WWE has been enjoying a new wave of popularity. The sports-entertainment juggernaut could gain more fans when the company makes the move to Netflix in 2025. "WWE Raw" will debut on the service on January 6, with the live crowd in the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California also getting the chance to see recording artist Travis Scott appear live. During a recent press event to promote the company's move to Netflix, WWE's Chief Content Officer Triple H believes that this new era the company is entering will surpass the popularity of the famed Attitude Era.
"I think the moment that we're going through right now, I was in the Attitude Era at the peak of it as you were. We didn't realize what it was in the moment. Having seen that, I see this, and I see it way bigger bigger. I see this as this different moment of time in the business, and it being something different." Triple H then turned to Michael Cole, who had mentioned that WWE was currently in 'The Triple H Era,' but The Game respectfully disagreed. "You mentioned it being the Triple H Era. I don't think it's that. I think at the end of it, it's going to be called the Netflix Era because that's where the big change is."
It isn't just Triple H who can feel it, as former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest mentioned after the conclusion of WrestleMania 40 that everyone in WWE can sense that a new era is on the horizon, and its one where they can do things that the stars of the Attitude Era could only dream of.
Whatever the name of the new era, it has not been lost on Triple H, how important this move is to the company, and the wrestling business as a whole.
"It's mind-boggling to me, the moment of us hitting Netflix," Triple H said. "I don't think people truly understand what that means outside of the US when you have that moment where as a WWE fan, and everything has always been either you have to go find it or where is this programming, when is that programming? Where is the PLE going to be? Now it's this one-stop shop, where I think people are talking about it like 'wow, it's going to be great when Netflix gets [WWE].' I don't think they fully get that like the rest of the world 'we're getting everything,' on that date, all at once. Like I can watch anything at any given time. It's a game-changer."
The United States won't be getting every piece of WWE content right away due to contracts with other networks, meaning that in 2025, "Raw" will be the only show to broadcast live on Netflix. A number of other countries, including Canada and all of the United Kingdom, will get every WWE weekly show live on their service, as well as the monthly Premium Live Events and a select number of past events that have historical significance.
credit: Wrestling Inc.
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December 4, 2024
Triple H Dubs Current WWE Era The Netflix Era, Says It's Bigger Than Attitude Era
November 23, 2024
Triple H Comments On People Who Prefer Older Style of Wrestling, Says He Can’t Book For Himself
In an interview with Greg and the Morning Buzz (via Fightful), Triple H gave some insight into his booking process for WWE and how he addresses complaints that WWE isn’t the way that it used to be. He noted that his friends sometimes text him to complain. He said:
“Nobody actually texts me during the show because they know I’m not going to answer, for the most part. It’s interesting the different points of view. I know guys across many different generations, and I think there are some older performers that look at the way kids perform today and they say, ‘They’re just not doing it right. They don’t need to do all this.’ I get that, but it’s the way kids consume it today. There is a saying about when things start to leave you in life. The first thing to go is music. How many people, as you see them get older, ‘Music today sucks. Back in my day, that’s when they made good music. People put their heart and their soul into it and there was real emotion there.’ No, you’re just old, dude. Yeah, the stuff was great in your generation and you learned it a certain way, but the kids today learn it a different way, and what they see and what they think is cool, then that’s what you need to give them. I can’t control that. I learned this 30 years the hard way. It is in no way shape or form about what I want. It’s about what they want. If it becomes about what I want, then the show will die. It is about what they want and that overall big picture.“source: 411mania.com
November 22, 2024
The WWE Network Is Officially Shutting Down Ahead Of Netflix Move
The WWE Network has long been the home of WWE's library in international markets.
Here in the States, WWE's streaming channel had a run on its own before getting integrated into Peacock. The library of content includes WCW, ECW, and NWA content, most of WWE's PLEs, replays of weekly shows, and tons of original content. It's pretty amazing.
But, that all ends on January 1, when WWE Raw and WWE's extensive library of content move to Netflix. The following press release was sent to WWE Network's international users:
source: si.com
November 20, 2024
Bobby Roode Praised For WWE Producing
PWInsider.com reports that WWE producer Booby Roode has been receiving a significant amount of praise for his work in recent months. Roode has been filling in for Michael Hayes, who is currently on leave for person reasons. The WWE Hall of Famer is expected to return at some point in the future.
