The WWE to DROP "wrestling" from its name?

[ARLO]

So I assume that by now everyone knows that the WWE will not be known as 'World Wrestling Entertainment'. It will be referred to as WWE at all times and apparently by getting rid of 'Wrestling', it's opened up a lot of new doors for them.

I for one think that this could really hurt some wrestlers. Great in ring workers such as CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Evan Bourne and even Sin Cara may have their careers and talents inhibited or, in the case of Bryan and Bourne, even let them get going. I know CM Punk has a great character, but it's his ring work imo that really gets him over.

So do you think the new mindset will hurt some wrestlers?
If so, who and why?

 

[#hamler]

I don't see why everyone is making a big deal about this? The WWE has tried to distance themselves from the word Wrestling for quite a while now. All this is doing is putting the nail in the coffin. They're simply taking a word and not saying it anymore. They're not going to change the sport, we all know it's still wrestling. CM Punk and other guys aren't going to go around calling themselves 'sports entertianers', we'll still call them wrestlers. Nothing is changing here. It's really old news, nothing new. So I don't see how it could possibly hurt anyone on the roster when nothing is physically changing in their product.

 

[zuma169]

AGREED! why is everyone making a big fuss about taking the "W" out. I get what Vince is pointing at.. the WWE is not purely wrestling.. IT IS STORYTELLING like soap operas..

I tell you what separated the Attitude Era and PG Era aside from the cursings, sexual inuendos and stuffs.. it is that EVERY MAJOR MATCH IN THE ATTITUDE ERA HAD AN UNDERLYING STORY TO IT.. it had the emotion to it.. it is story telling and the culmination of the story is a match.. that's how it is done!!! that is WHAT IS LACKING IN THE PG ERA!!!

a clear example is the Undertaker HHH match in WM27 and the Orton and Punk as well.. you clearly see in those matches the emotion, the story behind why they are facing each other.. The WHC match Edge and ADR is like it were just thrown to us.. Miz and Cena had potential with Miz asserting himself as dominant but somewhere along the lines The Rock came up..

It is the story and the production that completes a feud.. I really don't feel it in today's roster.. YES today's roster can wrestle enough.. YES they can perform wrestling in the ring.. BUT.. this is professional wrestling and not the Olympics or UFC.. professional wrestling is about character development coupled with in-ring skills.. they are ENTERTAINERS with wrestling abilities... today's roster are WRESTLER.. BUT the Entertainer part I still don't know..

the only exceptions in today's Era in my opinion is CM Punk..

 

[hollowpoint]

This move is purely asthetic(sp?). Nothing will change as far as the product we watch on tv. Vince is doing this to generate money from investors who would otherwise not even touch his product because they aren't "wrestling" fans. This will allow him to be taken seriously when getting a TV deal for the WWE. This makes them more global and seen on a broader scale. I think it's great business, but I know the wrestling purest hate it to no end. I can applaud the efforts from a business aspect, as long as the product doesn't change anymore than it has already.

 

[Iversen]

Yea agreeing with the others here this is kind of sad but it's not important. He's changing WWE into a brand that covers loads of entertainment aspects. Raw and Smackdown are still wrestling shows it's just that WWE will now have their name on a bunch of stuff which isn't wrestling shows so it doesn't make sense to have the name World Wrestling Entertainment.

 

[TheMaskedNewton]

I don't get it. Why is there a need to stop calling yourself a wrestling company? WWE is a brand. Now, if you are expanding and making movies and gonna have your own network, what is the need to use the term 'WWE' in those business segments? Why not give some new name to your network, like VKM Network or SVM Movie Studios or some better fancy name? Why change the name of World Wrestling Entertainment itself?

If you are venturing into new businesses, you can surely create a new brand?! You can keep them as separate companies, can't you? It's like they want to get out of the name recognition of 'WWE' and yet somehow, be known as 'WWE' only!

 

[rge2010]

I don't get it. Why is there a need to stop calling yourself a wrestling company? WWE is a brand. Now, if you are expanding and making movies and gonna have your own network, what is the need to use the term 'WWE' in those business segments? Why not give some new name to your network, like VKM Network or SVM Movie Studios or some better fancy name? Why change the name of World Wrestling Entertainment itself?

