Hey there. I’m FLEA. Come On, let’s go!
TOP STORY
This should cover the gamut. A whole lot of ground.
BUSINESS ANALYSIS, ADVICE, COMPARISON AND PREDICTIONS FROM THE TORCH
This week’s issue of the Torch features the opinions of Wade Keller,
editor and James Caldwell, Torch Columnist on the state of WWE’s
business and the popularity of UFC. And how that relates to the WWE’s –
impending doom? NO ONE is saying that, man. Oddly enough, Keller starts
his column off trumpeting the suckcess of WWE stock and how happy “Wall
Street Analysts” are with the bow-wow. Closed at $16.30 for the
domestic weekend! HOT DAMN! Of course the volume* was a humdinger
mortgage the house and put the kids up for adoption “is there a pulse?”
81k…which means something, obviously.
* –
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=wwe
start there and learn.
By comparison (going through a portfolio), the volume on Sirius was around 30
million. Real quick – and this is the same thing I told you about the WWE stock
back when you could make money off of it – BUY SIRIUS. Like now. Don’t believe
what you hear or read
“Wall Street Analysts” are betting against:
- Mel Karmazin
- A rejuvenated Howard Stern. Who has carte blanche to leave a REAL legacy
- The total decline and decimation of FM and AM radio and the influx of
Satellite Radio as “the norm”
So take some FLEA ADVICE. Buy now.
Back to wrestling. Keller basically says the same thing I said around three
years ago, which, in lieu of original content or a link, I will include right
here for your perusal. If you would like to skip it, *s are there for you
from 11.8.03 (the irony is in the first line)
* * * * *
I guess I will say this one more time and then drop
it…people have their own agendas and apparently are not creative and / or smart
enough to write original, well thought out columns without doing the j.o.b. to
their “chicken little” mindset…
The Wrestling business is in a lull right now, but not a
fatal one. 200,000 buy rates may look bad compared to 300,000 the year before,
but it is, in no way, the end of the wrestling business or a harbinger of death
for Vince McMahon’s company. A quick example and then I’ll wrap up this brain
dead topic and hope anyone who reads this will get a f*cking clue…
Over the last 5 years, two companies, the Walmart
Corporation and Microsoft, have had their share of ups and downs, which happens
in a business where the main purpose is to separate as many people from as much
money possible while providing them with the “goods” they desire.
During the high times of the late 1990’s, through about the
first quarter of 2000, both stocks soared, split and made their shareholders
plenty of money – until the “bottom dropped out”. That’s the phrase that people
throw around when they are not smart enough to realize that making money betting
on other people’s buying habits takes the nerve of a high diver and the
restraint of a recovering drug addict. No “bottom” dropped out, it was just the
economy that brought those two companies (and just about every other publicly
traded stock) back to reality.
The companies struggled to maintain their share prices and
went through an earnings lull – however, both remained committed to a solid
business model and were able to tread water in a stagnant economy. In the end,
Both WalMart and Microsoft have managed to shore up not only their stock prices,
but also their future earnings, using patience and long term thinking /
planning.
Also, both companies are Global entities and both realized
that although the American earning potential was the goose that laid the golden
egg for a few years, the pace set by 3-4 years of unprecedented growth could
NEVER be sustained, therefore it was necessary to plan (and stick to) their long
term goals in order to remain reasonably profitable during the downtimes and
perfectly positioned for another period of growth. Maybe not one as profitable
and high profile as the late 1990’s, but a solid, extended period of earnings
and profitability that will benefit not only them, as companies, but also the
shareholders who invest.
Now then – and I’ll type this reaaaaal slow for all of you
that do not seem to be able to get it through your heads – Vince McMahon and
World Wrestling Entertainment used their “boom” period of the 1990’s to position
themselves as a solid, publicly traded Global company, eliminated (with tons of
help from ECW and Time Warner) the competition and have become THE provider for
Sports Entertainment (wrestling) in the world. Get that? The WORLD.
Jesus Christ, my 9 year old daughter has better business
acumen than all you wannabe business analysts that look at a 100,000 drop in PPV
buys as then end of WWE. Well, at least * some * people are finally coming
around to prefacing their doom and gloom with “this doesn’t mean McMahon is
going bankrupt, BUT…” But nothing. What part of Global Company is so tough to
understand?
