Vince's policy: easy money

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

This is what this year's Wrestlemania proves to me anyway. I've seen so many proposed cards, that the actual card really looks like the work of an amateur. Rematches and big names, that's what this Wrestlemania sounds like.

However I noticed that this is a common theme in Vince's book. Every time Vince has the ability to use many big names, the card ends up horrible, but the event sells, due to the names.

Other times Vince has done that? Wrestlemania 29, we got three rematches as the main events. Plus a horrible undercard with a lot of big names in there as well like Jericho and Orton. Wrestlemania 26, again, rematches, Wrestlemania 25, again, rematches. At least there was a decent build-up though, right?

I get the bussiness notion behind this though. Why waste big time matches that can sell future PPVs, when the big names won't be there?
Matches like AJ vs Orton, Cena vs Taker, Ambrose vs Cena, Styles vs Nakamura, Wyatt vs Lesnar.. you know, the matches that people would care to watch at this year's Wrestlemania, are all big time matches that can sell other PPVs on their own, like Summerslam. Cena vs Undertaker can easily sell next year's WM, where Goldberg won't be there, or even WM 35, where Lesnar might not be there either.

I get why Vince is doing this and he's not giving us everything we hoped for this year. Maybe that's why he's running a worldwide empire that has been making him rich for the past 35 years and we're not.

The Royal Rumble got 50,000 people without anything special really happening. Just saying, the card may end up sucking, but it will still go down as one of the best selling Manias of all time, just like every past Wrestlemania, since WM 19 has done.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Why is that a bad thing? The number one goal of a business is to make money. WWE is doing that pretty well it seems, as they are drawing huge numbers at their PPVs.

But please, go on about how a bunch of keyboard warriors know more about wrestling than Vince McMahon.

 

[Dave]

Actually, what Vince does better than everyone else, is balances is the card between making use of veteran part time wrestlers and grooming the stars of tomorrow. It's a business plan that has turned the WWE into one of the most profitable entertainment companies in the world and a house hold name. Since Hogan, Vince has brought through people like Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Edge, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and John Cena. The business plan to sell Wrestlemania doesn't necessarily hinge on making new stars right away for two reasons. First, it take some time to get the stars to that level and one big match at Mania isn't going to do anything to the bigger picture. And second, Mania isn't just for the IWC, it's for the casual fan that wants to see a spectacle and not a bunch of people that they haven't heard about. That's why we'll get Big Show versus Shaq amongst others.

At the end of the day, Vince is running a company the way he wants and it keep delivering profit for his share holders. None of us are in a position to tell him he's wrong.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

I get why Vince is doing this and he's not giving us everything we hoped for this year. Maybe that's why he's running a worldwide empire that has been making him rich for the past 35 years and we're not.

That and because Samoa Joe vs Aj Styles or whatever IWCs wet dream for this years Mania is wont sell as good as Goldberg vs Lesnar. Just like everyone frowned upon Cena vs Rock "Twice in a lifetime" at Wrestlemania 29 but event set highest grossing live event in WWE history. That is why IWC doesnt book wrestling(well, except fantasy wrestling) and Vince does.

 

[Kamala316]

As long as people keep spending their money on all things WWE, and Vince continues to turn a profit, why would he "give the people what they want"? There's no competition out there that will force Vince's hand to do anything drastic, and that is why every show (for years, including PPV's) has felt the same, with the performers feeling like they're just going through the motions. As a fan, it's frustrating that the performers that bust their asses all year get pushed down a few notches when WrestleMania comes around. Vince preaches about the "brass ring", and giving 'opportunities', yet AJ Styles (as of now) will most likely go on before the Big Show-Shaq match. Cena's been gone for months, and they put the belt on him for the Road to WrestleMania. Will he keep it? Who knows. It's too late in the game for Vince to change his ways. The only way I see things change is if people stop going to shows, buying the merch, and subscribing to the Network. And we all know that's not going to happen.

 

[Stone Cold Tea]

Why is that a bad thing? The number one goal of a business is to make money. WWE is doing that pretty well it seems, as they are drawing huge numbers at their PPVs.

But please, go on about how a bunch of keyboard warriors know more about wrestling than Vince McMahon.

He didn't say it was a bad thing. He pretty much admitted it and said that's why Vince has been in business for so long.

It's a shame though to see constant rematches when we generally know the outcome. As fans what we really want is a stacked card with no idea who's really going to win. As fans that's not a bad thing to want.

 

[LBGetBack]

Why is that a bad thing? The number one goal of a business is to make money. WWE is doing that pretty well it seems, as they are drawing huge numbers at their PPVs.

