Jan 6, 2023 17:39:34 GMT Jake said:

Jan 6, 2023 14:49:09 GMT DanTheMan said:

WWE net worth is 5.24 billion, I doubt they find an buyer,.

The Saudis

Billionaire Ted will buy and finally win the war and put the Bisch back in charge!

Papa Khan can afford WWE <.<

Triple H and Stephanie right now opening up closets trying to find skeletons.

Talent has been informed that Stephanie McMahon & Nick Khan will remain co-CEOs and Triple H will remain head of creative.

That‘s good news even if I expect it to change in like two weeks.

Funaki should buy it!

Jan 6, 2023 21:25:23 GMT RT said:

Talent has been informed that Stephanie McMahon & Nick Khan will remain co-CEOs and Triple H will remain head of creative.

That‘s good news even if I expect it to change in like two weeks.

That's a blessing.

Go and play some golf or something Vince, and let your kids keep you rich.

Jan 6, 2023 1:25:52 GMT iron maiden said:

Good lord. Are people actually happy about this?

I don't disagree with Todd , but it just seems weird to me. The guy just can't let go - and clearly needs to. Why does he seem hell bent on destroying what he created? He can't honestly think he's the best thing for the product? It's been proven lately by many who are finally enjoying the product again, myself included.

Some people don't know what else to do with themselves.  My father is fixing to be 75 and still puts in 9+ hour of mechanic work 5 days a week.  My friend's father is 90 and he puts in 5 hours a day selling cars. If either were to just up and retire I think they would quickly go down physically and mentally. Change in routine is not always good.

Jan 6, 2023 23:36:06 GMT bodyslam said:

Jan 6, 2023 1:25:52 GMT iron maiden said:

Good lord. Are people actually happy about this?

I don't disagree with Todd , but it just seems weird to me. The guy just can't let go - and clearly needs to. Why does he seem hell bent on destroying what he created? He can't honestly think he's the best thing for the product? It's been proven lately by many who are finally enjoying the product again, myself included.

Some people don't know what else to do with themselves.  My father is fixing to be 75 and still puts in 9+ hour of mechanic work 5 days a week.  My friend's father is 90 and he puts in 5 hours a day selling cars. If either were to just up and retire I think they would quickly go down physically and mentally. Change in routine is not always good.

But in this case, Vince being away from WWE is... best for business.

I don't really keep up with ratings and whatever else very often, but - has there been any real difference in viewers or ticket sales or merch money or whatever else since HHH took over creative?

I stopped watching months ago, so BT Sport aren't getting my money anymore anyway. Have Hit Row, Dexter Lumis, Mia Yim and the Good Brothers really inspired many people to start watching WWE regularly again? 

Jan 7, 2023 0:01:00 GMT @aaron said:

I don't really keep up with ratings and whatever else very often, but - has there been any real difference in viewers or ticket sales or merch money or whatever else since HHH took over creative?

I stopped watching months ago, so BT Sport aren't getting my money anymore anyway. Have Hit Row, Dexter Lumis, Mia Yim and the Good Brothers really inspired many people to start watching WWE regularly again? 

There's been a ton of record lows lately.

Ticket sales remain relatively high, but business had turned since the pandemic and caught their second wind when they signed Cody Rhodes.

The only thing HHH's run really had going for it is the tension it created in the AEW locker room and the adverse effect it had on viewership. Whatever niche AEW had was watered down with HHH back in charge and the reports that AEW talent was being kept like a hostage situation stood in the face of the 'for the talent by the talent' perception the show had going. No surprise at all to see a lot of AEW homers crowing about it.

There's talk that one of the bidders for WWE is the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. The same group behind LIV Golf.

If that happens, then fuck it. After 30 years, this would be the move to steer me off WWE for good.

The impacts of Vince's departure were felt backstage. It has had an enormous positive impact on the culture behind the scenes.

The last 4 weeks didn't see a drop below 2.1m for Smackdown. 2.6m for the final Smackdown of the year. And 0.5 in the demo on average.

RAW recently has seen seeing on average about 1.6m and 0.4s in the demo.

Both are consistent with the average for the year, maybe slightly down due to the holiday seasons, and considerable environmental challenges in the United States.

In contrast, AEW Dynamite has been seeing 0.3 in the demo and on average about 800-900k for Dynamite of late.

Regardless of the quality of the product - and it has improved greatly since Vince left - it hasn't seen any dramatic shift in ratings. I doubt it will ever see any dramatic shift in viewers unless there was a dramatic shift in tone and content. Similarly to the Attitude Era shift.

This may sound heartless but since we're strictly talking business, how much of an impact is that morale having on profit margins?

I'm not really seeing anything to suggest Vince being out of the company is best for business.

I think there was some initial excitement with HHH taking the reigns and intrigue into what life after Vince would be like. However, it's still primarily the same presentation and it's been underwhelming.

The impact won't be felt for a few years, as and as already pointed out, it stopped the flow of WWE talent to AEW.

The potential would has seen AEW finally catch fire off the backs of former WWE talent and then pose a risk to WWE. Or perhaps AEW becomes a cheaper alternative to WWE for a network to consider, as it looks like WWE, it has WWE talent and likely costs a fraction of the price to sign up. If AEW closed the ratings gap, WWE potential loses out on a deal because an uninformed network exec feels " we've got WWE at home " and signs the alternative instead.

HHH has done fine. Raw was up in Q3 from last year and down in Q4. SmackDown was up in both Q3 and Q4. Almost every year Vince was in charge there were declines and many were huge declines, although it is accurate to say ticket business was turning prior to his exit. I think the novelty of HHH in charge has stabilised ratings to a greater degree than we’re used to, although there is a shelf life on that and it’s probably due post-WrestleMania.

It’s only in the smark bubble you hear talk of radical changes to the product and ‘I bet the ratings will jump now Vince has gone’. Your average WWE fan liked it with Vince there and they’re not dumb enough to throw all that away.

Jan 6, 2023 21:36:58 GMT @aaron said:

Funaki should buy it!

INDEED!

Jan 6, 2023 23:24:04 GMT NATH45 said:

Jan 6, 2023 21:25:23 GMT RT said:

Talent has been informed that Stephanie McMahon & Nick Khan will remain co-CEOs and Triple H will remain head of creative.

That‘s good news even if I expect it to change in like two weeks.

That's a blessing.

Go and play some golf or something Vince, and let your kids keep you rich.

Not that Vince has been a saint but it’s still kind of sand that he is a very wealthy man and could have just lived out the last portion of his life living it up and doing pretty much whatever he wanted.

But I can imagine in the last few months he’s just been watching WWE network 24/7 and planning all of this.

Stay away from the creative, old man.

He's coming back to kill it with a lethal dose of poison.

For life (for life)

Stephanie McMahon has resigned.

Oh shit *ron paul meme here*

The poison is spreading!!!

HHH run!!!

Cannot wait for Regal to return to AEW.

And it begins

I find it a little interesting that she said "Our Founder" and not "My Father". Seems a little cold, almost like she's ashamed or upset about something, wonder what that could be.

I doubt she wrote that at all.

From the meeting today, it was said that instead of pushing for licensing WWE content when their contracts are up with cable providers they will try to sell the company outright to Netflix, Disney, Comcast, or another major media company.

HHH expected to lead creative still.

Stephanie just stepped down as CEO.

Stephanie stepping down would definitely make Vince getting ready to sell WWE more plausible.

Vince has been elected Executive Chairman. He’s back in full control.

I don't feel so bad about cutting my Network subscription now.