Aug. 10, 2025

WWE's ESPN Deal Shakes Up Wrestling Industry

WWE's ESPN Deal Shakes Up Wrestling Industry

Join us as we discuss the latest news on ESPN acquiring the rights to WWE PLE events. Plus, more thoughts on Brock Lesnar's return to WWE, details on how it went down, and the latest on AEW and the build to Forbidden Door.

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WEBVTT

00:03.908 --> 00:04.748
[SPEAKER_03]: Leave me to do it!

00:04.768 --> 00:05.789
[UNKNOWN]: It is no pain!

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[SPEAKER_03]: The better it is, the better it was, and the better the will be.

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[SPEAKER_03]: And you know it.

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[SPEAKER_03]: We're back here in my eyes.

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[SPEAKER_03]: The only one in my eyes.

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[SPEAKER_03]: And now I reach you.

00:32.022 --> 00:34.605
[SPEAKER_02]: episode three, nine and three of top row of nation.

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[SPEAKER_02]: It's a Sunday morning coming at you here live coffee in the mug ready to talk to the latest news in the world of professional wrestling.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Just enjoy how you do in this morning.

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[SPEAKER_01]: doing good gonna apologize in advance of anybody here's chatter behind me, but I've got an active household up above me.

00:54.542 --> 00:56.003
[SPEAKER_01]: But I've been that I'm doing great.

00:56.043 --> 00:57.904
[SPEAKER_01]: We had a little family movie night last night.

00:57.984 --> 01:01.487
[SPEAKER_01]: Watch the K-pop demon hunters on Netflix.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Oh my God.

01:03.148 --> 01:03.829
[SPEAKER_01]: Dude, I liked it.

01:03.989 --> 01:04.890
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was really fun.

01:05.410 --> 01:06.992
[SPEAKER_02]: My oldest daughter is in the room here.

01:07.012 --> 01:08.132
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not gonna put her on the show.

01:10.354 --> 01:13.537
[SPEAKER_02]: Justin and the family watch K-pop demon hunters last year.

01:17.443 --> 01:19.984
[SPEAKER_02]: My oldest two kids are obsessed with that.

01:20.284 --> 01:21.805
[SPEAKER_02]: And yes, they like to eat.

01:22.185 --> 01:22.785
[SPEAKER_02]: It's really good.

01:23.085 --> 01:23.625
[SPEAKER_02]: So to pump.

01:24.325 --> 01:24.846
[SPEAKER_02]: So to pop.

01:25.046 --> 01:25.526
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, indeed.

01:25.786 --> 01:26.966
[SPEAKER_02]: I've heard it many times.

01:30.367 --> 01:31.588
[SPEAKER_02]: Jesse, how are you doing this morning?

01:32.488 --> 01:34.149
[SPEAKER_00]: to give you the PG version of this.

01:34.889 --> 01:35.349
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm short.

01:35.909 --> 01:36.429
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm bald.

01:37.050 --> 01:37.850
[SPEAKER_00]: I can't get any women.

01:38.130 --> 01:39.410
[SPEAKER_00]: I've been fighting mine tire life.

01:41.651 --> 01:42.911
[SPEAKER_01]: That's how it's not women.

01:44.092 --> 01:45.952
[SPEAKER_02]: PG version.

01:46.013 --> 01:46.733
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not PG.

01:48.273 --> 01:49.754
[SPEAKER_02]: I sure I should carry over here.

01:52.655 --> 01:53.235
[SPEAKER_02]: It was a bad word.

01:53.675 --> 01:56.917
[SPEAKER_02]: Sorry, last time she was in the office when we did a show, she counted the bad words.

01:57.237 --> 01:58.218
[SPEAKER_00]: That was very curious.

01:58.238 --> 01:59.259
[SPEAKER_02]: That was your point.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, no, she's not listening the earbuds this time.

02:03.261 --> 02:05.463
[SPEAKER_02]: No, yeah, I actually have been out of town all week.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Took the family to Chicago.

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[SPEAKER_02]: We're there.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I am way behind on wrestling.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously we did the summer slam shows.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Did not see any of raw.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So a little bit of dynamite in our hotel.

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[SPEAKER_02]: But had a great time in Chicago, great food, went to some awesome museums, field museums, Museum of Science and Industry, Adler Planetarium, got to the bear's pro shop at soldier field, lot of stuff.

02:28.517 --> 02:37.902
[SPEAKER_02]: And wrestling was pretty far off in my mind until my phone started pinging about this ESPN deal, and then I'm like, all right.

02:38.802 --> 02:41.285
[SPEAKER_02]: I got to see what's going on with ESPN.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So we're going to get into all of that here on the show guys.

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[SPEAKER_02]: If you're joining us live right now, please hit like and subscribe on the YouTube channel.

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[SPEAKER_02]: If you haven't already, you would help out our show a whole lot as we continue to try to grow this thing.

02:54.658 --> 02:58.482
[SPEAKER_02]: We just hit our nine year anniversary Justin about two weeks ago.

02:59.102 --> 03:01.464
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I guess technically we are now in our tenth year.

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[SPEAKER_02]: of top rope nation.

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[SPEAKER_02]: The ten year anniversary would be next summer, but we are technically in our tenth year.

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[SPEAKER_02]: We've been at this a long time.

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[SPEAKER_02]: If you could recommend our show to a friend, we'd really appreciate that.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to put the names of all of our patrons across the bottom of the screen right now.

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[SPEAKER_02]: They are the people who really make top rope nation go closing in on four hundred episodes.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks to all of you for your support.

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[SPEAKER_02]: And if you want to become a patron, check the link in the description.

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[SPEAKER_02]: bonus content dropping each and every week full podcast only for patrons, including top real nation classes going back to look at summer slam, nineteen ninety here in the next couple of weeks.

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[SPEAKER_02]: We got that one on deck.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So check it out.

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[SPEAKER_02]: There's over two hundred plus bonus shows available.

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[SPEAKER_02]: The minute you sign up, you can also become a YouTube member here on the YouTube page and get video versions of most of our bonus shows as well.

03:52.385 --> 03:57.346
[SPEAKER_01]: We've done so many classics that I have no idea which shows we have and haven't done.

03:57.386 --> 03:58.306
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm honestly shocked.

03:58.326 --> 04:00.206
[SPEAKER_01]: We've never done Summerslam in nineteen ninety.

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[SPEAKER_01]: If you had asked me beforehand, if we'd done it, oh, yeah, it's got to be in the archives.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I had to think about it.

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[SPEAKER_02]: But then I remember we did eighty nine.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So it was like close.

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[SPEAKER_02]: We did the eighty nine show, you know, Zeus and all of that.

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[SPEAKER_02]: But we haven't done ninety.

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[SPEAKER_02]: We did ninety one.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So I guess we're bridging that gap to an eighty nine and ninety one here.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Which Summerslam's have we done?

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[SPEAKER_02]: We did ninety eight.

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[SPEAKER_02]: That's exactly the eighty nine.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Yep.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: No.

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[SPEAKER_00]: No.

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[SPEAKER_00]: No.

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[SPEAKER_00]: No.

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[SPEAKER_00]: No.

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[SPEAKER_00]: No.

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[SPEAKER_02]: All right, so let's get into it.

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[SPEAKER_02]: You guys, WWE and ESPN announced a deal this week, a five year deal, three hundred and twenty five million dollars per year for the US broadcasting rights to all WWE PLD events.

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[SPEAKER_02]: This does not include the NXT shows that could be shot around.

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[SPEAKER_02]: and a different deal.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Well, this is the main roster.

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[SPEAKER_02]: WWE PLE shows starting with WrestleMania next year.

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[SPEAKER_02]: That will be WrestleMania forty two.

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[SPEAKER_02]: That will be the first show to air on the service.

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[SPEAKER_02]: This new ESPN direct to consumer app is launching here very soon.

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[SPEAKER_02]: with WWE joining it early next year.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So lots of information going around this week on what this means for the pro wrestling industry, what this means for WWE fans, the cost of the service, twenty nine ninety nine per month.

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[SPEAKER_02]: or two hundred and ninety nine dollars per year is the deal at two ninety nine ninety nine it includes access to all of the shows on ESPN it's going to have the NFL network on their eventually as well.

05:51.573 --> 05:53.013
[SPEAKER_02]: So you're going to be getting a lot.

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[SPEAKER_02]: It's going to be different from the current ESPN plus service.

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[SPEAKER_02]: And I guess the first concern wrestling fans had, obviously, is might have to pay almost three times as much money if not more, depending what tier you're on on peacock for WWE PLEs now.

06:10.156 --> 06:15.137
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I felt personally that the communication on this new deal was very bad.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I usually WWE's PR and everything that really on top of everything.

06:20.247 --> 06:33.670
[SPEAKER_02]: And then it came out that, well, if you have access to ESPN cable, you know, the regular channel through a cable service or some streaming services, then you'll get the new ESPN app for free.

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[SPEAKER_02]: You'll just simply open up the app and you'll log in with your cable credentials and then you'll get the service.

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[SPEAKER_02]: You want to pay the twenty-nine ninety-nine.

06:41.085 --> 06:43.107
[SPEAKER_02]: So then a lot of people relaxed, you know.

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[SPEAKER_02]: But then it came out later from CNBC and confirmed by Dave Meltzer in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter that YouTube TV, which is the number one streaming cable platform.

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[SPEAKER_02]: currently does not have a deal with ESPN for this service, just it's celebrating.

07:04.130 --> 07:06.071
[SPEAKER_02]: So that could change, obviously.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, there's several months to go here.

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[SPEAKER_02]: And I know that their ESPN, they're hoping to work out a deal with basically every cable system and every streaming provider right now.

07:18.221 --> 07:20.682
[SPEAKER_02]: So that everybody can get it because the thought is,

07:21.808 --> 07:37.548
[SPEAKER_02]: And the cable providers, you know, perspective is she's if if we don't offer this to our subscribers and they realize that they can get all the SPN networks and a fel network for, you know, twenty nine ninety nine they might cancel their big time sports fans might cancel their cable then

07:38.088 --> 07:40.231
[SPEAKER_02]: And just go over there and save money.

07:40.311 --> 07:45.798
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, cable, I think cable subscribers to you, they want to make sure that this is all mesh together well.

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[SPEAKER_02]: And that you're going to give value to their, their subscribers, but YouTube TV, they do not have a deal right now, Justin.

