WWE Talent Meeting Note

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

From the Observer Daily Update:

There was a WWE talent meeting earlier today headed by Stephanie McMahon. It was mostly the same rah-rah type speech they do from time-to-time. The only thing notable is that they directly addressed AEW as their competition. They were pushing the WWE brand hard, the same social media and YouTube stats they always talk about with the idea of having 1 billion followers (adding every form of social media for every performer related to the company), and then said that they are having to compete with video games, movies, other streaming services as well as now AEW. In giving this speech, at no time have they ever mentioned a competing wrestling company.

[Deleted]

Doesn't mean a thing if they don't change things and I'm sure the talent doesn't care either given that.

[Deleted]

Did Cool Mom Steph do a dance?

[Deleted]

In otherwords

IT AINT US...IT'S THEM!

[eJm]

So here’s my question; why do WWE fear AEW so much?

Sure, they have a TV deal, and are acquiring talents WWE might have wanted but...they haven’t put on a show yet and if the PAC thing is to be believed (there’s a bit too much hokey wrestling for that to fully believed but that’s just me), they haven’t quite balanced the office/talent dynamic yet or at least in this one case?

Hell, I’ll be bold to put up that even though it went belly up, they didn’t get this nervous about TNA getting Hogan and pretty much every name talent under the sun that was still wrestling AND they were on a cable rival.

Is it because they also have a billionaire backing me? Hell, I’m excited about AEW’s debut but I’m confused by WWE’s stance.

[2coldMack is even more baffled]

It's f***ing nuts to me how shaken WWE is by AEW, and I'm one of the biggest AEW evangelists out there.

[Spider2024]

I chuckled at the "compete with video games" part. While that's technically not 100% untrue (since the Raw thread has indeed seen the occasional comment of "ok, my PS4 has finished installing this game, see ya") it's still funny that that's somehow notable competition. Technically 'restaurants' are also competition, most of those serve delicious foods on Monday nights!

[jagilki]

Get back to me when they hire Dixie Carter to run Talent Meetings.

[eJm]

May 19, 2019 16:30:59 GMT -5 Spider2024 said:

I chuckled at the "compete with video games" part. While that's technically not 100% untrue (since the Raw thread has indeed seen the occasional comment of "ok, my PS4 has finished installing this game, see ya") it's still funny that that's somehow notable competition. Technically 'restaurants' are also competition, most of those serve delicious foods on Monday nights!

“We have to stop people from stepping outside. Night walks are one of our biggest rivals!”

[Hypnosis]

May 19, 2019 16:30:59 GMT -5 Spider2024 said:

I chuckled at the "compete with video games" part. While that's technically not 100% untrue (since the Raw thread has indeed seen the occasional comment of "ok, my PS4 has finished installing this game, see ya") it's still funny that that's somehow notable competition. Technically 'restaurants' are also competition, most of those serve delicious foods on Monday nights!

Stephanie:"We must be prepared to fight against ISO Mid Thigh Pull 's Pizza!"

[Spider2024]

May 19, 2019 16:31:57 GMT -5 jagilki said:

Get back to me when they hire Dixie Carter to run Talent Meetings.

"Sit back down, Rusev!"

[2coldMack is even more baffled]

May 19, 2019 16:32:20 GMT -5 eJm said:

May 19, 2019 16:30:59 GMT -5 Spider2024 said:

I chuckled at the "compete with video games" part. While that's technically not 100% untrue (since the Raw thread has indeed seen the occasional comment of "ok, my PS4 has finished installing this game, see ya") it's still funny that that's somehow notable competition. Technically 'restaurants' are also competition, most of those serve delicious foods on Monday nights!

“We have to stop people from stepping outside. Night walks are one of our biggest rivals!”

It's troublingly similar, this quote, to a thing I read about in an article detailing the fall of Blockbuster. At one point, Blockbuster stores were having to seriously consider how to deal with competition from local libraries, in terms of rentals. This feels like that mindset.

[eJm]

May 19, 2019 16:33:38 GMT -5 2coldMack is even more baffled said:

May 19, 2019 16:32:20 GMT -5 eJm said:

“We have to stop people from stepping outside. Night walks are one of our biggest rivals!”

