I didn't know FOX owned Tubi, interesting


Andrew Zarian of Mat Men Podcast reporting more releases to come in the near future

I wonder if WWE will use the Fox drama to wiggle into a deal with NBC for Smackdown at the end of the current contract. If not NBC then perhaps back to USA. I highly doubt Tubi will be be a success. I think the name alone is a flop. It's been out for over a year and I've never known anyone who uses it or has heard of it.

10 years ago

"Hey kid, it's a budget thing, best of luck in your future endeavors"

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I don’t care how many times I share this video lol <br><br>This is just a reminder that CM Punk was right all along. <a href="https://t.co/kIqzPaUAgx">pic.twitter.com/kIqzPaUAgx</a></p>&mdash; ❦ ꫝꪗ᥇𝘳𝓲ᦔ ❦ (@TheHybridEnigma) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHybridEnigma/status/1423822317428387842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Streaming isnt new, if Fox cared about streaming rights for Smackdown they should have included that in the contract.

Yeah if anything Foxs people made a stupid deal. What did they think would happen when they basically decided to "share" a company with NBC? Did they think WWE would just fuck off and ignore their other, pre-existing contracts? Seems like it was destined to be a shitshow tbh.

Just read that Pete Dunne is also in that same situation as Adam Cole in that his contract is also expiring soon and he hasn't resigned.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And more to come. <a href="https://t.co/ZblQiPnUIj">https://t.co/ZblQiPnUIj</a></p>&mdash; Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewZarian/status/1423984426606813184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Fans were taught not to invest in people in NXT because they would likely have their legs cut off on the main roster.

Fans now being taught not to invest in people on the main roster because, successful or not, they could be axed.

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I wonder if WWE shouldn’t ditch the monthly joint PPV model and go back to having brand exclusive shows. Ley all the smackdown ppvs be available on the fox sports app. Let the Raw shows be on peacock. Migrate the Fox ppvs to peacock a week or so after the live event. Keep the two night mania going but one night on Fox for all the smackdown matches, the other for all the Raw matches on peacock.

They’d never do it but if building storylines to drive viewers to peacock is the issue Fox is having, maybe that’s the solution to generate for traffic and app sign ups.

I dont think there is any way you will make both Fox and NBC happy. Unless they had dollar for dollar pricing and exactly equal amounts of content which obviously isn't in the cards. Or if they truly split the rosters again and go to alternating PPVs between Peacock and Tubi so each network has their own unique offering with maybe 2 crossover shows a year, one to be aired on each network.

I can see why Fox is upset with the deal and you don't hear the same rumbling from NBC. NBC gets more content for less money and has the streaming stuff on top of it. NBC clearly has the better deal here. And considering the WWEs downward trend continuing they will be in a much better position to negotiate a new deal when this one ends, and Fox being upset only strengthens that position too. Fox knows they got the super short end of the stick here and they cant hide their displeasure any more.

Imo it would be in WWEs best interests right now to give Fox SOMETHING. I don't know what it is, but you gotta toss them a bone to make them happy. Maybe start by trying to not cross promote the stuff on NBC during Fox broadcasts because that clearly irks them. Let's be real, WWE doesn't really need to cross promote and advertise on the different shows. They aren't gaining any viewers doing that at this point. The audience is there and they either knows whats going on on each show or don't care enough to know, but either way they don't need the reminding. They'll watch it regardless. That by itself won't be enough to placate FOX though. Think WWE should maybe do a few "supershows" and give Fox the rights to broadcast them and give them some kind of timed exclusivity to stream them, maybe 6 months or a year or something. The only exception would be for WWEs YT channel for a few clips. I dunno what they can do short term other than that really.

And similar to your idea Damian, I think they could possibly think about going back to brand exclusive shows and streaming them on that networks streaming service, but ONLY for PPVs. Basically every 3 months would be RAW PPV on Peacock, SD PPV on Tubi, big PPV on both networks. However long they have exclusivity for the PPVs applies both ways, ie after a couple months tubi could air the last RAW PPV or something too. But like I said I would only do this in regards to PPVs.

If Fox wanted to air SD on tubi as well, for instance, I'd let them but with the caveat that it would still be on peacock too, while RAW and NXT stay exclusive to peacock. Can't give them everything or it risks irking NBC too much.

Obviously none of this may be possible. I don't know how the streaming contracts are set up with NBC so this may all be moot.

Brand exclusive “PPVs” require roster depth. Well, good ones do. That was the issue the first and second time around; the undercard was DOA. With the cuts, and the mishandling of the talent they have kept, they’d have a lot of work to do. I guess that’s predicated on the assumption that they’d want to make the shows good, and well…

If they were to do the brand exclusive specials, I honestly wouldn’t make them more than 2 hours, and maybe an hour for a pre show to hype the card and give the audience a warm up match. Book 4-5 of your biggest matches, have some short segments to transition to the next match, and call a day. They don’t need to have 3 hour ppvs if they stuck with being brand exclusive.

They aren't going to do brand exclusive PPV's again for the streaming networks. WWE's deal is with Peacock, they aren't going to take away from them to give to Fox and keep all the profits. This whole ordeal will heighten negotiations at the end of the TV rights deal and probably be one of the straws in breaking the camels back of WWE on Fox. Fox is not thrilled with WWE's ratings, they are below what was anticipated and what Fox paid for. WWE will do their best to leverage the best deal for Smackdown on USA. I believe that the Fox deal was for 3 years, the Peacock deal is for 5 years.