07:51.825 --> 07:52.987
[SPEAKER_02]: How you feeling then?

07:53.687 --> 07:54.627
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I feel great.

07:54.708 --> 08:08.753
[SPEAKER_01]: I've been looking for any excuse or reason to not have to watch their PLEs anymore, but that is wild how they didn't have all this figured out and just the poor communication to your point of rolling this out and not really telling anybody what was going on.

08:09.053 --> 08:16.376
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, our Facebook group was all over the place with like trying to figure out how much is it going to cost to be a WWE fan now.

08:18.236 --> 08:19.717
[SPEAKER_01]: And I really don't understand how

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[SPEAKER_01]: This thing with YouTube TV isn't worked out.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I see your point, but like people are just going to ditch YouTube TV so they can pay less for only ESPN stuff, which I'm sorry for me.

08:34.269 --> 08:37.530
[SPEAKER_01]: There's just like, there's not much there anymore for ESPN.

08:37.550 --> 08:40.911
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's like, it's certainly not worth getting rid of everything else.

08:41.151 --> 08:45.173
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, when you think about all the other sports across all the other channels and platforms.

08:46.633 --> 08:47.594
[SPEAKER_01]: It's really weird.

08:47.634 --> 08:51.277
[SPEAKER_01]: This feels really disjointed and confusing.

08:52.477 --> 09:01.563
[SPEAKER_01]: And I would fully expect them to have this iron out with YouTube TV before WrestleMania next year because that would be shocking.

09:01.603 --> 09:07.027
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I would be a okay with it if that's not the case, but yeah, I think they'll figure it out.

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[SPEAKER_02]: I'll just read this real quick on your thoughts, Jesse, from the observer, word for word.

09:13.006 --> 09:21.851
[SPEAKER_02]: Dave wrote, those who get ESPN on direct TV, who live charter cable, fluo TV, and Verizon Fios will be able to get the new service free.

09:22.331 --> 09:25.813
[SPEAKER_02]: Those who have YouTube TV will not be able to get this free.

09:26.554 --> 09:32.958
[SPEAKER_02]: While not stated anywhere by the company, the belief is that those with Comcast, Exfinity, Dish, Hawksling,

09:34.278 --> 09:37.499
[SPEAKER_02]: Frontier, Concecha, Concecha, I don't even know what that is.

09:37.779 --> 09:39.599
[SPEAKER_02]: We don't have that in the Midwest cable one.

09:39.999 --> 09:43.440
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll not get the service for free as of this moment.

09:43.720 --> 09:51.962
[SPEAKER_02]: Although this is all they work in progress and this could and is expected to change shortly.

09:52.002 --> 10:02.744
[SPEAKER_02]: He writes this has to do with those having long-term carriage agreements with the SPN and they will be negotiating with the others and hope to have most of them by the end of this year well before the WWE deal commences.

10:03.699 --> 10:08.923
[SPEAKER_02]: even though the deal announced that all ESPN subscribers would have access to the new service.

10:09.363 --> 10:15.087
[SPEAKER_02]: It appears at this point to be closer to forty seven percent that will have it as of today.

10:15.567 --> 10:24.773
[SPEAKER_02]: But again, working progress, that percentage is expected to be much higher by Russell many a time next year, which would be the first show of the new deal.

10:25.414 --> 10:30.457
[SPEAKER_02]: So, yeah, I mean, I definitely expected YouTube TV to be part of this.

10:31.138 --> 10:32.458
[SPEAKER_02]: And as of right now,

10:33.680 --> 10:39.251
[SPEAKER_02]: It, accordingly, to CSCNBC and Dave, it is not your thoughts, Jesse.

10:41.628 --> 10:43.968
[SPEAKER_00]: I think when the wind blows, that's when things change.

10:44.369 --> 10:47.889
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is so early on the early onset stages.

10:47.909 --> 10:51.690
[SPEAKER_00]: We're still looking at that would be eight months until everything's rolled out.

10:51.810 --> 10:56.031
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're all in a wait and see pattern right now.

10:56.451 --> 11:00.192
[SPEAKER_00]: I think if you're doing the math in your head, because you just mentioned sling, that's what I have.

11:00.912 --> 11:06.513
[SPEAKER_00]: And I just figured if I were to pay an extra ten bucks a month to the next subscription up, that's when I can get ESPN.

11:06.793 --> 11:10.754
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, for me, the only time I would ever watch that is during football season, if the

11:11.334 --> 11:16.238
[SPEAKER_00]: Vikings are on Monday night otherwise I don't really I don't watch anything ESPN related anymore.

11:16.278 --> 11:18.199
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's just the way of the land and how

11:19.290 --> 11:24.292
[SPEAKER_00]: from a sports perspective is just I can T and T, like picks up a lot of things.

11:24.312 --> 11:27.453
[SPEAKER_00]: They have basketball, but now they're just moving to their moving to NBC again.

11:27.513 --> 11:30.194
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a revolving door of all this stuff moving around.

11:30.274 --> 11:36.957
[SPEAKER_00]: So I guess been in the, just to wrap this summary up, it's just one of those wait and see patterns.

11:37.117 --> 11:42.619
[SPEAKER_00]: Cause again, for the first time in a long time, WWPR wasn't on point with everything.

11:42.639 --> 11:45.941
[SPEAKER_00]: Cause the way you just read it, I'm super confused.

11:45.981 --> 11:48.622
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm just gonna have to wait until twenty twenty six to figure everything out.

11:49.603 --> 12:12.670
[SPEAKER_01]: So I guess to try and lay it all out there, beginning next year in order to watch everything WWE related, you're gonna need Netflix for raw, you're gonna need some sort of cable provider for SmackDown and NXT because they're on what is at CW and what the fuck is SmackDown on now, USA?

12:12.790 --> 12:14.411
[SPEAKER_01]: USA.

12:14.631 --> 12:18.012
[SPEAKER_01]: And then you might possibly have to have this ESPN app

12:19.899 --> 12:27.767
[SPEAKER_01]: If, you know, if they don't get this YouTube TV resolved, and then I think the biggest question for me, not I don't think.

12:27.947 --> 12:31.551
[SPEAKER_01]: The biggest question for me, and I'm sure you guys is, where's the library going?

12:32.072 --> 12:34.154
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, is that going to go to another platform?

12:35.410 --> 12:36.131
[SPEAKER_02]: We will get to that.

12:36.631 --> 12:39.173
[SPEAKER_02]: But that is, yeah, that is not part of this deal at all.

12:39.274 --> 12:41.436
[SPEAKER_02]: This is, yeah, only the PLEs.

12:41.556 --> 12:44.158
[SPEAKER_02]: Now with that, there's going to be tons of promotion.

12:44.398 --> 12:49.303
[SPEAKER_02]: They're going to be doing, I guess, live sports centers from the sites of WBPLEs.

12:50.224 --> 12:53.146
[SPEAKER_02]: It'll be interesting to see how like the traditional sports fans react to that.

12:54.027 --> 12:59.052
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, but, you know, they're going to begin huge pushes all the talents and all the talk shows, you know, and all of that.

12:59.492 --> 13:00.313
[SPEAKER_02]: I agree with all you guys.

13:00.393 --> 13:02.815
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't watch much much ESPN at all these days.

13:03.035 --> 13:11.162
[SPEAKER_02]: I have ESPN plus because I have it with this bundle with like Hulu and Disney at a price this night, even offered anymore.

13:11.182 --> 13:13.344
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm like grandfathered into when it all launched.

13:13.524 --> 13:15.326
[SPEAKER_02]: So I still have it for a pretty cheap price.

13:15.626 --> 13:17.367
[SPEAKER_02]: But the only time I watch ESPN plus

13:18.068 --> 13:22.417
[SPEAKER_02]: is like occasionally during college basketball season to get games that are on the main channels.

13:23.118 --> 13:23.719
[SPEAKER_02]: That's about it.

13:23.740 --> 13:26.766
[SPEAKER_02]: I would not pay thirty dollars for it.

13:26.906 --> 13:29.030
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just the value is not there for me.

13:30.702 --> 13:50.634
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, there's a pretty good breakdown in this from Alex Sherman of CNBC and Dave has this quoted in the observer and he basically lays out how the whole thing is gonna work and you know that what I was trying to get at and explain the flux of this could lead to between different cable companies and people like changing cable companies get access and all that.

13:51.735 --> 13:55.977
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm just gonna read what Alex Sherman wrote because I could try to summarize this.

13:56.037 --> 13:58.179
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll just lay it out there in his own words.

13:59.065 --> 14:07.813
[SPEAKER_02]: So he said, anyone who currently pays her a bundle TV networks that includes the SPN, will eventually get ESPN's direct consumer service for no extra charge.

14:07.833 --> 14:12.336
[SPEAKER_02]: You'll download or click on the ESPN app on your mobile device or smart TV.

14:12.797 --> 14:15.779
[SPEAKER_02]: There'll be a login screen that asks you of your pay TV subscriber.

14:16.480 --> 14:22.342
[SPEAKER_02]: You'll then be able to authenticate that you do, in fact, pay for traditional pay TV and get ESPN in your bundle.

14:22.942 --> 14:27.484
[SPEAKER_02]: Once you authenticate, you'll get access to the new ESPN direct to consumer product with everything in it.

14:27.564 --> 14:39.308
[SPEAKER_02]: That means starting in two thousand and twenty six, you let access to all the WWE PLEs, as well as everything else that's on ESPN like Monday Night Football and BA Games, not the NFL Network yet eventually.

14:39.629 --> 14:41.009
[SPEAKER_02]: That deal needs to close first.

14:41.329 --> 14:46.111
[SPEAKER_02]: But once it does, then NFL Network and the games that air on it will be integrated into the direct

14:46.231 --> 14:47.131
[SPEAKER_02]: consumer service.

14:47.972 --> 14:51.954
[SPEAKER_02]: The WWE live events won't be available on ESPN+.

14:52.074 --> 14:56.075
[SPEAKER_02]: You'll need to upgrade to the twenty nine ninety nine ESPN product.

14:56.776 --> 15:01.278
[SPEAKER_02]: But to be clear, if you're a cable subscriber that gets ESPN, you'll get it for another extra charge.

15:02.138 --> 15:06.100
[SPEAKER_02]: And ESPN will not charge an additional fee for the live events.

15:06.520 --> 15:12.403
[SPEAKER_02]: No return to paper view here like ESPN has done with some UFC events on ESPN+.

