One half of The Wolves, Davey Richards, recently did an interview with Newsday.com, and Richards explained that him and Eddie Edwards were informed, via email, that they were not being offered WWE contracts because although Triple H felt their wrestling ability was TV ready, WWE "already had a lot of Daveys and Eddies." Richards went on to say the following:
"That place is so weird, man. It gave me the creeps. Everyone's just walking around on eggshells. It's just bubble. Personally, I wanted to go to TNA anyway. I was trying to convince Eddie the entire time. After [WWE] told us they were not going ahead with the rest of the tryout, we had a deal signed with [TNA] within 20 minutes."
Additionally, Brian Frtiz also conducted an interview with Davey Richards for The Orlando Sentinel, and he had the following to say regarding his current relationship with Ring of Honor:
"We're not talking. We're not on good terms. I have no respect for them whatsoever. I strongly dislike management there like with the exception of Jeff Jones who is a great guy. But the booker [Hunter Johnson] is completely inadequate at his job and he got his job more for being spineless than being talented. And the owner [Joe Koff] is even worse, he could care less about wrestling. He just wants to do television. To me, it's just not something I agree with but I'm not there anymore and they do their own thing. And for the talent and the fans I wish them nothing but the best of luck.
That company is in business not because of stellar booking and stellar management. They're in business still because they'they're spineless. The talent there is phenomenal. They're top notch and great. But the management from the booker to the owner it's definitely shut up and do what you're told and drink the Kool-aid. I made a joke when I was there I called it Jim Jones wrestling. Just shut up and drink the Kool-aid and do your job. In private, people are going this sucks this sucks this sucks and I'm the one who came out and said this is terrible. I worked for that company and gave them everything I had for seven years. I think I earned my right to an opinion. Once that got out, it was like you're going against the stream? You're not here to have an opinion, just shut up and do your job and get your paycheck. I'm sure you can find someone else to do that for a lot less money than what you're paying me so I'm just going to go about my way. Best decision I ever made and I have no desire to go back, ever."
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March 8, 2014
Davey Richards Explains Why WWE Did Not Hire The Wolves, Says WWE Gives Him the Creeps, Trashes ROH, Owner Joe Koff & Booker Hunter Johnson
March 7, 2014
WWE Expects New Cable-TV Deal by Early May, CFO Barrios Says
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE:US) may find a new cable-TV home for its popular “Raw” and “Smackdown” programs by the end of next month, Chief Financial Officer George Barrios said.
“We think we’ll be able to announce a new domestic rights partner at the end of April or beginning of May,” Barrios, who is also WWE’s chief strategy officer, said yesterday in a telephone interview. He said the company is in talks with “multiple parties,” while declining to name any.
Shares of Stamford, Connecticut-based WWE have gained almost 30 percent this week on prospects for a new online video network and a richer deal for the popular cable shows, according to Barrios. The company, controlled by founder and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon through Class B shares with added voting rights, isn’t in merger talks, he said.
WWE has held talks on future domestic TV distribution of its shows with AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX:US), Viacom Inc. (VIAB:US), Time Warner Inc. (TWX:US)’s Turner Networks and 21st Century Fox Inc., said people with knowledge of the situation. A renewal with NBCUniversal is also possible, they said.
WWE fell less than 1 percent to $29.64 at the close in New York after setting a record yesterday. The shares have more than tripled (WWE:US) in the past 12 months.
The WWE App has been downloaded almost 11 million times in 220 countries, a company spokesman said today. Fans can use the app to watch the WWE Network, a digital channel in the U.S. that costs $9.99 a month.
“Those are significant economics,” Barrios said. “Investors are looking at those and figuring out how they will contribute.”
An exclusive negotiating period with Comcast Corp. (CMCSA:US)’s NBCUniversal for cable rights ended last month. WWE’s shows run on NBCUniversal’s USA and SyFy networks.
“Raw” and “Smackdown” routinely rate among the most-watched shows on cable television each week, with “Raw” usually in the top 10 behind programs such as “The Walking Dead,” “Duck Dynasty” and “Pawn Stars,” according to Nielsen data.