Do you realize that Vince has the WORLD by the balls in
providing a wrestling product? China alone has hundreds of millions of people
who have had limited exposure to Sports Entertainment (or anything American for
that matter) and the doors are opening for American companies to market their
products to these paying (PAYING!!!!!!) customers – the sky’s the limit. Ditto
Europe. And ditto however the whole Mid-East thing plays out. You want wrestling
– See Vince.
Yes, the product has taken a turn for the worse, mainly
because Vince has a major hang-up promoting anything that isn’t “his creation”
and when he tries, he doesn’t have the temerity to follow through with it.
However, we, as fans, set the bar so high to what * should * have happened
during the Invasion that nothing could have taken the place (or drawn any more
money) of what the Fantasy Bookers had in their dreams.
When Vince saw the writing on the wall, he decided to go
the nostalgia route…when that didn’t work, he put himself and his family back on
TV. Do you know what the common thread in all this is? The WWE’s viewership, for
the most part, remained steady and WWE continued to make money. Granted, it’s
nowhere near the “boom” period, but there are not too many companies that have
done much better.
Or have a quarter of a million dollars in CASH reserves and
near total market share control. If you feel it’s necessary to point out the
lack of house show attendance and the drops in buyrates as signs that something
drastic needs to be done to “turn things around”…to “save” wrestling, that’s
your opinion – but you are wrong. Wrestling does not need saving. As a matter of
fact, wrestling does not need YOU! Quit watching, don’t support the current
product…do you think it really matters?
There will always be an audience for “new” wrestling in
America. And the audience will grow, maybe not as big as YOU want it to be – but
wasn’t it really, really annoying to go to a bar and hear catchphrases? Or to
hear the uneducated mark crow about how much of a bad ass the Undertaker is when
YOU for a FACT know that the only reason he is being pushed is because of
backstage politics?
Be honest with yourself – how many times have you actually
participated in a real life conversation with a stranger at a bar or a co-worker
about the inner working of the wrestling business? And how Vince vs. Stephanie
caused the buyrates to plummet and all they need to do to “turn things around”
is to push Rey and Dragon, put the belt on Benoit and have Paul E book
everything.
Or, argue about the FACT that HHH is holding everyone down
and preventing much more talented and “over” wrestlers to get left in the dust
while he fondles the Championship Belt with one hand and fingers Stephanie with
the other. That leaves his big beak of a schnozz, which is firmly ensconced in
Vince’s asshole.
Does anyone have these conversations? I bet no. Because, in
real life, it’s an embarrassment to be a “Wrasslin Fan”, even moreso when it
isn’t en vogue. And I think that’s the real reason behind the Internet Wrestling
Community’s hell-bent attitude towards Vince’s supposed lack of business sense.
For a while, we wrestling fans were actually accepted
members of popular culture instead of a group of losers who watch that “fake
bullshit” on TV. Nevermind that the above conversations probably never took
place – what was nice to know is they * could * have, given the right
circumstances and atmosphere.
For a five year time period, being a hardcore wrestling fan
did not carry the stigma of someone needing to get a life…something which was
taken away as Vince turned what was cool back into the same joke that it always
has, and always will be.
No matter how many World Class Athletes or Olympic Gold
Medal Winners participate, or how many Cactus Jack’s or Tommy Dreamers or
“Attitude” commercials try to convince the general public that it ain’t fake,
the general opinion of most people in society is that it * is * one big joke.
“Why is that guy f*cking a corpse?”. “Are the gay guys getting married?” “Does
Trish really take it up the ass?” These are the questions that are impossible to
justify to anyone who does not “Get It”.
The Old Timers always resented Vince McMahon for making
their “rasslin” shows into a three ring circus and, at this point, many fans who
reaped the benefits of not being shackled in shame for suggesting “Hey Man, this
football game is boring, can you turn on RAW?” have seen the “casual fan” turn
their sights to reality TV and / or any other fad that may catch their eye while
they, as “rasslin fans”, are relegated to the sidelines in abject ignominy, left
only to bitch, moan and offer solutions to any Message Board or Wrestling
Website that accepts them.