15:14.038 --> 15:19.420
[SPEAKER_02]: and then regarding the different companies that don't have deals yet for their subscribers to get on ESPN.

15:20.581 --> 15:28.364
[SPEAKER_02]: Sherman writes, I'm told discussions with all of these pay TV providers are ongoing, and Disney hopes to have most of them done by the end of the year.

15:28.764 --> 15:36.988
[SPEAKER_02]: It's still unclear to me at this point if Disney can accelerate some of these discussions if their pay TV carriage renewals aren't until twenty-two thousand and twenty-six.

15:37.528 --> 15:43.391
[SPEAKER_02]: Long term, ESPN plans to have authentication deals with every major pay TV distributor

15:44.071 --> 15:51.723
[SPEAKER_02]: Disney doesn't want existing cable cuppingers, customers leaving the bundle just because ESPN is now available outside of it.

15:52.384 --> 15:56.871
[SPEAKER_02]: But when the application is ready for showtime on August twenty first for their launch.

15:57.724 --> 16:03.506
[SPEAKER_02]: They are going to be a bunch of pay TV subscribers who aren't going to get their authentication access that they're paying for.

16:04.007 --> 16:08.048
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's possible that that may lead to some pay TV distribution swapping.

16:08.428 --> 16:19.093
[SPEAKER_02]: In other words, if I'm a YouTube TV subscriber and I want ESPN's direct to consumer product now, maybe I switch to direct TV or charter if I live in that territory.

16:19.933 --> 16:24.955
[SPEAKER_02]: So obviously, ESPN wants to reach a deal with those operators.

16:25.596 --> 16:31.919
[SPEAKER_02]: And ultimately, when they reach the deal, probably your provider will send you an email and let you know that you could get this new ESPN service now.

16:31.999 --> 16:34.500
[SPEAKER_02]: But that's the deal.

16:35.360 --> 16:37.941
[SPEAKER_02]: So Justin, you brought up the archive.

16:38.421 --> 16:41.983
[SPEAKER_02]: That's something that they're going to be shopping in a secondary deal.

16:42.944 --> 16:47.846
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's possible, you know, like some have assumed that that would end up in on Netflix.

16:49.087 --> 16:54.011
[SPEAKER_02]: Netflix was never going to be in the running for this, based on what they were going to have to pay.

16:54.771 --> 17:10.644
[SPEAKER_02]: The amount of new Netflix subscribers that Netflix would need to draw in to pay for a deal like this for acquiring the WWE PLE rights would simply not happen because they already have the WWE customers from robbing there.

17:10.704 --> 17:15.307
[SPEAKER_02]: And they would have to pay out even more to land this and then hope to get more subscribers to cover that cost.

17:16.349 --> 17:17.874
[SPEAKER_02]: and it's just not going to happen.

17:18.396 --> 17:19.400
[SPEAKER_02]: So they were out.

17:20.789 --> 17:23.430
[SPEAKER_02]: Some people thought Peacock might be in here.

17:23.670 --> 17:29.493
[SPEAKER_02]: Peacock was paying about a hundred and ninety million dollars per year for the current deal with WWE.

17:29.713 --> 17:35.876
[SPEAKER_02]: And now WWE gets three hundred and twenty five million per year to move to ESPN and it's only the PLEUS.

17:36.316 --> 17:41.038
[SPEAKER_02]: Peacock paid all that and they were getting basically everything, right?

17:41.098 --> 17:48.562
[SPEAKER_02]: Like the whole archive, all the exclusive rights to the PLE, TV on demand with the delay so they weren't competing with cable.

17:49.605 --> 17:51.732
[SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, we don't know where the archives are going to end up.

17:51.752 --> 17:55.184
[SPEAKER_02]: And obviously for fans like us, that's of the utmost importance.

17:56.348 --> 18:00.729
[SPEAKER_02]: When you look at the majority though, there archive actually does not do that many views.

18:00.790 --> 18:02.350
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm told, unfortunately.

18:02.630 --> 18:05.291
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's not, that is not their chief concern.

18:05.691 --> 18:13.954
[SPEAKER_02]: And this gets to a bigger problem in the streaming world is we've seen people move away from physical media and just relying on streaming.

18:14.314 --> 18:19.716
[SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of a reminder that if you rely on digital streaming, you never actually own that stuff.

18:19.976 --> 18:23.197
[SPEAKER_02]: And it could just vanish.

18:23.237 --> 18:25.878
[SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes it has me, they can maybe go back to physical media.

18:26.902 --> 18:27.442
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

18:28.583 --> 18:35.545
[SPEAKER_01]: We share a Fandango account previously voodoo with my brother-in-law in like for years there.

18:35.605 --> 18:40.467
[SPEAKER_01]: He was, you know, buying a ton of movies all the time, which was great, you know, for us.

18:41.528 --> 18:49.451
[SPEAKER_01]: But to your point, you know, it got to, it's like, well, shit, what if Fandango just collapses and goes away, you know, then all your stuff has just poof gone.

18:51.080 --> 18:53.302
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's, yeah, it's a weird world we're living right now.

18:53.422 --> 19:11.636
[SPEAKER_01]: And in the next thing I want to talk about, or at least ask you guys, because I don't know if it's good or bad, is if WWE sends their library to a completely different spot other than Netflix or, you know, this ESPN thing, something like, is it good?

19:12.457 --> 19:21.969
[SPEAKER_01]: to have your product scattered across so many different services, because I think we're living in an age where, you know,

19:22.998 --> 19:26.139
[SPEAKER_01]: Times are getting tight, you know, the economy's not doing all that great.

19:26.259 --> 19:32.320
[SPEAKER_01]: I think a lot of people myself included are looking to cut ties, you know, to cut the cord with certain streaming services.

19:34.240 --> 19:35.920
[SPEAKER_01]: That could be a really bad thing.

19:35.980 --> 19:49.283
[SPEAKER_01]: I think to have your product scattered like that, but then also maybe they're thinking, well, maybe more eyeballs, you know, it's like if they're not watching here, you know, maybe they'll see it here and that'll make them want the product that's over on this other streaming service.

19:49.323 --> 19:51.543
[SPEAKER_01]: So I don't know, what do you guys think about, you know, that?

19:53.252 --> 19:59.155
[SPEAKER_00]: I think convenience wins in this aspect, you don't want to be going to multiple places.

19:59.295 --> 20:01.936
[SPEAKER_00]: And the older we get, we're like, what is this on again?

20:02.116 --> 20:02.716
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't remember.

20:02.856 --> 20:04.197
[SPEAKER_00]: Memory just starts to go.

20:04.637 --> 20:07.758
[SPEAKER_00]: I think for the younger viewers, they don't mind like, oh, it's on this cool.

20:07.839 --> 20:08.679
[SPEAKER_00]: My parents have that.

20:08.739 --> 20:10.560
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, I'll just leech on with them.

20:11.460 --> 20:13.843
[SPEAKER_00]: on my end the answer would be convenience.

20:14.564 --> 20:16.926
[SPEAKER_00]: So try to keep it within two apps maybe three.

20:17.727 --> 20:21.692
[SPEAKER_00]: I get peacock also with my sling provider too.

20:21.932 --> 20:30.462
[SPEAKER_00]: So I guess there's just one of those things where it's like I'm never gonna go back to peacock unless they keep the library and what good is that gonna be for peacock?

20:31.065 --> 20:32.806
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's the thing.

20:32.846 --> 20:38.871
[SPEAKER_01]: It's me thinking about if they move the library somewhere else is I didn't get peacock just for the library.

20:39.132 --> 20:42.835
[SPEAKER_01]: I got it because that gets me Premier League a lot of mornings when it's not on cable.

20:43.175 --> 20:44.836
[SPEAKER_01]: They do have a lot of great movies.

20:44.856 --> 20:49.080
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I consider myself a little bit of a cinephile, watched heretic the other day.

20:49.140 --> 20:49.780
[SPEAKER_01]: That was quite good.

20:49.840 --> 20:50.521
[SPEAKER_01]: Not on peacock.

20:50.541 --> 20:51.061
[SPEAKER_01]: That's on max.

20:52.102 --> 20:57.125
[SPEAKER_01]: But like so I'm not going to get rid of peacock if it moves away from there.

20:57.825 --> 21:01.307
[SPEAKER_01]: But that also means wherever it moves to if it's a service I don't have.

21:01.927 --> 21:06.329
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if I'm going to get that because it's probably going to mean I have to cut cords with something else that I already have.

21:07.670 --> 21:20.514
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I don't believe that they view, I mean, obviously, they don't, they don't view the library as being something that they can monetize to the level of the PLDs, just based on where they're, what the figures say and their analytics on the viewership of that old material.

21:20.934 --> 21:23.915
[SPEAKER_02]: So officially, I hope it stays on P Cox since it's already there.

21:24.095 --> 21:28.377
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, remember when they moved there from the network and how we had to wait for all the stuff to get uploaded?

21:29.477 --> 21:30.478
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, I'll also too.

21:30.558 --> 21:32.840
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not a huge fan of how the raw library moved in Netflix.

21:32.860 --> 21:35.222
[SPEAKER_02]: They don't have the complete library there even now.

21:35.422 --> 21:39.065
[SPEAKER_02]: Like several years only have a few episodes up and that is all just vanished.

21:39.165 --> 21:44.550
[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, if you want to see certain episodes of raw from the past, you're going to have to go to other means to find it.

21:45.250 --> 21:49.552
[SPEAKER_02]: So yeah, to Aaron's point in the chat, that is one of the backups.

21:49.592 --> 21:52.153
[SPEAKER_02]: And this is why they've been with the WWE Vault.

21:52.213 --> 21:56.876
[SPEAKER_02]: And then they launched the WCW channel on YouTube as well.

21:56.916 --> 21:59.497
[SPEAKER_02]: They're posting all WCW archival content.

21:59.577 --> 22:03.259
[SPEAKER_02]: I think long-term, they think that they'll just put that up on YouTube.

22:03.279 --> 22:05.039
[SPEAKER_02]: Because they're going to be paid for it with YouTube ads.

22:05.860 --> 22:07.160
[SPEAKER_02]: So they're making money off of it.

22:07.260 --> 22:09.842
[SPEAKER_02]: And to them, based on where their viewership is,

22:10.884 --> 22:14.309
[SPEAKER_02]: They probably just think that that's the thing to do long term is just to upload the vault.

