WWE Renews NXT Deal With USA Network, Moves Show to Tuesday Nights

WWE and NBCUniversal have signed a new multi-year deal that will keep NXT on USA Network. In addition, NXT will be moving from Wednesday to Tuesday nights beginning April 13.

Speaking with Variety, WWE executive vice president of global talent strategy and development Paul Levesque said that the decision to initially have the show on Wednesdays was to keep things consistent with its original timeslot on WWE Network. But now that it is firmly established on cable, they feel moving it is less of an issue.

“We now feel like we’re in a good place where we can move that consistent fanbase over to Tuesdays,” Levesque said. “We believe they’ll follow us. That way we can grow the brand more given the lead in from ‘Monday Night Raw,’ which we’ve seen in the past.”

NXT is one of three weekly wrestling shows WWE currently has on the air. Along with NXT, there is “Monday Night Raw” on USA as well and “SmackDown Live” on Fox. NXT will continue to emanate from Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, Florida.

“We are incredibly proud of our three-decade partnership with WWE and in extending USA’s NXT deal, we are further establishing our portfolio as an unrivaled home for quality WWE content,” said Frances Berwick, chairman of entertainment networks for NBCUniversal. “By transitioning NXT to a Tuesday timeslot where WWE has performed well in the past, we are giving our passionate fanbase more of what they love with back-to-back nights of exhilarating, live programming.”

NXT will air its trademark TakeOver pay-per-view on April 7 and 8, with the first night airing on USA Network and the second airing on Peacock, with all WWE Network content recently moving over the NBCU streaming service. The transition to Tuesday nights will take place the following week, with episodes then available to stream on Peacock the next day.

“The ability for us to be on [Peacock], a bigger platform where so many more people have the opportunity to experience it and and to let it grow into something more, is very exciting,” Levesque continued. “And once you sample it, we believe that the product is something that people will stick with and become involved in.”

Per Nielsen totals, NXT averaged 847,000 total viewers per week in 2020. Special Tuesday episodes of NXT saw lifts around 30% in both the adults 18-49 and 25-54 demographics.

source: variety.com

William Shatner joins WWE Hall of Fame: 'I should have gone into wrestling as Captain Kirk'

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has a new hall of famer: William Shatner, who took part in WWE events when he wasn't patrolling the universe as Captain James T. Kirk of "Star Trek."

Shatner will be inducted into the celebrity wing in an April 6 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony that will stream on Peacock and held remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions.

This year's event, which kicks off a WrestleMania Week that builds to two nights of WrestleMania at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (April 10-11, also on Peacock), combines the classes of 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic. Shatner is part of the 2020 group.

Actor and entrepreneur William Shatner will be inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6.

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Peacock Purges Racist WWE Segments From Streaming Archive

As WWE Network is set to move exclusively to NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service next month, the media company is removing objectionable material from the wrestling franchise’s archives.

WWE is shutting down WWE Network as a standalone service in the U.S. as of April 4, when customers will need to have a Peacock subscription to access the content. Ahead of the cutover, Peacock has been on-boarding WWE Network’s 17,000-plus-hour library of old programming — but some of WWE’s racist and controversial bits from years past are getting expunged in the transition.

Peacock began adding WWE Network content March 18, and fans have since noticed that some older content is missing.
Among the deleted scenes: A section of WWE’s “Survivor Series event from November 2005, in which chairman/showman Vince McMahon is shown backstage cheerfully greeting John Cena using the n-word within earshot of a confounded Booker T, who says, “Tell me he didn’t just say that.”

Also cut by Peacock is the WrestleMania 6 match from 1990 between the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Bad News Brown, in which Piper (a white performer) appeared in half-blackface to take on his Black opponent. NBCU’s edits to the WWE archive programming were first reported by PWInsider.
The content that is no longer available via Peacock has been previously available on the WWE Network platform. Since 2014, WWE Network has included this disclaimer on older material: “The following program is presented in its original form. It may contain some content that does not reflect WWE’s corporate views and may not be suitable for all viewers. WWE characters are fictitious and do not reflect the personal lives of the actors portraying them. Viewer discretion is advised.” The service also has allowed user to block access to selected programs using WWE Network’s parental-control settings.
Reps for NBCU and WWE declined to comment. The content in question is being removed for distribution on Peacock to conform with NBCU’s standards and practices policies, a source familiar with the situation told Variety.

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Rumor Mill - Triple H Returns To Work After Quarantining

Triple H has reportedly returned to work after recently going into quarantine following the latest COVID-19 outbreak in WWE NXT. It was reported on March 19 that Triple H had missed the March 15 RAW and then missed the March 17 NXT episode as he was under quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns. The report noted that Triple H’s situation was being kept secretive and that he was put into quarantine over concern that he may have been involved in the outbreak, but not that he actually had the coronavirus.

WWE And Gabe Sapolsky Dismissed From Samantha Tavel Lawsuit, Riddle Request Denied

A judge has dismissed WWE and Gabe Sapolsky from the lawsuit filed by Samantha Tavel, a.k.a. Candy Cartwright, against both parties and Matt Riddle. United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois Judge Manish S. Shah dismissed WWE and Sapolsky “without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction.” Riddle’s motion to dismiss was denied.

