Dave Meltzer’s Sources Over the Years

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

The Jericho talk over in the Punk thread in the AEW section got me thinking of this. Any chance we can put together a list/timeline of who Meltzer has used as sources over the years.

Jericho is a definite one. Really any regular worker who Meltzer has interviewed as part of one of his radio shows tends to be one. But it’s not always guys you’d expect. For instance I know Chris Benoit didn’t have the most outgoing personality but he have heard people say he was one. That kernel of truth led to at least one whacky conspiracy following the Benoit murders/suicide.

Another one you wouldn’t expect going even further back was Bruiser Brody. Before becoming a wrestler Brody worked as a reporter so I’ve heard he had a soft spot for old Meltz.

[Jindrak Mark]

A bunch but Jericho and Flair seem to be the big ones and for like 20+ years too, probably longer for Flair.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

IIRC, Jim Ross was a big one.

I believe Bret was also a source on a lot of Bret related things.

[jason1980s]

I've read Eddie Guerrero and I think Owen as well.

[celtics543]

You'd be stupid not to have been. I'm guessing he spoke really highly of his sources and that was the magazine that everyone was reading. Especially back in the day a good review from Meltzer could help you a lot.

[Mozenrath]

Jericho, Bill Watts, Flair, and Eric Bischoff come to mind. I know he and Cornette spoke plenty, but I am not sure if it was as a source or just for tape trading since both obviously were enthusiasts.

There was a time when Vince McMahon asked Meltzer to potentially write a biography about him before changing his mind, so the two for sure have at least spoken a good deal at times, unsure if it was as any sort of source.

Meltzer has been the top name for decades for a reason. He's pretty well connected, even with people who sometimes would take shots at him on TV and otherwise.

[fw91]

But how much is Dave paying them? If I was a wrestler, why would I give info to this guy, even if I liked him? I think I’d be more in the camp of “you want to know what’s going to happen? Tune in and find out!” Not in a rude way of course, but there seems to be nothing gained (unless handsomely paid) by leaking company info to an outside party.

[lildude8218]

Taylor, Terry
Rooster, Red

[flowercity]

Probably easier to make a list of people who didn’t talk to Meltzer at any point. As noted by another poster, even Vince talked to Dave for periods of time throughout the 80s and 90s.

Meltzer even helped The Rock with his father’s Hall of Fame speech so it was historically accurate. I highly doubt it’s the first time they talked.

[flowercity]

Dec 31, 2022 17:27:17 GMT -5 fw91 said:

But how much is Dave paying them? If I was a wrestler, why would I give info to this guy, even if I liked him? I think I’d be more in the camp of “you want to know what’s going to happen? Tune in and find out!” Not in a rude way of course, but there seems to be nothing gained (unless handsomely paid) by leaking company info to an outside party.

Because Dave has information the wrestlers themselves don’t have too. Dave knows what the guys are making, forever he was accurately reporting houses so guys knew what they should be paid, able to connect wrestlers to other promoters, etc. Dave is a legit journalist, he does not pay sources.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Dec 31, 2022 17:50:05 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Probably easier to make a list of people who didn’t talk to Meltzer at any point. As noted by another poster, even Vince talked to Dave for periods of time throughout the 80s and 90s.

Meltzer even helped The Rock with his father’s Hall of Fame speech so it was historically accurate. I highly doubt it’s the first time they talked.

Yes, Rock was definitely a source for him. When there was speculation about Rock running for president, Meltzer joked that it would be cool he used to tape trade with the president, so they go back pretty far.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Dec 31, 2022 17:52:41 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Dec 31, 2022 17:27:17 GMT -5 fw91 said:

But how much is Dave paying them? If I was a wrestler, why would I give info to this guy, even if I liked him? I think I’d be more in the camp of “you want to know what’s going to happen? Tune in and find out!” Not in a rude way of course, but there seems to be nothing gained (unless handsomely paid) by leaking company info to an outside party.

Because Dave has information the wrestlers themselves don’t have too. Dave knows what the guys are making, forever he was accurately reporting houses so guys knew what they should be paid, able to connect wrestlers to other promoters, etc. Dave is a legit journalist, he does not pay sources.

Yeah, it was more so a trade since it is easy to forget that information is King. No matter how Dave got it, he got it and trading that info leads to more info. Did he grease a few palms or help with a few favors? Probably 

But he lasted as long he has because he is mostly correct and has the answers some wrestlers, executives etc seek and he can feed that info to others and get more info

[Mozenrath]

CM Punk has been one, too, judging by Meltzer saying how he'd wished he'd told Punk the Bucks weren't actually one of his sources on Punk stuff, that he felt maybe it'd have averted things.

Dec 31, 2022 17:52:41 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Dec 31, 2022 17:27:17 GMT -5 fw91 said:

But how much is Dave paying them? If I was a wrestler, why would I give info to this guy, even if I liked him? I think I’d be more in the camp of “you want to know what’s going to happen? Tune in and find out!” Not in a rude way of course, but there seems to be nothing gained (unless handsomely paid) by leaking company info to an outside party.