22:15.707 --> 22:20.270
[SPEAKER_02]: to YouTube and just make ad revenue on it and have it all available there as much of it as they can.

22:20.310 --> 22:23.071
[SPEAKER_02]: Now we're talking about thousands and thousands of hours.

22:23.131 --> 22:32.176
[SPEAKER_02]: You're probably never going to get as much as we have right now on peacock and certainly what we had on the network on YouTube, but maybe you'll get a high percentage of it.

22:32.617 --> 22:35.418
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think maybe long-term that's probably the direction they go in.

22:35.478 --> 22:42.903
[SPEAKER_02]: But certainly if they can get peacock or Netflix to pay up a little bit to have the archive, that's what's going to happen.

22:42.963 --> 22:43.643
[SPEAKER_02]: We know the archive

22:43.903 --> 22:45.344
[SPEAKER_02]: internationally moved to Netflix.

22:45.424 --> 22:51.528
[SPEAKER_02]: I saw that John Hope mentioned US people could get a VPN and access the UK version of Netflix also an option.

22:52.508 --> 23:03.215
[SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, I don't know Justin just to the point about physical media and all that a lot of this has me think and I need to invest and a good size hard drive and just download the content I want.

23:03.235 --> 23:07.638
[SPEAKER_02]: So I have it forever because you never know where this stuff is going to end up or if it's all going to vanish.

23:08.118 --> 23:09.719
[SPEAKER_02]: It sucks, but that's a reality of streaming.

23:11.597 --> 23:13.218
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, like, it's funny.

23:13.238 --> 23:20.921
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, for, you know, in my twenties, like, I spent a lot of money on DVDs and blue rays.

23:20.961 --> 23:27.683
[SPEAKER_01]: Then all of a sudden, you know, the streaming services came and it's like, oh, shit, I can basically watch all this, you know, it's like, I came close to us.

23:27.743 --> 23:30.224
[SPEAKER_01]: But I was like, oh, I guess, do I just throw all this crap away?

23:30.284 --> 23:31.525
[SPEAKER_01]: But luckily I didn't.

23:31.545 --> 23:38.128
[SPEAKER_01]: I just need to kind of compact it into a little bit smaller space than all the cases in boxes.

23:39.275 --> 23:41.916
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, man, I don't know what we do from here.

23:41.937 --> 23:42.837
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

23:43.758 --> 23:48.840
[SPEAKER_02]: No, it's weird how the cycles go in technology, where you get away from physical media, then people are streaming everything.

23:48.880 --> 23:52.202
[SPEAKER_02]: Now people are kind of going back to physical media, feel like here and there.

23:52.743 --> 23:59.987
[SPEAKER_02]: And also, you know, you see the jokes on social media about all these, you know, the streaming world we live in now and hang for all of these different services.

24:00.047 --> 24:04.869
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's like, you know, it would be great if I could get them all for one cost, like cable used to be.

24:07.227 --> 24:12.191
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, a chord cutting was great when it started, but they went every single person launched their own service.

24:12.251 --> 24:14.092
[SPEAKER_02]: It's costing you more than cable ever to.

24:14.915 --> 24:15.095
[SPEAKER_01]: Yep.

24:15.675 --> 24:16.156
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, man.

24:16.256 --> 24:17.176
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

24:17.616 --> 24:32.784
[SPEAKER_01]: It's thinking about the library and how like we're talking about what they just throw it on YouTube because the value isn't quite there, but also at the same time we just talked about how Netflix doesn't want to buy it because it's not valuable enough.

24:32.864 --> 24:39.307
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just, I don't know, it's in a weird spot and to your point, you know, just not enough people are going back and watching the old stuff.

24:40.731 --> 24:55.374
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I could see Netflix paying for the archive for, you know, obviously reduce rate, not what they're paying for the PLEs or what they would have had to pay for the PLEs to get those versus ESPN because, you know, they paid up for raw and they get the PLEs was just

24:56.115 --> 25:03.686
[SPEAKER_02]: Dave has the figures in the Observe where he talks about how many subscribers Netflix would have had to add in order to justify the cost for the PLV.

25:03.706 --> 25:06.870
[SPEAKER_02]: He's moving there here in the US and it was like there was no way.

25:06.971 --> 25:07.892
[SPEAKER_02]: They could rationalize it.

25:07.912 --> 25:10.716
[SPEAKER_02]: Just even based off of the viewership that Raw is doing over there.

25:11.413 --> 25:13.233
[SPEAKER_02]: and thinking that they would bring in more subscribers.

25:13.293 --> 25:17.134
[SPEAKER_02]: So, yeah, ESPN, twenty nine ninety nine.

25:17.394 --> 25:23.776
[SPEAKER_02]: If your cable company does not have an authorization code or if you don't have cable, it's going to cost you twenty nine ninety nine.

25:23.796 --> 25:29.277
[SPEAKER_02]: In WWE's quotes on this, we're very much that, oh, yeah, you know, our fans will follow us over there.

25:29.317 --> 25:31.698
[SPEAKER_02]: They followed us to peacock, but follow us there too.

25:32.098 --> 25:32.298
[SPEAKER_02]: Nope.

25:33.318 --> 25:39.340
[SPEAKER_02]: I would say I was nervous when I first heard about it that they might be

25:40.090 --> 25:56.873
[SPEAKER_02]: it might be returning to like a pay-per-view model, like UFC does, because I know that when they first launched the network, there were people in the company that thought they should not offer WrestleMania as part of that, that that should still be traditional pay-per-view and that they were gonna be losing out on a lot of revenue.

25:57.373 --> 26:07.375
[SPEAKER_02]: And so those people are still in the company, and they might get to a point where they think the B-level PLEs were not gonna charge extra for those, but look how much money we're leaving on the table.

26:08.035 --> 26:11.057
[SPEAKER_02]: by not charging at least a little bit for the signature events.

26:11.777 --> 26:22.544
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, also, I didn't mention this earlier, but the PLEs are also going to air on ESPN's proper cable channel, but not the whole thing.

26:23.164 --> 26:35.612
[SPEAKER_02]: So apparently what they're going to do is, you know, if you have ESPN in the cable channel, they might put like the first hour of the PLE on there or the first two hours, but like the big matches will be on the app, and then they'll try to

26:36.072 --> 26:45.397
[SPEAKER_02]: Funnel you over there either pay for the app or you know whatever you need to do, but they're gonna they're gonna have some some of that airing on broadcast on on on on cable apparently

26:46.726 --> 26:48.428
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, good or bad for the industry.

26:48.528 --> 26:49.849
[SPEAKER_02]: Obviously, this is good for WWE.

26:49.869 --> 26:52.112
[SPEAKER_02]: They're making a crap ton of money off of this deal.

26:52.933 --> 26:55.615
[SPEAKER_02]: They're going to get a ton of exposure on the ESPN shows.

26:55.896 --> 26:57.958
[SPEAKER_02]: They're going to get live sports centers, like I said.

26:58.318 --> 27:03.804
[SPEAKER_02]: For fans, I mean, ultimately, this might end up costing you more, depending on your situation with, you know, the cable companies.

27:03.844 --> 27:09.410
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's just, it's just another cost to being a wrestling fan, unfortunately, at two thousand and twenty five.

27:11.075 --> 27:17.748
[SPEAKER_01]: Man, with all that extra revenue, they're going to be able to hire so many more sex-offending executives to help them with their product.

27:18.369 --> 27:19.251
[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be incredible.

27:20.813 --> 27:34.039
[SPEAKER_02]: With all of this, as they would say, synergy between WWE and ESPN, I would really like to see with AEW and HBO and TNT and TBS.

27:34.139 --> 27:37.220
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to see a lot more collaboration there.

27:37.580 --> 27:46.784
[SPEAKER_02]: We see it here and there, but man, I would like to see them get more of a push because even when you go to watch Dynamite, it's usually not the featured top

27:47.384 --> 27:51.087
[SPEAKER_02]: image when you log in the app, you just have to scroll over one or two spots and then it's there.

27:51.567 --> 28:04.397
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to see them get more of a push because they're, I mean, they're obviously going to need that if we look at their flip side of the coin here with WWE doing all this with the SPN, they're going to need to bring in some kind of other sports platform to elevate them as well, I think.

28:05.218 --> 28:31.904
[SPEAKER_00]: see if you go on their actual website they're listed in the others and it's an alphabetical order so I think I have like the thirty five other topics in terms of your sports they're like number thirty one and I'm like men's and women's college basketball I could stuff so yeah I think a little bit of a highlight should be included for them yeah come so to their investment a w you know they're gonna have I think they have to platform them a little bit more as well

28:33.682 --> 28:34.182
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.

28:35.383 --> 28:37.703
[SPEAKER_02]: Anything else on this before we move forward, guys?

28:37.883 --> 28:38.504
[SPEAKER_02]: Any other thoughts?

28:38.864 --> 28:42.325
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think I, you know, thinking about all the pricing and stuff.

28:42.365 --> 28:45.866
[SPEAKER_01]: I do think this could be to your point in issue for AWS.

28:46.866 --> 29:01.251
[SPEAKER_01]: There are fans out there who have to do the thirty dollar ESPN app, you know, cause then when you're again, factoring in Netflix and your factoring possibly a cable provider that does not, you know, support this ESPN app is that

29:02.445 --> 29:15.291
[SPEAKER_01]: People are gonna be saying, oh, an extra thirty bucks a month, man, I guess I'll just stop buying AW paper views and that'll make up for it, you know, that it could eat in to people's AEW.

29:17.642 --> 29:17.842
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

29:18.462 --> 29:25.965
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, you know, that is, that's a reality too is we know that AW is eventually going to offer their paper views through max.

29:26.245 --> 29:28.285
[SPEAKER_02]: We don't know what the cost is going to be.

29:28.385 --> 29:30.006
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, well, they'd be cheaper on there.

29:30.506 --> 29:32.507
[SPEAKER_02]: Max just, they don't have that capability yet.

29:33.007 --> 29:35.047
[SPEAKER_02]: So we're kind of waiting to see what happens there.

29:35.888 --> 29:42.570
[SPEAKER_02]: But you know, certainly there's an added cost with with AW now they're running these pretty much monthly paper views is fifty dollars.

29:43.430 --> 29:45.310
[SPEAKER_02]: to watch a paper view every month.

29:45.330 --> 29:48.391
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's a lot like that's the old model of paper view.

