February 24, 2009
WWE Revenues Up 8% in 2008
World Wrestling Entertainment weathered a 5% drop in fourth-quarter revenues to end 2008 with revenues of $526.5 million, an 8% increase over the previous year, with a jump in TV revenues providing a bright spot.
WWE reported $125.4 million in Q4 revenues, down from $132.6 million in the prior year quarter. But while revenues from live and televised entertainment were similarly down, to $76.2 million from $82.3 million in Q4 2007, revenues from TV rights were up 16%-to $27.6 million from $23.8 million in the prior year quarter-thanks in part to the deal with MyNetworkTV for WWE's SmackDown franchise, which ran previously on The CW...More?
source: broadcastingcable.com
Full report from corporate.wwe.com
Raw Results: "Legacy" Gets Hammered
Full results.
Jaime Noble Injured
Wrestleview.com is reporting that Jamie Noble was taken out of the Sommet Center last night on a stretcher. At the end of the match with Mike Knox, they seem to think something got messed up. Knox gets out of character for a split second. Noble was put onto a stretcher and taken from the ring while the segment between Chris Jericho and Ricky Steamboat was going on.
February 23, 2009
"Destruction in the Desert" Confirmed
World Wrestling Entertainment is expected to announce Tuesday that University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale will host WrestleMania in spring 2010.
This would be the Valley's first time hosting WrestleMania, which based on past economic impact in other cities, could pack a $35 to $50 million punch to the Valley's economy.
"It would be huge for the building, huge for Glendale and huge for the region," said Peter Sullivan, general manager at Global Spectrum, which books stadium events and worked several years to land WrestleMania.
Sullivan's group dubbed its pitch as "Destruction in the Desert."...More?
source: azcentral.com
TNA Wrestler Booker T on "FOX Got Game"
He lost his parents at a young age, dropped out of school and became a street kid. But at the age of 25, Booker T discovered wrestling and his whole life changed. FOX Charlotte's Bruce Snyder talked with TNA Legends Champion Booker T about his passion for what he does. Click here.
Manu Released
From wwe.com:
World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of Raw Superstar Manu as of February 23, 2009. WWE wishes Manu the best in all future endeavors.
Johnny Swinger (WWE's Parisi) Speaks about Triple H Not Knowing Who He Was
Johnny mentioned a quote from an interview that Triple H did at a Mr. Olympia event, where he claimed that he had "no idea who Johnny Parisi was."
Running off of the Triple H quote from earlier in the interview, The Mayhem asked Johnny if "he's really that bad," as much of the wrestling internet community claims with much regularity. Johnny said that Hunter was actually always very nice to him, and that he actually wrestled him in one of his first WWE matches in 1995.
"Obviously he didn't remember me after I came back," he added, and then told a story about how Triple H was very cool to him after a match against Val Venis where Johnny had his nose broken. Johnny said that Triple H made a joke about his own nose, saying "If it makes you feel any better I had my nose broken a few years ago, and it's been growing ever since". He added that he does not believe he personally was high enough on the radar to be "held back" by Triple H, which is why the quote that Triple H said he does not know of him kind of intrigued him...More?
source: wrestlezone.com
Mickey Rourke a Gracious 'Wrestler' Despite Oscar Pinfall
Despite losing the coveted Best Actor Oscar at Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony, The Wrestler star Mickey Rourke remained gracious in defeat. According to Telegraph.co.uk, the actor – whose performance as Randy “The Ram” Robinson has earned a Golden Globe, a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award and Film Independent’s Spirit Award – said he’d rather have more time with his beloved Chihuahua Loki, who passed away last week, than win an Oscar.
“It's bittersweet. I said to myself I’d rather have Loki for another two years than an Oscar. And I told her that. But she stayed as long as she could, you know," Rourke told Telegraph.co.uk. At Sunday night’s awards in Los Angeles, Rourke sported a pendant displaying a photo of Loki. “She's the love of my life. She made it until six days ago. She left me at a time where, after 18 years, she knew I'd be all right,” he told Telegraph.co.uk.
The Best Actor Oscar was awarded to Sean Penn for his role in Milk. According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, the Darren Aronofsky-directed The Wrestler has grossed more than $27 million worldwide. Rourke plans to attend the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania as a guest of WWE.
source: wwe.com
Mickey was robbed.
Triple H Returns to Raw Tonight
On SmackDown, an emotional, rage-filled WWE Champion Triple H explained that Randy Orton crossed the line when he delivered an RKO to The Game's wife, Stephanie McMahon. Now, the Cerebral Assassin returns to Raw.
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
