CM Punk wants to keep the rights to his name.

[Captain Morgan Freeman]

I really dont see what the big issue is here in regards to who owns the name cm punk.

I mean the reason vince wants to own the rights is so he cant use the name in any other promotion. But why should he care?? we all know vince doesnt see TNA as a rival so why would he care if punk uses his name there or in any other promotion? Other top guys like kurt angle, jeff hardy, ric flair and hulk hogan have gone over to TNA with their WWE names yet TNA still is'nt big competition to vince. I think its crazy to risk losing your top heel over something so silly.

Also i dont see why punk should make such a fuss either. Granted he has used this name for years but at the end of the day he is that good that people will pay to see him wherever he wrestles or whatever his name is. Look at christian he had to use the name christian cage in TNA and did it harm his carear?? hell no everyone knew it was christian. So why would it be such a big deal for punk to wrestle in TNA/ROH under the name CN punk or something to that effect.??

 

[H33LTurn]

I think its ridiculous how WWE doesnt let superstars own the rights to their name. Thats the identity they worked hard to gain and WWE is quick and taking that away from them. Why does WWE want the name anyway? In case one day he decides to go to TNA, so he cant use his name there? Yeah because nobody's going to recognize the skinny guy with the pepsi tattoo on his arm. Punks stalented, and WWE should just agree to his terms if they want to make good business.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

You can tell from the looks of the wrestlers that most of them aren't on steroids (with exception of a couple). But Punk's lifestyle probably enabled him to put a few bucks in the bank.

Honkey_Kong, i just used that as an example but you are right most wrestlers don't take steroids( well thats what we know until they get busted). You are right WWE, needs his star-power because HHH is all but gone, so is Undertaker and they just lost Edge and Michelle Mccool .

 

[Sinister Shadows]

I think its ridiculous how WWE doesnt let superstars own the rights to their name. Thats the identity they worked hard to gain and WWE is quick and taking that away from them. Why does WWE want the name anyway? In case one day he decides to go to TNA, so he cant use his name there? Yeah because nobody's going to recognize the skinny guy with the pepsi tattoo on his arm. Punks stalented, and WWE should just agree to his terms if they want to make good business.

he wants the name imo so he can use the name afterwards to mock him if for some reason down the line he and punk has a fall out that results in neither of them liking the other too much. maybe he wants Fake CM Punk to use as a jobber.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

I think its ridiculous how WWE doesnt let superstars own the rights to their name. Thats the identity they worked hard to gain and WWE is quick and taking that away from them. Why does WWE want the name anyway? In case one day he decides to go to TNA, so he cant use his name there? Yeah because nobody's going to recognize the skinny guy with the pepsi tattoo on his arm. Punks stalented, and WWE should just agree to his terms if they want to make good business.

Exactly. Remember Kevin "Diesel" Nash or Scott "Razor Ramon" Hall? Everybody knew who the were even if they jumped to WCW it was just their mannerisms that had to change (especially for Scott Hall). Its the same thing with Team-3D/Dudley boys, i bet Vince thinks that we don't remember who worked for him. Its so ridiculous that even in the case of Kevin Nash they had him re-dye his hair when he came back at the royal rumble. Yeah right like we wouldn't know that Nash was in TNA before.

 

[whoopin' ass]

i agree - good for punk. part of wwe's problem is that since they bought wwe, they are the big company and people bend over backwards and do all sorts of stupid things to get hired by them. and vince seems to have developed the mind-set that he can buy just about anything. why should a john cena or randy orton be allowed to use their name, which vince can't buy, yet punk should sign over the rights to a name he has used for years? hope he takes vince for a fortune

 

[nerd4life]

He could become Punk MC like Bryan Danielson became Daniel Byran....

He came in with the name CM Punk, he should be able to continue to own the rights to his name, the name that he established and made famous.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA OMG THATS SO FUNNY HAHAHAHA YOUR HILARIOUS OMG HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


yeah that was sarcasm dumbass.



anyways




it aint like punk is going to go anywhere else why would he? he should just take his paycheque and be happy like everyone else jeeze what a spotlight hog.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

Punk might have invented the name, he might have come up with the idea and invented his character, but I had no idea who he was until he got to WWE. Yeah he may have had a following before but WWE made the name famous so they should own the rights to that fame. If he wants the name that badly he should take his name and leave. WWE made the name famous WWE should own it. If Punk is that great at creating names and characters then go create another one if you need to. Whats the big deal. At least they are willing to recognise you by way of contract and give you money for it, it's not like WWE are trying to steal the name they will buy the rights to it.

