Talk about bad timing: The 25th anniversary of "WrestleMania" may have been a major moneymaker for WWE, but the April event won't help the company's bottom line until the second quarter.
Last year, WM24 was in the 1st quarter, so the quarter to quarter comparison isn't really apples to apples. This quarter is way down, and next quarter will be way up and someone will spin it as business doing a lot better.
I was happy as hell to hear Vince finally give up on this movie dream and just release straight to VID.
Now maybe they can take the money and open up different territories for development around the country, playing small local arenas and maybe only drawing 300-500 fans
(or even getting a cheap local TV deal - they obviously changed their minds about showing the green on tv - I can't seem to escape this FCW)
It would help the development workers learn the ropes and not be segmented to Tampa, where they spend their time learning to suck and drive drunk...(SHUT UP ALREADY)
Cubs: Last year, WM24 was in the 1st quarter, so the quarter to quarter comparison isn't really apples to apples. This quarter is way down, and next quarter will be way up and someone will spin it as business doing a lot better.
Yeah - like Variety. "Profits soar as First Quater Results Get Counted Out" - or something equally banal
lotjx: Now, if the economy rebounds and they continue to lose money then its a sign
They made a profit!
FLEA
(edited by RYDER FAKIN on 8.5.09 1649) Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high
The report I saw listed how much WM24 made and even taking that into account as an example of WM25 and adding a few million I think they just broke even on the PPV revenue. A good chunk of this is linked to the economy woes, I know people will say this says how much WWE sucks or needs changes, I kinda doubt it. Now, if the economy rebounds and they continue to lose money then its a sign. Right now, I am taking a wait in see stance. I do think the idea of five days of week WWE is probably on hold as are a lot of things.
Unfortunately the people who deserve most of the blame will never take it (because their names are Stephanie McMahon and her writing staff). People aren't watching wrestling like they used to because real fights are on tv all week long now, and the cartoons and gimmicks schtick just isn't flying anymore. Of course, the fact that some of the best pro wrestlers ever are no longer with us or too old to work doesn't help either. But really, there are so many great wrestlers out there and already on the roster that aren't given the time of day in favor of some of the total wastes of oxygen who are given the spotlight. And yes,I hold TNA to the same standard and they are just as in the toilet and always will be as long as Russo and JJ run the show.
Originally posted by OndaGrandeUnfortunately the people who deserve most of the blame will never take it (because their names are Stephanie McMahon and her writing staff). People aren't watching wrestling like they used to because real fights are on tv all week long now, and the cartoons and gimmicks schtick just isn't flying anymore. Of course, the fact that some of the best pro wrestlers ever are no longer with us or too old to work doesn't help either. But really, there are so many great wrestlers out there and already on the roster that aren't given the time of day in favor of some of the total wastes of oxygen who are given the spotlight. And yes,I hold TNA to the same standard and they are just as in the toilet and always will be as long as Russo and JJ run the show.
But aren't profits down nearly half compared with last year? I'm with you on the WWE product being pretty awful these days. And with Triple getting na-na-na-hey-hey-goodbyed at the last PPV, I think there is a clear sense developing that you or I aren't alone among longtime, paying fans who are sick of what's being offered. To me this is close to 1995 bad. And at least in 1995, they had Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, close to their primes, to carry the load with actual quality wrestling.
But all that being said, regarding this particular financial report, is the product really fifty percent crappier than it was a year ago? I'd say it's about ten percent worse, thanks to more Orton, Priceless, too much face Hunter and additional McMahon influence. But I don't that that alone really explains it. Gotta give the economy some blame.
And hey, remember when basic pay-per-views were $19.95? The In Your House ones? And then only the big ones were 29.95? Now everything, no matter how shitty and underwhelming, is...what...39.95? And that was before every event was going to be easily downloadable free of charge off the net the next day...I'm not sure that, even if they slashed prices, there would be much they could do about that.
I'd love to jump on the rip the McMahon Family bandwagon, but on this one I can't. Though it was down 50% from the same time period in '08, they made a PROFIT during a time period where the economy was much worse than 12 months prior. And, they lose Mania from one year to another, so I'm actually surprised they did as well. Now, if profits are down, or an actual loss occurs, this quarter when they have the addition of Mania vs. last year, then let panic hit the streets.
Originally posted by Hogan's My DadAnd at least in 1995, they had Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, close to their primes, to carry the load with actual quality wrestling.