“When you boil down the numbers we have larger live, same-day viewers than anything on cable,” Barrios said. “We have a passionate fanbase that follows us wherever we are.”
source: bloomberg businessweek
March 5, 2014
WWE Stock Highest in 15 Years; Breaks Market Cap
With the WWE Stock now worth $27.03 each (The highest its been in 15 years), the company have now broken another barrier by hitting the $2 Billion mark for a company's market capitalization.
Market Capitalization is the total value of the issued shares of a publicly traded company, with the caps at the following classifications;
Mega-cap: Over $200 billion
Large-cap: Over $10 billion
Mid-cap: $2 billion–$10 billion
Small-cap: $250 million–$2 billion
Micro-cap: Below $250 million
Nano-cap: Below $50 million
source: f4wonline.com
Video: Is Triple H scared of Daniel Bryan?
The latest sit down interview with Triple H and Michael Cole has been released, and the following are highlights from the interview, which you can watch below:
Cole brings up the many reasons why HHH would not accept Daniel Bryan's WrestleMania challenge, and Cole asks HHH what the real reason is.
HHH says he's the COO of the company, and doesn't have the time for a B+ player. Cole noted HHH has had numerous matches since he has been COO of WWE, and HHH says Cole can't compare guys like The Undertaker to Daniel Bryan. He says it's gonna take a lot more than a challenge to get HHH to lace up his boots against a B+ player like Bryan.
HHH says Bryan would be embarrassed by him at WrestleMania, thus ending the "Yes" movement, and that's not good for business. It's better for Bryan to do his "little B+ thing" and let the "immortals" handle WrestleMania.
HHH calls Bryan a "185 pound sawed-off midget," and when asked if he's scared of Daniel Bryan, HHH said "You want to know if I'm afraid of him? The answer to your question is the exact same answer to Daniel Bryan's question: No."
March 4, 2014
Update on the Future of WWE Main Event
WWE's deal with Ion will be expiring in April and as of right now their deal is not expected to be renewed. Look for WWE Main Event to become another WWE Network exclusive.
Also, there is talk of airing Main Event live every Tuesday night at 7:00 on the WWE Network at least until WrestleMania.
source: wrestling observer
Dave Meltzer Comments On C.M. Punk Not Being On Raw
There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not C.M. Punk would make his return to WWE on last night's episode of Monday Night Raw from his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com/The Wrestling Observer Newsletter said before last night's Raw that he wasn't 100% convinced that Punk would show up, although a top source claimed 100% that Punk would be there. After Punk did not show up last night, Meltzer revealed that he was "lied to" by this source.
March 3, 2014
Forbes Recognizes Vince McMahon as a Billionaire
Forbes has listed Vince McMahon on their 2014 list of billionaires, listing his personal wealth at $1.2 billion. Vince received a mention in the "notable newcomers" part of the list.
Vince's personal wealth has been over $1 billion before but this is the first time Forbes has recognized him. Here's what they wrote:
"A third generation wrestling promoter, McMahon grew up in a trailer park in North Carolina and joined his father's small wrestling company in 1972. Purchased the business 10 years later, then transformed the World Wrestling Federation from a regional operation into an international phenomenon. WWE went public in 1999 and today its programs are broadcast in nearly 150 countries and more than 30 languages."
March 2, 2014
Hulk Hogan Comments on Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
WWE.com has an interview with Hulk Hogan at this link. Here are his comments on Hunter & Stephanie:
WWE.COM: What has it been like for you to watch Stephanie McMahon go from being a young kid to the most powerful woman in WWE?
HOGAN: She gets it, you know? She gets the art form. It’s more than just robotics — she gets the storytelling, she gets the business from A to Z. When I was here before, I was pretty stubborn. Still in my mindset with the barbaric thinking of, “Oh, these are wrestlers, and you got big bellies and big arms.” So, when Stephanie was trying to tell me how to be Hulk Hogan, back then, I was like, “Oh wow. I got this girl in my face.” I didn’t get it back then. I used the stuff she gave me and it helped a lot, but I didn’t really get that she had it locked in. But I get it now, because she’s getting so darned good at it. It’s amazing to see her and Hunter. They are totally dedicated. It’s in their blood. And that was cool to see, because you don’t see that a lot.