 

[bxbigshow]

While it was mentioned before WWE took a chance on CM Punk years ago when he was an indy sensation. Now maybe it was an oversight, they had plans to change the name character and dropped it, or whatever...they let him use the name/gimmick unaltered from the indies. WWE then puts tons of money behind him to promote him as a vialble Superstar. Gave him World Title runs, major storylines, toys/shirts/game characters, etc.

Now its contract time. Realistically WWE can argue that without their efforts to promote Punk, the name wouldn't be as valuable now. How many indy "MEGASTARS" that don't taste the big time are mainstream names to the casual non IWC fan? If Bryan Danielson never signed with WWE would anyone outside of the IWC know or even care who he is?

So when he signs with WWE, it is known that its Bryan Danielson but to the casual fan its Daniel Bryan, where WWE can market and profit from. Thats all. They're trying to find a way to capitalize on the investment they made years ago.

P.S.- Punk isn't wrong in this either, he knows as he ages...he becomes less relevant. So he may need to go to TNA when his WWE run ends (assuming 3-5 more years). And he knows that his name is a valuable marketing asset. But realistically some of that is because of what WWE did for him these past years.

P.P.S.- Kevin Nash always said that if he were to do one last run in WWE he wanted it to be as "Diesel". So him dying his hair, IMO, was more a 50/50 decision than WWE forcing him. He came back previously as Kevin Nash...so its a non factor-here.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

CM Punk has every right to not want vince to have rights to tht name Punk created it himself many years ago and always used it in ROH,TNA,WWE and even as a kid! vince has no right to try and get rights to the name thts bullshit i hope punk tells vince to shove it and leaves same with christian let vince lose 2 of his best wrestlers and c what happens then

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

Punk might have invented the name, he might have come up with the idea and invented his character, but I had no idea who he was until he got to WWE. Yeah he may have had a following before but WWE made the name famous so they should own the rights to that fame. If he wants the name that badly he should take his name and leave. WWE made the name famous WWE should own it. If Punk is that great at creating names and characters then go create another one if you need to. Whats the big deal. At least they are willing to recognise you by way of contract and give you money for it, it's not like WWE are trying to steal the name they will buy the rights to it.

Dude, its the principle of the thing. Look at it this way, you spent years developping a product and a brand, spent years marketing that same product/brand and now that you have success a big corporation takes all the credit from your hard work how is that fair? Anyways i never understood why WWE tradmarked a wrestler's name, its still going to be the same guy regardless if/when he leaves the company.

 

[ultramattman]

This isn't a matter of WWE trying to strongarm CM Punk into 'signing away' his name. They're not asking him to GIVE away the name CM Punk. They're trying to BUY it as part of contract negotiations.

That's all this is. Negotiation. WWE wants to own the name because it's valuable, and because WWE has invested a great deal of time and resources into creating that value, probably as much (at least) as Punk himself. But I'm sure that nobody knows better than Vince that, if he wants to own something of value, he has to pay for it.

What should Punk do? Depends on how much he's being offered, but I'd be very, very hesitant to sign it over. Money won't last forever, but an established brand can generate money for the rest of Punk's career and beyond. Brands are surprisingly durable commodities.

And if I were WWE, I'd consider Punk one of the most valuable pieces in the entire company - a main eventer who can lose and lose and stay over, who elevates every babyface he feuds with, and the most compelling talker in all of wrestling. So if I were WWE, I'd make sure he stayed in the fold. But I also, if I were WWE, would do everything I could to get those name rights.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

P.P.S.- Kevin Nash always said that if he were to do one last run in WWE he wanted it to be as "Diesel". So him dying his hair, IMO, was more a 50/50 decision than WWE forcing him. He came back previously as Kevin Nash...so its a non factor-here

bxbigshow. you have a point here, but he still could have appeared with grey hair. Its not like older viewers are stupid, they would have figured he aged lol.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

Dude, its the principle of the thing. Look at it this way, you spent years developping a product and a brand, spent years marketing that same product/brand and now that you have success a big corporation takes all the credit from your hard work how is that fair? Anyways i never understood why WWE tradmarked a wrestler's name, its still going to be the same guy regardless if/when he leaves the company.