Tavel had filed a civil lawsuit against WWE, Sapolsky and Riddle last October seeking $10 million per defendant for various damages, emotional distress, attorney’s fees, and court costs. Tavel claimed that Riddle committed a series of assaults against her from 2017 through January 2020. She alleges that Riddle first sexually assaulted her in April of 2017 in a parking lot after an EVOLVE show. She claims that Riddle forced her to perform oral sex on him on a bus with other wrestlers after an EVOLVE show on May 19, 2018. 

Judge Shah ruled that Tavel failed to demonstrate specific personal jurisdiction lies over WWE. In a sworn affidavit, WWE stated that they had no involvement in the May 2018 wrestling event and didn’t even employ Riddle at that time.

“Tavel offers no evidence to rebut these facts, so I accept them as true, notwithstanding the complaint’s allegation that WWE controlled Evolve’s events,” Judge Shah wrote in the ruling. “To establish personal jurisdiction, Tavel needed to come forward with evidence to establish a prima facie case over WWE. Because WWE wasn’t involved in the May 2018 event around which Tavel’s injury occurred, her injury didn’t arise out of WWE’s Illinois-related activities. And though she vaguely refers to WWE’s holding events worldwide, and specifically in Illinois, she doesn’t explain when or how WWE held events in Illinois. WWE’s connection to Illinois is vaguely sketched, and its connection to the conduct alleged in Tavel’s suit is nonexistent.”

As for Sapolsky, the judge ruled that Tavel failed to meet her burden regarding Sapolsky. According to Sapolsky’s affidavit, Riddle and Tavel took different transportation after the May 2018 Evolve show to the next event in Michigan and he wasn’t in the minibus where the assault occurred.

“Tavel doesn’t rebut these facts either, so I take them as true,” Judge Shah stated. “Tavel hasn’t sufficiently established a connection between Sapolsky’s Illinois contacts and the claim at issue. She accuses Sapolsky of encouraging or assisting Riddle’s behavior. But Sapolsky didn’t know about the assault and wasn’t in the minibus where it happened. And there’s no allegation that Sapolsky encouraged Riddle’s behavior in the course of his contacts with Illinois. It’s unclear when or where that alleged encouragement occurred. Tavel argues only that Sapolsky was physically present in the state at the time of the assault. Of course, physical presence in the forum state is a ‘relevant contact.’ But when there’s no connection between the defendant’s contacts with the state and the underlying controversy, ‘specific jurisdiction is lacking regardless of the extent of the defendant’s unconnected activities in the State.’ Tavel hasn’t sufficiently linked Sapolsky’s activities in Illinois with the conduct underlying her suit.”

The court ruled that although Tavel’s allegations are contested, they are plausible “and they suffice to put Riddle on notice of the conduct he’s accused of.”

Riddle’s answer to the complaint is due on April 14, 2021, “and the parties shall file a joint status report on April 21, 2021, with a proposed discovery schedule.”

source: wrestlinginc.com

WWE Officially Announces Next ThunderDome Home

WWE officially announced today that their new ThunderDome residency at the Yuenglin Center will begin with the post-WrestleMania 37 edition of RAW on the USA Network, on Monday, April 12.

“WWE takes great pride in providing our fans and network partners with cutting-edge production and one of the most interactive atmospheres in all of television every single week,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Producer & Chief, Global Television Production. “We look forward to the next iteration of the WWE ThunderDome at Yuengling Center as we continue to take the fan experience to a whole new level.”

It was noted that more than 650,000 fans have registered for WWE ThunderDome crowds since last August.

WWE confirmed that they will continue to run closed-set tapings at the Yuengling Center, with COVID-19 protocols in place for talent, crew and employees.

There is no word yet on how long the Yuengling Center residency will run for. WWE’s first ThunderDome residency was at the Amway Center in Orlando, which began last August. They then moved to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on December 11. The Yuengling Center will be the third ThunderDome venue of the COVID-19 era.

The Yuengling Center sits on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, and was once known as the University of South Florida Sun Dome. The venue has a capacity of 10,411 when there are no COVID-19 protocols in place. The University of South Florida currently has three teams that call the Yuengling Center home – the South Florida Bulls men’s basketball team, the South Florida Bulls women’s basketball team, and the South Florida Bulls women’s volleyball team. The teams are not currently playing due to the pandemic, so games will not be a problem for WWE.

WWE ran the Yuengling Center many years ago before there were bigger options in the area. The 1995 Royal Rumble pay-per-view was held in the arena, along with Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 1985 and SNME in December 1988. WWE would have a short move from Tropicana Field to the Yuengling Center as the drive is around 30 minutes. It’s been reported that WWE wanted to keep the ThunderDome in or near the Tampa area.

WWE will wrap their residency at Tropicana Field with upcoming tapings going into WrestleMania 37 Week. You can click here for details on their final events at Tropicana Field

Rumor Mill - Triple H In Quarantine Following COVID-19 Outbreak

Triple H has reportedly been in quarantine following a COVID-19 outbreak in NXT.

Earlier this week, reports emerged stating that there had been another COVID-19 outbreak in NXT. This was caused after several members of talent and staff had been moving rings in the Performance Center without using proper safety precautions.

Further reports noted several talents who were absent from NXT this week. One of the names mentioned was Triple H, who also didn’t show up to Raw or NXT television. As per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Triple H is now under quarantine. It was noted that his situation is being kept secretive, and it doesn’t necessarily mean he has tested positive. NXT producers Road Dogg and Shawn Michaels took Triple H’s place as head of NXT production.