Yeah and everyone else except Owen Hart and 1-2-3 Kid sucked. The current roster is a lot more talented and there's plenty of great wrestling. WWF in 1995 didn't put on a PPV anywhere near as good as No Way Out or Backlash.
It's not half. As already noted, WM25 wasn't included in the first quarter in 2009 like it was in 08.
If you exclude Wrestlemania 24 from last year's numbers, it's a decrease of about 15%. And even most of that isn't in the core business:
Category 2009 2008 TV Rights $24.9 $24.0 Licensing $19.8 $26.2 NA Live Events $17.0 $15.9 PPV $13.6 $17.4 Home Video $9.2 $14.0 Venue Merch $4.6 $4.3 WWE.com $3.9 $4.5 WWE Studios $3.7 $11.8 Magazines $3.5 $2.9 WWEShop $3.0 $3.6 WWE 24/7 $1.5 $1.6 Int Live Events $1.0 $2.8 Total $105.7 $129.0
All the areas WWE is down are the areas you would expect to see down with people worried about money. People are less likely to buy PPVs, DVDs, Video Games and Toys (which makes up the Licensing Fees). And then WWE Studios made $8 million less than a year ago, which isn't surprising, because this is still residuals from the first three movies. They haven't realized any profit from 12 Rounds (The W at Amazon) or Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia, Ken Kennedy's direct to DVD release yet.
Originally posted by Hogan's My DadAnd at least in 1995, they had Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, close to their primes, to carry the load with actual quality wrestling.
Yeah and everyone else except Owen Hart and 1-2-3 Kid sucked. The current roster is a lot more talented and there's plenty of great wrestling. WWF in 1995 didn't put on a PPV anywhere near as good as No Way Out or Backlash.
Let's not be ridiculous. Hakushi is on my list of all-time underrated guys, and was completely awesome; he had some great matches. Goldust was introduced that year, and seeing him today it's easy to forget just how ballsy and cutting edge that character orginally was. And I wouldn't say Undertaker or Davey Boy Smith "sucked". And these were also the days where Hall and Nash worked hard.
And I said it was nearly 1995 bad, not as bad or worse.
If you can get passed how incredibly over-rehearsed most of the matches today look, then yes, there is a lot of great stuff today. But without any sense of character development, it is hard to really get behind anyone. Kofi Kingston, for example, is a lot of fun to watch, but other than being Jafaican, there's nothing there. There is no reason to like him beyond whatever physical charisma he brings to one particular segment of television. As soon as his quarter-hour is over, he's totally forgotten. And that is true of everyone. There is no consistency. It really has a directionless, Nitro-esque feel to it these days.
I fail to see how titles that matter and storylines that pay off and have at least a few years of continuity built in is in any way inconsistent with the unrealistic wet dream Vince has of his product as an "action-adventure soap opera" with total mainstream acceptance. Those who are critical of WWE are not now and aren't going to be in the future asking for anything at all unreasonable. No one expects a perfect show every week, just something that doesn't look like it's been thrown together.
Goldust was terrible when he debuted, and UT had spent four years working with nothing but slugs and had yet to develop as a worker. Hakushi was only as good as his opponent, and Hall and Nash worked hard only against each other and Shawn.
I agree with Shapiro-invoking 1995 in any way as compared to today's product is hyperbole. I agree though, it's not unreasonable to have expectations for the product's quality. It's also not unreasonable to expect people not to run around proclaiming disaster everyone WWE profits take a hit. Not that you were doing that, of course.
Originally posted by redsoxnationI'd love to jump on the rip the McMahon Family bandwagon, but on this one I can't. Though it was down 50% from the same time period in '08, they made a PROFIT during a time period where the economy was much worse than 12 months prior. And, they lose Mania from one year to another, so I'm actually surprised they did as well. Now, if profits are down, or an actual loss occurs, this quarter when they have the addition of Mania vs. last year, then let panic hit the streets.
I'm not really curious enough to look at the final report, but I wonder how profitable the activities of their current wrestlers are. Between the DVD's and 24/7, it seems like those are areas that are almost pure profit centers. And most of the big selling dvd's seem to be aimed at the nostalgia market.
If anything this just shows how incredibly good a deal Vince got by buying WCW. With their footage, and all the small promotions he picked up, they could stop running live events altogether and probably be a profitable company.
But they're old enough to bug the crap out of their parents until they get them his latest stuff. Of all the things to pick on, Cena's fanbase not making money is probably the weirdest.
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