jdw

That SEC filing is the one mentioned and quoted above. As far as his old title: http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1283981091 http://whatculture.com/wwe/jim-cornette-sa...cmahon-dies.php Senior Advisor / Executive Senior Advisor Old stuff. Just don't think any of us were paying that much attention because it doesn't change all that much: Vince runs the place, Trip & Steph are the heirs, Shane has checked out. John John

Laurinaitis wasn't EVP of Talent Relations of talent relations no later than 03/16/12: he had been removed from the Executive Officers in the companies DEF 14A Statement filing with the SEC, which is far more authoritative than anything we can gleen off the google. He had been on the one filed the year before, while Trip wasn't. March at the lasted, but frankly a good deal earlier since there's no way it happened the day they filed nor something inserted / deleted in the last round of editing the document before filing. Logically it happened when Trip got promoted to EVP since you typically don't have an EVP reporting to and EVP. But even if it wasn't Aug 2011, it probably was no later than the turn of the year given the filing. As for there being a lack of reporting / speculation... it's the freaking Pro Wrestling Media. Like they're always hip on this stuff if it doesn't slap them in the face? How many of them actually regularly go over to EDGAR to read and think about the public filings? If they had, something was staring them in the face in the March filing and they could have asked their sources in the WWE when and why Johnny had gotten demoted. John

This was the first one that really struck me as excessive, self indulgent, masturbatory... pick the cliche. The "unified" era started with the PWF & UN Titles merging on 03/09/88, with the World Tag Titles getting unified on 06/10/88. Progression of Longest Singles Titles Match 14:40 03/09/88 Hansen vs Tenryu (PWF vs UN) 17:07 03/27/88 Tsuruta vs Bordy (Int'l) 30:00 04/15/88 Brody vs Tenryu (Int'l vs PWF & UN) 35:50 06/03/94 Misawa vs Kawada (TC) 41:23 09/03/94 Williams vs Kobashi (TC) Longest Singles Title Matches (28+) 41:23 09/03/94 Williams vs Kobashi (TC) 35:50 06/03/94 Misawa vs Kawada (TC) 30:00 04/15/88 Brody vs Tenryu (Int'l vs PWF & UN) 29:52 10/21/92 Misawa vs Kawada (TC) Progression of Longest Tag Match 13:48 06/10/88 Tsuruta & Yatsu vs Road Warriors 18:37 07/16/88 Tsuruta & Yatsu vs Hansen & Gordy 29:51 08/29/88 Tsuruta & Yatsu vs Tenryu & Hara 31:57 07/19/90 Gordy & Williams vs Tsuruta & Kabuki 40:25 05/21/94 Misawa & Kobashi vs Kawada & Taue Longest Tag Title Matches (28+) 31:18 03/04/92 Gordy & Williams vs Tsuruta & Taue 29:59 12/07/90 Gordy & Williams vs Hansen & Spivey 28:57 12/06/89 Hansen & Tenryu vs Tsuruta & Yatsu 28:00 07/24/91 Gordy & Williams vs Misawa & Kawada 28:28 05/20/93 Gordy & Williams vs Kawada & Taue 29:12 06/01/93 Kawada & Taue vs Misawa & Kobashi 31:04 07/26/93 Kawada & Taue vs Gordy & Williams 40:25 05/21/94 Misawa & Kobashi vs Kawada & Taue The 05/21/94 tag match blew through the old tag record of the era. There was something compelling about the long run home: it was new and fresh, and we hadn't seen dozens of matches like that. Then the 06/03/94 TC match broke the TC record by close to six minutes, and topped the forgotten "first TC match" which failed to unify the belts. El Classico doesn't really feel like it's a minute too long, or they over stay their welcome, or even really like they're stretching it. They fill time early with stuff that plays off the past six months (neck/back and knee), and Kawada ad libs working over the ear because... well... it's right there, and they'd been taught to play off what's there rather than ignore it. In turn, when they pick things up, it feels neither rushed nor stretched, neither kitchen sink nor that there's anything missing that should be there. In the end, it feels like an epic match, you know they've gone long, you feel they've pushed each other like they never have before... and wondered if anyone ever had that way before in a TC match (five years before Jumbo and Tenryu killed each other for 22:38). Then... Kobashi and Doc pretty much indulge themselves and blow through that length. I've never figured out why. It's Kobashi's first Triple Crown match. 29:25 01/30/74 Brisco vs Tsuruta (NWA) (12:55, 7:32, 8:58) It tops Jumbo's first NWA Title bid in Japan... by a mile, despite that one being 2/3. 11:22 01/02/88 Hennig vs Tigersawa (AWA) 13:47 03/08/89 Steamboat vs Tigersawa (NWA) 16:16 07/27/90 Hansen vs Misawa (TC) 23:17 04/18/91 Tsuruta vs Misawa (TC) It blows away Misawa's first two title challenges against US world titles in Japan. Then smacks Misawa's first TC challenge, and his first challenge against Jumbo the Ace... both by a mile. 19:05 10/24/91 Tsuruta vs Kawada (TC) 21:18 06/05/92 Hansen vs Kawada (TC) 29:52 10/21/92 Misawa vs Kawada (TC) Kills Kawada's first challenge for the TC, and kills his first solo Budokan main even (part of a double main) challenging Hansen for the TC. Even beats the heck out of Kawada's first challenge against his soon-to-be rival. 14:41 07/31/92 Hansen vs Taue (TC) 22:33 02/28/93 Misawa vs Taue (TC) And of course crushes Taue's first TC bid, and Taue's first Budokan main challenging Misawa. There's a lot of good matches on that list... some of them great matches. I honestly don't know why someone didn't tell them to go 25 and have a war, rather than suggesting and/or letting them go 41+. Like a lot of matches starting right here, it would have been better off with some self editing, or booking control. Doc-Hansen in October just isn't as succesful as their match in April, nor really even as well as their Carny draw that went 8 minutes shorter. Hansen-Kawada and Hansen-Misawa were both way too long for where Hansen was at that point. Misawa-Kobashi that same year was similar to this one: it could have had 10+ lopped off and been better. This is the first of two points where I kind of loath the future completist rewatch of all of the 90s AJPW stuff in order. The other is the 07/24/95 Misawa vs Kawada where they went 10 minutes shorter than 06/03/94 but probably crammed in more highspots. This one the start of excess/self indulgence and that one as the start of big-spot-o-rama, each reflecting a lack of backstage control/vision to reel it in. Which is to a degree sad: this one I never cared a ton for this one though it technically has a lot of good stuff in it. I was fond of the 7/24/95 match since it felt like a moment where they edited themselves down from feeling the need to go 40+ (which these two could easily have done... but never did... which is perhaps telling in and of itselt)... but in hindsight it gave away what would be pitched when editing: the body of the match, and instead move more quickly into bigger spots. John

