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First off, thank you guys for running a great site with legitimate wrestling news. I'm unfortunately not an elite member (3 kids are expensive), but you guys have answered a lot of my questions over the years and I really respect that. While I know a lot is still up in the air, what do you think the odds are we get an edgier or maybe more NXT like product with Smackdown moving to Fox? They do have a history of edgier programming like Family Guy, The Simpsons, etc.
It’s possible I guess. However, WWE has made a concerted effort make the product more “family friendly” and by doing that they have brought in a lot of money in their new TV deals and sponsorship deals so I don’t see them getting much more risqué than they are now. They have established that there is a lot of money in doing things the way that they have been. I think that they will stay the course.
Also, do you think with Raw & Smackdown being on competing networks we might actually see some legit brand competition?
I am very curious to see how that will work out. Both shows will be getting a lot of money in their new deals so they will both be expected to deliver. I think that the idea of a B show will have to go out the window now. The early thought process that when NBCU allowed Smackdown to go to another home was that it would end up as a B show. For $205M a year, on FOX, it can’t be a B show now.
With a reported over $400 million a year for WWE’s US TV rights effective from late 2019, the Network starting to show big profitability and the cash coming from the Saudi Arabian government over the next decade, are there any talks of reducing the insane schedule to give the talent a bit of a break? For example, the couple of weekends after big events like WrestleMania/SummerSlam or an international tour surely don’t need a full schedule of house shows?
$400M implies that Raw will get what Smackdown got. I think the number will be more like $500M, or more, as Raw was said to triple its rights deal to stay on USA. And remember, that is just in the US. It doesn’t count deals in the rest of the world. With that said, we have definitely heard talk of reducing the touring schedule a bit. TV revenues already bring in more money than house shows, the WWE Network and merchandise combined. So it will be even more important to keep the talents healthy for TV. I agree, the company needs to cut back the schedule. It will be best for everyone. House show bonuses can be made up with the TV money combine. Now, the gap will be much wider, meaning TV is clearly the focus of the company and they need to protect the talents so that they can appear on the shows. With Smackdown on Fridays and Raw on Mondays, they will have to address production too, as their schedule will change. With all of this money, I am hoping that both talent and production get more of the pot and house shows will become less of a priority.
What are the chances the WWE ends the brand split before the new TV deals occur? Looking at the deals that both SDown and Raw signed for, I don’t think either wants to be the “B” show. Does Vince just throw everyone together again and stack both shows?
If it’s me, I don’t do that, at least at first. If all talents are on both brands, it could very well make it so that people could watch Raw and skip Smackdown, especially with it on a Friday. Conversely, if someone wants to cut the cord to cable access, they could watch Smackdown and skip Raw. I think that they need to make the shows unique in hopes of getting people to watch both broadcasts.
So when the Iron Sheik beat Bob Backlund for the title, he did it with Arnold Skaaland throwing in the towel. Was this supposed to start an angle between the two? If so, was it because they hadn’t signed Hogan yet and didn’t realize that within 3 weeks. Hulkamania would begin and Backlund’s era as a top guy in the company was essentially over? Perhaps Backlund or Skaaland was supposed to turn heel?
It was a way to get the Title off of Backlund without him doing the job. They knew that Hogan was coming in and Sheik was the transition guy.
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