I noticed that during the whole Chris Benoit tragedies that several wrestling internet reporters were being interviewed on different news channels to discuss the business and the Benoit tragedies. I was just wondering if anybody from PWInsider were asked to appear on shows or asked to be interviewed? In my opinion this is the best wrestling website there is so I would think it would be smart to go to you guys first.
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, we did get many media requests after the Benoit tragedy. Even though the three of us never discussed policy, it ended up we all felt the same way about doing them. In a nutshell, we didn't want to be part of any story that sensationalized the deaths or took a little bit of fact and mixed it with a lot of hyperbole and histrionics in a way that wasn't fair to the business. Shows like Nancy dis-Grace weren't interested in being fair about a very serious story and made my skin crawl. All they cared about was using the story to get ratings, no covering the real issues and looking towards solutions. We didn't want to be a part of anything like that and appearing on a show or being quoted in an article where some many factually incorrect things were said is something we thought was wrong to do. We just didn't want any part of anything that wasn't fair or balanced and we wouldn't say what some media people wanted us to, so we were not a part of their stories.
I was recently watching the Road Warriors DVD and was watching their match against Hulk Hogan and Genichiro Tenryu in Japan. I noticed that during the opening of the match and a lot of times during the match that Hogan looks like he's just really pissed off. At the beginning of the match he kicks the camera man to the ground for no reason and then when he tags in for the first time it looks like him and Animal are really stiffing each other good. Him and Animal also look like they are purposely hitting one another on the back of their neck, where I've heard is not a great place for wrestlers to hit each other. I listened to the alternate commentary with Jim Ross and Animal but they don't mentioned anything about it. Just wondering if you guys might have heard any stories about there being any heat between Hogan and the Road Warriors or if they just wanted to sell a really good brawl?
Back then what worked in the US didn't work in Japan. If it didn't look stiff there, the crowd would not accept it. Since the Warriors and Hogan were legitimate legends over there, they had to work a much different way that they would in the States. There was no heat or anything. They were just putting on a show.
Do you think people downloading PPVs illegally for free (from torrent sites for example) has a significant effect on the PPV buyrates, and perhaps could even be one of the factors in the decline of WWE's buyrates in recent years? And secondly, although at the end of the day it is a form of theft, can you really blame people for downloading them rather than spend $40 on something that more often than not just isn't worth it, with this years SummerSlam being a prime example.
To answer your second question first, yes I can blame them because they are stealing someone's product. My opinion is that if something isn't worth them legitimately paying to see, then they are only rationalizing larceny if they watch it for free after the fact. They are justifying an illegal action.
No one is entitled to see a PPV for free. It's a product that is being sold for a price. If a person doesn't want to pay to see it, doesn't think it's worth the cost or can't afford it, I understand that. But then stealing a copy of the show they wouldn't pay to see and watching it just makes them a thief that is lacking is moral fiber. Of course, I am sure people that steal things all the time will say I don't know what I am talking about, which I expect since they are thieves to begin with. I don't really expect them to be honest with themselves because in the internet age there are a lot of people that feel anyone's property that they can get their hands on for free should be theirs, which is just absurd. And, keep in mind that I am vocal critic of the ridiculous price that WWE charges for shows that often do not deliver. But again, the choice here is pay or don't. If you don't, you shouldn't steal it and watch it either. Since I have caught people doing that with our Elite content, I have gotten a first hand experience with lowlifes who will steal your product but never pay for it.
To answer first question, I think the effect on buyrates is minimal. Most people that watch stolen PPVs are too cheap to ever pay for them. People that want to see a show usually buy it live. If they don't do that, watching a stolen copy a day or two later is more of an afterthought that a planned act.
I noticed that the opening credits in Malcom in the Middle has Bret Hart putting Chris Benoit in the sharpshooter. Since the show is over, do you think they will continue with that clip?
Sure, I don't see any reason for them to stop doing so. WWE is the only entity concerned with eliminating Benoit from their history. I can't see them even bothering trying to edit the syndicated episodes.
I understand that WWE is going high def in the relatively near future. Do you think that it would make sense to start filming the PPVs in HD to get it started and to give a little extra value to us? Also, don't you think that would be a good way to make the PPVs look "special" at least until everything is filmed in HD?