If you are venturing into new businesses, you can surely create a new brand?! You can keep them as separate companies, can't you? It's like they want to get out of the name recognition of 'WWE' and yet somehow, be known as 'WWE' only!

Because WWE is no longer a "Wrestling Company". They have been a 'Sports Entertainment" company for some time now, or at least wanted to be known as that. WWE make movies so it is not just Wrestling they committ to. Its more than just the match ups, we see backstage sketches, good storylines, celebrity appearences. Wrestling is a bit 'old skool' and 'old hat' now. Here in the UK Wrestling shows are stereotyped as old women in the audience, swinging their handbags and throwing their pension books! Is John Cena just a wrestler? Nope he is an actor (in fact they all are) and a Musician aswell.

I wonder if Vinny Mac will change the name of Wrestlemania to Sportsamania?

 

[avi01]

Probably because they are expanding the horizon so to speak, yes they will keep wrestling but not just that, they will venture in other form of entertainment, under the brand wwe. Wrestling will still be their main thing tho, it`s not like they`ll start doing good movies..they will still suck.

 

[GameOver]

changing from WWF was a sore spot for alot of us but in the end the product stayed the same, and during the Hogan era WWF was doing things other then Wrestling.

They had there own talk shows, movie deals, appearances on all manner of shows and were involved hand in hand with pop culture in general

Only difference is that now the outside celebrities get more exposure then the actuall superstars when they are in the WWE shows.

think Vince summed it decades ago, during the interviews where he pretty much said hey look this is scripted. "WWF is about making movies and telling stories, we aren't in the rassling business."

Only thing i would fear is that they get rid of all the decent "wrestlers" and just leave celebrities who happen to be able to do "some" physical action. Though as daft as Vince seems to have become since WCW folded, i don't think he's that idiotic to get rid of what is there bread and butter and made the company a global phenomenon.

 

[Archrival]

I wonder if Vinny Mac will change the name of Wrestlemania to Sportsamania?

I was kind of wondering the same thing. Since wrestling now seems to be such a shameful word according to Vince, are they going to go with the
short version on saying Wrestlemania too? "WWE welcomes you to WM28!" *sigh* I guess it's better than Sportsentertainia though

I just think it's kind of sad that he looks at the word wrestling like it's something he scraped off from the bottom of his shoe. I thought he would be more respectful to a business he has been a part of for so long. But what do I know, I'm just a simple fan...of pro wrestling.

 

[The Hardcore Kid]

Yea agreeing with the others here this is kind of sad but it's not important. He's changing WWE into a brand that covers loads of entertainment aspects. Raw and Smackdown are still wrestling shows it's just that WWE will now have their name on a bunch of stuff which isn't wrestling shows so it doesn't make sense to have the name World Wrestling Entertainment.

That would be fine if Raw and SmackDown were allowed to be called wrestling shows, as one facet of the WWE media empire, but they're not. The wrestlers aren't allowed to call themselves what they are?! It's crazy. Sorry Vince, but if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck...

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm with Hamler on this. I don't see why people are dwelling so much on this. This "change" the WWE is going through is purely cosmetic. Vince McMahon has been working for the better part of 30 years to change the image that the general public has about professional wrestling. All you have to do is look at the changes that Vince has made to the company since he bought it from his father to see it.

Vince wanted the WWE to be a company that toured on a national and later international basis. He wanted to garner mainstream media coverage by involving celebrities in the product and portraying the biggest stars in his company as being different than your standard pro wrestler.

The WWE is always going to be seen as a wrestling company, there's no way around that. I personally think it's downright foolish of Vince McMahon to believe that people are generally going to think otherwise. The wrestling aspect of the company isn't going anywhere, it's not going to be replaced or taken out or any of that nonsense. Perception is reality and Vince wants people to perceive his company as being more than just a "wrestling company".

Take KFC as an example. KFC started out with an old hillbilly that owned and ran a gas station selling fried chicken as well. Look at how KFC has changed in terms of marketing strategy over the years. In the old commercials, you'd see Colonel Sanders dressed in his white suit selling his chicken. Nowadays, you have the commercials with the slicker production quality, the catchy little catchphrases and music jingle, young & attractive people eating the chicken, etc. But it's still the same product underneath all the new spit & shine. The WWE will be no different when it comes to the wrestling aspect of it's product.

