Wwf...e...whatever!

[Guest papacita]

Ok, things don't seem to be looking too good for the WWE these days...the name change, Smackdown's 2.9, injuries to some of the "top guys"...and it seems like a whole bunch of people feel that the fed is getting ready to close. I seriously doubt that, but what I wanna know is who on this board feels that WWE is doomed, and why?

[Guest]

I doubt they'll fold anytime soon. I mean, remember the "dark era" in the 90's? They made it through that. They made it through WCW handing their asses to them on countless occaisions. If this is the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak, then so be it.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

yes...it WILL fold...and out of the rubble of Formerly Titan Towers, a NEW federation will rise...one that is better, with more attention to talent and without Paul Wight...one with better initials...one with only 4 titles; World, IC, Jr. Heavyweight and Tag Team...and that federation will be run by MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

[Guest Luke Michael]

Well they pulled themselves out of the dark era in the mid 90's but didn't everyone think WCW was going to pull through too???

[Guest Some Guy]

Once they start to lose money Vince will start cuting expendible talent like Saturn, Blackman, most WCW guys etc... to keep his pay roll down.  They won't go out for a while if at all.  They are in a long creative funk and will eventually bust out of it whena  new direction for the company is found.  Attitude lasted for 4 years which is actually more like six when you account for how much TV they've had in the last few years.  A new direction is needed and unfortunatley they don't have anyone ot steal ideas from right now.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

The WWF is nowhere near doom.  The company is huge, and could probably get by another 3 or 4 years losing money easily.

 

World Wrestling Whatever is gonna be around for a long time.  It's the only real market, and no matter how bad it gets, people will still watch pro wrestling.

[Guest]

Well, let's put it this way... I wanted to become a pro wrestler, and had the heart for it and everything, but with the way I saw the WW*F* (I'll call it what I fuckin want to, fuck WWE) going recently, I calledi t quits completely for a pro wrestling career and decided to focus entirely on music.

 

In other words, I think that the WWF will be folding sometime soon in the near future, and the reason why is because of that monopoly and creating a terrible product out of it to boot. Wrestling is starting to go out of the main stream (get out there while you still can Rocky) and you can only have so many dark ages before everything gets fucked up.

 

Sorry guys, but I guess it's off to shootfighting and puroresu now

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Well they pulled themselves out of the dark era in the mid 90's but didn't everyone think WCW was going to pull through too???

 

WCW was killed by the AOL merger.  Had Turner had full control he would have kept it around, no matter how much money it lost.  Just look at the early 90s.

 

It is the same thing with the McMahons.  As long as Vince is around, the WWF will not fold.

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

The only losing quarter for the WWF since 1997 was the one where they took a one-time 50 million dollar hit from the XFL, and even then they were only slightly in the red. Their wrestling business has been profitable for 5 straight years, and they have over 100 million dollars of hard cash in the bank. The WWF is also better equiped to deal with falling revenues than WCW was because of their sliding pay structure, which is why in most quarters since 1997 their net profit per share has remained reasonably steady (the years they made more, they paid more, so to speak). Anyone who thinks they are going out of business does not understand their financial situation and think that week-to-week TV ratings determine how much the company is worth or something.

[Guest Austin3164life]

As soon as Vince purchased WCW last March, the thought of the WWE (then WWF) closing its doors always crossed my mind.  The law of supply-and-demand states that if there is to be a huge demand for the pro-wrestling, then there should be less supply.  Right now, the only pro-wrestling show you can see in North America is the WWE (excluding any of the Indy feds shown on television).  There really isn't an alternative in the medium the size of the WWE, so now fans are beginning to get turned off by watching repetitive programming.  Unless magically the writing and booking team can really make the split a company split, I see "dark days" for the WWF for a really long time.  Like one poster said before, I don't know how many "dark ages" (mid-90s) the WWE can survive to remain at the top.  In my book, for the WWE to become equally as successful as they were in 98-00, there should come an alternative to the pro-wrestling monopoly that the WWE has on television.  Also, with the WWF switching to WWE in such a crucial time, confusion is created among the mainstream audience (casual marks).  Confusion is bad, and too much of one constant show bloats the industry, and eventually, the WWE could fold.  Although I doubt Vince will close Titan Sport's doors, it's not unsafe to speculate about WWE's eventual dismemberment.......