Yeah but they will recognise CM Punk in his contract and he will get monetary compensation for it. It's not like they are stealing his name, they would essentially be buying it off him. WWE will own the name and CM Punk will get a bigger salary.
I think WWE should take the credit for it, they made it famous. CM Punk didn't make it famous. I feel, keep your name but take it elsewhere, or sign it over, take the pay check, and if you do leave, then simply invent another name. If you are that good it wont matter.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

Yeah but they will recognise CM Punk in his contract and he will get monetary compensation for it. It's not like they are stealing his name, they would essentially be buying it off him. WWE will own the name and CM Punk will get a bigger salary.
I think WWE should take the credit for it, they made it famous. CM Punk didn't make it famous. I feel, keep your name but take it elsewhere, or sign it over, take the pay check, and if you do leave, then simply invent another name. If you are that good it wont matter.

But are they willing to pay big? Thats the question. We don't know all the details, but my bet is that it has to be a big issue or else it would have been dealt with by now and we wouldn't have known about this.

 

[Morpheus101]

I'm with CM Punk 100% on this. He SHOULD keep the rights to his name. He HAS earned enough corn to command that, IMO. For the last 2 years, Punk has been a great competitor and a fantastic heel. He is also quite possibly the best mic worker on either roster right now and hopefully, Vince is smart enough to realize that Punk's wishes should be honored here. I think it would be tragic if Punk were to no longer be a part of WWE because of this. Let the man keep the rights to his name FFS. I really don't see the problem here and I cannot see Punk jumping ships to TNA, unless he gets screwed over.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

But are they willing to pay big? Thats the question. We don't know all the details, but my bet is that it has to be a big issue or else it would have been dealt with by now and we wouldn't have known about this.

WWE do pay big. Guys under WWE contracts get ridiculous amounts of money. What's Punks alternative, it's not like he will get more money doing something else. I feel the ball is in WWE's court, they have all the money.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

For all the people who think Punk has to concede to WWE's demands, and give up his name you can all go collectively fuck yourselves. Punk is the one that came up with the name and persona, end of story. WWE made him a star beyond his cult following on the indies and into TNA. However, that does not give them the right to just outright be able to own his name.

That type of mentality shows a blind devotion to WWE and its practices. I might get that it is just the "opinion" of those who say this, but obviously those who think that don't know the first thing about investing themselves into something. I bet if you were a big time star you'd want to give up your name in the short term for a short sighted gain than to be able to use your name in other media ventures without the restrictions of WWE.

That could mean anything from product endorsement to autograph signings and even use of likeness in things like action figures and video games made by non-WWE entities. If Punk gave up his name to WWE you wouldn't get that. My opinion is if you do feel WWE is owed the right to take his name and own it it irksome. Punk fulfilled his obligations to WWE by serving out the terms of his contract and if this one ends without him signing a new deal that's his prerogative. For the WWE sheep that want Punk to sell his identity to Vince, then you're also suggesting he sell his livelihood and that is something that I am sure that I nor any other fan of the artform agree with.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

CM Punk is a very rare commodity, he got himself over. He was cheered from the moment he came out on ECW when 'nobody knew who he was apart from the IWC' (yeah, right - many casual fans are given way to little credit by SOME members of the IWC). Now because of his beliefs and his natural character and that some thought he couldn't 'work', he has been battered down time and time again, so that he is kind of regarded as the jobber to the stars and yet he is still adored by, pretty much, all fans.

Don't fool yourselves folks, WWe didn't make CM Punk, he overcame every obstacle thrown in his path and got over himself because he is that damn good. That's why he is always in feuds with the big guys - he always makes them look good. Otherwise, he would be dwelling in mid card obscurity feuding for the US(eless) or (w)IC(k) belts - do the names Swagger or Sheamus or Khali mean anything to you?

By the way, Christian chose to use the name Christian Cage in TNA because it was his Indie name. He had to drop the Cage because he was Edge's brother in the WWF. It wasn't a copyright thing, as evidenced by the fact he was often referred to as 'Christian' by the commentators and he called his faction Christian's Coalition - both of which would have violated copyright had it been in place.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

Don't fool yourselves folks, WWe didn't make CM Punk, he overcame every obstacle thrown in his path and got over himself because he is that damn good. That's why he is always in feuds with the big guys - he always makes them look good. Otherwise, he would be dwelling in mid card obscurity feuding for the US(eless) or (w)IC(k) belts - do the names Swagger or Sheamus or Khali mean anything to you?