 

[Chadmw]

I have no problem if you want to change the overall brand name and remove the word wrestling. But I do find it stupid that on the "wrestling shows" that can't even call them wrestlers anymore or say it is a wrestling match. Like I said in my other thread it sounded extremely stupid when Cole on Raw said, "I am 1-0 at wrestlemania, I am now an entertainer".

 

[DeadmanFan]

Copy of a post I made on another forum:

"Vince can try all the stupid shit he wants. At the end of the day he will always be known as a wrestling promoter first and foremost. He's utterly and completely failed at everything he's tried to do except for wrestling- the World Bodybuilding Federation was a controversial bust, the XFL was an absolute disaster, WWE Films makes C rate direct to DVD movies (eking out an extremely negligible profit), and his nightclub/restaurant in Times Square failed (shame because I actually liked that place when I went to it a few times). What's next? Is WrestleMania gonna become EntertainMania, or just WM?

Now it doesn't really mean much, but it's just funny. Vince, at the end of the day you will always be known as a wrestling promoter. You put on wrestling shows with wrestlers in a wrestling ring and your biggest event of the year is called WrestleMania. You can try and branch out all you want, but the wider world will ALWAYS associate you and your firm with wrestling, and nothing you do short of completely expunging wrestling from your company is going to change this. Stop running away from it and instead make your product better to attract more fans. Service that demand. Comparative advantage, Vince. Economics 101."

I later added that he can get rid of wrestling completely and he'll still be associated with wrestling.

 

[Chrisx]

Its just like taking the F out of the NFL or the B out of NBA.WWE will always be know as a wrestling company until they stop wrestling completely and just cut promos all day.If this makes you feel better vince change the name all you want but its still the wrasslin business.

 

[v12dpk]

Hey guys, first time creating a thread on here so apologies if I'm duplicating a previous thread.

Anyway, recently we've been hearing all the news on how Vince McMahon no longer wants to use the word "Wrestling" anymore with regards to the company name and the wrestlers themselves. Rather, he wants the company to solely be reffered to now as just "WWE" and that the wrestlers are no longer "wrestlers" but "sports entertainers" or "superstars".

Now I, like many of you, am confused as to why he would want to take away the true identity of the business. I mean yes I understand that it's, effectively, a marketing ploy for the company to expand further into other areas of entertainment. However, the sole core of the business, and what got it over in the first place, is infact wrestling and there's no way that can be taken away.

So, with all this speculation lately surrounding Vince's idea and his new mindset, I came across a video on YouTube in which Paul Heyman, Joey Styles and even Good Ol' JR calls Vince out on this idea YEARS before we, as fans, really understood it.

Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOjc4fnth9A&feature=feedrec_grec_index

So, WZ's IWC, I want to know, what are you thoughts on this? Do you agree with what Heyman is saying? Are you suprised that Heyman called him out on this all those years ago?

Share your thoughts guys!

 

[Calderownz]

Truthfully, I'm just not seeing this as a big deal. They are taking out wrestling so that when big media talks about WWE, the world wrestling isn't used and the word entertainment is. Pretty much as simple as that.

Most will still know it's wrestling and what it's about. The ones that don't, might tune in.

Yet, when we tune in, we know what we're watching. It won't change. Not that big of a deal.

Heyman was right in the sense that Vince wants to move away from the wrestling aspect, but not in terms of the product so much. Mainly, just the image. McMahon is smart enough to realize that what sells PPV is still wrestling and the PPV still has the majority of the show showcasing wrestling.

 

[berlinbrawler]

Eh, what's the drama. I'm over it. When was the last time they mentioned the word "Wrestling" or the whole company name "World Wrestling Entertainment" anyway. Gotta be at least a couple of years ago.

And I don't think this moves stems so much from self-loathing as it does market research. The word "wrestling" is tainted, focus groups probably don't respond well to it.
Further than that, the WWE is expanding into other aspects as well, like movies. They want a brand name that can encompass everything.