Ari Emanuel Praises Triple H & Dana White’s Work With WWE & UFC, Talks Netflix/WWE Deal
Ari Emanuel is very happy with how Triple H and Dana White are doing with WWE and the UFC, respectively. Emanuel is the CEO of TKO, the parent company of both WWE and UFC, and he recently spoke on Bloomberg about the success of both companies, WWE’s deal with Netflix and more. You can see highlights below (courtesy of Wrestling Inc):
On the performance of the two companies: “I don’t think it’s Fight Club. I remember watching WWE — WWF, actually — when I was young. Paul [Levesque] has done an amazing job with the WWE, with ‘Raw,’ ‘SmackDown,’ PLEs, ‘NXT.’ And UFC is a sport that Dana [White] created over 30 years ago. Didn’t exist. [It was] His vision. You don’t have to explain the rules of the UFC to anybody in the world.”
On Triple H taking over WWE from Vince McMahon: “When you have guys that are visionaries, take whatever comes through on the cases with Vince McMahon who is no longer with the company, and now Paul, Triple H, is running that. They understand, kind of, the heartbeat. The skills I’ve maybe learned in the talent agency side have helped, but now we’re partners. So, now, that’s how I look at it. You just have to let the talent — and those guys are talent — do what they do and support them with all that they need.”
On WWE’s deal with Netflix: “You can see that Netflix wants to be in the live sports business. I think they [WWE] will perform very well for them. There’s a huge chunk of the audience that are WWE fans that are not right now, based on our research, Netflix subscribers. If they capture a portion of those, it’s a huge win for them and a huge win for us.”
On the potential of UFC moving to Netflix: “Listen, ESPN has been an incredible partner. First quarter we’ll see, that’s where we can start. We would love to be back in ESPN. They have been incredible to us.”
Linda McMahon's Lawyer Confirms Separation from Vince McMahon Amid Ongoing Lawsuits
The Washington Post has published a new feature piece discussing the ongoing lawsuits involving Vince McMahon and WWE. In the article, Linda McMahon's lawyer confirmed that Linda and Vince are separated.
As previously reported, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon to serve as Secretary of Education.
Laura Brevetti, who represents Linda McMahon and also defended Vince McMahon in his 1994 criminal trial, stated that Linda and Vince are indeed separated. She also commented on the ongoing "ring boys" lawsuit, saying, “This lawsuit based upon thirty-plus-year-old allegations is filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations.”
Trump taps former WWE CEO Linda McMahon to serve as education secretary
President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday night that he intends to appoint Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), to lead the Department of Education.
His announcement, which was posted on Truth Social, came hours after two sources told Fox News that McMahon was likely to be picked.
"It is my great honor to announce that Linda McMahon, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration, will be the United States Secretary of Education," Trump's statement read.
"As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families," the press release added. "Linda served for two years on the Connecticut Board of Education, where she was one of fifteen members overseeing all Public Education in the State, including its Technical High School system."
McMahon, who served as administrator of the Small Business Administration in the first Trump administration, is the wife of Vince McMahon. The couple both co-founded WWE in 1980.
"Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World," Trump's statement concluded. "We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort."
McMahon served in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2019. When she resigned, she wrote that the role had been "immensely rewarding."
"While it has truly been the honor of a lifetime to serve our country in this Administration, it is time for me to step down and return to the private sector," McMahon wrote in 2019. "I wish to thank the President and I will continue to be a strong advocate for him and his policies."
Trump has previously floated the idea of disbanding the Department of Education, which began operating in 1980. The agency's website says that its mission is to "promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages."
Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told Fox News host Martha MacCallum last week that the Department of Education "doesn't really add any value anywhere. DeVos advised that the opportunity for Trump to radically change the department is "wide open."
"Take the power away from the Department of Education, block-grant those funds, continue to invest in education, but get it down to a much more local level where better decisions are made on behalf of students," DeVos said. "The bureaucrats at the Department of Education aren't doing the job. They haven't done the job for more than four decades to close the achievement gaps — they've only widened."
source: fox news
November 7, 2024
Mark Shapiro Praises Triple H, Nick Khan As ‘Experts In Storytelling’
TKO President Mark Shapiro praised WWE executives Triple H, Nick Khan as among those in the company who are “experts in storytelling” and creating rivalries. Shapiro spoke on the TKO Q3 financial results call and was asked why there haven’t been a lot of challenges with talent leaving the WWE and UFC. He answered by praising the executives in both companies at creating stars and memorable rivalries, noting talent wants to be there.
“The reason why you don’t hear about it a lot, and we say this in all modesty, you don’t hear about it because of the work of Paul Levesque, Dana White, Nick Khan, and Lawrence Epstein,” Shapiro said (per Fightful). “That’s just the fact of the matter. They are experts in storytelling. Period. They are experts in creating rivalries, period. They are experts, like David Stern was, in building and marketing stars. When your platforms, your businesses, your leagues become known for that, talent aspires to be with those leagues. We haven’t had those challenges as of late because, frankly, the talent wants to get to the UFC and WWE level.”