[Guest]

Oh, you gotta be kidding me. There's no way the WWF is going to "fold" any time soon. They got revenue from four TV shows, (or more, if you count Metal or Jakked, is Jakked still around?), lots of live shows, those expensive monthly PPVs, and let's not forget the HUGE merchandising department. Plus, there's a lot of wrestlers people enjoy watching, on both shows...Angle, Edge, Booker T, RVD, Trish, Jericho...and a huge talent pool of wrestlers that have drawn in the past, will be able to draw with more work, and so on and so forth. The WWF is in a good position, if they decide to suck it up and change.

 

See, if the company was REALLY in trouble, then Vince would do something. I think he's too lazy and/or too arrogant to bother trying to deal with backstage politics and expectations of things...but if the writing on the wall shows up, I think he'll read it. All it really would take is some ruthlessness - "Yes, I know you were a big star, but what have you done for me lately?" And Vince can be ruthless, no question. ;

 

In summary: Just because there have been some bad decisions and unwatchable TV, doesn't mean things are all going to come crashing down suddenly.

 

The problem with debating things like this is that nobody (on this board, I mean) really knows if the WWF is losing money and how much. Do we? ;

[Guest El Satanico]

I doubt they will but they could.

 

At some point Vince will have to admit that the current trend is dying and nothing that he does will stop it from dying. At some point he will have to admit that he needs to refocus and please the die hard fans and not try to retain the trendy kids who are done with wrestling.

 

If Vince doesn't stop trying to lure the trendy kids at some point he will also push the die hards away. If the die hards get sick and tired of what WWF is pushing on them they will at some point give up and turn off WWF.

 

If Vince chases die hards away then yes WWF will diiie.

[Guest Dangerous A]

The wwf(or wwe) will never fold up and die. Vince will ride it out til the bitter end. By the time his company is about to die, the next big thing(Hogan, Austin) will happen and wrestling will probrably boom again.

[Guest What?!]

I don't think they'll fold. They might just have to make lower expectations. Making a million dollars instead of hundreds of millions is better than losing money.

 

Plus if they're in trouble, they'll try and survive off Scorpion King movies. Wait for Scorpion King 10 starring Triple H!

 

"I-uhh came-uhh for-uhh the-uhh woman-uhh and-uhh your-uhh head-uhh"

[Guest mastermind]

What's up guys. Honestly, I REALLY don't like how things are forming in the wrestling world right now. It's scary. I've read everyone's comments and this is what I think.

 

Yes, the wwf did come back from the dark ages, but how did they do it? Go back to 1991-1993. The NWA changed its name to wcw and quite frankly the league sucked until 1996. I find it very ironic the wwf has to change its name over ten years later. The league to be honest was never the same. It never did have that nwa style image or attitude that competed with the wwf in the 80's. You might say what about wcw with Monday Nitro. Don't kid ourselves here. It was the old-school and new school wwf that made fans turn in with the nWo. Hogan turning heel. A wwf brand name. Hall and Nash who were Diesel and Ramone of new generation fame. Hell, fans were backing these guys to take out wcw for crying out loud.

 

I take you to 2002. Hogan returns to the place of where his initial success was accomplished. Fans go crazy of course. The same damn people who were watching him in wcw(tv wise). WCW wasn't pulling the numbers it was the old school wwf stars ranging from Hogan to Savage to even Bret Hart. There were the exceptions of Sting (late 80's star) and Ric Flair(of nwa fame) and Goldberg. This was keeping the wcw and wrestling in general alive.

 

We go to the wwf who had the horrible image from their law suits of steroids and sexual abuse in 1992-1993. The wrestling itself got bad and so did the storylines. I still watched and will still watch, but I'm not interested as much as I was in 1998. I'm a die hard fan, so what does that say?

Anyways, the wwf tried as hell to push newer guys like Bret Hart, Diesel, HBK, UT and none of these guys were clicking with the fans as the 80's stars. UT imo was simply an extension from the 80's with his gimmick and his initial first run that ended with defeating Hogan which of course older and lost fans could remember.

