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Post by They Killed the Giggler on Nov 4, 2013 18:55:21 GMT -5
I always thought it would be neat if the WWE set up branches/affiliates in other countries/regions, each with its own champions,TV deals,etc.. They could send guys over for shows and bring in guys from the other branches for matches.
I also would love to see them send out one of the minor title holders to defend his belt at independent shows occasionally. I know it's not really realistic,but it would help wrestling as a whole and it's not like it would affect TV ratings or house show gates if Axel or whoever holds the Intercontinental belt was gone for a week. When I say it's not realistic,I mean in terms of injury risk and things like that.
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Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 4, 2013 19:14:05 GMT -5
So basically a world-wide NWA with WWE at the head of the table?
NJPW and AJPW would not be pleased. I don't know if the talent base in India is strong enough to support that. Japan have their own major federations though that have been around for decades.
I can't see this idea really getting much of a foothold. Japan would be a very hard market to cater to b/c the wrestling culture there is so defined. A WWE tour stop is one thing, a full time in-country federation is another.
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Sin Cara Tres
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Post by Sin Cara Tres on Nov 4, 2013 19:34:37 GMT -5
WWE Japan could work. HUSTLE was a thing for a while and WWE is more wrestling heavy than HUSTLE was.
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SEAN CARLESS
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Post by SEAN CARLESS on Nov 4, 2013 19:36:45 GMT -5
WWE Japan could work. HUSTLE was a thing for a while and WWE is more wrestling heavy than HUSTLE was. Stay tuned for WWE HUSTLE ...LOYALTY. RESPECT.
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Fundertaker
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Post by Fundertaker on Nov 4, 2013 19:48:59 GMT -5
WWE Japan could work. HUSTLE was a thing for a while and WWE is more wrestling heavy than HUSTLE was. Then again, HUSTLE was marketed more as a live variety performance with wrestling than wrestling. WWE is straight up wrestling in comparison.
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Post by The Dark Order Inferno on Nov 4, 2013 19:51:19 GMT -5
It'd be WWE/ECW all over again. They'd sign a few big names from Japan, Mexico and so on with the initial intent of making them a real domestic alternative with a unique style, but the originals would begin to disappear after a couple of months, either fired or moved to Raw if they get over and they would be replaced with a bunch of developmental guys who work the same style as everyone else because that's what people really want... The people in WWE management at least.
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Sin Cara Tres
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Post by Sin Cara Tres on Nov 4, 2013 23:54:48 GMT -5
WWE Japan could work. HUSTLE was a thing for a while and WWE is more wrestling heavy than HUSTLE was. Then again, HUSTLE was marketed more as a live variety performance with wrestling than wrestling. WWE is straight up wrestling in comparison. But even in Japan, they refer to it as, "Entertainment". Look at FMW in it's latter years. They know what they're getting with WWE.
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Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on Nov 4, 2013 23:59:51 GMT -5
From what I've seen of NJPW, current WWE is basically that with just a sprinking more of showmanship. HUSTLE was more or less a screwed up Broadway production.
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Post by slappy on Nov 5, 2013 0:02:25 GMT -5
Years back they thought about doing this.
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Post by Drillbit Taylor on Nov 5, 2013 0:02:57 GMT -5
Wasnt there a rumor of doing that kind of right before Shane left of dividing North America into 4-6 territories, a euro branch and AnZac branch. Raw still being the flagship show, but each region having its own regional show.
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Chiral
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Post by Chiral on Nov 5, 2013 0:09:07 GMT -5
Years back they thought about doing this. Yup! They even had plans as to how the roster would be divided (Rey Mysterio to the Mexico branch...somebody to Japan. I forget the rest).
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Fundertaker
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Post by Fundertaker on Nov 5, 2013 7:38:10 GMT -5
Then again, HUSTLE was marketed more as a live variety performance with wrestling than wrestling. WWE is straight up wrestling in comparison. But even in Japan, they refer to it as, "Entertainment". Look at FMW in it's latter years. They know what they're getting with WWE. FMW in their later years was Fuyuki's attempt at copying Vince Russo with some Japanese flavor and it did horribly. HUSTLE was nothing like that. That was a flat out entertainment show with a wrestling background. WWE is still wrestling first and foremost. Also, even HUSTLE decayed pretty quickly, so I don't think even they are a good measuring stick
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2013 7:49:54 GMT -5
Japan is probably a bit too full for WWE to compete with the big players. WWE India sounds okay, but what others could we have? WWE UK could have a large following, or possibly WWE Mexico to build a new lucha/cruiserweight division.
