The Undertaker vs Carmelo Anthony?

[CU Tiger]

Doesn't WWE ultimately lose here? I can envision a scenario next year where every NBA arena locks out the WWE for 3 months or however long the playoffs are.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Doesn't WWE ultimately lose here? I can envision a scenario next year where every NBA arena locks out the WWE for 3 months or however long the playoffs are.

It sounds like the arenas wouldn't have to go to those extremes. If the dates of the WCF and ECF are already set, teams would only have to lock out everyone else on opposite days. Seems like your only problems would be during Rounds 1 and 2 -- I mean, Round 1 and the "Conference Semi Finals"

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I don't think the schtick is an issue, that's just part of the show. But any parent who has ever had a kid looking forward to a show and then something derails it, no matter how unavoidable or beyond the control of the promoter, well they'll know where I see a problem.

This whole thing just caused major grief for a lot of parents, not to mention Colorado Springs fans apparently getting a shaft that they had zero do to with (I'm assuming the Tuesday taping in LA is to replace the previously scheduled one, not in addition to it, but haven't seen that clarified for sure anywhere)

For the former point, parents with kids will certainly be disappointed. But I think people will be more upset at the owner of the Nuggets for double-booking the arena. I think the WWE has done a very, very good job of defining the issue in the public's mind.

For the latter, apparently the event was rescheduled to August 9th, where they will honor all tickets for the rescheduled event. The World Arena has the info on its website.

[molson]

Originally Posted by chesapeake

For the latter, apparently the event was rescheduled to August 9th, where they will honor all tickets for the rescheduled event. The World Arena has the info on its website.

Though that, of course, isn't a TV event, which makes all the difference in the WWE. The Denver fans lose 3 total televised events over the 2 days, and I'm guessing the WWE won't be returing to the Pepsi Center anytime soon.

Hopefully the WWE at least brings their A-game to those replacement shows, and they aren't the standard boring house show stuff. Or maybe give those fans a free PPV or something.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Doesn't WWE ultimately lose here? I can envision a scenario next year where every NBA arena locks out the WWE for 3 months or however long the playoffs are.

Nah, these arenas are always looking for shows to fill up their schedule. The WWE makes them some good money.

[CU Tiger]

^ Understood, but given the spectacle McMahon has wisely made of this, I could see a scenario where billionaire owners lock arms to thumb their noses at the WWE..

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

^ Understood, but given the spectacle McMahon has wisely made of this, I could see a scenario where billionaire owners lock arms to thumb their noses at the WWE..

Won't happen for the same reason that the Nuggets didn't reserve their own building in the first place: greed.

At the time the WWE starts reserving space, the odds of the Nuggets needing the building on that date are so low that they couldn't bring themselves to turn away cash in hand.

And they won't turn it away next time either.

[molson]

So Vince isn't going to be subtle about this on Monday night:

"It's McMahon vs. Kroenke, live on Raw from the STAPLES Center. To settle the notorious Denver debacle, the WWE Chairman gets his wish when he clashes with the Denver Nuggets tyrant in the City of Angels."



"Live on Raw from Los Angeles' STAPLES Center, see WWE's answer to the Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets: U.S. Champion MVP, John Cena, Batista, Jerry Lawler & a fifth "player" vs. WWE Champion Randy Orton, Legacy, The Miz & Big Show"

[sterlingice]

Shaq done any rasslin' lately?

SI

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Won't happen for the same reason that the Nuggets didn't reserve their own building in the first place: greed.

At the time the WWE starts reserving space, the odds of the Nuggets needing the building on that date are so low that they couldn't bring themselves to turn away cash in hand.

And they won't turn it away next time either.

I think this happens a lot more often than you think. They had booking issues twice during the Caps/Penguins series, for example. But the NHL doesn't have quite the same TV contract as does the NBA, so it was no big deal to shift the hockey games to accomodate the arenas.

And no one makes Yanni move a date. His legions of fans cannot be denied.

I don't think it is greed so much as it is simply stadium economics. For an arena to break even, they need to book every possible night.

[Bad-example]

Hey Vince, tell us how NBA ass taste

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by chesapeake

I don't think it is greed so much as it is simply stadium economics. For an arena to break even, they need to book every possible night.

I ain't knockin' it exactly, but it does seem as though this one had to border on either gross stupidity or greed, unless Vince is actually right and they simply didn't think there was any chance they'd still be playing. In any event, I'd wager they won't try to hedge their bet again with the playoff schedule soon.

[chesapeake]

You also have to recognize that you can't predict where you will fall in the pairings with 100% accuracy, either. As the #2 seed in the conference, If Denver has any opponent other than the Lakers, the arena would have been free on Monday because Denver would have had home court advantage. Because of that, I think they'll continue to book the definite event every single time and hope that the chips will fall a little differently the next time.