Stephanie McMahon On How WWE Will Operate After Vince McMahon Steps Down

WWE’s chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon joined Bloomberg Business of Sports to talk WWE’s move to NBC’s Peacock streaming service. During the interview, she documented WWE’s journey through the streaming landscape.  

“Vince’s perspective has always been to be slightly ahead of the curve,” said Stephanie. “You never want to be behind. So that’s why we were one of the first, five years ago, to launch our streaming service, the WWE Network. We did learn a lot from that time. Actually we were actually pretty far down the pike negotiating a linear deal. But our almost partners wanted to lock up our rights for about ten years. It was just a real long time, so we decided to take a step back and do deeper research. 

“We learned that our fans were consuming five times more online video than average. So we thought ‘let’s control our own destiny.’ And we doubled down and within eight months we launched WWE Network. 

Later Stephanie was asked about how Vince McMahon’s vision of WWE be presented when the Chairman of WWE finally steps down. Stephanie indicated it would be a group effort.

“I do think a lot of the institutional knowledge is important, particularly with regards toward the core content,” Stephanie said. “But it’s also surrounding our business with strong, smart executives. And that’s exactly what we have. So I do think it’s the marriage of institutional knowledge, the incredible production value, the creation of talent IP and storylines and really strong business executives to help us expand. I think it’s a combination of things. 

“I don’t think there will ever be a person to person replacement for Vince McMahon. He does too much. The landscape would look different however it shakes out. But I think it’s a marriage of those things.” 

credit Bloomberg Business of Sports and Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

Freddie Prinze Jr. Praises Triple H And Cody Rhodes In Helping ‘Normalize’ Wrestling For TV Execs

Freddie Prinze Jr. has had his fair share experience in the WWE writing room, but is a lifelong fan of the wrestling business in general. In addition to that, the actor also knows how the film and television business operates and knows how much that industry isn’t leaning in the favor of pro wrestling. Prinze took to Twitter yesterday to give his insight on how tough it is to crack that primetime television egg.

“If you knew how bad most tv execs did not want professional wrestling on their channels you’d respect the hell out of WWE, NXT, & AEW for pulling off what they do each week,” He started. “They literally have every card in the deck stacked against them and they’re still growing the business.”

Prinze followed up with another Tweet praising figureheads like Cody Rhodes and Triple H for bridging that gap between the canvas and the board room.

“This is why cats like HHH doing interviews and Cody being on other TNT programming is so important. They help normalize the business because they just get it. They come off chill and solid. Hope they both continue to stay out in the public eye. It’s more important now than ever.”

WWE seeking over $500,000 in legal fees from attorney Konstantine Kyros

Per Law360, WWE and their CEO Vince McMahon is seeking $573,770.44 in legal fees from attorney Konstantine Kyros, who led the now-dismissed concussion/brain damage lawsuit against WWE. Kyros represented a number of former in-ring performers and he forwarded their claims about the sports-entertainment company hiding the risks of concussions from them.

WWE asked a federal court in Connecticut for over $500,000 this past Monday. The filing took place prior to a hearing regarding WWE’s two constituent applications for court-ordered fees. The applications are in relation to two consolidated cases that were dismissed. The first was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant in 2018 and the other was by a Second Circuit appeals panel in September of 2020.

Back in February, the concussion/brain damage case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by Konstantine Kyros. Kyros filed a request, asking the Supreme Court to hear the appeals. WWE denied the allegations and a spokesperson told the Associated Press that the lawsuits are without merit.

On top of WWE’s seeking of the six-figure number, they are also looking for an additional $39,844.00 in fees and costs in connection with their applications following the Second Circuit’s decision.

WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt further backed WWE’s innocence on the matter and discussed how there was misconduct from Kyros during the litigation.

He violated court orders, didn’t comply with court orders, ignored court orders that cautioned him to cease certain behavior or risk sanctions. He would continue the same kind of behavior. He plagiarized and made false allegations based on other lawsuits against the NFL, where he would just parrot allegations that had been made against the NFL or its personnel, and would just change [text], reading from ‘NFL’ to ‘WWE.’

The liability for sanctions has been established in three different court orders, that he’s supposed to pay all of our attorney’s fees in connection with various things he did wrong. The only thing left to be determined is how much that is.

As of this writing, Kyros is the only remaining attorney that is representing the plaintiffs in the case. The other attorneys he worked with from other firms filed motions to withdraw as counsel.

WWE Dismisses Lawsuit Against US Citizenship And Immigration Services

WWE has dismissed their lawsuit against United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

We noted back in late January how WWE had filed the lawsuit, but details were sealed to the public. Immigration attorney Martine G. Cuomo filed documents on behalf of WWE for the lawsuit, and it was speculated that the suit had to do with WWE not being able to get a talent or employee into the United States, possibly due to recent policy changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an update, HeelByNature reports that WWE filed a voluntary dismissal with the United States District Court of Connecticut on March 10. The suit will not move forward.

The case was assigned to District Court Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford, CT back on January 27. That same day a protective order was filed to ensure details of the case remain confidential. US Citizenship and Immigration Services was required to answer within 60 days, and a pre-trial date was set for March 27.

There’s no word on if a settlement was reached due to the court records being sealed.

Two-Night NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Set For WrestleMania Week

William Regal promised some huge news tonight at NXT, and when the episode began, he delivered. Regal kicked off the show by announcing that NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver will be a new, two-night TakeOver event that will take place during WrestleMania week.

