There was an interview with Wayne Gretzky last night in the Swedish newspaper Expressen. From a wrestling standpoint, the interesting thing about it is that he's wearing a Wrestlemania 2010 jersey with a WWE logo and the slogan Destruction in The Desert, which would indicate that Wrestlemania 2010 would be in Phoenix. The reporter doesn't ask about this because almost noone cares about wrestling here. http://www.expressen.se/sport/ishockey/1.984936/fel-att-satsa-pa-foppa
So, what does this mean? I can't imagine it being a done deal since it usually isn't announced until a year in advance which city will host Wrestlemania. Is the city Phoenix campaigning to host the show in 2010? And would they be able to print jerseys with the WWE logo if so?
The only thing I can think is that WWE wants to make an announcement that the stadium hosting the Super Bowl will also be hosting WrestleMania. That might happen closer to the Super Bowl, though. Since 2010 would be...(counting on fingers)...WrestleMania 26, they may have some other special plan already in mind for the Silver WrestleMania.
I think you've scooped the rest of the 'Net, though - good work!
Well isn't *that* entertaining. I've got to know somebody who would know something!
The other side of the equation is that the wildly expensive, brand new arena that's hosting the Super Bowl wants to be able to announce that they have *anything* else on their horizon besides Cardinals Football & the Fiesta Bowl.
Originally posted by CRZSince 2010 would be...(counting on fingers)...WrestleMania 26, they may have some other special plan already in mind for the Silver WrestleMania.
The shirt looks to me like Phoenix's attempt to create buzz and convince WWE to consider them for Wrestlemania. Since WWE will announce the 2009 site on March 30, Phoenix probably figures it's too late to secure that slot (or that the 25th Wrestlemania is too big for Arizona), so they're pragmatically looking ahead to 2010. It's the same way Chicago's busy trying to land the 2016 Olympics--even though 2008 and 2012 haven't even happened yet, it's too late to get them.
Originally posted by Big BadAlso, why was Wayne Gretzky, of all people, wearing a WM jersey? Does Janet have money down on WM26 being in Phoenix?
I don't much keep up on the gory details, but ...
The Coyotes used to play at the arena in downtown Phoenix. They got pissy with the Suns having first call on all the dates in that building (among other factors), & ended up with their own arena out on the west side of the greater Phoenix metroplex in Glendale.
The Cardinals used to play at ASU stadium in Tempe. But it was "bush league" for an NFL team to play at a college stadium. So after much wrangling, they got a brand new stadium in Glendale, immediately adjacent to the Coyotes arena.
Glendale isn't a wildly popular (or convenient!) location for either of these. Especially among us taxpayers who already chipped in on the perfectly good basketball/hockey arena & baseball stadium centrally located in downtown Phoenix. (I know a bunch of people who dropped their season tickets for both, primarily because they didn't want to have to drag their asses all the way over to nowhere Glendale.)
One of the big selling points when they built the arena & stadium in downtown Phoenix was the revitalization of the downtown area, access to existing infrastructure, restaurants, hotels, businesses, convenience to airport, bla-bla-bla. The new Glendale buildings are plunked out in the middle of nowhere, that the developers hope will eventually grow up to be something.
(For example, WWE ran a house show at the Glendale arena, as one of the first ever events there. I'm guessing that Glendale offered a kick-ass deal to WWE to try to lure them away from downtown Phoenix. It was one of the worst-attended house shows I've ever been to. WWE has wisely stayed with the downtown Phoenix building ever since.)
So fundamentally there's a continuing public relations problem for that whole Glendale sports complex. And anybody in any way affiliated with any of it, is automatically part of the PR team for the whole mess. And Wayner is pretty much the highest-profile person involved. This is why we immediately assume that Wayner in a Wrestlemania shirt means Glendale's stadium, rather than the downtown ballpark (which would be a peachy choice).
And that's a whole lot more discussion of the situation than you ever dreamt possible.
Originally posted by Jim SmithIt's the same way Chicago's busy trying to land the 2016 Olympics--even though 2008 and 2012 haven't even happened yet, it's too late to get them.
Yeah, seeing as how the 2012 Olympics were awarded and announced about two and a half years ago now.