[Arles]

Why would the Denver arena change next time? Last I checked, they haven't really faced any significant economical penalties. So they are the butt of the WWE jokes for a couple weeks - I'm sure they're losing sleep over that. If I were the Pepsi Center, I would do the exact same thing next season. Plus, the extra revenue from Western Conference NBA playoff games will more than makeup for this WWE mishap.

Keeping stadium viability/profitability >>>> 1-2 weeks of potential WWE backlash

[molson]

Originally Posted by Arles

Why would the Denver arena change next time? Last I checked, they haven't really faced any significant economical penalties. So they are the butt of the WWE jokes for a couple weeks - I'm sure they're losing sleep over that. If I were the Pepsi Center, I would do the exact same thing next season.

Keeping stadium viability/profitability >>>> 1-2 weeks of potential WWE backlash

True, but the WWE certainly doesn't need Denver either. I wonder if WWE will insist on generous liquidated damages clauses when they book anywhere in the future. I'm assumining this whole situation amounts to a financial loss for them.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by molson

True, but the WWE certainly doesn't need Denver either. I wonder if WWE will insist on generous liquidated damages clauses when they book anywhere in the future. I'm assumining this whole situation amounts to a financial loss for them.

I doubt it, the WWE is going to come out just fine from this. Swapping a day in Denver with a night in the Staples center plus all the publicity seems like a nice net gain for them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

I wonder if WWE will insist on generous liquidated damages clauses when they book anywhere in the future.

I haven't seen any details one way or the other but I kind of assume they already do.

[molson]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I haven't seen any details one way or the other but I kind of assume they already do.

I would have assumed so too, and I'm actually shocked that doesn't appear to be the case. I mean, we wouldn't have had all these drama this week if the Pepsi Center knew it just had to hand over a check and then the WWE was on their own.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by molson

I would have assumed so too, and I'm actually shocked that doesn't appear to be the case. I mean, we wouldn't have had all these drama this week if the Pepsi Center knew it just had to hand over a check and then the WWE was on their own.

So it was the Pepsi Center creating the unnecessary drama, and not the WWE? I assume their posturing was just schtick being used for publicity.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

So it was the Pepsi Center creating the unnecessary drama, and not the WWE? I assume their posturing was just schtick being used for publicity.

Well ya, the Pepsi Center created the drama by double-booking their venue.

The WWE obviously tried to have a little fun with it for PR after that. But they've been doing live TV/PPVs for a LONG time and I can't remember them ever getting bumped from a venue days before the event. It's not a normal occurence.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Meanwhile TNA Wrestling issued the following press release today:

TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION (TNA) WRESTLING HEADS TO COLORADO, FOR SURE!

DEJECTED WWE FANS CAUGHT IN THE “DENVER DEBACLE” GET A $10 DISCOUNT FOR TNA TICKETS WITH THEIR UNUSED WWE TICKETS FROM COLORADO SHOWS.

Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling is bringing a slam-dunk show to Colorado – and unlike its competition, the superstars of TNA will not skip town.

The TNA Live! Tour invades the Pueblo (Colo.) Convention Center on Friday night, May 29, and then moves to Cheyenne, Wyo., on Saturday night, May 30 at the Taco Johns Event Center. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m., and anyone bringing an unused WWE ticket from its recently-cancelled Colorado shows to the box office in Pueblo or Cheyenne will receive a $10 discount for tickets either TNA show.

“Some of the biggest pro wrestling fans in the nation are in Colorado,” said TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter. “It was sad to see the WWE pull out of all their scheduled shows in Colorado recently because of the scheduling conflict with the NBA playoffs. I want everyone in Colorado to know that TNA Wrestling is coming and we hope to see you at our first shows ever in your state. For WWE fans that paid for any of these cancelled events, we are offering you $10 off the purchase of tickets to come see us and enjoy the best fan experience in pro wrestling.”

Carter also confirmed that TNA is “formally inviting” all Nugget players, coaches, broadcasters and front-office staff to the Pueblo show.

Appearing live will be “The King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett, “The War Machine” Rhino, “The Monster” Abyss, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky), Cute Kip, the Motor City Machine Guns, “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan, TNA X Division Champion Suicide, Lethal Consequences, Taylor Wilde, “Showtime” Eric Young, Brutus Magnus, Kiyoshi, and more.

[dervack]

Originally Posted by molson

So Vince isn't going to be subtle about this on Monday night:

"It's McMahon vs. Kroenke, live on Raw from the STAPLES Center. To settle the notorious Denver debacle, the WWE Chairman gets his wish when he clashes with the Denver Nuggets tyrant in the City of Angels."



"Live on Raw from Los Angeles' STAPLES Center, see WWE's answer to the Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets: U.S. Champion MVP, John Cena, Batista, Jerry Lawler & a fifth "player" vs. WWE Champion Randy Orton, Legacy, The Miz & Big Show"

Wait, Jerry Lawler is wrestling again?