So yeah, old shit. Johnny has been demoted since at least last August, though perhaps got a new increased demotion. But this all looks like it was done back at the Trip Is Taking Over period, not long after this thread started last year. John

Scooped by a fucking Triple H fansite: http://www.klqwrestling.com/2011/09/paul-l...-executive.html

The WWE also called him it in the old Trip Shoots On Meltzer thing earlier this year: http://teaspoon-and-whitey.info/2012/03/20...of-fcws-closing John

This isn't that new, just not pushed: Last year's Annual Report / DEF 14A Statement filed 3/18/2011: Trip wasn't listed as an Executive Officer. From the Annual Report / DEF 14A Statement filed 03/16/12: John

So, Kawada winning would have helped business in the long term because New Japan drew well when the belt came off Hashimoto? They both seem like short term business decisions to me. Putting Mutoh over Hash in 5/95 was a short term business decision? *scratches head* Okay... you really lost me on that one. John

It's currently being called: UFC on Fox: Shogun vs. Vera http://www.ufc.com/event/FOX4#/fight Machida vs Bader might be a better draw, but we have this clusterfuck of results: * Rua has lost 2 out of his last 3 * Machida has lost 3 of his last 4 (4 out of 5 if you count his robbery of Rua) * Bader is 2-2 in 2011-12, one of those wins over a mess of a Rampage Bader-Machida would be a better draw if Machida hadn't been so completely exposed. The coming schedule is really a mess. Some things of interest, but it's a mess.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf...spaper_cla.html

Looking at the WON review, the last 17 minutes aired on TV.

Because it's a big story and I was, in fact, sworn to secrecy on it until it was announced? The only people hyping it up were the guys at the F4W board reacting to Dave's tease, I just confirmed it was a big story. For the WWE and UFC? Not really that big. It's about 5% of the Revenue of the WWE: $24.6M out of $483.9M last year. It's about 11% of the gross profit: $18.5M out of $168.7M. If that money vanished for a year or more while the WWE tried to find a new publisher and factoring in all the lead time to develop and release the product... it wouldn't be a killer to the WWE. PPV, which folks have been running around in House on Fire mode about the declines, was $78.3M in revenue last year (16% of company revenue) and $40.7M in gross profits (24% of company gross profits). Triple the revenue, more than double the GP. It's not really that big. For UFC, it's an even smaller % of their revenue after the Fox deal was signed. From a business standpoint, it's a bit like saying an undercard guy getting hurt is a big deal to the WWE. Not trying to shit on it, since it's an *interesting* story. It just isn't a big business story. John

It's not a big business story. THQ is a dying company, and has been. A bigger business story would have been THQ going into BK, the license being of use to UFC until it got untangled and a new buyer was found. Instead, they got out before then (or from the THQ side they were able to offload the license).