29:48.411 --> 29:54.112
[SPEAKER_02]: But I think people are having willing to pay that because of the quality you're getting from AEW.

29:54.952 --> 29:57.912
[SPEAKER_02]: But also you're supporting kind of an upstart company.

29:58.673 --> 30:05.294
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that factors into people psychologically, you know, the fans of AEW trying to support what they're trying to do over there.

30:05.854 --> 30:08.414
[SPEAKER_02]: But ultimately, yeah, there's only so many dollars to go around.

30:08.514 --> 30:12.755
[SPEAKER_02]: And if you watch both products as Justin said, that could end up harming them.

30:14.066 --> 30:15.848
[SPEAKER_00]: You have to wonder, Max Wise.

30:16.129 --> 30:18.311
[SPEAKER_00]: Netflix just started rolling out live stuff.

30:18.351 --> 30:22.256
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it was the Jake Paul Mike Tyson fight last fall was their first thing.

30:22.677 --> 30:23.998
[SPEAKER_00]: Then they did football.

30:24.178 --> 30:29.845
[SPEAKER_00]: There was a Christmas think of the Kansas City Chiefs Houston Texans game that wasn't really looked upon quite well.

30:29.905 --> 30:31.327
[SPEAKER_00]: The reviews were like, yeah, this is

30:32.168 --> 30:34.950
[SPEAKER_00]: hasn't been a, I mean, this is just from the initial experience.

30:34.990 --> 30:37.912
[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't that great in, I think, with time.

30:37.972 --> 30:38.772
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to get better.

30:38.792 --> 30:43.895
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's what Max is going to have to do to the little tip to tell their subscribers to be patient.

30:43.915 --> 30:47.097
[SPEAKER_00]: So this is our very first time rolling out live television.

30:47.718 --> 30:49.239
[SPEAKER_00]: So got that going to.

30:51.160 --> 30:51.480
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.

30:52.241 --> 30:56.703
[SPEAKER_02]: So the last time we did a show, we talked about the return of rock listener.

30:58.162 --> 31:04.268
[SPEAKER_02]: And we found out some more on Brock Lesnar this week and WWE and everything happening there.

31:04.288 --> 31:05.769
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought we should talk about that on the show.

31:06.870 --> 31:10.954
[SPEAKER_02]: So it came out that you know, Brock was obviously gone for a couple of years from TV.

31:11.975 --> 31:16.900
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, his name became very toxic because it was named forty four times in the Chanel Grant lawsuit.

31:18.053 --> 31:25.727
[SPEAKER_02]: But ultimately, WWE legal had cleared him to return about one month ago, and they kept it extremely secret.

31:25.787 --> 31:27.289
[SPEAKER_02]: People didn't even know backstage.

31:27.330 --> 31:29.273
[SPEAKER_02]: Talent didn't know he was going to be there at SummerSlam.

31:29.313 --> 31:30.716
[SPEAKER_02]: It's did not get out at all.

31:31.995 --> 31:37.037
[SPEAKER_02]: And we also found out that, you know, Brock was never suspended or anything like that.

31:37.137 --> 31:39.999
[SPEAKER_02]: In fact, he was paid in full the entire time.

31:40.019 --> 31:41.439
[SPEAKER_02]: He was off television.

31:42.840 --> 31:47.782
[SPEAKER_02]: And one of the highest paid, as you would imagine, one of the highest paid figures in WWE's Brock Lesnar.

31:48.222 --> 31:50.763
[SPEAKER_02]: And he got his guarantee the entire time he was off.

31:51.644 --> 31:54.305
[SPEAKER_02]: Not fired, not suspended, just wasn't booked.

31:55.235 --> 32:01.278
[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, we've also seen the WWE is release several people due to cost cutting measures.

32:01.879 --> 32:07.442
[SPEAKER_02]: Yet their pan Brock Lesnar a hell of a lot of money for the last couple of years to not be on TV.

32:08.983 --> 32:17.333
[SPEAKER_02]: Ultimately, WWE legal evidently they believe what's going to happen with his Vince McMahon case is it's going to go to arbitration.

32:17.353 --> 32:25.323
[SPEAKER_02]: There's going to be a settlement and thus Brock Lesnar being named in the lawsuit won't be relevant to that and they thought he could come back at this point.

32:28.017 --> 32:38.835
[SPEAKER_02]: Thoughts on Brock's, returning any more thoughts have come up over the last couple of days, and how do you feel about the cuts while Brock was getting paid full value for two years, being off television?

32:40.739 --> 32:42.540
[SPEAKER_00]: stereotypical WWE.

32:42.600 --> 32:48.803
[SPEAKER_00]: I think the only thing I'm gonna add from last weekend was how do the female employees feel?

32:49.003 --> 32:52.264
[SPEAKER_00]: From a world wrestling entertainment perspective, do they feel safe?

32:52.304 --> 32:53.445
[SPEAKER_00]: Do they even feel seen?

32:54.125 --> 32:56.086
[SPEAKER_00]: That is the hundred thousand dollar question.

32:57.246 --> 32:59.707
[SPEAKER_00]: And since I'm not a female, I can't answer that.

32:59.747 --> 33:06.050
[SPEAKER_00]: But I know how I would feel if that were the case, especially with his name again, being mentioned forty four times in a lawsuit.

33:06.390 --> 33:08.091
[SPEAKER_00]: So those are my two cents.

33:10.758 --> 33:12.311
[SPEAKER_01]: Justin, I mean, it's just

33:14.124 --> 33:14.645
[SPEAKER_01]: That's the thing.

33:14.685 --> 33:16.206
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just the messaging of it.

33:16.246 --> 33:21.851
[SPEAKER_01]: Whether or not you believe Brock Lesnar is guilty or not, you know, that is still ongoing thing.

33:22.151 --> 33:23.232
[SPEAKER_01]: And I agree with you.

33:23.292 --> 33:27.115
[SPEAKER_01]: I do think that's how it's going to end up being solved.

33:27.896 --> 33:29.737
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I got to love that American justice.

33:30.518 --> 33:41.728
[SPEAKER_01]: But when you look at the totality of this promotion's history, when it comes to the treatment of women, you know, their message seems loud and clear, which is

33:43.093 --> 33:43.673
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't care.

33:43.693 --> 33:50.437
[SPEAKER_01]: Unless it's somehow hurting our bottom line, then it just doesn't matter.

33:50.998 --> 33:52.198
[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to, you know, to your point.

33:52.278 --> 33:54.400
[SPEAKER_01]: We're wasting money on Brock not wrestling.

33:54.460 --> 33:55.540
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's bring him in.

33:56.121 --> 34:01.284
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, because I think we think this is going to get resolved in a manner where he's going to be fine.

34:02.024 --> 34:02.264
[SPEAKER_01]: Even if

34:03.525 --> 34:07.588
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, he did some pretty pretty evil stuff.

34:08.108 --> 34:15.933
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I agree with Jesse, there's a fantastic post from a member of our Facebook group.

34:15.993 --> 34:21.177
[SPEAKER_01]: I unfortunately can't remember her name right now, but she had a long post about, you know,

34:22.057 --> 34:23.218
[SPEAKER_01]: what this means to her.

34:23.658 --> 34:26.741
[SPEAKER_01]: And as men, I don't think it's again to Jesse's point.

34:28.362 --> 34:33.426
[SPEAKER_01]: We can't really speak to it except for the perception of it.

34:33.947 --> 34:36.669
[SPEAKER_01]: And the perception is they don't care about women.

34:37.149 --> 34:40.792
[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't know, I don't know, whatever.

34:42.133 --> 34:46.816
[SPEAKER_00]: Shout out to Jane, Rebecca, because I pulled it up just as you were talking about it.

34:47.337 --> 34:53.241
[SPEAKER_00]: And just how she feels about it, I'll just kind of give it, kind of give you the cliff notes of it.

34:53.801 --> 34:55.682
[SPEAKER_00]: She was a fan of the WWF as a child.

34:56.423 --> 34:59.825
[SPEAKER_00]: And when she reached her pre-teens, her favorite wrestler died, Brian Pilman.

35:00.285 --> 35:03.808
[SPEAKER_00]: And there was an aggressive push to humiliate any woman involved in the company.

35:04.188 --> 35:10.833
[SPEAKER_00]: And as a product for a consumer and as an actual child, I was told, this is not for you, so she stopped watching.

35:11.393 --> 35:16.677
[SPEAKER_00]: two years ago, she said a friend who liked WWE said it's different now more accepting Vince is out.

35:17.258 --> 35:19.459
[SPEAKER_00]: It women are respected.

35:19.600 --> 35:21.201
[SPEAKER_00]: You go a little bit further down the line.

35:22.001 --> 35:25.904
[SPEAKER_00]: She just says from a business perspective, continuously alienating your women and

35:26.725 --> 35:32.491
[SPEAKER_00]: Lesbian fans also is easiest way to thin your revenue stream after working so hard to capture them.

35:32.651 --> 35:47.265
[SPEAKER_00]: I final close is I'm sure a long time fans are thrilled that minority fans are alienated away from their special favorites and that TKO doesn't give too shit but I'm sad disappointed however as a victim and as a survivor I can only walk the walk

35:47.885 --> 35:53.087
[SPEAKER_00]: If my convictions followed my actions, it's a tremendous post.

35:53.127 --> 35:55.748
[SPEAKER_00]: If you're in the Facebook group, please go and read it.

35:56.028 --> 36:11.595
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is why I think we just in more than anyone, and I feel the exact same way though, has a hard time kind of looking away these days when it comes to world-ressing entertainment, because we're putting ourselves, we're being empathetic, and putting ourselves in other people's shoes and how they feel.

36:14.097 --> 36:16.606
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, no, well said, that was a great post in the group.

36:16.667 --> 36:18.794
[SPEAKER_02]: Appreciate you bringing that up and quoting from it.

36:18.955 --> 36:19.557
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it's

36:21.720 --> 36:26.644
[SPEAKER_02]: We talked a lot about this, I think, on Sunday when we did the SummerSign Night, too.

36:26.704 --> 36:43.757
[SPEAKER_02]: We got into a lot of WWE's issues with, you know, what our current values are as people and trying to reconcile that and doing a wrestling podcast for this long, having to cover them obviously, biggest, wrestling company of the world, but not agreeing with a lot of the things that they do and how we balance that as media members.