Unlike prior two-part events, NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver will take place over the course of back-to-back nights, with the first night occurring on Wednesday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET on USA Network, and the second night airing on Thursday, April 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s newest streaming service and the future home of all WWE content. 

It’s unclear as of right now what matches will take place at Stand & Deliver, but with it happening during WrestleMania week and with one night airing on Peacock, it’s safe to say fans will be in for a huge show when it does happen. 

First WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Revealed

The The first-ever WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles have been officially announced.

NXT General Manager William Regal opened tonight’s NXT show on the USA Network and announced that Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez are the inaugural NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions due to their win in the first-ever Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic earlier this year.

The first-ever Women’s Tag Team Titles for the black & yellow brand come one week after WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler retained over Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez in controversial fashion. Kai and Gonzalez had earned their title shot by winning the first-ever Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Last week’s NXT show saw Regal arguing with main roster official Adam Pearce over the controversial finish, and Regal then declared that he would have a major announcement to make this week.

John Laurinaitis Is Once Again Leading WWE’s Talent Relations Department

According to a new report from F4WOnline.com, John Laurinaitis is once again working as WWE Head of Talent Relations.

Laurinatis’ new role will start immediately; he will officially serve as General Manager, Talent, and report to WWE Executive Vice President of Operations Brad Blum. Laurinaitis first stepped into the role in 2004, replacing Jim Ross, and held the position until he stepped down in 2012. “Johnny Ace” has since been working in WWE as a producer/road agent. In addition to his backstage and administrative roles, Laurinaitis served as an on-air General Manager personality from 2011-12 that promoted People Power.

F4W also explained that the talent relations department is being split into talent management and talent branding, the latter of which would essentially function as a talent agency to book outside appearances and projects for WWE Superstars.

Stephanie McMahon Joins Women’s Leadership Board for Sports Innovation Lab

Per Sportico, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon has become an inaugural board member for the Sports Innovation Lab Women’s Leadership Board. This is a data-driven women’s leadership board founded by Olympic medalist Angela Ruggiero’s SIL.

The new board is comprised of 22 female executives across sports, media and tech industries. The goal of the board is to bring industry leaders together using SIL’s data and research to support each individual member’s continued professional success and network together.

Other inaugural board members alongside Stephanie McMahon include Big East commissioner Big East commissioner Val Ackerman; Jessica Berman, deputy commissioner at the National Lacrosse League; former pro tennis player and current CEO at Billie Jean King Enterprises Ilana Kloss; LA28 Olympics/USA Olympics CEO Kathy Carter. 

Rumor Mill - WWE NXT Moving To A New Night

There are rumors on the WWE NXT TV show possibly moving to Tuesday nights on the USA Network.

It was reported today by the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast that NXT is set to move to Tuesday nights beginning April 13, which would be the first NXT show after WrestleMania 37 weekend. The report noted that an official announcement should be made fairly soon by WWE.

WWE has not confirmed the schedule change as of this writing and it should be taken strictly as a rumor for now, but some people in or around NXT have heard of the rumor making the rounds.

Furthermore, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer noted on Twitter that NXT moving to Tuesday night was definitely a topic of discussion in WWE as of February 24, which was last Wednesday, but at least at that point the change was not final.

Mat Men later noted that they heard the same thing about the February 24 rumblings, adding that NBC staff were told of the move this week. Meltzer said he expected this would happen when the NBC Sports Network shut down, which could bring some NHL content to Wednesday nights.

Triple H Reveals Vince McMahon Was Reluctant To Have A Documentary Produced On Himself

In 2020, WWE announced a docuseries with a focus on WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon will be coming to Netflix. It remains unknown when the docuseries debut on the streaming services, but we do it will be one of the highest budgeted docuseries of all time for Netflix.

During a recent interview with Roz & Mocha, Triple H revealed what McMahon felt about doing a documentary on himself:

"Prior to now, Vince was always hesitant to do it. With Vince, he really doesn't see himself -- while Mr. McMahon is one of the most epic characters ever, he doesn't see himself as part of the programming. When you ask him about those things, he goes, 'Nobody is interested in me. They want to know about the stars and performers.' The truth is, they do (want to know about Vince). The most difficult thing with Vince's life is making it succinct. Every chapter of his life is a whole other unbelievable story. His story is amazing, all the things he's been through, the trials and tribulations of getting to where he is. No one gives him the credit, they just see this billion-dollar global empire he's created and see him as the evil tyrant businessman"

Source: fightful.com

New Report Claims India Doubles United States’ WWE RAW Viewership

According to a new report from Lucha Libre Online, WWE RAW’s average viewership in India for the month of Jan. 2021 exceeded 4 million viewers, more than doubling the 1.85 million viewers in the U.S. during the same timeframe.

The report added that while WWE SmackDown averaged 3 million viewers in India, WWE NXT surpassed the 1 million mark in the country for the month of Jan. 2021.

Furthermore, while South Africa averaged in excess of 1 million viewers for both RAW and SmackDown, Canada averaged 300,000 viewers for both shows during the same month.

Meanwhile, Germany and Italy averaged approximately 300,000 viewers for both RAW and SmackDown.

Therefore, only in India, South Africa, Italy, Canada, and Germany, RAW obtained average viewership of approximately 5.9 million viewers in Jan. 2021. SmackDown for its part averaged around 5.2 million viewers in India, South Africa, Italy, Canada, Germany, and South Korea during the first month of 2021.