It's troublingly similar, this quote, to a thing I read about in an article detailing the fall of Blockbuster. At one point, Blockbuster stores were having to seriously consider how to deal with competition from local libraries, in terms of rentals. This feels like that mindset.

“WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST BOOKS!”

“Steph, in store book sales have been lower then they have been for decades”

“Then we’re winning!”

[markymark]

Well, WWE can draw first blood by making tonights PPV better than DON, gotta take advantage of the PAC situation.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

May 19, 2019 16:24:00 GMT -5 eJm said:

Hell, I’ll be bold to put up that even though it went belly up, they didn’t get this nervous about TNA getting Hogan and pretty much every name talent under the sun that was still wrestling AND they were on a cable rival.

There was never a reason to fear TNA because the iceberg that is Vince Russo would always punch a hole in the ship. And he did just that, just by existing and letting it get out that he was still secretly working for them after Spike said no Russo allowed.

[eJm]

May 19, 2019 16:35:48 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

May 19, 2019 16:24:00 GMT -5 eJm said:

Hell, I’ll be bold to put up that even though it went belly up, they didn’t get this nervous about TNA getting Hogan and pretty much every name talent under the sun that was still wrestling AND they were on a cable rival.

There was never a reason to fear TNA because the iceberg that is Vince Russo would always punch a hole in the ship. And he did just that, just by existing and letting it get out that he was still secretly working for them after Spike said no Russo allowed.

Sure, but WWE didn’t know that at the time. We didn’t either until the meetings with Spike went down.

I’m not saying they should have gone on a blood curdling rage over where TNA was but...like, they had shows and a growing reputation. Even if they weren’t great, that was still something.

AEW doesn’t have anything of substance yet. Hell, they don’t even own the rights to the tryout show.

[Deleted]

WWE's fear of AEW really makes absolutely no sense, especially in light of them coming off as super incompetent from the jump with this PAC situation.

[RedSmile]

May 19, 2019 16:24:00 GMT -5 eJm said:

So here’s my question; why do WWE fear AEW so much?

Sure, they have a TV deal, and are acquiring talents WWE might have wanted but...they haven’t put on a show yet and if the PAC thing is to be believed (there’s a bit too much hokey wrestling for that to fully believed but that’s just me), they haven’t quite balanced the office/talent dynamic yet or at least in this one case?

Hell, I’ll be bold to put up that even though it went belly up, they didn’t get this nervous about TNA getting Hogan and pretty much every name talent under the sun that was still wrestling AND they were on a cable rival.

Is it because they also have a billionaire backing me? Hell, I’m excited about AEW’s debut but I’m confused by WWE’s stance.

I think Hunter is more nervous about AEW than anyone. It's pretty clear he recognizes the wrestling landscape and how unpopular Vince's direction for the company is. Fan driven revenue is down across the board for WWE, talent is unsatisfied, and the number of shiny toys left for Hunter to stash in NXT is becoming very slim. Meanwhile the thirst for something...ANYTHING as an alternative to WWE is palpable. Hunter sees all of this, and is now frustrated on Twitter. Hunter is also smart enough to recognize that AEW is not being run by idiots like Dixie Carter or Vince Russo or Hogan. It's being run by Dusty's sons, who are very clearly in touch with what fans want, and they have done just about everything right to get this off the ground.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

May 19, 2019 16:37:58 GMT -5 eJm said:

May 19, 2019 16:35:48 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

There was never a reason to fear TNA because the iceberg that is Vince Russo would always punch a hole in the ship. And he did just that, just by existing and letting it get out that he was still secretly working for them after Spike said no Russo allowed.

Sure, but WWE didn’t know that at the time. We didn’t either until the meetings with Spike went down.

I’m not saying they should have gone on a blood curdling rage over where TNA was but...like, they had shows and a growing reputation. Even if they weren’t great, that was still something.

AEW doesn’t have anything of substance yet. Hell, they don’t even own the rights to the tryout show.

Sure, but what I'm getting at is they had Vince Russo writing the show and it was hardly a secret. There was nothing to fear about TNA at any point.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

I knew by the HHH Hall of Fame promo that AEW had them rocked. They need to actually change to care however, and I don't see that happening, so AEW needs to take advantage of that if they can...