But please, go on about how a bunch of keyboard warriors know more about wrestling than Vince McMahon.

Huh? Weird reply. We're wrestling fans. We want to enjoy the product. Vince's money doesn't go into your pockets, so why do you care if his business is making money?

 

[George Steele's Barber]

This is what this year's Wrestlemania proves to me anyway. I've seen so many proposed cards, that the actual card really looks like the work of an amateur. Rematches and big names, that's what this Wrestlemania sounds like.

Actual card? There has been one proposed match and a Rumble winner.

However I noticed that this is a common theme in Vince's book. Every time Vince has the ability to use many big names, the card ends up horrible, but the event sells, due to the names.

WM sells itself. Yes the names help but you look at event like last year where some big names got hurt and it still sold pretty well.

Other times Vince has done that? Wrestlemania 29, we got three rematches as the main events. Plus a horrible undercard with a lot of big names in there as well like Jericho and Orton. Wrestlemania 26, again, rematches, Wrestlemania 25, again, rematches. At least there was a decent build-up though, right?

Yet, 25 and 26 did not have the part timers. At least not to the extent we have seen since 29. 25 and 26 still sold well to the best of my knowledge.

I get the bussiness notion behind this though. Why waste big time matches that can sell future PPVs, when the big names won't be there?

Exactly, don't blow your wad. They now have like 22 PPVs a year to sell plus NXT events. There hasn't been a WM or fight card in history that was full of main events with a thick story and history. It would make no sense.

Matches like AJ vs Orton, Cena vs Taker, Ambrose vs Cena, Styles vs Nakamura, Wyatt vs Lesnar.. you know, the matches that people would care to watch at this year's Wrestlemania, are all big time matches that can sell other PPVs on their own, like Summerslam. Cena vs Undertaker can easily sell next year's WM, where Goldberg won't be there, or even WM 35, where Lesnar might not be there either.

Wait, remember when you said you've seen "so many proposed cards"? I'm not sure your card is that great. Ambrose v Cena? Wyatt v Lesnar? I'm not sure what makes these matches so great, let alone the build to these matches.

I get why Vince is doing this and he's not giving us everything we hoped for this year.

Who is "we"?

Maybe that's why he's running a worldwide empire that has been making him rich for the past 35 years and we're not.

Don't forget that he was born the son of a big time wrestling promoter.

The Royal Rumble got 50,000 people without anything special really happening. Just saying, the card may end up sucking, but it will still go down as one of the best selling Manias of all time, just like every past Wrestlemania, since WM 19 has done.

Who said it wouldn't sell. It supposedly has Shaq wrestling in Orlando, that's huge. Think of the parents who can take their kids to Disneyworld the day before and knock off some quality family time.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

Huh? Weird reply. We're wrestling fans. We want to enjoy the product. Vince's money doesn't go into your pockets, so why do you care if his business is making money?

But if you don't enjoy the product and if others that complains all the time about the product, why are yo guy continuing to pay to watch the product. Why pay for something you don't enjoy really. It's really dumb when you think about it.

Vince is prety much booking the product the only way he knows and that's to entertain the casual fans and that's why matches like goldberg vs lesnar is probably going to be the main event of mania and why the bigger stars are getting the bigger spot at mania because everybody knows who they are. It sad for those that bust their ass during the year but that's what works right.

When you think about it, when you put a mach like goldberg vs lesnar on top of the mania card, you get a mainstream exposure that you wouldn't get with aj styles or samaoa joe. Sometimes I think the IWC are to uptight about what they want, they want WWE to be booked like a indy fed where the quality of wrestling is more important then makig money. WWE is and always will be a sports entertainment company, they don't do wrestling, te tell stories the problem is that now with the fact that they have too much tv , it make it seem like they have too many rematches by the time mania comes around but that the system that fans seems to want right now so returning back in time with less tv and less star vs star matches wouldn't work anymore so you either stick around and watch it or stop watching it and even more, if you don't enjoy the product, just stop paying your subscription to the network because if I wasn't enjoyig myself, oi wouldn't continue to pay for it.

 

[LBGetBack]

But if you don't enjoy the product and if others that complains all the time about the product, why are yo guy continuing to pay to watch the product. Why pay for something you don't enjoy really. It's really dumb when you think about it.

Vince is prety much booking the product the only way he knows and that's to entertain the casual fans and that's why matches like goldberg vs lesnar is probably going to be the main event of mania and why the bigger stars are getting the bigger spot at mania because everybody knows who they are. It sad for those that bust their ass during the year but that's what works right.