Because Dave has information the wrestlers themselves don’t have too. Dave knows what the guys are making, forever he was accurately reporting houses so guys knew what they should be paid, able to connect wrestlers to other promoters, etc. Dave is a legit journalist, he does not pay sources.

Yep, he doesn't pay him. Guys contribute in part to not have it be one-sided, since if they don't talk, someone else will, so it makes sense to get their own perspective out there.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Dec 31, 2022 18:08:51 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Dec 31, 2022 17:52:41 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Because Dave has information the wrestlers themselves don’t have too. Dave knows what the guys are making, forever he was accurately reporting houses so guys knew what they should be paid, able to connect wrestlers to other promoters, etc. Dave is a legit journalist, he does not pay sources.

Yeah, it was more so a trade since it is easy to forget that information is King. No matter how Dave got it, he got it and trading that info leads to more info. Did he grease a few palms or help with a few favors? Probably 

But he lasted as long he has because he is mostly correct and has the answers some wrestlers, executives etc seek and he can feed that info to others and get more info

I know promoter’s read it because they felt it was the only way to know what was happening in the company.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 31, 2022 18:08:51 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Dec 31, 2022 17:52:41 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Because Dave has information the wrestlers themselves don’t have too. Dave knows what the guys are making, forever he was accurately reporting houses so guys knew what they should be paid, able to connect wrestlers to other promoters, etc. Dave is a legit journalist, he does not pay sources.

Yeah, it was more so a trade since it is easy to forget that information is King. No matter how Dave got it, he got it and trading that info leads to more info. Did he grease a few palms or help with a few favors? Probably 

But he lasted as long he has because he is mostly correct and has the answers some wrestlers, executives etc seek and he can feed that info to others and get more info

I would honestly not be shocked if he's never traded money directly, just since then you create a potentially dangerous precedent, but I'm sure favors sometimes maybe happened, like with tape trading.

[XIII]

I’m sure that back in the day wrestlers would try to be tight with Meltzer because he had connections everywhere in the industry and could get numbers/info for the guys to try to get bookings too

[Cranjis McBasketball]

The Meltzer is always wrong thing really took off with Prichard and Bischoff taking it up as a gimmick on their podcasts.

[Jindrak Mark]

Dec 31, 2022 17:27:17 GMT -5 fw91 said:

But how much is Dave paying them? If I was a wrestler, why would I give info to this guy, even if I liked him?

Favorable publicity. There's two sides of every story but if the other person doesn't talk to the dirtsheets and you do then you can basically paint the narrative that most people will hear about.

How often has Meltzer ever been negative about Jericho? How many of those "private" AEW talent meetings after Brawl Out got out and just happened to mention that Jericho gave a rousing speech and is seen as a true locker room leader?

And when like 99% of people agreed that Charlotte constantly immediately winning the title back from Sasha in 2016 made Sasha look like a horrible babyface champion but Meltzer, who happens to list her dad as one of his top sources for decades, was like the one guy who would defend her booking.

Dec 31, 2022 17:56:14 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

Dec 31, 2022 17:50:05 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Probably easier to make a list of people who didn’t talk to Meltzer at any point. As noted by another poster, even Vince talked to Dave for periods of time throughout the 80s and 90s.

Meltzer even helped The Rock with his father’s Hall of Fame speech so it was historically accurate. I highly doubt it’s the first time they talked.

Yes, Rock was definitely a source for him. When there was speculation about Rock running for president, Meltzer joked that it would be cool he used to tape trade with the president, so they go back pretty far.

Rock was also a Wade Keller guy back in the day and someone he'd go to if he wanted a story out there.

Actually, screw "Paul Heyman guy", I say we start referring to wrestlers based on who they leak info to. You'll have a clique of Dave Meltzer guys, your Sean Ross Sapp guys, your Wade Keller guys. The true intellectuals though were probably always Larry Csonka guys.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 31, 2022 18:16:37 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

Dec 31, 2022 18:08:51 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Yeah, it was more so a trade since it is easy to forget that information is King. No matter how Dave got it, he got it and trading that info leads to more info. Did he grease a few palms or help with a few favors? Probably 

But he lasted as long he has because he is mostly correct and has the answers some wrestlers, executives etc seek and he can feed that info to others and get more info

I know promoter’s read it because they felt it was the only way to know what was happening in the company.

Yup. Watts for sure read it, I think it was Jerry Jarrett or someone else who read it by having it sent to their mother in law's house to hide he was subscribed, among some others. Foley talked about how he was kind of mystified of Meltzer on meeting him, since he'd heard of him but this was pretty pre-internet for most people, so he didn't know much, other than that his bookings got significantly better after Meltzer called him "wrestling's best kept secret" and put him over as underutilized for how good he was.

Not saying Meltzer was a kingmaker or anything, but he could materially benefit dudes, and to a degree still can.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 31, 2022 18:21:59 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

The Meltzer is always wrong thing really took off with Prichard and Bischoff taking it up as a gimmick on their podcasts.

Correct, which is funny because Bischoff himself was sometimes a source.