WWE is currently preparing for this situation by tightening up their talent wage bill and when they end up taking a loss for a smaller rights deal for Smackdown on USA (once the Fox contract is up) they will still be making a huge profit, due to the massively lower wage bill. WWE has cut 119 wrestlers and a lot of staff in the past 2 years. They are adapting and trying to stay ahead of the curve.

I'm sure they will. I've been thinking the exact same thing as soon as I found out that FOX is pissed about the whole Peacock thing.

I also wonder how many of the 40+ cuts over the past year have had anything to do with the lingering pandemic and it's effects, not just on WWE but the entire wrestling industry (and yes, I, like everyone am well aware that it has affected way more than just that).

It's important to remember that the past year was WWE's most successful year ever financially. I think what the pandemic really has hurt is future plans. NXT has been aiming for huge international expansion but now with covid those plans aren't as secure to take a leap on. With those international expansion's quelled now Vince has gone to development and seen that Triple H has tried to make NXT far more of brand than Vince ever wanted. It would cost a lot of money to expand NXT and push it the way Triple H wanted to.

I see WWE raiding NXT of it's top stars that they see potential in for the main roster and letting the show continue through it's current contract where it may get canceled or severely reduced when it comes to payment for the next tv rights deal. And then perhaps WWE can chose to tac on a bigger charge to Peacock for exclusive rights or figure out another option entirely. Either way I think based on what I've read recently that NXT as a pushed brand is pretty much done.

If the long term goal of NBC/Universal is to purchase WWE in a UFC/ESPN type deal, which has been speculated as the reason for the Peacock deal, then they will absolutely need to outbid Fox for Smackdown.

In fact with the timing of the deals, if the intention is to purchase WWE once the Peacock deal expires in 2026, it would likely be announced in late 2025. If I remember correctly, the current TV deals expire in 2024. NBC would need to have Smackdown under contract to avoid a whole mess of issues. Fox will probably offer a better deal than they currently have just to drive up the price on NBC out of spite.

Bottom line, Vince gets richer and maybe he will finally retire.

Release everyone

Release the hounds

They can’t; they already let Deam Ambrose go…

Meltzer reporting Vince/Nick Khan's new mantra is 'no more midgets' and 'no one over 30' for NXT.

Now that 'no more midgets' is the mantra I really want them to bring up Gargano and give him a comedy gimmick and put him in the 24/7 scene entirely for the online meltdowns

so is rockstar spud still there,

Yeah, he's still there.

Rumor going around is that HHH got his ass handed to him by Vince in front of Pritchard and Nick Khan for making a new generation of Jimmy Harts instead of a new generation of Dwayne Johnsons. Vince, Pritchard and John Laurinaitis are the ones deciding whose cut and Vince/Pritchard/Laurinaitis will also spearhead the revamp and new direction of NXT.

HHH: Let me introduce you to Jake Atlas!

Vince: GODDAMNIT

Meltzer said there will be some exceptions to the rule of no shorties and no one over 30, as Vince does like Adam Cole, but they will be the rarity going forward.

Rovert noted on Twitter Vince wants to call up a ton of women to RAW.

How hard is gertner's erection right now, I wonder?

What a bunch of shit company run by old bastards who jerk off over big muscly men.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is getting attention again so just wanted to let people know that after this tweet, two NXT wrestlers DM'd me to say they have to stick to these similar match routines and were as about as thrilled about it as I was. <a href="https://t.co/Z3IAHfU1PJ">https://t.co/Z3IAHfU1PJ</a></p>&mdash; forever tired (@Maffewgregg) <a href="https://twitter.com/Maffewgregg/status/1424425159801425926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I mean, I disagree with nearly everything WWE does but trying to get more wrestlers who look like grown men that could kick someone’s ass in a fight and fewer cruiserweights is a very good idea.

If they are aiming for the OVW days of Lesnar/Cena/Orton/Batista being top developmental products that is wise IMO.

I think Vince also changes his mind A LOT these days so I half expect him to abandon this idea in a few months.

Yup

Focusing on body guys is all well and good but then I see what this company is doing with Donovan Dijak since he got on the main roster and I remember that this company hasn’t got a clue.

Right. They don’t have a clue regardless of body type though. I’m just looking for a glimmer of hope in them focusing on the proper talent. We’re at the point now where MY negative ass is the optimist.

I dont know how they could possibly blame Triple H when there is like 25 examples of guys that were super over when called up, and it was Vince and company who dropped the ball.

I know he's the most insanely interesting character in wrestling history but honestly I can't wait for Vince to die so that the company may actually change and get good again. Then we can get some good books or doc's about his life. There is no way he's gonna be able to be honest about anything via writing a book or in a doc. No f'n way.

And for the record Triple H definitely showed that he could build a nationally touring brand from nothing. Sure with the help of the hottest indy stars of the time, but still he made it happen and it was something that Vince never would have done. Triple H hasn't failed with NXT, Vince got his hands on it and either by shitting on the NXT stars pushed to the main roster or Kevin Dunn... IDK what the exact cause is but Vince ruined NXT.

WWE: We’re going to focus on large men who look tough!


Braun: https://64-media-tumblr-com.cdn.ampp...0d3o3_500.gifv

Ideally they would focus on Johnny Curtises who look like, wrestle like and have the charisma of Johnny Curtises.

But fuck another boom. They got a library to make money off of.