36:44.417 --> 36:55.020
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's certainly getting more challenging, Jesse, you have spoken to this a lot on your podcast, unplugged over on a Patreon feed where I think you get a little bit more open about like the politics of this and everything.

36:55.840 --> 37:03.082
[SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, it's, it's, it's a struggle certainly depending on how you feel on these topics or just Jesus.

37:03.142 --> 37:03.682
[SPEAKER_02]: It's a struggle.

37:03.702 --> 37:07.503
[SPEAKER_02]: And if you are a person who supports basic human rights sometimes.

37:10.024 --> 37:13.205
[SPEAKER_02]: So, and speaking of all of this, it's really interesting how

37:14.145 --> 37:17.066
[SPEAKER_02]: They deflected so much on Brock's return, right?

37:17.146 --> 37:18.366
[SPEAKER_02]: So I joke.

37:18.426 --> 37:22.728
[SPEAKER_02]: The first thing I said on Sunday show was, I guess we know why they didn't do media scrubs this weekend.

37:23.248 --> 37:24.408
[SPEAKER_02]: That is true.

37:24.709 --> 37:26.429
[SPEAKER_02]: That accordious forces in the company.

37:26.489 --> 37:37.573
[SPEAKER_02]: They knew that because of the reaction, Brock's return would get that is why they canceled the media scrubs without telling the media members who traveled across the country to go there that they weren't going to do the scrum.

37:38.193 --> 37:39.594
[SPEAKER_02]: And then there was a lot of deflection.

37:39.694 --> 37:43.335
[SPEAKER_02]: So Paul the VAC Hunter said that

37:44.215 --> 37:47.699
[SPEAKER_02]: He basically implied that Cena wanted to work with him and that's why they brought it back.

37:47.739 --> 37:49.501
[SPEAKER_02]: He put put the blame on John Cena.

37:49.641 --> 37:51.183
[SPEAKER_02]: I like all seen as retirement tour.

37:51.223 --> 37:52.945
[SPEAKER_02]: Everyone's really into it right now.

37:53.365 --> 37:54.486
[SPEAKER_02]: Cena wants to work with him.

37:57.089 --> 37:59.111
[SPEAKER_02]: He says I think I got the quote here.

37:59.171 --> 38:00.273
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me pull this up right now.

38:00.713 --> 38:01.194
[SPEAKER_02]: He says

38:02.752 --> 38:04.352
[SPEAKER_02]: This is John Cena's wish list.

38:04.412 --> 38:15.155
[SPEAKER_02]: John Cena's, it's him writing the last chapter of his book and I think people saw a conversation with us where he said, we'd have to screw it up pretty badly to ruin his career, blah, blah, blah.

38:15.616 --> 38:19.317
[SPEAKER_02]: One of the very first things I said to him is, who do you want and how and we're working through that?

38:20.017 --> 38:24.858
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, then John Cena did an interview where he didn't seem to confirm that.

38:24.998 --> 38:27.319
[SPEAKER_02]: He basically just said, well, they deal him up and I play him.

38:28.448 --> 38:35.352
[SPEAKER_02]: So he just kind of like refuted hunters allegation that he wanted to work with Brock and didn't really confirm that.

38:36.212 --> 38:42.816
[SPEAKER_02]: And then then Paul does ESPN and he said, quote, we hit him up and said, time to come home and he was into it.

38:43.176 --> 38:46.298
[SPEAKER_02]: A massive moment for our fans, something they thought they wouldn't get to see.

38:47.179 --> 38:49.680
[SPEAKER_02]: And then enter Paul Hayman.

38:52.311 --> 38:58.153
[SPEAKER_02]: where Paul Hayman really went off on the people who didn't like to see Brock return.

38:59.193 --> 39:08.575
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if I want to read this whole quote, but basically he said, he's here, he's going to be here and you ain't going to be able to cancel him.

39:09.116 --> 39:12.717
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm happy to have him back because the audience is happy to have him back.

39:13.237 --> 39:17.578
[SPEAKER_02]: If we brought him back and the audience rebelled against it, I wouldn't be happy to have him back.

39:19.088 --> 39:20.791
[SPEAKER_02]: But he basically said, you know, get over it.

39:21.171 --> 39:21.632
[SPEAKER_02]: He's back.

39:21.792 --> 39:22.654
[SPEAKER_02]: We're not going to cancel him.

39:23.455 --> 39:24.977
[SPEAKER_01]: And that will, that's going to be the case.

39:25.097 --> 39:26.920
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, they're not going to change.

39:27.061 --> 39:28.583
[SPEAKER_01]: They're not going to do anything different.

39:29.616 --> 39:35.638
[SPEAKER_01]: if people just keep watching your regardless of how it makes them feel and that's a large portion of their audience.

39:35.678 --> 39:42.760
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of people can just ignore all the surrounding stuff and just watch the product for what it is.

39:42.920 --> 39:47.441
[SPEAKER_01]: And until that changes, they're going to keep behaving this way because they can.

39:47.581 --> 39:52.783
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I said before, until it hurts their bottom line, they're going to behave how they want to behave.

39:54.555 --> 40:01.523
[SPEAKER_02]: A spokesperson for Genel Grant comments it also on Brock Lesnar's return that one I think is it is worth reading and full.

40:01.924 --> 40:09.452
[SPEAKER_02]: So that statement said quote for far too long abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE's leadership instead of writing this wrong

40:10.173 --> 40:13.614
[SPEAKER_02]: WWE has done nothing to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

40:13.774 --> 40:16.815
[SPEAKER_02]: This attempt to sweet misconduct under the rug will backfire.

40:17.155 --> 40:23.276
[SPEAKER_02]: We look forward to the full set of facts, including those about Mr. Lesner coming out in a court of law where they belong.

40:23.477 --> 40:36.180
[SPEAKER_02]: But in the meantime, we refer you back to Janelle Grants updated complaint, which outlines in detail the abuse she endured by McMahon and others while employed at WWEN Quote.

40:37.160 --> 40:53.302
[SPEAKER_02]: So according to people close to that side of the legal case, they were very surprised that rock came back and they said nothing has changed regarding the case over the last month that would lead to a change in, you know, how they view lesseners involvement in all these allegations.

40:55.384 --> 41:05.574
[SPEAKER_00]: And one thing that they've been doing for years is if there's enough of an outcry they'll give you a little spoonful for about two weeks to maybe a month and then go right back to their original ways.

41:05.994 --> 41:09.398
[SPEAKER_00]: Notice how John Cena on Friday night ran into our truth.

41:11.923 --> 41:17.905
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, Ron Killings is back to being his old comedic character just like he was before.

41:18.005 --> 41:20.125
[SPEAKER_00]: He is no longer a serious character.

41:20.185 --> 41:22.286
[SPEAKER_00]: That is correct.

41:22.606 --> 41:22.826
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.

41:23.326 --> 41:37.890
[SPEAKER_00]: There's a handful of people I respect from a social media perspective that are quite angry about this right now, but they say it makes all the sense in the world because this has been Hunter's modest epirundag for years.

41:38.950 --> 41:40.251
[SPEAKER_00]: Shocking Justin, shocking.

41:41.017 --> 41:41.798
[SPEAKER_01]: I can't believe it.

41:41.898 --> 41:44.540
[SPEAKER_01]: And I thought they were going to put the rocket straps on.

41:45.721 --> 41:46.923
[SPEAKER_01]: Ron killings back there.

41:47.143 --> 41:48.704
[SPEAKER_02]: One big run for Ron killings.

41:48.784 --> 41:49.045
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

41:49.425 --> 41:49.625
[SPEAKER_02]: No.

41:50.586 --> 41:57.613
[SPEAKER_02]: They didn't just sign them, re-sign him after cutting him because he, you know, had a lot of buzz all of a sudden could have gone elsewhere.

41:57.633 --> 41:59.394
[SPEAKER_02]: No, no, this was all planned.

42:01.617 --> 42:02.537
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you enjoy the show?

42:03.398 --> 42:05.019
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, what a crock of shit that was.

42:05.099 --> 42:07.901
[SPEAKER_02]: That was real bad to undermine the media.

42:07.961 --> 42:09.481
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, that story was repeated.

42:09.742 --> 42:11.523
[SPEAKER_02]: That was reported, honestly.

42:11.643 --> 42:13.424
[SPEAKER_02]: It was not all part of the show.

42:13.484 --> 42:14.364
[SPEAKER_02]: That was, yes.

42:15.505 --> 42:18.086
[SPEAKER_02]: But I guess we're not to worry about those press crumbs anymore, so no more of that.

42:19.407 --> 42:28.432
[SPEAKER_01]: Which will be especially nice for them when John Cena brings back his beloved Vince McMahon for one last time on the show.

42:29.708 --> 42:36.092
[SPEAKER_02]: Do you guys think you're going to see Vince McMahon on WWE program again and beyond a tribute when he passes away?

42:36.112 --> 42:39.674
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I wouldn't shock me at all at this point.

42:39.694 --> 42:42.035
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, yeah, I'll say yes.

42:42.795 --> 42:45.056
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you all might see him.

42:45.397 --> 42:46.677
[SPEAKER_01]: I won't because I won't be watching.

42:48.719 --> 42:49.319
[SPEAKER_02]: We thank Jesse.

42:51.540 --> 42:52.220
[SPEAKER_02]: We've lost Jesse.

42:53.041 --> 42:54.182
[SPEAKER_02]: He's like, I can't even think of this.

42:54.242 --> 42:56.583
[SPEAKER_02]: I can't even think of this.

42:57.278 --> 42:58.779
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's going to happen eventually.

42:58.799 --> 43:04.325
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, obviously when when Vince passes away is getting up their nages, there's going to be mentions of it on TV.

43:04.605 --> 43:07.748
[SPEAKER_02]: But I think it's going to happen years down the road.

43:07.928 --> 43:09.089
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, we'll see what happens.

43:09.609 --> 43:12.032
[SPEAKER_02]: Unfortunately, but yeah, that's where all of that stands.

43:12.832 --> 43:15.154
[SPEAKER_02]: We wanted to hit on all the big WWE stories.

43:15.855 --> 43:17.296
[SPEAKER_02]: We can ship this over to AEW now.

43:17.456 --> 43:18.477
[SPEAKER_02]: Now, I mentioned I am

43:19.218 --> 43:21.659
[SPEAKER_02]: pretty far behind on my wrestling viewing this week.

