Ask the Editor Ask the Torch: Styles-WWE, Hardy DVD, WWE TV situation, TNA freebies, TNA salaries
May 23, 2005 - 6:02:00 PM
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By Wade Keller, Torch editor
PWTorch.com reader Dave Goldberg asks: First I wanted to tell you did a fantastic job with the Russo-Ferrara DVD. It was well done and informative and I gained a respect for them I didn't have. I read Matt Hardy's statement today and wanted to know when the Hardys Ultimate Insiders DVD will be released as I would love to get a copy ASAP.
WK: The Matt and Jeff Hardy "Ultimate Insiders DVD" will be available within a few weeks. It's currently in production, and from what I understand, production values on the Hardys DVD are yet another step up from the highly praised production values of the first Ultimate Insiders DVD with Russo and Ferrara. Everyone who has ordered or in the next few weeks orders the first Ultimate Insiders DVD featuring my interview with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara, the top writing team during WWE's Raw boom period, will receive notification before anyone else on pre-ordering the Hardys DVD and receive first class mail delivery of the DVD before it goes on sale to the general public. Information on ordering the DVD can be found by clicking here. You must use these links and order through the Torch website and Big Vision Entertainment to receive the early notification.
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PWTorch.com reader Dane Corser asks: I seen that Smackdown will move to Friday, via your report. My question is, are they still moving to USA? Or did I miss something? I thought the move was going to be over the summer.
WK: Smackdown has one year left on the UPN contract. WWE is pretty resigned to the likelihood that UPN won't be renewing it, at which point it would have to switch to a new network. It might be USA, or it could be another station. The cable shows now on Spike TV are moving to USA, and that takes place this fall.
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PWTorch.com reader Erik Launiainen asks: I was wondering how A.J. Styles is viewed by WWE wrestlers and management? Is he seen as a hot commodity yet? And was a WWE offer extended before he renewed his contract with TNA?
WK: The strengths that A.J. Styles has are the type of traits that aren't highly touted by Vince McMahon (workrate, athleticism) whereas his weaknesses (height, promos, overall appearance) are what McMahon values most. While Styles is so good at what he's good at, his weaknesses compared to the type of wrestler McMahon covets are strong enough that he isn't highly touted by WWE. That said, Styles did turn down a WWE developmental offer the year before he joined TNA because he would have had to uproot his family and not receive much compensation in exchange.
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PWTorch.com reader T. Brigham asks: With the signings of both A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels, I was wondering, how much are their contracts for? I would imagine it would have to be comparable because I'm sure the WWE was ready to sign one if not both of them.
WK: Styles probably signed for more than Daniels, and both received something in the neighborhood of $1,000-$2,000 per event. I believe TNA offers more for PPV payoffs than TV appearances, and some wrestlers' contracts may be structured differently than others due to signing them at different stages of TNA's existence. TNA looks at what wrestlers make from them as just part of their overall income, since Styles and Daniels make a considerable percentage of their annual income from indy dates, too, since TNA only accounts for around three dates per month on the current schedule.
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D.Z. asks: TNA Wrestling has lost approx. 20 million dollars since September 2002 when the Carters and Panda Energy took over, so why in 2005, has TNA not started to charge fans for entrance into the Impact tapings and especially the pay-per-view events? It just makes no sense to me to let everyone at Universal see the PPVs for free. How is TNA supposed to see if they can actually earn a profit of any kind if they continue to let everyone see their show for free? Is TNA ever going to get a return on their investment??
WK: Charging a few hundred fans ten bucks a shot to get into TV tapings wouldn't make a big dent on their losses. Remember, losing $20 million in three years is not a big deal for a start-up business. People always refer to that as some ominous negative figure. What's negative about TNA is what they have to show for that money, because had they made better decisions along the line, they'd be better off. But losing $20 million for any upstart company with the profit potential of a no. 2 national wrestling company is nothing. Vince McMahon Jr. lost a lot of money in his first few years in control of the WWF, but it was considered an investment up front with a bigger payoff down the line. He eventually, at one point, was worth a billion dollars. TNA could probably get away with charging money for tickets, but their primary goal is to make sure the studio is filled with enthusiastic fans because PPV is where the vast, vast majority of their revenues comes from.
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Background on Torch editor Wade Keller: Torch editor Wade Keller founded Pro Wrestling Torch in September 1987. He has been interviewed as a wrestling expert by dozens of TV and radio stations across the country; he has also been quoted in dozens of major newspapers and magazines across the world. Media entities that have featured Keller in stories covering wrestling include National Public Radio, Fox News Channel, ESPN Magazine, the New York Post, Entertainment Weekly, the All-News Channel, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He also hosted his own weekly two hour wrestling talk show on KFAN sport radio in the '90s. Over the past 17 years Keller has also interviewed, one-on-one, wrestling's top names for in-depth "Torch Talks" and feature articles including powerbrokers such as Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Jarrett, Bill Watts, Jim Cornette, Jim Crockett, Jim Herd, Paul Heyman, Ed Ferrara, Terry Taylor, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Ross, and Vince Russo; top wrestling stars such as The Rock, Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Matt & Jeff Hardy, Rick Steamboat, Jerry Lawler, Bill Goldberg, British Bulldog, Road Warrior Hawk, Jesse Ventura, and Hulk Hogan; and legends such as Lou Thesz, Gordon Solie, Bruno Sammartino, Roy Shires, Terry Funk, and Verne Gagne.
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He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)
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