These numbers do not include the viewership in the United States, Latin America, United Kingdom, Japan, China and many other countries that broadcast weekly WWE programming live on various TV networks.

WWE Network To Air First Non-Sports Entertainment Documentary 'HEAVEN'

WWE announced their first-ever non-sports entertainment documentary "Heaven" will air on the WWE Network on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

WWE.com:

For the first time, WWE Network Documentaries will expand its award-winning storytelling beyond the world of sports-entertainment when it presents HEAVEN, a new documentary premiering Sunday, March 7.

HEAVEN tells the story of a trailblazing high school wrestler named Heaven Fitch. In 2020, as a junior, Fitch became the first female athlete to win a boy’s state wrestling championship in North Carolina, claiming the top spot in the 106-pound weight class. The film documents her inspiring journey up the ranks and the challenges she faced along the way, from proving doubters wrong to defying the odds and making history.

The trailer for HEAVEN, available to watch above, was first revealed by Sports Business Journal.

Narrating the documentary is WWE Hall of Famer and fellow North Carolina resident Beth Phoenix, who, like Fitch, often competed against boys during her amateur wrestling career. WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon provides the film’s introduction.

HEAVEN, which premieres during Women’s History Month, marks a departure from WWE Network Documentaries’ typical subject matter focusing on the squared circle.

“The story of Heaven Fitch is the beginning of a new genre of storytelling for WWE Network Documentaries. She has inspired so many with her elite athleticism as well as her numerous accomplishments. We are excited to share Heaven’s championship story with the WWE Universe,” says Ben Houser, VP & Executive Producer, WWE Network Documentaries.

Don’t miss the world premiere of HEAVEN on March 7. The film will be available to stream on demand starting at 10 a.m. ET on the Free Version of WWE Network and across WWE social channels, including YouTube and Facebook.

Source: wwe.com

WWE NXT Draws Best Viewership Of The Year, AEW Dynamite Also Up This Week

Week 72 of the Wednesday Night War saw AEW Dynamite defeat WWE NXT in viewership and ratings.

Wednesday’s live edition of Dynamite drew 831,000 viewers (+11% from last week) on TNT, topping the 734,000 viewers (+3%) garnered by the live NXT show on the USA Network by 13%, according to Nielsen via Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #5 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #24. AEW ranked #60 in viewership, while NXT ranked #66 in viewership.

Last week’s Dynamite show drew 747,000 viewers and ranked #4 on the Cable Top 150, and #69 in viewership. Last week’s NXT show drew 713,000 viewers and ranked #39 on the Cable Top 150, and #70 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.35 rating in the 18-49 demographic (+13%) while NXT drew a 0.18 in the same demo (+13%) this week. Last week’s AEW show drew a 0.31 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.16 in that demographic.

NXT drew their best audience of the year this week, and their best key demo rating of 2021. This week’s NXT viewership was up 2.95% from last week, while the key demo rating was up 2%. NXT viewership for this week was down 7.56% from the same week in 2020, and the key demo rating was down 7% from the same week last year.

Tony Khan Comments On New AEW Monday Night Show

AEW officially announced their third show today – AEW Dark: Elevation.

AEW President & CEO Tony Khan noted on Twitter that Elevation will begin streaming on YouTube soon, but no date has been confirmed as of this writing. The show will air every Monday night at 7pm ET on the official AEW YouTube channel.

As noted earlier, AEW announced that veteran pro wrestler Paul Wight (fka Big Show in WWE) has signed with the company. He has signed a long-term deal to be a commentator on Elevation, and will also be wrestling at some point. Khan commented on Elevation and welcomed Wight to the company in a tweet.

“Welcome to @AEW, @PaulWight! Watch #AEWDynamite tonight for more info on Paul’s arrival here, and for more info on our new show AEW Dark: Elevation! It will be streaming soon every Monday night on AEW YouTube!,” he wrote.

Elevation will compliment the main AEW Dark series that airs every Tuesday night at 7pm ET on the AEW YouTube channel. Elevation will showcase AEW’s established and rising wrestlers, and top indie wrestlers from around the industry.

AEW also noted that Elevation will maintain continuity with Dynamite, Dark, pay-per-view shows and other streaming events, with wins and losses factoring into each wrestler’s ranking in the company.

AEW will be revealing more details on Elevation and Wight’s signing during tonight’s Dynamite.

Big Show Leaves WWE And Joins AEW

AEW announced today that Paul Wight has joined the company, signing a long-term contract.

Wight will wrestle and serve as a commentator for AEW’s newest show on YouTube, AEW Dark: Elevation. Elevation will air on Mondays at 7pm ET, complimenting the weekly AEW Dark show that airs on Tuesdays at 7pm ET. Elevation will showcase AEW’s established and rising talent, as well as top indie talents.

Wight said it’s been amazing to watch what AEW has done in a few years since launching.

“It’s been amazing to watch what AEW has built in just a couple of years,” Wight said in a press release. “AEW Dark is an incredible platform to hone the skills of up-and-coming wrestlers, but I also love that established AEW talent can build out their personalities and showcase themselves in new ways on Dark. It’s no exaggeration when they say that AEW is boundless.”

AEW CEO, General Manager and Head of Creative Tony Khan also commented on why Wight wanted to come to AEW.