Vince, I believe, is aware of this. I think he also
realizes he is one or two angles and a frivolous spending economy away from
filling arenas and doubling buyrates. But what I’m damn sure he realizes is that
the WORLD is his oyster. Vince has spent his lifetime becoming the Man to see
for Sports Entertainment. He’s good at not losing
Vince owns outright about 90% of televised American
wrestling history and, I imagine, would have no trouble talking Lawler or
Cornette out of their archives…As far as the Jarretts are concerned, they are
his for the taking, should he so desire. Same goes for ROH. Or Whoever. THIS, as
I have mentioned, is the Future of Wrestling – bringing the history of wrestling
to your American and Canadian Doorsteps via DVD while Mass Marketing the WWE
Brand to the rest of the world. Why people, especially people who are not *
really * morons, can’t see this is beyond me.
Again, I think it’s one part jealousy and two parts holding
a grudge against the man who runs the show. Vince, no matter how hard he tries,
cannot legitimize “rasslin” to the American public, which leaves us, as fans, in
limbo – just a bunch of geeks and nerds who cling to a fake sport like some sort
of security blanket and write about it behind the anonymity of computers like
it’s a matter of life and death. It feels good to watch Vince “suffer” and kick
him while he’s down – after all “WE” know what’s good for the business.
You keep thinking those delusional thoughts while the man
holding a Royal Flush lights his cigars with Euros, Schillings and Yen…he’s
already sleeping on a pillow of gold and plans any night now to start counting
sheep stuffed with DVD money. The quicker you get over your jealousy and
bitterness and look at the big picture, the happier you will be knowing that the
culmination of “why” we are fans is about to come to fruition over the next few
years.
The ball is in your court to figure out the specifics of
“why”…I’m done typing about this topic – I’m tired of beating a dead horse for a
group of people who do not (or will not) understand things like Futures, Big
Pictures and Long Term Financial Goals…
* * * * *
I think I need to break that into easy to read paragraphs…hang on
There you go. Boy that looks bad. The formatting, not the content. the
formatting was a suggestion made, so how now. The content looks rude and mean,
but those were different times
* * * * *
So – Keller makes it clear that domestic business sucks and the money – get
this one. “masked”
DOMESTIC PPV BUYS CRASHING
WWE is reaching a break point as far as what consumers are willing to pay – both
in terms of price and quantity – for its PPV events. Signs are strong that WWE
is wearing out its welcome in PPV homes in the United States and Canada. This
would be more alarming to stock analysts if the drop in domestic PPV buys
weren’t being masked by increases international buys.Overall PPV revenue has dropped over the past five years, ranging from $128.0
million in 2001 and $112.0 million in 2002 to as low as $85.5 million in 2005,
with 2003, 2004, and 2006 in the $91-85 million range. The five-year average is
$95 million. The increase in revenue in fiscal 2006 compared to 2005 was due
primarily to a price increase of $5 per event during that time. WWE cannot raise
prices again soon without a likely dramatic drop in buyrates which would offset
any potential benefit.Expanding the number of PPVs is an option, but signs of a diminished appetite
for PPVs and increased competition from UFC and to a lesser extend TNA is taking
a bite out of domestic PPV interest for WWE.WWE expanded to a third full-fledged brand earlier this summer by relaunching
ECW. After the ECW’s Most Extreme Matches DVD sold 87,000 units last year, the
highest total of any WWE DVD release that year, and tickets sold out quickly for
the second ECW PPV, and the first ECW reunion PPV did solid numbers, Vince
McMahon believed there was a potential to expand WWE revenue with a third brand.So far, cable ratings have been strong, but in what way WWE is going to turn
that into added revenue isn’t clear. ECW live event attendance has been weak.
WWE was already exploiting the ECW brand on DVD and there’s limited room for
growth there. The main hope would be that a successful ECW brand could lead to
WWE expanding its PPV schedule to include ECW-branded events, or that ECW
wrestlers taking part in other PPVs will bring in a new audience.Yet, the way WWE promoted ECW turned off, almost by design, anyone who wasn’t
already a fan of Raw and Smackdown. Instead of bringing in new fans, the new ECW
just encouraged current fans to watch an extra night per week. That’s unlikely
to expand PPV revenues in and of itself. And expanding to a third brand has
watered down WWE’s roster depth and creativity, resulting in a bland,
forgettable Saturday Night’s Main Event special on NBC in the midst of the ECW
relaunch.– Wade Keller, Torch Newsletter #926
What’s kind off odd is over the last 8 years or so, especially over the last
3, an elite few have made a good chunk of dough – enough to turn it into a full
time gig – in charging for opinions and analysis, either by web or by mail.