I was generally ducking the suggestions of Yatsu-Fujiwara love that Ditch made, since I was generally bored by these matches back in the day. It's a little too bad that the Final didn't make it. Not as a great match or anything, but it was Chono establishing himself as Mr. August, and as a comp to the Carny Final. Also, it's Chono right before the Blackjack Chono heel turn, and Sasaki at the near-end of his Hellraisers period right before transitioning into the singles push (he would main event the coming Dome show in January).

So what's the latest on this? Bruce as usual came to the defenses of Flair, including saying the MKJ was fed the TNA side by TNA and even MKJ now thinks he was played. Since I don't read/listen to PWSpyware, what's the dope from Mikey? John

Yeah, injuries or a trip to rehab in 1994. He worked in the ring until the 4/11 tapings. He was "listed" for the May tour of Japan, but Martel subbed for him. He didn't appear back at the tapings until 5/23. Did the KOTR on 6/19 seconding Diesel in the title match with Bret. Worked the late June and early July tapings, then came back at the August 1 taping (Razor-Shawn). He was pretty flakey at the time, bailing out the year before (which is why they had the twin IC titles). John

It won't leave the WWE up in the air. To generate $24.6M in licensing fees to the WWE (which are likely based on a per unit royalty rate), those WWE games have to move a lot more than that in revenue for THQ. Someone like EA or Activision or another firm would take that revenue. Now it's possible that the WWE's rates are so high that no one would take it until THQ slides into BK, rendering the WWE's current deal worthless and force them to negotiate a new deal with someone. Don't know if that's the case, or if the deal is profitable for THQ. The reports after Undisputed 2010 game out was that it was a burden on the books of THQ, and the newest one sold even less. So this may be THQ trying to do a double here: offload a money losing title from their books (i.e. before they start working on the next title) while getting a nominal amount from EA at a time they need cash. In turn, EA may look at the sales and believe they can increase them... and/or cut a new deal/rate with UFC as part of the license move. Which means they may be holding onto the WWE license because it's of value to the company... which in turn means that it would be value to someone if the company is sliding down the rabbit hole. I wouldn't worry too much about the WWE video games. John

Looking at the WWE's 10-K: Licensing Revenue: 2011: $54.4M 2010: $51.7M 2009: $44.7M Profit Contribution: 2011: $40.3M 2010: $38.4M 2009: $33.7M 2009 note: "Licensing revenues include $8.2 million in the toy category... Videogame revenue was $19.6 million" 2010 note: "Our toy category licensing revenues increased by $9.3 million... Our video game category licensing revenues decreased by $3.0 million" 2011 note: "Our toy category licensing revenues increased by $1.1 million... Our video game category licensing revenues increased by $8.0 million" If I'm doing my math correctly: $18.6M = Toy ($8.2M + $9.3M + $1.1M) $24.6M = Videogame ($19.6M - $3.0M + $8.0M) The profit magin is high to the company, given it's licensing and their primary "cost" would likely be what they kick back to the wrestlers / performers. UFC doesn't have as many properties as the WWE, nor probably sell in the volume of the WWE (in total), nor the long standing brand and selling/negotiating ability of the WWE. So it's not likely that UFC currently (as in this year) is close to the WWE in terms of revenue from the THQ deal. Say perhaps... $10M+ ? Though a good chunk of it would be profit, so 70%+ Not a massive revenue stream, but decent money in the pocket of Zuffa. This isn't Major Major Big. Probably isn't going to massively move the revenue dial for the company. John

The deal with THQ was through 2018. It's not clear if the transition to EA covers the same period, but they are tossing around multi-year. EA in favor of THQ, and avoiding the title from going under if/when THQ gets delisted / goes BK... that's not a bad deal in general for UFC. But it really isn't that big of a deal. The bigger deal is that the games are sinking like a rock since the first one: 1.95m UFC 2009 Undisputed 1.21m UFC Undisputed 2010 0.52m UFC Undisputed 3 U3 will go up from there, but... not great. EA may do better with it. But it's not a monster revenue stream. We could look up in the WWE's 10-K to see how much they bring in from video game licensing revenue. John

That THQ is in deep shit has been known for a long time. The WWE title isn't in danger unless the company goes under, in which case someone will buy that title because it's relatively valuable. The longer term negative is that companies like the UFC and WWE want to have a competitor to the EA and Activision Empires to drive/keep up licensing rates. With THQ likely to go in the tank in the not so distant future, that's doesn't help negotiating. John

So who is likely to break it so we can hit refresh occasionally on their site?

John

Or this: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Ot...cle_13507.shtml Which really isn't that big or surprising.

If it's MMA and "big" (as in some game changing thing), then I'd care. If it's "big" in the sense of Viacom shutting down Bellator, I wouldn't care because that really isn't "big".

The suspense is killing me...