“Paul Wight is one of the most recognizable and impressive professional athletes in the world,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “He wanted to come to AEW because he believes that we’re the best promotion in wrestling, and we believe that he has a lot to offer us, both in the ring as a wrestler, and also outside the ring as a commentator, host and ambassador for AEW.”

“Paul is one of the most experienced stars in all of wrestling, and he’s eager to work with our diverse roster,” added Khan. “He can benefit and guide our young talent with his mentorship, and his expert commentary on AEW Dark: Elevation will educate and entertain our fans, and also educate the younger wrestlers on the roster. Furthermore, Paul enters AEW as a licensed wrestler, and he’s very much looking forward to studying our talent firsthand from the commentary desk in preparation for his return to the ring!”

AEW is promising more details on Wight’s signing during tonight’s Dynamite show on TNT.

A&E And WWE Give Fans The Ultimate Ringside Seat In New Original Programming Partnership

A&E Network and WWE Studios are giving fans an exclusive look behind the curtain in an all-new Sunday night programming partnership. With unprecedented access to WWE’s archive, the ten-week programming block features eight original two-hour documentaries under the award-winning “Biography” banner showcasing the stories behind some of the most memorable WWE Superstars of all time including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin®, “Macho Man” Randy Savage®, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper™, Booker T®, Shawn Michaels®, Bret Hart, Mick Foley and Ultimate Warrior. The new “Biography” specials are helmed by some of the industry’s top directors and storytellers to chronicle the success of these WWE Legends and their lasting mark on both sports entertainment and popular culture. Each special will air weekly at 8pm ET/PT beginning Sunday, April 18. 

Following at 10pm ET/PT, the brand-new series “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures,” led by WWE’s Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque launches a hunt for some of WWE’s most iconic missing memorabilia including Kane’s original mask, Ric Flair’s Butterfly Robe, Andy Kaufman’s neckbrace, Andre The Giant’s passport and more. In order to find these quintessential relics, the team will join forces with WWE Legends including Undertaker, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Booker T and more to bring these items home to the WWE Archives.

Biography Lineup – Premieres Sunday, April 18 at 8pm ET/PT

“Biography: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin”

“Biography: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper”

“Biography: “Macho Man” Randy Savage”

“Biography: Booker T”

“Biography: Shawn Michaels”

“Biography: Ultimate Warrior”

“Biography: Mick Foley”

“Biography: Bret “Hitman” Hart”

“WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” – Premieres Sunday, April 18 at 10pm ET/PT

“WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” takes viewers on a journey to find some of WWE’s most iconic, lost memorabilia. In each of the nine episodes, WWE’s Stephanie McMahon anl “Triple H” Levesque lead a team of collectors, WWE Superstars and Legends as they investigate, negotiate, bid and travel across the country to hunt down and reclaim some of the most elusive WWE collectibles. Throughout history, WWE’s action-packed storylines have spawned iconic, one-of-a-kind memorabilia, most of which have gone missing. Superstar in training, AJ Francis will head out on the road alongside some of the most famous WWE Legends of all time including The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Charlotte Flair, Mick Foley, Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Booker T, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Sgt. Slaughter. The series will unearth these rare items in the hopes of preserving and sharing the legacy behind the memorable moments in WWE history. 

“WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” is produced by WWE Studios for A&E Network with Susan Levison, Ben Zierten, David Carr, Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque serving as executive producers. Elaine Frontain Bryant, Dolores Gavin and Jonathan Partridge serve as executive producers for A&E Network. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures.” 

Pro wrestling isn't just body slams and violence -- it's also art

Professional wrestling has historically gotten a bad rap as neither being a respected sport nor form of entertainment. To most, the pervading image of wrestling may still be beefed-up, baby-oiled behemoths like Hulk Hogan or John Cena competing in staged fights, or the over-the-top, spandex-clad comedy theatrics seen in Netflix's hit series "Glow." Pro wrestling's merits as a legitimate sport have long been debated, but can this curious confluence of kitsch characters and Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics be considered art? In the 1950s, French philosopher Roland Barthes wrote an essay likening wrestling to theater -- the staged spectacles acted out in the ring presenting an allegory for good versus evil. In modern day, critics have compared wrestling's dramatic storylines to the televised soap opera, itself an extension of theater. Adam Abdalla, the lead creative behind art and wrestling journal Orange Crush, said that in the past, he's brought visual artist friends to watch wrestling shows with him. "(They) have told me, 'This is better than any performance art that I've been to,' because of just how visceral it is, the way wrestlers put their bodies on the line and just the choreography of it,"...More?

source: cnn.com

WWE NXT To Begin Airing Live In Canada

WWE NXT will begin airing live in Canada on Sportsnet 360 and SN NOW this Wednesday at 8pm ET.

WWE and Sportsnet announced a new programming agreement today, which will include weekly live NXT broadcasts. Sportsnet 360 will also continue to air the weekly RAW, SmackDown, Main Event, and This Week In WWE broadcasts. Sportsnet is also the exclusive distribution partner for the WWE Network in Canada.

“Our fans in Canada have been all in on NXT since day one,” said WWE’s Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy & Development, Triple H, in a press release. “We’re thrilled about this expanded partnership with Sportsnet which will help us grow NXT’s reach throughout the country and introduce even more fans to the newest generation of WWE Superstars.”