That’s why it’s tough to really get bent out of shape that their opinions
influence a hell of a lot of people, because they have figured out how to
extract money from people’s pockets. Which is the bottom line of business.
Successful business anyway
In turn – Vince has the product – and means to provide the product – to the
pawns, who in turn, enlighten the marks.
When enough marks turn into smarks, they buy tickets. Not for the reason of
getting wet for John Cena. Or to see “the Superstars / Extremists”. That’s for
the “casual fan”. The one that Vince is “trying” to appeal to. The mark.
Smarks by tickets in a vain attempt to be part of the show. In their defense,
the smarks at this point are the “core audience”, or a very large majority of
it. Case in point is the last ECW show
Where to begin with that? How about Page Six
I don’t know. I said what I wanted to about the future of WWE’s business years
ago. Over the last few columns, I’ve expressed my disgust in the WWE stock, my
reason for selling the majority of it, and kept the theme over the years that
the WWE is one or two hot angles – if these f*ckers would quit getting busted,
suspended or declared medically unable to compete – of being the “in thing”
domestically again.
Or – jump outside that box for a second!
Think of all the good shit that the overseas market will pay for once they
have access? Most of the world has only *heard* of the Rock and Stone Cold. Or
the NWO. Or ECW. Or Flair when he ruled the earth. Dusty Bleeding. Hell in the
Cell. Bruno. Snuka’s cage dive
“The world is his oyster” – I said that. The cool thing is Vince must have
someone on the payroll that exists to monitor YouTube. The last bastion of being
an outright thief without trying. It takes some higher level of thinking to get
Peer To Peer to work…
HAWR! I HAVE NO PEERS!
Said that once, too
Anywho. The only reason I’m typing that queer word is to give a shout out to
Burgan. How bout this, kid. There is only one person I trust to give me a
recommendation to check something out – i.e, buy a DVD. Or tape. I trust his
opinion and reviews. And I like reading them too. And that’s Burgan
But c’mon, Juan! Enough about that f*cking Dragon’s Gate match already! For
those of you who don’t know, here is this:
http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=16998
BURGAN:
Do Fixer (Dragon Kid & Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito) vs. Blood Generation (CIMA
& Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino) – Quite possibly the best match of the entire
Milestone Series, and maybe the year, while being lauded as such by various
wrestling heavyweights including the Wrestling Observer‘s Dave
Meltzer, Figure 4 Weekly‘s Bryan Alvarez, and the Pro Wrestling Torch‘s
Bruce Mitchell.What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this match? It is state of
the art wrestling that makes everything we’ve seen so far seem like slow motion
in comparison. Being there live, it was incredible watching as the last five
minutes with a hot crowd – most of whom not knowing any of these men when
the match started – on their feet, reeling from one great move after another
while crying out “PLEASE DON’T STOP!”Talk about a picture perfect moment during these dark days of Wellness Policy
violations, the new ECW, and so much crap that is happening in wrestling today.
These six men came to the ring as stars from another promotion and were adopted
by the great crowd who were going absolutely hoss for this match. If you have
not seen this match yet, you have no right to call yourself a wrestling fan in
2006. Don’t miss out! This unbelievable match finished with the Dragon Kid
hitting the dragonrana for the hard fought win.– Review of
Supercard of Honor – March 31st, 2006. Chicago Ridge, IL.
* * * * *
I’ve watched this match about 6 times now. What can YOU say that hasn’t
already been said? How about, Goddamn, the best part of the show is when that
match ended and we moved along to Necro Butcher.
Failing to fall in line re: the greatness of this match is pretty much being
branded as an au contraire by design to everyone who is anyone. Well,
with all due respect to everyone and anyone, f*ck you. The reason the guy in the
mask got over is because he was the GUY IN THE MASK. The only one
I.D.E.N.T.I.F.I.A.B.L.E!
Sorry if that match, to me, felt like choreographed bullshit by look-a-like
foreigners, with a crowd that – oh man, I have to get this in
Any review that raves about this match always mentions how “hot” the crowd
was. Burgan said “hoss”, but I’m hoping that was a typo. Anyhoo (HA! GRUT!), I
do remember a time, years ago, when the common line of judging a “great” match
was this…
The crowd doesn’t matter – most of them don’t understand good wrestling
anyways. It’s best to turn the sound down and enjoy the match yourself instead
of letting the crowd dictate your opinion
That’s in italics and not quotes because it’s a paraphrase. Which reminds me!