When you think about it, when you put a mach like goldberg vs lesnar on top of the mania card, you get a mainstream exposure that you wouldn't get with aj styles or samaoa joe. Sometimes I think the IWC are to uptight about what they want, they want WWE to be booked like a indy fed where the quality of wrestling is more important then makig money. WWE is and always will be a sports entertainment company, they don't do wrestling, te tell stories the problem is that now with the fact that they have too much tv , it make it seem like they have too many rematches by the time mania comes around but that the system that fans seems to want right now so returning back in time with less tv and less star vs star matches wouldn't work anymore so you either stick around and watch it or stop watching it and even more, if you don't enjoy the product, just stop paying your subscription to the network because if I wasn't enjoyig myself, oi wouldn't continue to pay for it.

Because if you're a fan of major league, big time pro wrestling, it's basically the only game in town? What choice do we have?

I don't have a problem with Lesnar-Goldberg. I'm actually enjoying their thing quite a bit and am glad it will seemingly be on the card. It's Shaq, Shane, Taker, and probably HHH that I'm not feeling. Especially Shaq and Shane. But Taker is washed up. And Triple H's Mania only matches have grown boring. I haven't cared about him wrestling since he went against Bryan.

 

[Navi]

This is what this year's Wrestlemania proves to me anyway. I've seen so many proposed cards, that the actual card really looks like the work of an amateur. Rematches and big names, that's what this Wrestlemania sounds like.

But no one knows what or who will be on the actual card do they? There are still two PPV's coming up and none of us know what will happen. Cena could drop the title, Orton could give his shot to someone else, injuries could happen and did last week. Wrestling is a static sport, one night you have a complete roster and a week later a couple of your big names could go out.

The tickets for Mania went on sale back in November. Now I haven't checked but I believe it has sold out. There are always tickets on the secondary market. So those thousands of fans bought tickets not knowing who they were going to be seeing that night.

It is always the same disclaimer "the card is subject to change", and we as wrestling fans put up with it simply because we like the sport. Might bitch and complain but we watch week in and week out. Vince does know what he's doing and always manages to pull off a good show.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

Because if you're a fan of major league, big time pro wrestling, it's basically the only game in town? What choice do we have?

I don't have a problem with Lesnar-Goldberg. I'm actually enjoying their thing quite a bit and am glad it will seemingly be on the card. It's Shaq, Shane, Taker, and probably HHH that I'm not feeling. Especially Shaq and Shane. But Taker is washed up. And Triple H's Mania only matches have grown boring. I haven't cared about him wrestling since he went against Bryan.

but boring or not, they do serve their purpose for being on the card. Shaq is still a mainstream celebrity which will help bring in new fans to the product just to see him fight. As for shane, taker ande hhh, yes they are boring mostly because they really shows they're ages but if use correctly, you can use them to elevated some of the less known guys like aj styles, samoa joe and other of those main event guy that only those following wwe or wrestling in general knows. That's kinda their purpose know, it's to be those guys that help elevate the next wave of guys to their level so that someday when whoever control wwe after vince leave, you get a new wave of over the hill megastars that can help put over the youngter guys because someday, guys like aj styles, seth rollins and others will be like taker, shane and hhh, a little bit more limited and less entertaining because of age so it's better to have them booked with megastars right now so that later on their can become megastars part timers then having them just becoming guy that we're good but now they are past their prime.

P.s. if your a fan of major league pro wrestling, you're really out of luck, wwe hasn't been a pro wrestling company for over 30 years now ever since vince took it over from his dad.

 

[LBGetBack]

but boring or not, they do serve their purpose for being on the card. Shaq is still a mainstream celebrity which will help bring in new fans to the product just to see him fight. As for shane, taker ande hhh, yes they are boring mostly because they really shows they're ages but if use correctly, you can use them to elevated some of the less known guys like aj styles, samoa joe and other of those main event guy that only those following wwe or wrestling in general knows. That's kinda their purpose know, it's to be those guys that help elevate the next wave of guys to their level so that someday when whoever control wwe after vince leave, you get a new wave of over the hill megastars that can help put over the youngter guys because someday, guys like aj styles, seth rollins and others will be like taker, shane and hhh, a little bit more limited and less entertaining because of age so it's better to have them booked with megastars right now so that later on their can become megastars part timers then having them just becoming guy that we're good but now they are past their prime.