He didn't do it himself. WWE obviously gave him a contract and a push. You act like Punk made it in spite of WWE. WWE hired him, they booked him, they paid him. You act like getting over is some grand thing, that is what he was paid to do. He is contracted to wrestle. He is supposed to get over. All wrestlers are supposed to get over, but some dont and are fired. Punk got over as he was contracted to do and got paid for it. It's not like he chooses to be in big feuds, the bookers book him to be in big feuds. He works for the WWE, he does not get to decide who he feuds with.
OBVIOUSLY WWE made Punk. They hired him, they booked him.

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

For all the people who think Punk has to concede to WWE's demands, and give up his name you can all go collectively fuck yourselves. Punk is the one that came up with the name and persona, end of story. WWE made him a star beyond his cult following on the indies and into TNA. However, that does not give them the right to just outright be able to own his name.

That type of mentality shows a blind devotion to WWE and its practices. I might get that it is just the "opinion" of those who say this, but obviously those who think that don't know the first thing about investing themselves into something. I bet if you were a big time star you'd want to give up your name in the short term for a short sighted gain than to be able to use your name in other media ventures without the restrictions of WWE.

First of all settle down.....second of all I personally dont have an issue with Punk keeping his name, I just think if it means that much to you then keep it but piss off with it. Go invest in yourself but dont then work for WWE. He is contracted to WWE, if he doesn't like it then dont take their money, and go away. WWE have all the cards as they pay the pay checks, you dont like it, dont get the pay check.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

WWE do pay big. Guys under WWE contracts get ridiculous amounts of money. What's Punks alternative, it's not like he will get more money doing something else. I feel the ball is in WWE's court, they have all the money.

I said will they pay big, not they pay big thats the difference. Anyways, like i said earlier this has to be a big issue because it would have been dealt with already (you just said they pay good money on contracts and that they have all the money).

 

[Aotearoa (Bushwacker)]

I said will they pay big, not they pay big thats the difference. Anyways, like i said earlier this has to be a big issue because it would have been dealt with already (you just said they pay good money on contracts and that they have all the money).

Oh yeah, Punk obviously feels he is worth more than what he he is being offered or he would have settled like you say. My opinion (purely opinion) and I dont know what he was offered, was take it, cause you cant make more elsewhere, but maybe Punk feels like he can. If Punk can make more money somewhere other than WWe then I say take your name and go make the money, but if it is simply a pride thing, I would say sign the contract and take what WWe are offering.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

First of all settle down.....second of all I personally dont have an issue with Punk keeping his name, I just think if it means that much to you then keep it but piss off with it. Go invest in yourself but dont then work for WWE. He is contracted to WWE, if he doesn't like it then dont take their money, and go away. WWE have all the cards as they pay the pay checks, you dont like it, dont get the pay check.

Second of all...you should learn a thing from the advice you're giving people asshole. To be honest with you if WWE likes it or not they have to accept the fact that CM Punk can take his name and persona with him wherever he wants, WWE might have given him the platform to take his game as a performer to the next level, but they still didn't create his name and persona.

Obviously you seem to be just as invested in the topic as other people are. Plus the fact that you dignified me in the first place shows that you definitely should practice what you preach. If that's how you feel about what I said, maybe you should have either ignored my posting about it, or you could have private messaged me and we could debate this further. However it's obvious you want to make this a public exchange, which I am more than ready, willing and able to partake.

I stand by what I said, as a wrestling fan I fully support the performer's rights over their names if they have created those said names. But again if you really want to start with me I welcome it. Just remember not only will I hit you with every bit of ammo I have in my arsenal but I'll also fire a few of your rounds right back at you.

So in closing, who in the blue hell are you to talk? Dilettante.

 

[AntiChristDeicide]

I just think if it means that much to you then keep it but piss off with it. Go invest in yourself but dont then work for WWE. He is contracted to WWE, if he doesn't like it then dont take their money, and go away. WWE have all the cards as they pay the pay checks, you dont like it, dont get the pay check.

Aotearoa (Bushwacker),

I guess you didn't read what i said earlier on the forum. Its the principle of the thing, he created the name so he should keep it no matter what. Yes WWE made it more famous, but he is the one busting his ass making them (WWE) money, so he has earned the right to keep his name where ever he goes wrestling.