I wish people would stop talking about WWE as every other wrestling company.
It’s a publicly traded integrated media and entertainment company serving shareholders.
That doesn’t diminish the disgusting nature they act in, or how they are morally bankrupt, run by greed, and awful to employees. But I do think its naive for people to be shocked after all this time. How many times does a company need to act reprehensibly before they are outed for what and who they are and treated differently. For example, how bout Talent stop trying to live their dreams of WrestleMania and start living their dreams as gainfully employed wrestlers who are protected and looked after. Or ESPN stop treating WWE like a major sport. Not even the NFL is as morally bankrupt and that is saying something.
Sinclair is it is also publicly traded television broadcast company. It is down 60% YTD and didn’t have the misfortune of firing their 2 co-presidents without notice. If people convinced themselves WWE wasn’t going to act exactly how they are acting, time to understand who you are supporting and spending time and money on. If Sinclair doesn’t do something with ROH to reduce expenses in the next few weeks I will be shocked. It also may not be as public as that is merely a segment of their actual business.
On Tuesday I was actually researching it and was surprised WWE had not done something with layoffs or furloughs yet. 24 hours later they did.
What will be really telling to me is whether their subs on the network drop because of their greed and mistreatment of workers. If it doesn’t its just another example where fans and the industry at large give them a pass. For everyone outraged, consider 3 weeks ago when we all participated in talking and covering Wrestlemania. We should stop having short term memory with how this company behaves all.the.time.
Biggest disconnect with how WWE is covered. You are absolutely right.
The analysts treat it like a public enterprise, and the industry reporters understand it as a wrestling company. Many industry reporters understand and cover the company as a public enterprise (but seemingly are always shocked when they behave like one). But almost no analysts on their calls understand the wrestling industry like even us dedicated fans do, and if they did the company would have been viewed very differently for years now dating back to 2014 and the Network launch.
I didn’t watch WrestleMania although that was because I stopped watching months ago as I think their product is awful. I would normally start and stop my WWE Network subscription to view classic content but have chosen not to because of their continuing abhorrent behaviour.
I was sharing a subscription with somebody. We go back and forth on whether we want to cancel. We agreed one subscription for the two of us was an appropriate measure since we do recognize we are spiting talent and employees by cancelling completely. So we split the difference.
It’s not secret I support multiple businesses created entirely because the WWE exists as it does. I honestly go back and forth about whether I want to see them to stop covering WWE as if it is the end-all-be-all of pro wrestling. I would happily increase my contribution to the businesses I support if they stopped covering WWE right now. People need to start putting their money (or time) where their mouth is whenit comes to the anger and rage against WWE. And this comes as somebody who isn’t even phased or fooled that they act like they do. I see so many of these podcasters and blogs/websites that center their entire business around a company and then are aghast when this stuff happens. That doesn’t add up to me. How can a company you follow so closely and are so financially dependent on shock you over and over again and you keep enabling them by making them the number 1 covered promotion?
Going forward I am only opting to support companies that show true interest in further all of wrestling and not just relying on WWE for their content / reviews. The diversification of shows from the POST family is a great example of how WWE doesn’t have to the be the most covered company and have a loyal following.
And wherever the talents ultimately end up, I’ll try to support them there. But I’m just one fan. We are just one forum/community. almost 2 million people watched Raw Monday ( I actively avoided it ). So not sure anything ever will really make a difference.
Had the network from Rumble to Mania. Had the intent of cancelling well before Mania but life gets in the way. Have no intention of subscribing again, not when there are other options (I still sub to NJworld)
I still have the Network currently, but we’ll see what happens once I’m back to going into the office and such. Not the most virtuous answer, but sometimes being stuck home for over a month now, you end up with the itch to watch one (or all) of the Flair/Steamboat '89 matches.
My thing is there is so much wrestling out there. I’ll still catch some of the shows but there is no need to have the network. Mostly all the payoffs suck and you get enough good wrestling on their TV. The archives I have already watched but if you really want to watch something old it can be found online
I was a day one network subscriber and cancelled after Khashoggi was murdered. I have watched some 205Live and NXT through my Hulu subscription since then and have attended a few live events, because like MJ I still like many of the wrestlers and want to support them as much as I can feel comfortable with. Outside of that, POST is the only way I regularly keep up with the company though.
I’m in the same boat. It’s hard to cancel the Network when there’s such a vast library of classic content, especially when you tend to be more of a fan of the classic product than the current product and are isolated and by yourself at home.
The Network will be the only way I support them though moving forward. No more merchandise purchases or live event attendance for me once this is all said and done.
I would normally start and stop my WWE Network subscription to view classic content but have chosen not to because of their continuing abhorrent behaviour.