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Post by The Dark Order Inferno on Nov 5, 2013 8:08:10 GMT -5
Japan is probably a bit too full for WWE to compete with the big players. WWE India sounds okay, but what others could we have? WWE UK could have a large following, or possibly WWE Mexico to build a new lucha/cruiserweight division. I think the Sky deal would ultimately limit the success of a UK based WWE promotion as it would be locked away on Sky Sports with the rest of the major WWE shows. It's the main reason TNA has grown so much over here while their US ratings remain stagnant, while they're stuck on the 80's gameshow channel, they're still free to air.
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Burst
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Post by Burst on Nov 5, 2013 8:31:49 GMT -5
Honestly I'm surprised WWE hasn't tried to follow Ring Ka King, but apparently they think Khali is good enough.
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Sin Cara Tres
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Post by Sin Cara Tres on Nov 5, 2013 17:46:39 GMT -5
But even in Japan, they refer to it as, "Entertainment". Look at FMW in it's latter years. They know what they're getting with WWE. FMW in their later years was Fuyuki's attempt at copying Vince Russo with some Japanese flavor and it did horribly. HUSTLE was nothing like that. That was a flat out entertainment show with a wrestling background. WWE is still wrestling first and foremost. Also, even HUSTLE decayed pretty quickly, so I don't think even they are a good measuring stick HUSTLE might not be a great example but I was trying to point out that mixing entertainment and wrestling is nothing new there. But hell, WWE has been airing and running shows in Japan for years. There's already a built-in audience. WWE would have to discover what the fans want from a WWE JAPAN product.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2013 17:55:20 GMT -5
Years back they thought about doing this. Yup! They even had plans as to how the roster would be divided (Rey Mysterio to the Mexico branch...somebody to Japan. I forget the rest). Only other thing I recall offhand about that rumor, though it did immediately spring to mind on seeing the thread, is the idea for Mexico was to have Mysterio as the top face and Carlito as the top heel.
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Juice
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Post by Juice on Nov 5, 2013 18:23:21 GMT -5
I don't think it would work, and perhaps that's why they never went through with it. Even if these branches are successful you're adding more costs for roster, refs, stage hands, agents, writers, production and multiply that by how many branches are opened. Not to mention you're possibly taking main roster stars to move to a region. Then in the off chance viewers liked the regional branches then you possibly compete with your main product. "well raw sucks anymore so I am done with WWE America, I am just gonna watch the Rey Mysterio stuff in Mexico from now on"...
Now what would be cool is if they were ti implement this to NXT and the performance Center. And NXT North, South, East and West. Could work and perhaps hold a super show every four months that features all of the rosters and champions.
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Johnny
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Post by Johnny on Nov 5, 2013 18:40:34 GMT -5
I suspect the biggest fan base with no big national promotion is basically Europe. They should put smackdown on a european tour for 2 months a year. Live tapings for 8 weeks, with a different country each time. Make a HUGE deal about it. Have storylines that account for guys leaving America for 2 months. It'd help guys grow as well, the modern wwe equivalent of doing a run in Germany in the territory days.
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Post by rybackrulez on Nov 5, 2013 19:29:00 GMT -5
So basically a world-wide NWA with WWE at the head of the table? NJPW and AJPW would not be pleased. I don't know if the talent base in India is strong enough to support that. Japan have their own major federations though that have been around for decades. I can't see this idea really getting much of a foothold. Japan would be a very hard market to cater to b/c the wrestling culture there is so defined. A WWE tour stop is one thing, a full time in-country federation is another. What makes it hard to flourish in japan is the amount of shows and indies there are over there. Really new japan is the wwe with ddt as their nxt, while ajpw and noah struggle as the tna, and dragon gate does really well for themselves Wwe fans around the world are mostly just wwe fans WWE in japan is on both cable and satellite tv Wwe is the most popular brand the world over
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