Saudi Shitshow

[Guest]

I don't know that taking any amount of money from bin Salman can be called impressive.

[Chris B]

11 hours ago, WyattSheepMask said:

How has WM36 got a block on there? There was no one fucking there

Or are they counting that as tickets sold for Raymond James Stadium before the show was moved to the PC?

It doesn't - it specifies Wrestlemania until 2019, which was 35.

[WyattSheepMask]

Course it does. Bloody eyes

[unfitfinlay]

Aren't the Saudi shows basically sold shows? As in, the Saudi Government pays WWE a stupid amount to put them on and, in exchange, they get to say "We've got WWE. Look how progressive and welcoming we are!" as well as booking their own dream matches.

Definitely weird to compare it to another wrestling show. The money they make has fuck all to do with drawing power or whatever over there. It's just a PR exercise by the Saudis.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

I think everyone is over thinking the comparison. Ultimately it's just an interesting (and daunting) "did you know" type fact.

I think it also goes to show why WWE are married to this deal; for a right wing publically traded company, it's harder to justify why you shouldn't have a deal with Saudi Arabia.

Edited September 14, 2021 by andrew "the ref" coyne

[westlondonmist]

9 hours ago, unfitfinlay said:

Aren't the Saudi shows basically sold shows? As in, the Saudi Government pays WWE a stupid amount to put them on and, in exchange, they get to say "We've got WWE. Look how progressive and welcoming we are!" as well as booking their own dream matches.

Definitely weird to compare it to another wrestling show. The money they make has fuck all to do with drawing power or whatever over there. It's just a PR exercise by the Saudis.

But the initial point was to show that WWE are not going to end these anytime soon as the have guaranteed money coming from them that other shows cannot produce, even when putting on absolute dog shit shows. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by westlondonmist

[air_raid]

8 minutes ago, westlondonmist said:

But the initial point was to show that WWE are not going to end these anytime soon as the have guaranteed money coming from them that other shows cannot produce, even when putting on absolute dog shit shows. 

Interesting that WCW died because their model became “It doesn’t matter any more how good the wrestling show is, the company is losing too much money” and WWE will endure because their model has become “It doesn’t matter any more how bad the wrestling show is, the company is making enough money.”

[Carbomb]

10 hours ago, andrew "the ref" coyne said:

I think everyone is over thinking the comparison. Ultimately it's just an interesting (and daunting) "did you know" type fact.

I think it also goes to show why WWE are married to this deal; for a right wing publically traded company, it's harder to justify why you have a deal with Saudi Arabia.

I'd argue it's easier: a purportedly left-wing company wouldn't be able to justify it by any means at all. The most commonly-stated justification stated by the capitalist right wing is that the only responsibility a company has is to make a profit, for both its owners and its shareholders.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

1 hour ago, Carbomb said:

I'd argue it's easier: a purportedly left-wing company wouldn't be able to justify it by any means at all. The most commonly-stated justification stated by the capitalist right wing is that the only responsibility a company has is to make a profit, for both its owners and its shareholders.

You're absolutely right. I made a error on my post which I've fixed.

But yeah, I basically meant right wing thinking is profit comes first for business.

[Carbomb]

Ah, fair enough! 

[mim731]

7 hours ago, Carbomb said:

I'd argue it's easier: a purportedly left-wing company wouldn't be able to justify it by any means at all. .

While I 100% agree, to go off on a tangent somewhat, can we identify what an example of a left wing wrestling company on that level might look like? I'm struggling to think of anyone who past or present fits the bill. 

[Carbomb]

6 minutes ago, mim731 said:

While I 100% agree, to go off on a tangent somewhat, can we identify what an example of a left wing wrestling company on that level might look like? I'm struggling to think of anyone who past or present fits the bill. 

There isn't one, and there probably hasn't ever been one - it'd have to be a workers-run co-operative. Mind you, there are probably a few that have decent ethics; Pro Wrestling EVE, from what I've heard, seems to be quite good.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

4 hours ago, Carbomb said:

There isn't one, and there probably hasn't ever been one - it'd have to be a workers-run co-operative. Mind you, there are probably a few that have decent ethics; Pro Wrestling EVE, from what I've heard, seems to be quite good.

I would encourage people to take a look at Deathmatch Downunder, a promotion I work for in Aus.

I huge focus is on inclusion, respecting Aboriginal sovereignty, creating a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community, the exclusion of those who were called out during standing up, and generally has a very positive and cooperative backstage atmosphere.

Ultimately it comes down to the mission statement behind the promotion.

[The Dart]

11 hours ago, andrew "the ref" coyne said:

the exclusion of those who were called out during standing up

Seems a bit unreasonable.

[mim731]

17 hours ago, Carbomb said:

There isn't one, and there probably hasn't ever been one - it'd have to be a workers-run co-operative. Mind you, there are probably a few that have decent ethics; Pro Wrestling EVE, from what I've heard, seems to be quite good.

I agree, it's probably not possible for such a thing to really exist within that industry. Riptide was another one that had built a reputation for a strong ethical, inclusive perspective as a promotion, but between Covid and Speaking Out (not them being implicated, just the whole effect on the scene in general) I think they've decided not to continue as a promotion, which is a shame.