The UKFF [Nearly-Official] Questions Thread

[Stylin_and_Profilin]

Is Unforgiven a freebie on SKY Sports tonight ?

[Kenny McBride]

I've always wondered how Meltzer and co. manage to get inside information on WWE, TNA etc. Surely Vince would stop them from going backstage?Anybody care to shed some light on it?

The likes of Jim Ross and Jim Cornette are pretty well known as friends and informers to Meltzer. There are and were plenty of other big names and senior office guys that keep Meltzer and the like well informed. Even McMahon himself has, at times, talked to Meltzer. I think I heard Dave say recently that he hasn't talked to Vince for a while, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't still lines of communication open.

[Jonathan Ford]

Any idea when we'll be seeing Shawn Michaels again?

[Guest Josh Jenkins]

Is Unforgiven a freebie on SKY Sports tonight ?

Tis indeed.

[Magnum Milano]

What happened to Smarkschoice?

According to someone, they'd stopped paying for hosting ages ago, and the host eventually kicked em. It's on an Invision Free board now, which is at http://z11.invisionfree.com/Goonieschoice/index.php

[Shaine]

Anyone know who TOOL was in XPW?

[Storm1:08]

I've always wondered how Meltzer and co. manage to get inside information on WWE, TNA etc. Surely Vince would stop them from going backstage?Anybody care to shed some light on it?

The likes of Jim Ross and Jim Cornette are pretty well known as friends and informers to Meltzer. There are and were plenty of other big names and senior office guys that keep Meltzer and the like well informed. Even McMahon himself has, at times, talked to Meltzer. I think I heard Dave say recently that he hasn't talked to Vince for a while, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't still lines of communication open.

I remember Big Dave saying the last time he spoke to Vince was just before the Invasion angle began, Vince called Meltzer asking for advice. During the steroid scandal of the 80's/90's, they'd talk almost everyday i believe.

[Big Rob]

When Benoit died Brian Alvarez from F4Weekly wrote about Benoit being a subscriber and that they would chat every few months, which amazed me. I always thought Benoit would be an old school guy that would kill a sheetwriter if he saw one in the street.

These were the same journalists that hyped Benoit as one of the best ever, and in general were big advocates of the influx of junior heavyweights in the mid nineties, so it's unsurprising that Benoit would talk to guys like Alverez.

[Cult-Of-PersonalityV2]

How do they work out a PPV pay off in the WWE?

[JNLister]

How do they work out a PPV pay off in the WWE?

WWE's gets its share of the PPV revenue, then allocates a chunk of this to wrestler payoffs. It's a very low percentage, around the 15% mark. The individual payoffs are a combination of your position on the card (not literally the match order, but the order of importance) and how well the show does.Traditionally the formula was skewed very heavily in favour of the main eventers. For example, at SummerSlam 1998, the payoffs were about $500,000 each for the main event (Austin & Undertaker), $50,000 for the semi-main (HHH & Rock), $25,000 for the third top match (Outlaws vs Kane/Mankind) and then everyone else on $20,000 or $15,000.These days I believe there's a bit more even spread in the 'money' matches because they rely a little less on individual matches to draw, plus in theory the Raw & Smackdown top matches should both be 'main event' level. However, there's still a major flaw in the payoff system in that main eventing on a poorly drawing show will almost always be much more lucrative than being in the midcard of a well-drawing show. This means the much vaunted "doing the right thing for business" isn't necessarily the best financial move for the individual concerned. Edited September 19, 2007 by JNLister

[Cult-Of-PersonalityV2]

Thanks Mr Lister. I never knew the gulf in pay was so big between the main event and semi main event.It must be interesting how they divide up the WrestleMania money, since it sells out before any matches are even announced.

[JNLister]

Yeah, but the pay per view revenue does vary drastically depending on how well the show does. Also that's one of the reasons they have so many multi-man matches and cameos - they try to get as many people on the show to make sure they are eligible for a Mania payoff, which is seen as a sort of unofficial annual bonus.One of the big problems with Hogan's appearances (particularly 19 I believe) was that he was expecting old-style main event money (he used to get in the one million range), whereas WrestleMania above all other shows is now more of a package show on top rather than a single main event.

[Lee]

There was a great issue of the F4W a couple of years ago where Alvarez went backstage at WWE events when Buddy Wayne was doing jobs for them.When someone (Harvey Wippleman?) asked who he was, Buddy said he was his little brother Barry.

Do you know which issue this is? I'd quite like to give that a read but don't fancy trawling through the archives looking for it.

[nomad]

F4W~! #424 - Two days on the road with WWE - August 11, 2003

[gimmick]

Anyone have any idea what the release date is for PWG BOLA 2007? Its available on pre order from both Highspots and the PWG site. Though after my recent pre order experience Im reckoning once bitten twice shy.