Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
You can send us questions for the PWInsider.com Q and A at pwinsider@gmail.com.
Does WWE have any kind of exclusivity with NBC Universal on not allowing Pro Wrestling programming other than WWE on any of their networks. If not NBC Universal as a whole do they have any exclusivity with USA Network? I got a bit curious after the recent rumours of IMPACT Wrestling having talks with SyFy for a TV deal, Since SyFy is a NBC owned Network.
USA has made it clear in the past that the only wrestling company that they want to be in business with is the best one, WWE. When Raw went to Spike TV, they got out of the wrestling business. I don’t know if there is a formal clause but it’s clear they only want an A list product. As for Impact going to SyFy, I will believe that when I see it. The show has been available for years now and SyFy has passed on it. That could change, of course, but I would shocked if it did. Impact isn’t a hot TV product. In fact, it has steadily gone backward, from Spike to Destination America to POP TV, and the viewership has gone south with it.
I was listening to the HHH Takeover conference call. The guy that opened the call said that you could ask one question per outlet. Then one guy kept asking questions. What's up with that? Also, why don't you ask questions? I notice it's always Mike that asks them.
Last thing first, WWE usually asks that one person per outlet asks questions. Usually it’s one question and one follow up. So, Mike asks them while I do the report. As for the post Takeover call, they made it clear that it would be one question per reporter, since there were so many people both live at the conference as well as on the phone. They wanted as many people to get a chance as possible. The person you mention? He simply didn’t follow the rules that WWE asked of us. Why he did that only he can answer.
Is there any word on if Raw & Smackdown will be live on Christmas week? Are you guys in favor of that?
Raw and Smackdown will be live on Christmas week, but not on the holidays. Raw be taped on Friday the 28th while Smackdown will be taped on Saturday the 29th that week for New Years.The Christmas Eve and Christmas shows will be taped in advance. The talent is off after TV the week before the holiday and goes back on the road after Christmas. With that said, if the company asks the talent to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I understand it. Personally, I would not want to work that day but WWE is an entertainment entity and like the professional sports leagues, that can mean working on the holidays.
Independent of whether fans at Survivor Series should have treated Ronda Rousey the way they did, what is the point of a brand vs brand rivalry if WWE wants there to be a clear heel and a clear babyface in the match? Wasn’t there a perfect opportunity for at least one of the announcers to say something like, “Clearly Smackdown fans are behind Charlotte no matter what” instead of no-selling the reaction? Why have brand matches at all if brand loyalty (whether real or just sold that way) is meaningless?
They don’t put as much thought into it as you do, sadly. The thing I find really funny is that WWE keeps misreading the room with things like Becky. They turn her heel, despite the facts that the fans are behind her and then don’t know what to do when the fans don’t buy their turn. I get that they “market to kids” and “won’t let the fans hijack the show” but the fact of the matter is that they have fans at the shows that will not do what WWE want them to do. If they keep ignoring that, we will keep seeing more things like heels getting cheered and faces being booed.
Has Miz ever been a babyface? My buddy swears he was when Ric Flair was his manager however many years ago but I think he's insane.
That was a while ago but yes, they did try to make him a face when Flair was his mention and was teaching him the Figure Four. It didn’t work out.
You can send us questions for the PWInsider.com Q and A at pwinsider@gmail.com.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