He continued, “We don’t take that for granted. We’re not arrogant about it, and we want to incentivize all of our fighters at UFC and all of our superstars at WWE to put out their best every day and aim for the top of the mountain. We’re prudent about it and we want to keep those costs under control. As long as we do our job of continuing with that storytelling, continuing to build our fanbase, continuing to surround ourselves with the right partners, then talent will gravitate towards the UFC and WWE.”
TKO announced their financial results on Wednesday with revenue of $681.2 million, a net income of $57.7 million, and adjusted EBITDA 1 of $310.0 million.
November 6, 2024
Bruce Prichard And Michael Hayes On Temporary Leave From WWE
Longtime WWE creative members Bruce Prichard and Michael Hayes are currently on leave, according to a new report.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that Bruce Prichard, 61, and Michael Hayes, 65, are currently on temporary leave, per multiple WWE sources, The report notes that both are expected back. However, the timeframe is said to be indefinite.
Meltzer writes that Bruce Prichard’s absence is officially said to be due to a family emergency. Meanwhile, personal issues are the reason for Hayes’ absence.
The report notes that there is no connection between the two being on leave. Sources in WWE emphasized that it was not a sign of the “old guard being moved out.” They reiterated that both would be back.
Bruce Prichard has been a key figure of the WWE creative team, even after Vince McMahon’s departure, and he works directly under Triple H. Hayes has been with WWE since 1995, and he has been a high-ranking member of the creative team for years.
Hayes has consistently worked on the Bloodline storyline in recent years, as he has consistently been the agent for the matches and segments involved.
October 29, 2024
Vince McMahon Launching New Entertainment Company With Former WWE Executives
WWE Announces "WWE ID" Developmental Designation
WWE announced that it has launched a new program called "WWE ID", a developmental program designed to provide independent wrestlers a potential path to WWE.
WWE announced today that it is expanding its footprint in the developmental world.
In a press release, WWE announced that it has launched a new program called WWE ID, short for WWE Independent Development, a developmental program designed to provide independent wrestlers a potential path to WWE.
“WWE ID is the latest in our efforts to identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers, in turn raising the profile of and strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem,” WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque is quoted in the press release.
In the program, WWE plans to provide prominent independent wrestling schools with the WWE ID designator with the purpose of providing new trainees and existing talent with enhanced developmental opportunities.
The concept, innovative for its approach, provides a new level of financial assistance to independent wrestling schools not seen before by WWE. In the Triple H Era, WWE has expanded its approach to promotions outside the realm of the WWE Universe, most notably by working agreements with TNA and Pro Wrestling NOAH, as well as acknowledgment on air by Michael Cole and other commentators regarding Superstars’ previous accomplishments and championships in other promotions.
Multiple questions still loom, however, on the granular parts of these new agreements, such as exclusivity and signing rights deals for designated prospects that may prevent them from exploring other career opportunities and whether WWE will integrate the more prominent independent wrestling schools to become extensions of the WWE brand.
WWE announced the first five independent wrestling schools to receive the WWE ID designation: Booker T’s “Reality of Wrestling” in Houston, TX, Cody Rhodes’ “Nightmare Factory” in Atlanta, GA, Seth Rollins’ “Black and Brave Academy” in Davenport, IA, “Elite Pro Wrestling Training Academy” in Concord, NH, and “KnokX Pro Academy” in Los Angeles, CA.
In addition to the school’s designator, WWE ID will also identify top independent wrestling prospects with a WWE ID “Prospect” designation, which will allow WWE to support their development with financial opportunities, training, mentorship, access to their facilities and in-ring training. WWE is also planning on showcasing these prospects and their paths through WWE’s social media accounts.
source: www.si.com
October 27, 2024
Sports Illustrated: 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time
20 - Becky Lynch
19 - Mick Foley
18 - Chris Jericho
17 - CM Punk
16 - Andre the Giant
15 - Randy Orton
14 - Edge
13 - Rowdy Roddy Piper
12 - Kurt Angle
11 - Macho Man Randy Savage
10 - Bruno Sammartino
9 - Bret Hart
8 - Shawn Michaels
7 - Triple H
6 - The Undertaker
5 - Roman Reigns
4 - John Cena
3 - The Rock
2 - Hulk Hogan
1 - Stone Cold Steve Austin
