John Cena is STILL the King

[Slyfox696]

It's being reported that John Cena's 2008 merchandise sales were the highest single year grossing numbers in company history with the exception of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. This has to be considered a huge accomplishment considering Cena was out of action for a few months during 2008.
Basically, John Cena is still the man...even when he's not around. It seems everything is getting primed for a big time boom.

[Murfishes Can Use Calculus and Physics]

You think a wrestling boom is coming? That's not an attack or sarcasm. I'm just wondering.

[klunderbunker]

Very nice indeed. I hope we see a boom. Things are looking like its possible.

[Slyfox696]

You think a wrestling boom is coming? That's not an attack or sarcasm. I'm just wondering.
I see all the good signs for it.

You have a young charismatic worker that fans are obviously behind. Live event attendance is up. You have a GREAT set of up and coming superstars to go with established ones. You have guys like Cena, Batista, Edge, Rey, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, etc. to along with Triple H, Undertaker, Michaels, JBL, Jericho, etc.

Traditionally, when live event attendance and merchandising goes up, it's a good indicator of upswing in business. And with all of those "little kids" who used to cheer for Cena now getting older, as well as the new kids Cena attracts, more and more people are becoming wrestling fans.

I'd say all the indicators are there for another major upswing in business. Maybe not Attitude Era proportions, but very good business.

[klunderbunker]

On top of that if TNA can somehow get itself together and put on a decent product that drives business up even more. SInce it's not on in the same time slot, people can watch both without WWE's power crushing the opponent this time.

[Slyfox696]

On top of that if TNA can somehow get itself together and put on a decent product that drives business up even more. SInce it's not on in the same time slot, people can watch both without WWE's power crushing the opponent this time.
Everyone keeps talking about the quality of TNA's product, as if it is bad.

And that's ridiculous. What's bad about a product that is slowly gaining viewers, and DEFINITELY not losing any? I mean, the WWE, in the span of a year and a half, has gone from averaging 3.9 ratings to 3.2 ratings. That's losing a LOT of audience. In the same time, TNA has kept their same audience and even increased it slightly.

I see people talk all the time about the quality of TNA's product, but there's only one company out there who keeps their TV wrestling audience, and it's not the WWE.

[klunderbunker]

To me the product is passable and that's it. With Raw, it's not always mindblowing but it's miles better. The product is good and it keeps its viewers, but it's not great. Yet. I hope it gets there to the point where it gets WWE level viewers, and they might somehow be on the right path. They'll last longer than the original ECW, which is sayign a lot as they've been more successful.

[Murfishes Can Use Calculus and Physics]

A wrestling boom would be nice. Is merchandise up overall, or is it just for Cena?

[Slyfox696]

A wrestling boom would be nice. Is merchandise up overall, or is it just for Cena?

The last couple of years has seen increases in merchandising. The WWE hasn't released the figures for 2008. The usually happens in February.

[klunderbunker]

It's definitely a good sign. Things are most certainly up. Look at all the new posters that have registered in the last few days. That hasn't happened in awhile.

[tehblogger]

The future is bright. Cena, Orton, Jericho and Edge. These are the stars of today: Morrison, Miz, Kofi, Bourne, Kozlov, the Hardys - the stars of tomorrow. Taker and HBK - the stars of yesterday.

Now if only Triple H could just butt out...

I still think, though, this era lacks a defining great hero. Cena is too controversial for many. We have Edge and Jericho, tremendous villains, and Orton, a tremendous anti-hero. Cena...he's close. But we need somebody more like what Triple H tries to book himself as...

[CCS]

It's hard times , so people are turning to wrestling for a escape. I say that's the reason attendance is up.

[Slyfox696]

It's hard times , so people are turning to wrestling for a escape. I say that's the reason attendance is up.
It's hard time economically, so that's why people pay a lot of money to go to shows?

That doesn't make sense.

People go to the show because it's good entertainment.

[klunderbunker]

It might have something to do with the ratings being higher. Cena helps a lot too.

[Big Beck-ah Roethlisberger]

3.5 rating occurred because there was no MNF. :suspic:

[klunderbunker]

That's also true. The games always suck up viewers from Raw. They shoujld get stronger now with no football.

[jmt225]

That's impressive Cena has sold more merchandise in a year span then The Rock has ever sold within a year.

[klunderbunker]

Rock had Austin to contend with though. Cena has.....Batista?

[jmt225]

Rock had Austin to contend with though. Cena has.....Batista?

Good point.

[Rusty]

I hope Sly is right about a possible wrestling boom. It's great news anyway to say the least.

[Italian MVP]

Long live the King....

[Rusty]

And this is exactly why John Cena should remain a face.

[OIL]

I got a good feeling about 2009 for the WWE. With Cena selling big even while injured, and the haters either gone or now in their minority - Cena is going to just get bigger and bigger.

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Well if they continue to just put all their eggs in one basket it's not going to help them at all when he gets sidelined. They need to promote all these 'stars of tomorrow' that we assume are going to rise up, throughout 2009.