Triple H tweeted on the new deal today and wrote, “Bringing #WWENXT LIVE to fans across Canada every week. An exciting partnership for the entire @WWE Universe. #WeAreNXT @WWENXT @Sportsnet”

WWE and Sportsnet originally signed a historic 10-year broadcast agreement back in 2014, making Sportsnet the exclusive distributor of WWE programming in Canada through 2024.

“WWE provides some of the most electrifying entertainment in all of sports, and the passion of their fanbase in Canada is second to none,” said Sportsnet’s Vice-President of Programming Greg Sansone in the press release. “Reinforcing our already robust slate of live WWE programming with NXT was an easy choice and one our audiences have been asking for. We can’t wait to see the newest generation of Superstars live in action every Wednesday night.”

WWE Attorney Issues Statement On Attempt To Bring Concussion Lawsuit To The Supreme Court

Longtime WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt has issued a statement on the recent filing by attorney Konstantine Kyros to have one of the WWE concussion lawsuits, which has already been dismissed by lower courts, resurrected and taken to the Supreme Court of the United States:

“[Konstantine Kyros] has no automatic right to appeal to the Supreme Court. He has to ask them to accept an appeal, and that is what he filed. The large majority of requests are denied, and the Supreme Court typically takes cases presenting some issue of national import where the courts in the various federal circuits differ on some specific issue of federal law.

Here, Kyros is asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Second Circuit decision that he filed an appeal too late in the cases of Billy Jack Haynes, Russ McCullough, Matthew Wiese, Ryan Sakoda and Nelson Frazier.

He is not attempting to have them hear the dismissals of all the other cases, which are now over for good. The lower courts threw those cases out on the basis of state law, which the Supreme Court would not touch.

It is an exercise in futility, because even the Supreme Court were to hear his request and find that his appeal on behalf of those five was timely, he would still lose on the merits because their claims are all barred by statute of limitations. In short, a waste of time and money which we don’t think will go anywhere.

He will, however, have to face a sanctions hearing next month on how much he has to pay WWE.”

Former WWE wrestlers take brain damage case to Supreme Court

Dozens of former pro wrestlers who have claimed in lawsuits that World Wrestling Entertainment failed to protect them from repeated head injuries are taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A lawyer for the former wrestlers, most of them stars in the 1980s and 1990s, filed a request late Wednesday asking the Supreme Court to hear appeals of lower court rulings that dismissed the lawsuits. Lower courts said the suits were frivolous or filed after the statute of limitations expired.

Among the plaintiffs were Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Joseph "Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis, Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff, Chris "King Kong Bundy" Pallies and Harry Masayoshi Fujiwara, known as Mr. Fuji.

The wrestlers said they suffered repeated head injuries, including concussions that led to long-term brain damage, and accused the WWE of knowing of the risks of head injuries but not warning its wrestlers.

The WWE, based in Stamford, Connecticut, continues to deny the allegations and says the lawsuits are without merit, a spokesperson said Thursday.

Snuka and Fujiwara died in 2017 and 2016, respectively, and both were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, after their deaths, according to their lawyer. Pallies and Laurinaitis died in 2019 and 2020, respectively, of undisclosed causes. Other plaintiffs have dementia and other illnesses, the lawsuit said.

More than 50 former wrestlers have filed lawsuits against the WWE. In September, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City dismissed the litigation. The court upheld 2018 rulings by federal judge Vanessa Bryant in Connecticut, who said there was no evidence the WWE knew concussions or head blows during wrestling matches caused CTE.

The lawyer for the former wrestlers, Konstantine Kyros, who is based in Hingham, Massachusetts, criticized the rulings and said the former wrestlers have been "deprived of their fundamental rights as U.S. citizens, including their right to appeal."

Kyros said the 2nd Circuit court rejected earlier appeals because final rulings had not been made in all the lawsuits. After Bryant made those final rulings in 2018, Kyros appealed again. But he said the 2nd Circuit also rejected those appeals, saying they were filed too late according to a new legal precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In her 2018 ruling, Bryant also criticized Kyros for repeatedly failing to comply with court rules and orders and ordered him to pay WWE's legal fees -- more than $500,000.

Unlike football and hockey, in which players have suffered similar injuries, WWE matches involve moves scripted and choreographed by the WWE, thus making the company directly responsible for wrestlers' injuries, the lawsuits said.

The National Football League and National Hockey League also were sued by former players who suffered concussions and other head injuries. The NFL settled for $1 billion, and the NHL settled for $18.9 million.

source:  ESPN.com

NXT Sees Sizable Viewership Increase, Still Behind AEW Dynamite

NXT saw a major increase, but AEW Dynamite still won in terms of ratings and viewership.

AEW Dynamite drew 747,000 viewers overall, which is slightly up from last week’s 741,000. The show also drew a .31 rating in people 18-49 (up from a .29 last week).

Per PW Torch, NXT viewership was up to 713,000 viewers (from 558,000) and came in with a .16 rating in the 18-49 demographic. NXT previously had a .12 in the 18-49 demographic.

NXT YEAR-TO-DATE RANKINGS

Jan. 6 – 659,000 – 2021 HighJan. 14 – 551,000 – 2021 LowFeb. 17 – 713,000 – This Week

AEW DYNAMITE YEAR-TO-DATE RANKINGS

Jan. 20 – 854,000 – 2021 HighJan. 6 – 662,000 – 2021 LowFeb. 17 – 747,000 – This Week

Update On Triple H Creating A Second WWE NXT Show

It was originally reported back in December, exclusively here at Wrestling Inc, that Triple H created a team to oversee a new NXT show, which would apparently be a minor leagues system for the NXT brand. It was reported then that Gabe Sapolsky was leading the team, and that he had been given several agents and writers to help him get more comfortable with writing TV. This was seen as a case of Triple H giving “the ball” to Sapolsky as he is a big believer in his abilities. The idea behind this new show was described as a “NXT for NXT.”