Taker or HHH....I get it. Shane has absolutely no business stepping foot in the ring anymore. He's not a wrestler. He's a 45 year old guy. That's it. He can't "put over" anybody because he has zero credibility anyway.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

Taker or HHH....I get it. Shane has absolutely no business stepping foot in the ring anymore. He's not a wrestler. He's a 45 year old guy. That's it. He can't "put over" anybody because he has zero credibility anyway.

Maybe for us he does, but for casual fans that remember him from the attitude era is still a big name that going to attract fans to the product. Like it or not, shane serves a purpose on the roster especially in a match because of the nostagia factor.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The RUMORED WrestleMania card doesn't exactly light my fire either and I do get the frustration the OP feels towards Vince's use of part timers from the days of the Attitude Era and/or celebrities at the expense of really, really focusing on, or at the very least giving it all he can, building up modern stars to be on the same name brand level as those wrestlers. The time is coming in which the remaining stars of the Attitude Era simply can't deliver and that time is rapidly coming. The Undertaker's physical capabilities continue to go downhill each yea and he simply doesn't have much time left, Lesnar is lazy, Goldberg was never much in the first place beyond his image, Sting will never wrestle in WWE again as they're highly reluctant, due in no small part to his age, to put him in a situation where he'll likely wind up hurt, Austin can't wrestle anymore, Foley can't wrestle anymore, the Rock is the biggest movie star in the world right now and movie studio heads all but shit solid gold bricks whenever he even steps inside a wrestling ring, Scott Steiner is unstable due to a combination of sheer personality and steroids, HBK is retired and simply is not coming back, Triple H will be all but running the company within the next 3 to 5 years in my estimation, Kurt Angle has various injury issues that've caught up with him and if he does wrestle in WWE again and suffers significant injury, he'll probably never wrestle in a WWE ring again, etc. Aside from Lesnar, all of these wrestlers range from their late 40s to their late 50s.

At the same time, I also get the notion of the "easy money" policy as making money is ultimately the name of the game. Some will slam WWE for the rumored WrestleMania card, some will praise WWE, some will be caught up in the middle but ultimately WWE will be going all the way to the bank. Aside from raking in record revenues for the company just about every year, WrestleMania generates massive revenue for the host cities, which is why there's always such a huge bidding war each year. WrestleMania last year took in some $17.3 million in ticket sales; to put that in perspective, the second biggest wrestling company in the world right now, New Japan Pro Wrestling, generally takes in about $27 million in revenue for an entire year.

 

[Navi]

Listen just be glad we probably won't see Rick Flair stumbling down the ramp, red nose and all. After Charlotte's promo he's been non existent. Last time he showed up at Mania I swear to God I could smell the alcohol through the TV screen.

And as JH has alluded too, there aren't that many part timers left really who can be put into matches. Taker needs a new hip, so does Foley, Angle had concussion issues, Rock is making movies, HBK has retired and Austin won't wrestle again. Doubtful that there are many Mania's left to feature them. But like someone else said, Shane McMahon has no business stepping in the ring. He almost killed himself last year at Mania leaping from the cage, and Reigns nearly cut him in half at SS. Better off he stay at the back and do what he does best.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Rematches and big names, that's what this Wrestlemania sounds like.

That's the biggest problem I have with this year's WrestleMania, IF the rumored card turns out to be true.

Taker wrestling is fine. He deserves it, and this could be his final match.

However Shane doesn't deserve anything. Styles came into WWE and had one of the best first years ever, winning the WWE Title. Then he drops the title at the Rumble and wrestles a NON-WRESTLER? I would much rather see Styles vs. Joe, Orton, Ambrose, or you know, AN ACTUAL WRESTLER.

What's the point of Goldberg vs. Lesnar? Why have a third match when the other wrestler is 2-0? If Lesnar wins, he's still down 2-1. Besides, neither is going to be around after WrestleMania. I want a world champion who actually shows up.

Then we get to Show vs. Shaq. This isn't a problem, but it certainly is when talented, hard-working wrestlers aren't even on the card. Where's Zayn, Cesaro, Sheamus, Balor, Joe, Ambrose, Miz, and Strowman? And WWE wonders why they can't build new stars...

Okay sorry for the rant, and I'm probably overreacting, but I'm really getting tired of WWE relying on part-timers, especially when a hard-working, talented, and very over wrestler such as Ambrose gets screwed over and left off the card.

 

[Radical]

That's the biggest problem I have with this year's WrestleMania, IF the rumored card turns out to be true.

Taker wrestling is fine. He deserves it, and this could be his final match.

However Shane doesn't deserve anything. Styles came into WWE and had one of the best first years ever, winning the WWE Title. Then he drops the title at the Rumble and wrestles a NON-WRESTLER? I would much rather see Styles vs. Joe, Orton, Ambrose, or you know, AN ACTUAL WRESTLER.