 

Going on let's really look at how the wwf got out of this flunk. In 1996 the nWo BECOME THE REASON wrestling is hot again. It's Hogan's heel turn with Hall and Nash pretending to be the invaders. Something new with two rival groups on monday nights battling each other. Please tell me where the hell the wwf is in 1996? Still with stupid gimmicks. The wwf I was still watching, but deep down I knew wcw was kind of more getting with the times. We go to 1997 and the wwf slowly gets it with the Bret Hart/Austin feud. It still is pretty much behind wcw in terms of getting fans into watching wrestling. The wwf FLUKED with the Montreal incident which changed the face of everything. With that direction the wwf broke kayfabe and went with behind the scenes storylines to blur the reality and fantasy of things with Mcmahon and his employees. WCW now was going in circles depending upon Hogan and the 80's crew with guys like Guerrero, Benoit, and Jericho adding the fresh blood.

 

WCW starts to go into panick mode in 1998 and give away Goldberg/Hogan and pretty much go downhill from there when Goldberg loses the title at Starrcade. Take you to 2002 and Rock/Hogan is of the similar caliber. The wwf starts to panick and put the title on Hogan AGAIN. Not realizing they are making the same DAMN mistake wcw did. Over expose a living legend LONG past his prime. However, when wcw was doing this the wwf was picking up the slack with new guys like Rock and Austin.

 

Now Rock and Austin are in the position that Hogan and company were in 1998. Overexposed and played out. They don't have someone else to pick up the slack because everyone else is overexposed as well. Triple H isn't the same Triple H of 2000. The little in-roads the wwf was making in 2000 have been shot. Add this to the fact that I still feel the business allowed itself to get exposed and most viewers can still predict things in a predicting manner. This may be long winded, but the wwf kind of deserved this when their hardcore fans were warning them about this since 2000.

 

Yes, the wwf DID get out of the flunk before, but they also didn't SCREW UP such angles as their main competition written in their storylines. They didn't screw up a BIG angle like the nWo returning to wrestling(don't blame Nash and company as the group AINT the same as it was in wcw). I can't wait to see the wwf screw up Goldberg too. Oh, I forgot in 1991-1992 I forgot the wwf screwed up THE DREAM MATCH of NWA World Champ vs. WWF World Champ with Hogan and Flair. It slowly started to decline. The only dream match left is a past his prime Austin(yes, admit it I have) and a pas his prime, but worse than Austin Hulk Hogan. I guess some might see the wwf is REALLY starting to piss me off. The truth hurts and now the wwf has put the damn ENTERTAINMENT on the marquee. It doesn't SOUND like a functioning WRESTLING body, but some kind of entertainment wrestling variety entity. You see before Vince never listened, but was FORCED to when he got spanked by wcw and ecw in creativity and star power.

 

One of the major things that helped define the new era was Mr. Mcmahon. Unfortunately Vince still thinks it's still in. He still thinks HE is the reason why people started watching wrestling in the 80's and 90's. It may be time to have some one else give the masses their VISION of what wrestling is. We've had Vince since late 1983 until now. That's a long time. Maybe he has just burned out the old and new fans. If Eric Bischoff and WCW weren't around imagine how Vince would have done in the mid 90's. Bischofff and wcw were a BIG distraction to Vince's vision since he bought his father's stocks. Just food for thought on thinking if the wwf COULD fold which I think COULD happen. Not in the next couple of years, but in 5-10 yes.

[Guest Risk]

yes...it WILL fold...and out of the rubble of Formerly Titan Towers, a NEW federation will rise...one that is better, with more attention to talent and without Paul Wight...one with better initials...one with only 4 titles; World, IC, Jr. Heavyweight and Tag Team...and that federation will be run by MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

You can't have a World AND IC title, the names mean the same thing.  I'd like a promotion to just have Heavyweight, JR Heavyweight, and Tag Team.  Great post Mastermind.  I think you said it best.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I just find it funny that when the dust clears...

 

Vince McMahon owns WCW...but not the WWF.

 

BWAHAHAHAHA

[Guest WWF4Life]

What's scary is that all of the attempts at competition have been terrible, with no forethought at all. The WWA started OK with the international tours, but the decision to have PPVs so soon was foolish. The XWF just doesn't have the roster to even be an alternative, unless the alternative you want is Greg Valentine and Johnny B. Badd. As for NWA-TNA, does anyone actually think that that has any longevity. I'm sure a few fans will buy the first few weeks out of curiosity, but what then? Any promotion that starts up has the stigma of being full of wrestlers not good enough for the WWF. It's all about public perception. People see the WWF/E as the definitive wrestling in the United States. How many do you think have heard about the XWF/NWA-TNA? As long as that perception remains, and I believe it will, the WWF/E won't fold.