The original idea was for the show to be akin to another promotion running in some of the smaller tier markets that NXT serviced, but with live events likely to not return, the new idea was to just make a TV series. The goal then was to launch the show in early 2021, but the concept was delayed and will likely face more delays.

In an update, Fightful Select has revealed new details on the second NXT show. The working title is “NXT EVOLVE” and there have already been graphics created with that branding, and a new title belt created with that name. Plans can always change but “NXT EVOLVE” is the tentative name of the project.

Sapolsky and Jeremy Borash are both heavily involved in the production, which is said to be noting like anything else WWE is producing. The tapings for the concept took place at the warehouse that WWE briefly used for as a makeshift Performance Center during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

WWE has already filmed some content for the show, using several of the newer talent acquisitions that were signed since the summer of 2020. NXT’s Josiah Williams, who just did the hip-hop intro for the “Takeover: Vengeance Day” event, was the host of the “NXT EVOLVE” show.

It was noted that the new NXT show had more of a “fight” feel to it. There was no live commentary, so anything that would be added would be done in post-production.

It was also said that planning for this new NXT project goes back as far as two years ago with various versions of the show being pitched and thrown around. Different names had also been discussed for the title of the show, starting with “NXT Underground” a few years ago. It was reiterated that plans for the new show could change as the platform and solid plans are not set in stone.

WWE Clarifies New Policy Regarding Ban On Third-Party Mentions On Twitter And Instagram

e record straight on their new policy restricting talent from profiting off of mentions of third-party brands on social media.

On Monday, Wrestling Inc reported WWE had instituted a new policy in regards to mentions of third-party brand on Superstar social media accounts. According to the report, the company would start cracking down on talent that use their WWE social media accounts to promote third-party businesses, people, brands, and charities. The initial report claimed WWE is issuing a warning to first-time offenders of new restrictions, which would be followed by a fine and even a suspension for subsequent infractions.

Since then, WWE has clarified that report to F4WOnline.com and said that the new restrictions only apply to the monetization of WWE Superstar Twitter and Instagram accounts by working with third parties. It was noted that the new policy is “not dissimilar” to existing policies where they had banned talent from monetizing apps like Twitch and Cameo, but didn’t specifically include Twitter and Instagram at the time.

According to F4WOnline, the company stance is that they maintain contractual ownership of the likeness of its performers on all social media accounts regardless of whether they are listed under their stage names or real names.

Back in September, the promotion issued the following announcement about the decision to ban performers from monetizing platforms like Twitch and Cameo:

Much like Disney and Warner Bros., WWE creates, promotes, and invests in its intellectual property, i.e. the stage names of performers like The Fiend Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Big E, and Braun Strowman. It is the control and exploitation of these characters that allows WWE to drive revenue, which in turn enables the company to compensate performers at the highest levels in the sports entertainment industry. Notwithstanding the contractual language, it is imperative for the success of our company to protect our greatest assets and establish partnerships with third parties on a companywide basis, rather than at the individual level, which as a result will provide more value for all involved.

WWE Issuing Violations For Social Media Posts Naming Third Parties

WWE is issuing “violations” to talent for tweets or Instagram posts naming any third party business, person, brand or charity, Wrestling Inc. has learned. Wrestling Inc. has learned that the violations start with a warning, then a fine, and finally suspension. The company is claiming ownership of talent Twitter and Instagram accounts via a clause in their contracts that grants WWE the exclusive use of their likeness. It has been made clear to talent who have complained that the current “flexibility” allowed in social media could be retracted by the company. We first reported last September that Vince McMahon issued an edict stating that talent can no longer use platforms like Cameo and Twitch. Zelina Vega was released from the company last November due to fallout from her continuing to use platforms like Twitch and OnlyFans. A recent study from LoveUX revealed how lucrative these social media posts. Their study estimated that Lana earned $625,922 off 59 sponsored posts in 2020 ($10,608 per post), while Mandy Rose garnered an estimated $490,104 off 71 sponsored posts ($6,902 per post).

Edge Has Been Pushing To Work With NXT

Some fans have already ruled out a possible match between Edge and NXT Champion Finn Balor at WWE WrestleMania, but Triple H believes that the bout is a genuine possibility.

In the NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day media call, Triple H offered his thoughts on this match, and he said that it’s on the table, just like Edge’s potential clashes with Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns.

“I don’t think any of it is beyond the realm of possibility,” said Triple H. “You saw it last year with Charlotte [Flair]. I think you see it this year, with him playing things across the board. I think that all those things are on the table….”

Triple H explained that Edge has been pushing to work with young talent because he wants to help them however he can. “The Game” revealed that Edge has wanted to work with NXT wrestlers for a while, even before his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2020.

“He really is in a place in his mind where he wants to build young [talent] and just keep them rolling in different directions,” said Triple H. “So he has been talking to me since prior to coming back the first time in the Royal Rumble over a year ago, of coming to NXT and not only stepping in the ring and talking ,but stepping in the ring and performing.

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