10 years.. I've been a paying member ever since... they go to the old PPV model I'll be sure you opt out. I'm not paying $10 a month for old PPVs and paying $60 a month for a glorified Raw.

 

[Derek]

And just to be clear @Derek, I am nothing more than a long-time fan just like you.

The only difference between us is that I don’t like as much of the modern product as you do. But that’s it.

And for some reason you don’t seem to like it when it when I express my displeasure with some of the stuff that is presented to us on a weekly basis

I don’t believe I’ve responded to any of your complaints in a long while. So, complain away

I just found it odd that you were throwing any sort of negativity in there about a TV deal. I haven’t seen a single report that PPV prices will go up, and you’re talking like it’s a forgone conclusion. Based on the reports so far, I’ll be surprised if there’s any additional cost on top of the regular subscription. They want to get as many eyes as possible on the product. There’s a reason WWE loves to tout their viewership for these PLE. Every event since they went to streaming gets to be “the most viewed in history” and advertisers eat that shit up.

AEW is going to get paid more because their programming has been a total home run of WBD. Zero production costs, a willing participant in corporate synergy, great ratings, and more content for their streaming app.

 

[CBBI]

I don’t believe I’ve responded to any of your complaints in a long while. So, complain away

I just found it odd that you were throwing any sort of negativity in there about a TV deal. I haven’t seen a single report that PPV prices will go up, and you’re talking like it’s a forgone conclusion. Based on the reports so far, I’ll be surprised if there’s any additional cost on top of the regular subscription. They want to get as many eyes as possible on the product. There’s a reason WWE loves to tout their viewership for these PLE. Every event since they went to streaming gets to be “the most viewed in history” and advertisers eat that shit up.

AEW is going to get paid more because their programming has been a total home run of WBD. Zero production costs, a willing participant in corporate synergy, great ratings, and more content for their streaming app.

Derek…

Come on now. This is common sense stuff.

WBD only pays AEW $45M dollars a year right now.

Do you truly think they’re going to potentially triple that amount just so they can get 150K streaming subscribers at $10 bucks a month?

WBD is going to spend $90M more than they spend now just to get $18M in subscriber revenue?

And that’s also assuming that every single person who buys an AEW PPV would also stay signed up for Max for the entire year rather than just pay the $10 bucks to subscribe right before the five AEW PPVs each year and then unsubscribe right after (which is what would actually happen).

So that $18M annually in subscriber revenue WBD would be gettin from fans wanting to consume AEW pay per views is actually closer to like $7.5M.

Do you really think WBD is gonna spend 80-90M in additional rights fees to get full access to AEW pay per views and *not* charge for the PPVs?

I will kindly bet you whatever terms you want that both AEW and WWE will eventually adopt the UFC’s model where you pay for the streaming service provider *and* the PPV itself separately.

It will happen. These entities are paying too much for the rights fees to let that potential revenue just go away.

 

[CBBI]

My best guess is that AEW/WBD will try and entice people to stay signed up for Max year round by offering streaming only specials that aren’t PPVs, presumably starting with All In: London.

But I strongly suspect the current AEW PPVs will all at the very least remain $50 bucks for the short-term and absolutely not just be folded into the $10 a month Max service.

 

[Real Deal]

Treated to a cage match and go figure, Moxley blade show.

 

[Real Deal]

Some story telling in the main event. What's not to like.

 

[CBBI]

Some story telling in the main event. What's not to like.

Moxley does absolutely nothing for me, but in general I thought it was a good episode of Dynamite.

 

[Derek]

Tonight’s episode felt like the kind of episode you’d want to use to introduce yourselves to a new audience.

What are the odds this episode drops on HBO Max next week?

 

[CBBI]

Tonight’s episode felt like the kind of episode you’d want to use to introduce yourselves to a new audience.

What are the odds this episode drops on HBO Max next week?

The new HBO Max/Discovery + streaming service combo doesn't launch until 5/23, so it will be at least two weeks if I had to guess

I am curious to know how long of a delay there will be for Dynamite/Collision airing on television and then showing up on the streaming service. Would be awesome if it was next day, but I have to imagine their advertisers will ask for a longer delay.

There's a 30 day delay for WWE television showing up on Peacock, which ultimately feels excessive.

 

[Kbiz]

WE FOUND MIRO!

 

[Derek]

WE FOUND MIRO!

Betting we see a few missing guys resurface with the imminent debut of Collision.

Miro, Scorpio Sky, Andrade... Will be great to have them back. Maybe Santana comes back with Ortiz?

I also hope this gives more airtime to guys like Josh Woods, Rush, Daniel Garcia, and some of the other talented guys lower on the card like the Dark Order, Private Party (when healthy), and Lee Moriarty.

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

I just saw something on one of my throwback wrestling group pages that made me sad, so now you guys have to see it so I'm not sad alone



We're getting old

 

[Real Deal]

I just saw something on one of my throwback wrestling group pages that made me sad, so now you guys have to see it so I'm not sad alone

View attachment 15430

We're getting old

I must be looking over Bobby the Brain somewhere, but man do I miss that managing style/color commentary. Cool graphic.