I can’t be sued for paraphrasing, but they can get me for stealing “copyrighted
material”!. Come on, guys…what would I do with newsletters, websites,
creditors and Mitchell?
Necro Butcher rules. What’s funny to me is people I normally consider
compus mentis have deemed this Do Fixer vs. Blood Generation match “the
future of wrestling”. My retort? This business will always have a place for a
guy like Necro Butcher, who kills himself out of masochism. And for nameless
Japs who kill themselves for no good reason other than five snowflakes. I’ll
take the guy who dies happy
Where was I?
“The world is his oyster” – I said that. The cool thing is Vince must have
someone on the payroll that exists to monitor YouTube. The last bastion of being
an outright thief without trying. It takes some higher level of thinking to get
Peer To Peer to work…
Yeah. Which means the overseas market won’t be able to bogart ANY copyrighted
material. Which means PAY. Or get your foreign bellyful of anything BUT Saying
Your Prayers…f*ck that almost turned into something a Torch or Observer
columnist would write. No closing thoughts…I made my point ages ago as far as
I’m concerned.
BUSINESS ANALYSIS, ADVICE, COMPARISON AND PREDICTIONS FROM THE TORCH (part
2)
Quick and to the point. Keller and Caldwell make business comparisons between
WWE and UFC. According to an increasing majority, UFC is a threat to WWE.
Numbers are provided for doubters.
Numbers don’t lie. You know what else doesn’t lie? Outside political
and public pressure to people that may have the money, but certainly
don’t have class or rational thinking on their side when it comes to
dealing with heavy hitters. It’s going to get ugly. One death.
I know other naysayers have said that. It’s said for a reason. A classic
example of betting against the house. It’s something that’s GOING to happen,
eventually. And the naysayers will be proven right. It is too violent. And not a
“necessity of modern culture”.
Vince McMahon dodged that bullet 20+ years ago by admitting “OH COME ON
REF…they’re just pretending!” Which means no one gives a rats ass when
professional wrestlers drop dead like flies. But UFC? Or MMA in general? That
will make news. It already does / has. Which is why the “sport” has taken so
long to go mainstream.
Dana White has a game plan, obviously. He’s using the Vince McMahon Goes
National technique. Vince had a good run during the 80’s…and ended up in
court under Federal Indictment for a laundry list of charges. None of which
included second degree murder. Or maybe first degree murder? Think there is some
kid in law school, formulating his way into buying our beach house, on the basis
of “White’s the Promoter! He KNEW what would happen! Seems a little
pre-meditated to me!”?
That ain’t happening. No reason to be worried. Or paranoid.
Vince’s product got stale. Luckily Paul Heyman came along and taught him how
to talk a new generation into killing themselves.
DROZ. OWEN.
For entertainment purposes only. Not for real. Not like UFC. Heyman fought
that “it just LOOKS real, but it ain’t. We are in no way, shape or form UFC!”
battle and won, around 1997, I think. Vince pounced on that and made a billion.
UFC is drawing with a 42 year old ex-Vince employee who’s best days were
knocked out of him by a vicious chair shot from The Rock. Now he’s getting the
shit beat out of him by one of the best fighters in the world. And people are
COMPLAINING that they were robbed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – because the fight was
stopped to soon. Yeah. Ghouls
Vince McMahon is not a dumb guy, despite all the evidence against him. I
think he went nuts years ago, which is why I no longer invest much in the
company, but so what. Plenty people will. “Wall Street Analysts”. And wrestling
will be around for your grandchildren. So will people getting beat up legit. UFC
and White. What a combo. Some threat. Vince will bite on this “threat”, but will
still be standing in the end
And how about this for a conspiracy theory? Brock has agreed to be the fall
guy for a grander plan. He works his way into MMA – and eventually UFC – and
then does the “ultimate job”. In the Middle of the Ring. He has the track record
of almost dying (remember that SSP?). The only other candidate is Angle, which
would real suspicious, at this point. So Brock agrees to croak, in
turn for his kid (and Sable) being taken care of for life. Are there any
Italians involved in this?
No threat. Or worries. Only paranoia. Are they really out to get you?
That’s enough for now. Come back next week
Thanks for Reading
FLEA – ryderfakin@yahoo.com