What's the point of Goldberg vs. Lesnar? Why have a third match when the other wrestler is 2-0? If Lesnar wins, he's still down 2-1. Besides, neither is going to be around after WrestleMania. I want a world champion who actually shows up.

Then we get to Show vs. Shaq. This isn't a problem, but it certainly is when talented, hard-working wrestlers aren't even on the card. Where's Zayn, Cesaro, Sheamus, Balor, Joe, Ambrose, Miz, and Strowman? And WWE wonders why they can't build new stars...

Okay sorry for the rant, and I'm probably overreacting, but I'm really getting tired of WWE relying on part-timers, especially when a hard-working, talented, and very over wrestler such as Ambrose gets screwed over and left off the card.

The way this WM is rumored to shape up is much like the way Vince has built his past very successful WM cards.

Look, I wasn't super thrilled to see Cena vs Rock Twice in a Lifetime, partly because it was laughable that they sold it has Once in a Lifetime the first time knowing full well that they would do it again. But, it came together and was a big reason that WM was the highest grossing WM of all-time. What should have gone on in place of that match? Cena vs. Cesaro? Maybe hardcore wrestling fans would love to see that but it wouldn't draw the buys as much as Cena vs Rock did.

That's the thing about WM, Vince does look at it as this one shining opportunity to get as many viewers as possible, even IF the top stars on the card are part-timers who won't show up much on TV once WM is over.

The Monday after WM is largely the show to try a keep the hardcore fans and then hopefully keep casual fans interested longer because of crazy turns of events, even if it means guys like Goldberg or Lesnar are on their way out, there will be a story behind it.


This doesn't mean I'm thrilled with the way the card is shaping up. I agree Shane shouldn't be wrestling.

I HOPE this is Undertaker's last WM that he wrestles in, so I'll give him this one last acceptance.

To be honest, I'm glad they are getting Goldberg vs Lesnar out of the way this WM, because it will surely be the last for Goldberg and nearly the last for Lesnar. If Lesnar wins the WWE Championship it might set us up for Nakamura vs Lesnar for the WWE Championship perhaps at SummerSlam and that would be a pretty good time to transition Nakamura as a new star in WWE and phase Lesnar out.


The way I see it. Disagree with a match on the WM card all you want. Appreciate the matches on there that you like. But then focus on what happens the weeks after WM to see if you see more signs of development of new stars and interesting storylines. Post-WM is a much better time to judge WWE creativity than WrestleMania itself.

WrestleMania is a spectacle. The weekly WWE shows are the story builders.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

That's the biggest problem I have with this year's WrestleMania, IF the rumored card turns out to be true.

Taker wrestling is fine. He deserves it, and this could be his final match.

However Shane doesn't deserve anything. Styles came into WWE and had one of the best first years ever, winning the WWE Title. Then he drops the title at the Rumble and wrestles a NON-WRESTLER? I would much rather see Styles vs. Joe, Orton, Ambrose, or you know, AN ACTUAL WRESTLER.

What's the point of Goldberg vs. Lesnar? Why have a third match when the other wrestler is 2-0? If Lesnar wins, he's still down 2-1. Besides, neither is going to be around after WrestleMania. I want a world champion who actually shows up.

Then we get to Show vs. Shaq. This isn't a problem, but it certainly is when talented, hard-working wrestlers aren't even on the card. Where's Zayn, Cesaro, Sheamus, Balor, Joe, Ambrose, Miz, and Strowman? And WWE wonders why they can't build new stars...

Okay sorry for the rant, and I'm probably overreacting, but I'm really getting tired of WWE relying on part-timers, especially when a hard-working, talented, and very over wrestler such as Ambrose gets screwed over and left off the card.

Wrestlers don't deserve anything unless they can draw, and like it or not, most of the guys you listed, no matter how hard you perceive them to work, aren't really draws.

Zayn, his entrance is over but not much else.
Cesaro, boring
Sheamus, see above
Balor, likely hurt and not a proven main roster draw
Joe, has been around for a week
Ambrose, you got me here. Despite my dislike of him, he is over. He is one of two guys who I'm not happy with their rumored card placement
Miz, same as Ambrose except I like Miz
Strowman, give him time. They are clearly high on him

Shane, despite being a non wrestling is a huge draw to casual fans. Brock, Goldberg, Taker, huge draws to the casuals.

In the end, it is all about money and who brings it in. Until part timers stop drawing big gates, they are going to continue to push them to the top of the card.