43:22.080 --> 43:24.701
[SPEAKER_02]: But, you know, we got the build to forbidden door.

43:24.901 --> 43:32.726
[SPEAKER_02]: I know several of our listeners over in the UK are going to be at that show and looking forward to hopefully some of them providing us the live perspective.

43:32.746 --> 43:34.327
[SPEAKER_02]: I think John here in the chat is going.

43:36.048 --> 43:38.249
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, Carl, we talked to him about it on the show.

43:38.289 --> 43:39.250
[SPEAKER_02]: He said he's debating it.

43:39.790 --> 43:40.811
[SPEAKER_02]: He might be going to the show.

43:41.331 --> 43:42.192
[SPEAKER_02]: I haven't talked to Liam.

43:42.392 --> 43:43.973
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not sure if Liam was going or not, but

43:44.713 --> 43:50.418
[SPEAKER_02]: Justin, what have you thought of the build to forbidden door and just general thoughts on this week's AEW television?

43:51.760 --> 43:53.441
[SPEAKER_01]: The television has been excellent.

43:54.102 --> 44:00.267
[SPEAKER_01]: For Bidden Door, it has been slowly turning into just an AEW paper view.

44:00.908 --> 44:05.092
[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, New Japan isn't quite what it used to be when forbidden door first started.

44:05.552 --> 44:09.916
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, they've got CML, CML, L talent they can bring in, but

44:10.845 --> 44:25.150
[SPEAKER_01]: just with where new Japan is at I mean specifically where they're at they're still ret trying to wrap up the g one climax so they haven't been able to kind of send anybody over to build to some big matches for forbidden or but

44:26.090 --> 44:35.941
[SPEAKER_01]: The other way where they're at is they're still building stars who frankly right now probably won't make all that much of an impact on like a bi-rate for a paper view.

44:36.101 --> 44:46.012
[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, Tony Hawk, Tony Hawk, she's going to be on the show, but he has no opponent announced Kyle Fletcher just challenged anybody from New Japan.

44:46.852 --> 44:48.534
[SPEAKER_01]: to for forbidden door.

44:49.615 --> 44:52.397
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm hopeful next next week's collision.

44:52.557 --> 44:56.820
[SPEAKER_01]: There's going to be a four way to determine a opponent for Zack Saber Jr.

44:56.900 --> 45:00.743
[SPEAKER_01]: And holy shit, you know, we might be, oh, I think that was the first time I cursed on this pot.

45:02.704 --> 45:05.908
[SPEAKER_01]: We could be seeing a possible Zach Saber Jr.

45:06.228 --> 45:10.933
[SPEAKER_01]: and Nigel McGinnis, a paperview world title match, which would be incredible.

45:10.973 --> 45:17.700
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot like, I think, boy, I thought they were going to wait on this, but it started to look like we could get MJF and Hangman.

45:18.340 --> 45:25.284
[SPEAKER_01]: on this paper view, along with possibly, hopefully just the beginning of a long feud between Mox and Derby.

45:25.424 --> 45:29.807
[SPEAKER_01]: And by that, obviously, they've been feuding for a long time, but a lot more matches down the road.

45:29.847 --> 45:31.568
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot to like.

45:32.108 --> 45:42.734
[SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of questions, but I think this card is shaping up pretty nicely as just basically a W paper view, plus a little bit of New Japan and CMLL.

45:44.843 --> 45:45.703
[SPEAKER_01]: Jesse, you're back.

45:47.204 --> 45:47.764
[SPEAKER_00]: Good lord.

45:47.784 --> 45:53.426
[SPEAKER_00]: I think all that toxicity talking about Vince McMahon just like froze everything in my computer.

45:53.466 --> 45:54.366
[SPEAKER_00]: Not once, but twice.

45:54.706 --> 46:01.628
[SPEAKER_00]: So yes, I think the likelihood of Vince McMahon appearing on television increases every single day.

46:02.449 --> 46:04.169
[SPEAKER_00]: I like a point two percent margin.

46:04.229 --> 46:06.270
[SPEAKER_00]: So by the time I think the end of the year hits it might happen.

46:10.254 --> 46:14.820
[SPEAKER_00]: I like Justin just said it's pretty much an AEW paper.

46:15.421 --> 46:16.342
[SPEAKER_00]: There hasn't been much going on.

46:16.362 --> 46:16.943
[SPEAKER_00]: You can't do much.

46:17.003 --> 46:20.167
[SPEAKER_00]: I think with the G one still going on in New Japan.

46:20.227 --> 46:27.056
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's hard for them to kind of come over until they're side of the story on certain things hard to promote matchups.

46:28.307 --> 46:28.987
[SPEAKER_00]: You got that going.

46:29.007 --> 46:30.028
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a different time of the year.

46:30.048 --> 46:39.153
[SPEAKER_00]: It's usually been in June for this reason, just because the G-One is really big from July all the way through August, so you really can't do much promoting.

46:39.633 --> 46:43.135
[SPEAKER_00]: Then CMLL, we might see, I think you might see an MJF mystical match.

46:44.016 --> 46:47.638
[SPEAKER_01]: I know, I'm pretty sure this goes wrestling on a different show that same night.

46:47.698 --> 46:52.961
[SPEAKER_01]: I think they're holding that off for a CMLL specific show, or for something down the road.

46:53.321 --> 46:57.764
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm fairly certain that that match will not be taken place at forbidden door.

47:00.098 --> 47:01.900
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I mean, two weeks later there.

47:02.461 --> 47:05.004
[SPEAKER_00]: That's so crazy to think about time.

47:05.084 --> 47:05.825
[SPEAKER_00]: Time is flown.

47:05.845 --> 47:07.026
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they haven't.

47:07.066 --> 47:09.529
[SPEAKER_00]: They've been progressing stores in AW very slowly.

47:09.549 --> 47:13.033
[SPEAKER_00]: I think for for good reason because they're really looking towards all out.

47:13.134 --> 47:16.157
[SPEAKER_00]: But then again, like Justin said, you see, you'll caught a swerve.

47:17.439 --> 47:19.501
[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't see never thought I'd see that on.

47:20.342 --> 47:23.987
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, didn't think I'd see that on forbidden nor something I thought they'd be saving for all out.

47:24.007 --> 47:26.631
[SPEAKER_00]: You're seeing Tony's tournament Athena.

47:26.931 --> 47:33.520
[SPEAKER_00]: That's going to be an entertaining match and it'd be kind of weird to have Athena get her crowning movement overseas when

47:34.180 --> 47:40.285
[SPEAKER_00]: I would all but thought it would be a foregone conclusion that Athena is going to be the one to take it from Tony Storm, but maybe not.

47:41.005 --> 47:43.487
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, there's a lot of intrigue heading into this show a couple of weeks.

47:43.567 --> 47:44.508
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, two weeks from today.

47:44.588 --> 47:46.350
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, two arena in London.

47:46.510 --> 47:48.831
[SPEAKER_02]: You just mentioned two of the big matches on the show.

47:48.852 --> 47:54.036
[SPEAKER_02]: We are also going to have the Hertz Syndicate against the winner of FTR and Brodito for the tag titles.

47:55.016 --> 48:03.022
[SPEAKER_02]: TBS title, Mercedes Manay against Alex Windsor versus somebody from Stardom and somebody from CMLL and a four-way match.

48:04.123 --> 48:06.924
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, per wrestle ticks, they had to update on this two days ago.

48:07.344 --> 48:15.367
[SPEAKER_02]: So right now, the setup is for sixteen thousand six hundred and ninety five fans to be at the show if they sell it out.

48:16.007 --> 48:19.649
[SPEAKER_02]: They have distributed fourteen thousand five hundred and twenty six.

48:19.689 --> 48:21.570
[SPEAKER_02]: So a really good gate form right now.

48:21.630 --> 48:24.030
[SPEAKER_02]: It's probably going to be sold all by the time the show happens.

48:24.831 --> 48:27.532
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, so yeah, they're going to have like sixteen seventeen thousand people there.

48:27.552 --> 48:30.773
[SPEAKER_02]: I would imagine it's a very large venue going to look great on TV.

48:31.815 --> 48:35.878
[SPEAKER_02]: And as I said, and hopefully some of our listeners and collaborators are going to be at the show as well.

48:38.381 --> 48:41.423
[SPEAKER_00]: I did not have a bandito Brody King tag team.

48:41.483 --> 48:46.447
[SPEAKER_00]: I think it'll card in two thousand and twenty five and I absolutely sure they released the shirts.

48:46.528 --> 48:47.448
[SPEAKER_01]: No, that's dick.

48:48.009 --> 48:50.351
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I know what I'm doing after we were done potting.

48:52.078 --> 48:52.818
[SPEAKER_00]: I might have to look.

48:52.878 --> 49:00.141
[SPEAKER_00]: They've been fantastic, especially if it, yes, especially if there's a color scheme that I would really like.

49:00.181 --> 49:01.181
[SPEAKER_00]: All of that.

49:01.321 --> 49:04.402
[SPEAKER_02]: I sent this to our friend Jay the other day, so I have it on my computer.

49:04.922 --> 49:11.104
[SPEAKER_02]: Let me, I'm gonna, I'm gonna post this on our stream right now because it sounds like this teacher, it's incredible.

49:12.564 --> 49:16.126
[SPEAKER_02]: I feel like this is one that Justin Joine is like one hundred percent going to buy.

49:16.266 --> 49:19.907
[SPEAKER_02]: If you're on the podcast feed, I apologize, you're not gonna see this obviously, but I'm gonna put this up here.

49:20.819 --> 49:23.762
[SPEAKER_02]: on the YouTube, so you guys can see this, it's a screenshot of it.

49:23.842 --> 49:24.863
[SPEAKER_02]: Check this out, Justin.

49:25.043 --> 49:26.264
[SPEAKER_00]: I've bought an A.W.T.

49:26.284 --> 49:27.045
[SPEAKER_00]: shirt in two years.

49:27.085 --> 49:29.507
[SPEAKER_02]: This might be the one that it was green and white in it, Jesse.

49:29.627 --> 49:29.988
[SPEAKER_02]: Sorry, sir.

49:30.508 --> 49:31.749
[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to be a little bit here.

49:31.769 --> 49:32.010
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

49:33.611 --> 49:34.172
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, nice.

49:34.512 --> 49:34.752
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

49:35.553 --> 49:36.774
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's pretty good.