Relying on HHH, Cena and Batista and to a lesser extent Mysterio to sell all their merchandise is no good if Batista and Rey quit (as rumours and reports suggest) and then Cena gets hurt.

If they continue like they are on Raw especially (Smackdown and ECW nowhere near as much), then all they really have is Cena, Rey, and HBK to sell merch for the kids and younger viewers thoughtout the majority of 2009.

Other guys need to get the Cena style pushes so that the fans have more guys to support rather than buy the same 6 guys' merchandise and then maybe give a crap about the lower guys, which sums up 2008 all over. Only 3 guys got pushed last year and that was Kofi, Punk and Jericho, and now 2 of them are doing nothing of merit really, and Jericho is heel, so he won't be selling tons of merch.

[Italian MVP]

God bless Cena...

[Rusty]

Well if they continue to just put all their eggs in one basket it's not going to help them at all when he gets sidelined. They need to promote all these 'stars of tomorrow' that we assume are going to rise up, throughout 2009.

Relying on HHH, Cena and Batista and to a lesser extent Mysterio to sell all their merchandise is no good if Batista and Rey quit (as rumours and reports suggest) and then Cena gets hurt.

If they continue like they are on Raw especially (Smackdown and ECW nowhere near as much), then all they really have is Cena, Rey, and HBK to sell merch for the kids and younger viewers thoughtout the majority of 2009.

But Cena sold a shitload of merchandise in 2008 whilst being injured for many months in the year, so getting injured again most likely wouldn't hurt mechandise sells at all.

Other guys need to get the Cena style pushes so that the fans have more guys to support rather than buy the same 6 guys' merchandise and then maybe give a crap about the lower guys, which sums up 2008 all over. Only 3 guys got pushed last year and that was Kofi, Punk and Jericho, and now 2 of them are doing nothing of merit really, and Jericho is heel, so he won't be selling tons of merch.

The names Jeff and Matt Hardy ring a bell. I'm sure they were pushed in 2008. I heard they are good merchandise sellers too. And I doubt they will quit anytime soon.

[OIL]

True, they do need to give bigger pushes to the 'kids' of RAW.

I'd be happy to see Kofi getting pushed into the main event scene, even if only for the short term. Gives the fans someone new to cheer for, for the title, and freshens it up.

[Uncle Sam]

Everyone keeps talking about the quality of TNA's product, as if it is bad.

And that's ridiculous. What's bad about a product that is slowly gaining viewers, and DEFINITELY not losing any?

Watching it makes me cry.

[justinsayne]

True, they do need to give bigger pushes to the 'kids' of RAW.

I'd be happy to see Kofi getting pushed into the main event scene, even if only for the short term. Gives the fans someone new to cheer for, for the title, and freshens it up.

They shouldn't be rushing guys like Kofi, Morrison, etc. into the ME scene, they need to gradually build them up, and give them time to really get their shit down, WWE always seems to run into problems when they push talent into the ME too soon, Lesnar, Lashley & Angle (to a lesser extent) are all good examples of this, all got rushed in to the ME and now none are with WWE anymore, lets not forget it took years before guys like Stone Cold, Rock, and even Cena were pushed into the ME, and they are three of the most successful guys the business has ever seen

[CCS]

It's hard time economically, so that's why people pay a lot of money to go to shows?

That doesn't make sense.

People go to the show because it's good entertainment.

And since it's good entertainment it gets peoples minds off their problems. The shows really arent that expensive. You can get seats for $20 and obviously people are willing to pay that.

[Slyfox696]

And since it's good entertainment it gets peoples minds off their problems. The shows really arent that expensive. You can get seats for $20 and obviously people are willing to pay that.
There is absolutely zero historical precedent to support your position. People are more likely to be guarded with their money in bad economic times. The fact that more people go to wrestling shows is proof of an improved quality of product, not a sign of economic times.

[agentmichaelscarn]

This is a good sign, but I have to give a shout of to WWE's merchandise people because their stuff particularly clothing wise is alot better now. I like the style of alot of the newer shirts, particularly Cena's new one that looks like the AWA logo I think that is a pretty sweet looking shirt. Orton's shirts are all cool looking too. That's the biggest thing when I buy a wrestling shirt and that is that I want to like the way it looks which is why I never owned a Bret Hart shirt despite him being my favorite wrestler of all time, never liked the style of any of his shirts. Nowadays WWE is making their shirts alot more "hip" or cool, like the "Age of Orton" shirt. Before they would just put a picture or logo of a wrestler on a black shirt and maybe insert a cheesy catch phrase and that was it, much more creative now.

[τδιγλε]

There is absolutely zero historical precedent to support your position. People are more likely to be guarded with their money in bad economic times. The fact that more people go to wrestling shows is proof of an improved quality of product, not a sign of economic times.

What are you talking about? Entertainment (in all its forms) is pretty much impervious to economic recession.