On my cable system PPVs don't air in HD yet so it wouldn't be very special to me. When we get to the point where PPV channels are universally available in HD, that would be a good idea. Until then, it's not worth the extra expense.
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, we did get many media requests after the Benoit tragedy. Even though the three of us never discussed policy, it ended up we all felt the same way about doing them. In a nutshell, we didn't want to be part of any story that sensationalized the deaths or took a little bit of fact and mixed it with a lot of hyperbole and histrionics in a way that wasn't fair to the business. Shows like Nancy dis-Grace weren't interested in being fair about a very serious story and made my skin crawl. All they cared about was using the story to get ratings, no covering the real issues and looking towards solutions. We didn't want to be a part of anything like that and appearing on a show or being quoted in an article where some many factually incorrect things were said is something we thought was wrong to do. We just didn't want any part of anything that wasn't fair or balanced and we wouldn't say what some media people wanted us to, so we were not a part of their stories.
I was recently watching the Road Warriors DVD and was watching their match against Hulk Hogan and Genichiro Tenryu in Japan. I noticed that during the opening of the match and a lot of times during the match that Hogan looks like he's just really pissed off. At the beginning of the match he kicks the camera man to the ground for no reason and then when he tags in for the first time it looks like him and Animal are really stiffing each other good. Him and Animal also look like they are purposely hitting one another on the back of their neck, where I've heard is not a great place for wrestlers to hit each other. I listened to the alternate commentary with Jim Ross and Animal but they don't mentioned anything about it. Just wondering if you guys might have heard any stories about there being any heat between Hogan and the Road Warriors or if they just wanted to sell a really good brawl?
Back then what worked in the US didn't work in Japan. If it didn't look stiff there, the crowd would not accept it. Since the Warriors and Hogan were legitimate legends over there, they had to work a much different way that they would in the States. There was no heat or anything. They were just putting on a show.
Do you think people downloading PPVs illegally for free (from torrent sites for example) has a significant effect on the PPV buyrates, and perhaps could even be one of the factors in the decline of WWE's buyrates in recent years? And secondly, although at the end of the day it is a form of theft, can you really blame people for downloading them rather than spend $40 on something that more often than not just isn't worth it, with this years SummerSlam being a prime example.
To answer your second question first, yes I can blame them because they are stealing someone's product. My opinion is that if something isn't worth them legitimately paying to see, then they are only rationalizing larceny if they watch it for free after the fact. They are justifying an illegal action.
No one is entitled to see a PPV for free. It's a product that is being sold for a price. If a person doesn't want to pay to see it, doesn't think it's worth the cost or can't afford it, I understand that. But then stealing a copy of the show they wouldn't pay to see and watching it just makes them a thief that is lacking is moral fiber. Of course, I am sure people that steal things all the time will say I don't know what I am talking about, which I expect since they are thieves to begin with. I don't really expect them to be honest with themselves because in the internet age there are a lot of people that feel anyone's property that they can get their hands on for free should be theirs, which is just absurd. And, keep in mind that I am vocal critic of the ridiculous price that WWE charges for shows that often do not deliver. But again, the choice here is pay or don't. If you don't, you shouldn't steal it and watch it either. Since I have caught people doing that with our Elite content, I have gotten a first hand experience with lowlifes who will steal your product but never pay for it.
To answer first question, I think the effect on buyrates is minimal. Most people that watch stolen PPVs are too cheap to ever pay for them. People that want to see a show usually buy it live. If they don't do that, watching a stolen copy a day or two later is more of an afterthought that a planned act.
I noticed that the opening credits in Malcom in the Middle has Bret Hart putting Chris Benoit in the sharpshooter. Since the show is over, do you think they will continue with that clip?
Sure, I don't see any reason for them to stop doing so. WWE is the only entity concerned with eliminating Benoit from their history. I can't see them even bothering trying to edit the syndicated episodes.
I understand that WWE is going high def in the relatively near future. Do you think that it would make sense to start filming the PPVs in HD to get it started and to give a little extra value to us? Also, don't you think that would be a good way to make the PPVs look "special" at least until everything is filmed in HD?
On my cable system PPVs don't air in HD yet so it wouldn't be very special to me. When we get to the point where PPV channels are universally available in HD, that would be a good idea. Until then, it's not worth the extra expense.