 

[klunderbunker]

It's really not a big deal. I have no idea who Vince thinks he's fooling with it. No one is going to see it and call it entertainment. People still call the company WWF anyway so what difference does it make? I get the marketing aspect of it but people are going to see the same guys doing the same thing and call it wrestling all the same. It's not a major issue as it's not going to change anything at all. No big deal here.

 

[EastCoastFan]

Vince has NEVER liked the term "wrestling". He thinks people get preconceived ideas when you say "pro wrestling". That's why he has always used the terms "sports entertainment" and "superstars", instead of "wrestling" and "wrestlers".

It's not the first time people have done something like that. When GI Joe was being created, it was always referred to as an "action figure", the belief being that calling it a "doll" would turn off buyers (boys don't play with "dolls").

Vince's biggest problem is his insatiable need to conquer the world. He has been trying to expand his empire beyond "sports entertainment" since the mid 80's, but every time he does he falls flat on his face. None of the WWE Films movies have been big money at the box office. The WBF and XFL flopped big time. The list goes on. I wish Vince would focus on his core product and leave the movies to someone else.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I honestly don't see why so many people are trying to make such a big deal out of nothing. The WWE is still a wrestling company, it's not taking wrestling out of the equation at all. We've all been watching WWE programming in the weeks that's followed Vince's name change of the company and it's still wrestling. It's still the same show content of Raw & SmackDown! that it's always been.

Personally, this is one of those times that Vince has me scratching my head in confusion. I know that some people are just plain idiotic but nobody with any shred of common sense is going to be fooled by a slight retinkering of the WWE's name. Hell, most people call it WWE instead of World Wrestling Entertainment anyhow. Also, Vince inserting flashy terms like Sports Entertainment for wrestling & Superstar for wrestler isn't fooling anybody and never has fooled anybody.

It's all just a marketing ploy. The wrestling aspect of WWE isn't going anywhere.

 

[itssoeasy123]

Vince McMahon has been trying ot move away from the word "wrestling" for many year's now.

I really don't see the big deal about it. If there's a ring and guy's wrestling in it, I'm good. The only ting I'll hate is if they change the name Wrestlemania.

It's still wrestling, the fan's know it, but Vince want's to move away from just being a wrestling brand. He want's to be more of a entertaniment company, it'll be easier for him to accomplish thing's without the word "wrestling" being tagged behind him. For some people(mostly the negative one's), "wrestling" is the Benoit debacle, the steriod's trial, the scandal's, the Attitude Era, the blood, violence. Vince want's to move away from just that stuff, he want's to be global phenomenon is more than just "wrestling."

 

[Iversen]

Vince McMahon has been trying ot move away from the word "wrestling" for many year's now.

I really don't see the big deal about it. If there's a ring and guy's wrestling in it, I'm good. The only ting I'll hate is if they change the name Wrestlemania.

It's still wrestling, the fan's know it, but Vince want's to move away from just being a wrestling brand. He want's to be more of a entertaniment company, it'll be easier for him to accomplish thing's without the word "wrestling" being tagged behind him. For some people(mostly the negative one's), "wrestling" is the Benoit debacle, the steriod's trial, the scandal's, the Attitude Era, the blood, violence. Vince want's to move away from just that stuff, he want's to be global phenomenon is more than just "wrestling."

Wrestlemania is bigger than the WWE in many ways now and is a brand name all in itself. I know people who still think the WWE was called the WWF but they know about Wrestlemania and will even occasionally watch it when it comes around. Changing the name of 'Mania will not happen.

 

[berlinbrawler]

Changing the name of 'Mania will not happen.

Scary thought, isn't it? Entertainamania. Who wouldn't pay $49.99 for that show?

Hell will freeze over before they temper with their biggest cash cow of the year.

 

[klunderbunker]

This really doesn't mean as much as people think it means. Everyone knows it's wrestling so it's not like they're fooling anyone. No one other than idiots that are trying (and failing) to be funny are going to say "look at this great entertainment I'm watching. No wrestling here at all". It's wrestling and everyone knows that it is. I guess this is supposed to get WWE accepted or something but it's not like they're fooling anyone. This means nothing at all.