Future Endeavored

August 7, 2014

Besides they have also cut the budget on Wrestlemania 31 Pyro so that will pleases the shareholders and hopefully lay to rest this exposive situation

Omega · August 7, 2014

Jesus jay, go back on mod report so we forget how unfunny you actually are.

TPIB · August 8, 2014

I think WWE would do well to save money by doubling the responsibilities of the people they already have hired. For example, have the ring announcer also serve as the timekeeper or just have one of the referees do it. Plus, in this day and age, couldn't they just have a bell that is controlled by a computer or something?

August 8, 2014

I think WWE would do well to save money by doubling the responsibilities of the people they already have hired. For example, have the ring announcer also serve as the timekeeper or just have one of the referees do it. Plus, in this day and age, couldn't they just have a bell that is controlled by a computer or something?

It's part of the show. Real athletic commissions have time keepers, it's a nod to the world of MMA and boxing and kickboxing and other "real" combat sports. Big time combat sport promotions have always used humans to ring bells, and continue to do so to this day. I imagine Vince is nervous about, one, losing that little nod to the real world, and, two, looking small time because he can't afford to have someone in a position that everyone else has.

August 8, 2014

I think WWE would do well to save money by doubling the responsibilities of the people they already have hired. For example, have the ring announcer also serve as the timekeeper or just have one of the referees do it. Plus, in this day and age, couldn't they just have a bell that is controlled by a computer or something?

It's already been said earlier in the thread, but the main aim of firing talent malingering on the lower end of the card, developmental wrestlers who'd probably end up in the same position as soon as they were called up to the main roster, jobbers and office staff is to make a visible show of cutting costs more for the psychological effect the WWE top brass hopes it will have on investors and the stock market.

I think there was a mention in an issue of Power Slam a few months back about all of the stuff that WWE could still do if the sh*t really hit the fan (moving to cheaper offices, getting out of the film business, and others that I can't recall right now), plus a reminder of how solid a lot of their income streams are which are not affected by the drain of the WWE Network, basically pointing out that they'd need to be in a far deeper mess than they are right now to really start worrying about the long-term future of the company.

Taking measures like having people double up on ringside duties would make the product look amateurish and have the exact opposite effect to the one they're hoping to achieve, namely showing an inability to cut costs whilst still keeping the ship afloat and the audience convinced that there's nothing going on behind the scenes to threaten the entertainment that they're spending their money on every week.

Looking at the figures that have been mentioned (again, sorry to repeat myself, but they were in Power Slam), it's pretty obvious that the real issue with the WWE Network is the time that it'll take to recoup the losses from the change from pay-per-view income to that which comes from the subscribers and the impact it will have in that time on the share prices.

WWE obviously wanted that period to be as short as possible, but they'll get there in the end and it won't sink the company...though it will mean more jobbers being axed, probably.

TPIB · August 15, 2014

Because I have this kind of time, I counted up the releases and departures from WWE so far this year and, as of this post, 34 employees have been let go from the company. Here's the list (in order from January to August)

Kaitlyn (opted to let contract expire)- January 8, 2014

Sin Cara (Original)- March 26, 2014

Ezekiel Jackson (opted to let contract expire)- April 6, 2014

Perkins Miller (Executive)- April 26, 2014

Mason Ryan- April 30, 2014

Raquel Diaz- April 30, 2014

Oliver Grey- April 30, 2014

Danny Burch- April 30, 2014

Shara- April 30, 2014

Matthew Singerman (Executive)- May 5, 2014

Marc Harris (referee)- June 12, 2014

JTG- June 12, 2014

Aksana- June 12, 2014

Jinder Mahal- June 12, 2014

Drew McIntyre- June 12, 2014

Yoshi Tatsu- June 12, 2014

Curt Hawkins- June 12, 2014

Brodus Clay- June 12, 2014

Theodore Long- June 12, 2014

Camacho- June 12, 2014

Evan Bourne- June 12, 2014

Vickie Guerrero (opted to let contract expire)- June 23, 2014

Josh Mathews- June 25, 2014

Emma (rehired the same day)- July 2, 2014

CM Punk (opted to let contract expire)- July 15, 2014

Ricardo Rodriguez- July 30, 2014

Jim Ross (contract officially expired)- July 2014

Garrett Dylan- August 1, 2014

Travis Tyler- August 1, 2014

Slate Randall- August 1, 2014

Mac Miles- August 1, 2014

Dani Jax- August 1, 2014

Mark Yeaton- August 7, 2014

Alberto Del Rio- August 7, 2014

Am I forgetting anyone?

Edited August 16, 2014 by TPIB

Evil Gringo · August 16, 2014

I believe Kaitlyn, CM Punk and Vicki Guerrero should be noted as leaving of their own accord. They just let their contracts expire as none of them wanted to work for the company any longer.