49:37.034 --> 49:37.435
[SPEAKER_02]: I like it.

49:38.956 --> 49:43.961
[SPEAKER_02]: Looks a little bit like the, you know, the cartoon they had of, of Brody on the abolish shirt that he sold.

49:45.464 --> 49:47.045
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

49:47.085 --> 49:47.306
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

49:47.406 --> 49:47.766
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

49:48.587 --> 49:55.352
[SPEAKER_01]: That's one of the great things about pro wrestling is just sometimes you put two people together and it just like magic happens.

49:55.412 --> 49:58.475
[SPEAKER_01]: Like you would not have expected these guys to gel so well.

49:58.495 --> 49:58.975
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

49:59.215 --> 50:05.521
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think they're a credible threat to the hurts and to get with, you know, banditos, the ROH world champion.

50:06.441 --> 50:08.402
[SPEAKER_01]: and Brody King FN rules.

50:08.682 --> 50:15.285
[SPEAKER_01]: So I could definitely see that happening, especially because, you know, FTRs, are you going to be looking at a feud with Copeland?

50:15.565 --> 50:17.966
[SPEAKER_01]: So they don't necessarily need to be in that match.

50:18.046 --> 50:27.069
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I think TK might be having to, according to the rumors, force the hurts and to get to put somebody over.

50:28.430 --> 50:29.930
[SPEAKER_01]: Did you see how they leaned into those rumors?

50:30.190 --> 50:30.691
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

50:30.871 --> 50:32.171
[SPEAKER_02]: That was pretty funny.

50:32.371 --> 50:32.611
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

50:36.022 --> 50:46.955
[SPEAKER_00]: Bandido, by the way, is starting to turn into Athena on the men's side, getting all this credibility, defeating Takeshita in a tremendous match about a month and a half ago before he left for Japan.

50:46.995 --> 50:50.859
[SPEAKER_00]: So when he ultimately loot, maybe he gets a huge push in AWS for once.

50:51.660 --> 51:01.327
[SPEAKER_00]: I'd like to see that, but I mean, it's, it's, it'd be a good start with those two taking the tag titles off and makes, uh, the buddy Matthew's injury kind of a blessing in disguise for for Brody King here.

51:01.467 --> 51:02.428
[SPEAKER_00]: Give him something to do.

51:02.828 --> 51:05.690
[SPEAKER_00]: They could defend the tag titles and that could be a lot of fun.

51:06.331 --> 51:06.491
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

51:06.911 --> 51:11.414
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, as for as good as buddy is, you know, Bandito is just a step above.

51:11.434 --> 51:12.195
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.

51:14.006 --> 51:14.386
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.

51:14.507 --> 51:15.808
[SPEAKER_02]: We're going to wrap things up.

51:15.868 --> 51:17.409
[SPEAKER_02]: I got one closing question for you.

51:17.449 --> 51:19.531
[SPEAKER_02]: I should have included this in the WWE section.

51:19.551 --> 51:20.592
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to ask you guys real quick.

51:20.612 --> 51:24.054
[SPEAKER_02]: I have either of you checked out that Netflix show Unreal yet.

51:28.398 --> 51:35.604
[SPEAKER_01]: I put on a couple episodes just to kind of get an idea of what it is or get a feel for it and

51:38.780 --> 51:40.882
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, it's not really for me.

51:40.942 --> 51:46.586
[SPEAKER_01]: That is something I would have just absolutely eaten up years ago, but not so much anymore.

51:46.646 --> 51:55.894
[SPEAKER_01]: I did, I was very curious about the WrestleMania stuff specifically with CM Punk and you've seen him absolutely fucking gravel.

51:56.094 --> 52:01.719
[SPEAKER_01]: The triple H was one of the most depressing things I've ever watched.

52:02.900 --> 52:03.100
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

52:04.393 --> 52:12.536
[SPEAKER_00]: Not just that, by the way, the actual card and what it was supposed to be was like, thirty three percent accurate.

52:12.836 --> 52:16.457
[SPEAKER_00]: Just how many changes they made on the fly within that month.

52:16.517 --> 52:19.878
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think part of it had to do with Duane was very telling.

52:20.659 --> 52:27.341
[SPEAKER_02]: I think a lot of the card that they were originally thinking was we had talked about on the show as like that probably be in the direction at the time.

52:27.421 --> 52:28.582
[SPEAKER_02]: And then you know, things change.

52:29.022 --> 52:32.043
[SPEAKER_02]: We saw if you if you watched the show, you see how they

52:33.030 --> 52:36.092
[SPEAKER_02]: They flip from on the rumble or at least you think they flip.

52:36.173 --> 52:40.556
[SPEAKER_02]: Some of this is definitely still show business and they're showing you like what you want to see.

52:41.217 --> 52:45.120
[SPEAKER_02]: But you see them like all supposedly flip and then I'll decide on Jay winning the rumble.

52:45.160 --> 52:48.863
[SPEAKER_02]: But I will say I like to show more than I thought I would.

52:49.383 --> 52:50.644
[SPEAKER_02]: I've been actually watching with my wife.

52:51.485 --> 52:54.227
[SPEAKER_02]: She likes this behind the scenes stuff and she really likes it.

52:54.968 --> 52:57.169
[SPEAKER_02]: I said to her, maybe we have to bring back our podcast.

52:57.990 --> 53:03.194
[SPEAKER_02]: Our patrons were like, yeah, I did a podcast where we were reviewing a love NWWE.

53:03.694 --> 53:04.835
[SPEAKER_02]: And she did those shows with me.

53:04.895 --> 53:06.916
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe I'll have her review unreal with me.

53:06.956 --> 53:08.377
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll see over on the Patreon side.

53:08.397 --> 53:14.281
[SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, it's, again, you have to keep in mind, again, they're showing you what they want you to see.

53:14.361 --> 53:16.823
[SPEAKER_02]: But some of it has been interesting.

53:17.343 --> 53:18.484
[SPEAKER_02]: It's, it's an easy watch.

53:18.604 --> 53:20.766
[SPEAKER_02]: I've enjoyed most of what I've watched personally.

53:21.711 --> 53:24.974
[SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, I'm only three episodes in.

53:25.014 --> 53:26.636
[SPEAKER_02]: So I've not seen, I think it's five.

53:26.776 --> 53:27.837
[SPEAKER_02]: I haven't seen the whole run yet.

53:27.857 --> 53:29.599
[SPEAKER_02]: And they're still filming too.

53:29.759 --> 53:36.205
[SPEAKER_02]: So apparently there's going to be more and some talent is not too happy from what I hear about them filming in gorilla position.

53:36.666 --> 53:45.615
[SPEAKER_02]: Seeing as like one of the one sacred areas of the show where they can get away from the cameras and they got these people filming in their old time now and not too happy with that.

53:46.692 --> 53:51.377
[SPEAKER_00]: You get a little bit of, there's been a lot of guerrilla position filming in the last handful of years.

53:51.477 --> 53:54.600
[SPEAKER_00]: I know they did it for BTE when CM Punk made a WWE return.

53:56.021 --> 53:56.221
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

53:56.682 --> 53:56.862
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

53:57.122 --> 53:57.623
[SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely.

53:58.043 --> 53:59.104
[SPEAKER_02]: So I don't know.

53:59.204 --> 53:59.965
[SPEAKER_02]: It's worth checking out.

54:00.125 --> 54:03.068
[SPEAKER_02]: I think I think most wrestling fans will like it a little bit.

54:03.128 --> 54:03.448
[SPEAKER_02]: Justin.

54:03.888 --> 54:05.650
[SPEAKER_01]: I just wanted, uh, are we done with this?

54:06.291 --> 54:07.212
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, the unreal.

54:07.732 --> 54:13.497
[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, before we end, I just, this is kind of old news, but I just finally got around to watching at this weekend.

54:14.078 --> 54:19.083
[SPEAKER_01]: If you have not seen Kyle Fletcher versus Dustin Rhodes, the Chicago Street fight,

54:20.424 --> 54:22.766
[SPEAKER_01]: do yourself a favor, go watch it.

54:22.786 --> 54:26.548
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I have been watching pro wrestling for almost forty years.

54:27.568 --> 54:35.093
[SPEAKER_01]: So the fact that they are still showing me stuff that I have never seen in pro wrestling is absolutely incredible.

54:35.633 --> 54:42.117
[SPEAKER_01]: And there is at least one, if not two instances of of Holy crap, that was incredible.

54:42.537 --> 54:44.459
[SPEAKER_01]: So go out of your way to watch that match.

54:45.940 --> 54:47.701
[SPEAKER_00]: Strong recommendation from Justin Joy.

54:47.721 --> 54:48.041
[SPEAKER_00]: There you go.

54:48.620 --> 54:53.226
[SPEAKER_00]: Congratulations Kyle Fletcher, getting a pretty raise as well on top of all this.

54:53.326 --> 54:59.174
[SPEAKER_00]: So, two, two, thousand, twenty-five has been the breakout year for him and what it looks like going forward.

54:59.808 --> 55:00.469
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, indeed.

55:01.550 --> 55:02.210
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, guys.

55:02.250 --> 55:04.793
[SPEAKER_02]: That's episode three, ninety three of top rope nation.

55:05.654 --> 55:09.297
[SPEAKER_02]: Easy, free flowing show this morning, but we want to hit on the hot topics.

55:09.317 --> 55:10.979
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll be back next week.

55:11.019 --> 55:15.784
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll have that classics episode for our patrons and YouTube plus members here.

55:15.984 --> 55:19.387
[SPEAKER_02]: Summer slam, ninety coming at you here in the next couple of weeks as well.

55:20.388 --> 55:22.390
[SPEAKER_02]: Keep it tuned here to Top Rope Nation.

55:22.410 --> 55:25.253
[SPEAKER_02]: Subscribe to the channel if you haven't already join the Facebook group.

55:25.534 --> 55:31.400
[SPEAKER_02]: If you talked about earlier, if you just search Top Rope Nation Pro Wrestling discussion, you can get involved over there as well.

55:31.460 --> 55:33.903
[SPEAKER_02]: Great group of people talking wrestling every single day.

55:34.664 --> 55:37.627
[SPEAKER_02]: And with that, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

55:37.667 --> 55:38.988
[SPEAKER_02]: Everybody take care.

55:39.008 --> 55:39.729
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll see you next.

55:40.710 --> 55:41.091
[SPEAKER_02]: Peace.