MPDTT Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Hi All, I know this is a few days old, but have not seen any discussion about it. The HUGE thing for me the the financial backing. If this is true, and its a big if, then Shahid Khan wants into the wrestling business. According to Wikipedia, Khan has a net worth of over $7.0 billion and is the 221st wealthiest person in the world. This would be Ted Turner #2 looking to take on the McMahon empire. It does appear odd to me however, that if someone with those sums of wealth wants into the industry, why would opt to build from scratch? Why not simply go down the M&A route....why not acquire ROH, Impact, or both. Quickest way to building out your roster, expertise, streaming service, tape libraries and fan base. You'd also think that Anthem and Sinclair will be worried about the prospect of AEW - they simply won't be able to compete - they may welcome offers. What facts do we know? Trademarks for All Elite Wrestling, LLC have been filed. The address linked to the trademarks is the address of TIAA Bank Field - the Jacksonville Jaguars home Trademarks for AEW, AEW All Out, All Elite Wrestling, Tuesday Night Dynamite, and AEW Double or Nothing were filed. As were these images: What are the rumours? Jim Ross and Chris Jericho being involved AXS TV as a potential TV partner WWE Reportedly Locking Down Talent Due To possible promotion Loads of other FUD, like WWE talents looking to jump, a union type frame work and offers insurance, discussions with streaming services So what do you think? I can't be impartial, I'd LOVE to see this happen - with or without The Elite! WWE has been shit since WCW died, the talent and the fans deserve better and I still miss Nitro! MPDTT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 There is a minor news thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveG Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 It's another just another promotion trying to build themselves a place in the market Another rival for MLW , Ring Warriors , ROH and Impact . I don't think any of them can offer genuine competition to the WWE now or in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPDTT Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 Evening @air_raid @CliveG I don't think this is a minor story. Potentially....... With big financial backing anything is possible, and Kahn is worth double of Vince. Also remember what happened to Rome! Nothing lasts forever. Given the size of the WWE's new TV deals, it's not surprising that someone like Shahid Khan would look at it and think about the potential. This is all meaningless unless a TV deal is in place. It's an IF, a big IF, but if a deal is lined up with a Paramount, a TNT, a TBS, a SyFi, a WGN or another network with a high US market penetration, or alternatively a Netflix or Amazon, then this could be the start of something big. Its also curious that the Bucks and Cody have made no announcement since All In about the follow up event to capitalise on the success of the first event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merzbow Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 While your man is a rich bastard you have to wonder just how much he'll actually be putting in to the whole shebang and if he's not just after a little plaything with no serious ambitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPDTT Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 1 minute ago, Merzbow said: While your man is a rich bastard you have to wonder just how much he'll actually be putting in to the whole shebang and if he's not just after a little plaything with no serious ambitions. Good point. You mean like Fulham! 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 Isn't his son a massive wrestling fan? Sure its this guy. If that is the case maybe the son doesn't want to play Ultimate Team with the Jaguars franchise or Fulham and wants his own little project. Dad's multi money behind someone with a passion and a good group of advisors and this really could go anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Your Fight Site Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 It needs to be different. Otherwise this is just going to be looked at as WWE lite from the offset and flounder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 11 minutes ago, Your Fight Site said: It needs to be different. Otherwise this is just going to be looked at as WWE lite from the offset and flounder. Would Netflix be the way to go for that? New episode released weekly, but a way to watch back old episodes without any hassle so that people can get invested as and when, run as a season of maybe 16 episodes or so that then build to a big one off special shown maybe on iPPV with a Netflix release the following day? That way, the people that are already paying for Netflix get the show, those that aren't are paying £4.99 as a minimum a month for the show and anything else they want, the iPPV can be led into with maybe a YouTube explaining the big story for the casuals and they can run it as 3/4 tapings over a long weekend every few months to keep costs down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 20 minutes ago, MPDTT said: Good point. You mean like Fulham! 😉 You mean the team that are in the richest league in the world? Yeah, I'm sure his interest in a Premier league club is a mere bagatelle and not a business thing. Seeing how he failed in buying Wembley, thus killing off the Jags moving over here, this has all the hallmarks of something to keep his kid busy so he doesn't feel left out where the proper businesses are run. So what if he has untold riches, he is a successful businessman because he knows what makes money and what doesn't. No chance does he treat this as anything other than a plaything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members DEF Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 Amazon Instant offered a butt load for Smackdown if I remember rightly. Vince wanted the mainstream platform though. Could be a serious contender for big money deals. I always wondered how well Lucha Underground did on Netflix. I'd for sure had watched it if they put it on UK Netflix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUM Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 26 minutes ago, DEF said: Amazon Instant offered a butt load for Smackdown if I remember rightly. Vince wanted the mainstream platform though. Could be a serious contender for big money deals. I always wondered how well Lucha Underground did on Netflix. I'd for sure had watched it if they put it on UK Netflix. Apparently terrible hence why it was dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Your Fight Site Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 33 minutes ago, scratchdj said: It could start with being better than WWE, rather than trying to be different. How different can professional wrestling be, anyway? Presentation. See: Lucha Underground. It can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 I'm going to remain pessimistic for now. People have thought they were going to change the business before, you can register trademarks all you like but ambition gets you nowhere by itself. Six months is probably all it will take to see if there's life to this or if it goes the way of Global Force quicker than you can say "cash for gold." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted November 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted November 25, 2018 The intentions are good, but what TV network is going to put them on? You can have all the money in the world, but it means fuck all if there's nowhere to screen it for some significant money. Wrestling is a money pit without TV. TNA lost something, like, $30 million before they got on Fox Sports Net. I get you cant compare anyone to TNA's madness, but there was a sense a TV deal would come along if they waited long enough. Where's this one coming from? Good if it happens, but if they think there's going to be blokes dressed up as cocks and women getting kicked in the face all that shite going on, then there's no way that'd fly on TV. If that's what they're selling, no network is buying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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