WWE's Newest Promotional Idea: Send Cash To The Media
So I return to my desk today after enjoying a nice outdoor lunch, and what do I find waiting for me?
A WWE "pimp cup," among other things.
Apparently, to promote "McMahon's Million Dollar Mania," which I have spent much of the last week bashing as a terrible, desperate idea, WWE sent Newsday a lovely money-themed gift basket. I don't believe the basket was addressed directly to me, but as the paper's resident wrestling writer, it was courteously redirected my way by my Newsday colleagues.
Here's a quick inventory of the basket's contents:
. Three T-shirts bearing Vince McMahon's head on a dollar bill.
. Assorted currency-themed candies, including gold chocolate coins, 100 Grand chocolate bars, gummy candies with "$" on them, Gold Diggers gum, and, of course, fortune cookies.
. Three more cookies in the shape of the letters, "W," "W," and "E."
. The aforementioned glass pimp cup with "WWE" in sparkling rhinestones.
. A postcard telling me that Vince McMahon - "The man who pioneered an industry, took on Ted Turner and spun Trump's hair into pay per view gold" will receive a lifetime achievment award from some marketing company on June 19.
. And, last but not least, $4.94 in cash (a $1 bill and assorted loose change that took forever to shake out of the basket and count.)
The contents were neatly nestled in more shredded currency, as pictured in the photo to the right, taken on a cell phone camera.
I guess the point of the basket, which I imagine was sent to various news outlets, was to win over the media in promoting the contest, which was intended to boost ratings for Raw, but drew a dismal 3.0 Monday night.
So let it be said: I'm sold! I mean, I thought this idea stunk before, but now it's looking a whole lot better. Why, who needs fresh match ups, young superstars being elevated, and longer matches? WWE knows what fans want: A sweepstakes!
Of course, I jest. Speaking on behalf of Newsday, I sincerely appreciate the basket, WWE friends. Speaking on behalf of WWE fans, this idea still stinks. The sooner you make it go away and focus your time, efforts and money on your actual product, the sooner the mainstream press will catch on that WWE is worth checking out.
Having learned in my journalism 101 class not accept cash gifts from sources, I have already written a $5 check to WWE with a courteous, "Thanks anyway" in the memo field. As well I have distributed the candy throughout the newsroom.
I am, however, keeping the pimp cup.
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Comments (25)
hilarious...can you give the shirts to wweisright...he would love them
p.s.---just kidding wweisright...no need for a 5 page reply here
Apparently Vince attended the Michael Scott school of business. I'm busting up thinking of him driving around the country with Shane, delivering gift baskets and driving his car into lakes.
Kerry, I thought the exact same thing, re: Michael Scott. McMahon could learn the same lesson that Scott did - it's the quality of your product that counts, not a bunch of bells and whistles.
I also just discovered that the fortune cookies actually have WWE fortunes in it, complete with the company logo on them. My first one reads: "McMahon says: 'Act like every day is the first day on the job.' "
If McMahon is such a great businessman and he is getting an award and all, why is he always focusing on himself and not the actual product?
It would be nice to have a few hours of actual wrestling without sweepstakes and cheesy celebrity tie-ins. But then again, true fans are tuning out and going else where...
If McMahon is such a great businessman and he is getting an award and all, why is he always focusing on himself and not the actual product?
It would be nice to have a few hours of actual wrestling without sweepstakes and cheesy celebrity tie-ins. But then again, true fans are tuning out and going else where...
I think what's going on here is that WWE is trying many different angles to stir-up excitement/new viewers. However, this "idea" just looks so desperate and, dare I say, an idea that just won't work. If I were a shareholder, I'd be pretty pissed that corporate money was being spent on such a poor marketing scheme. Then again, it wouldn't really matter since a share of public stock has about 99% less voting rights than the privately held shares of the McMahon family shares. The formula at WWE headquarters should be as follows: great ring work + decent stories or better = more viewers, which is highly correlated with higher revenues, including discretionary items such as PPV buys and merchandising sales.
Great call on the Michael Scott analogy. I wonder if Vince is going to rough it in the woods with only duct tape, a knife and a camera.
"Why, who needs fresh match ups, young superstars being elevated, and longer matches?"
There are longer matches on RAW today than in the past. In fact, RAWs highest ratings came during a time when there was about 15 minutes of actual wrestling in the entire 2 hour show.
I'll take the shirts if you don't want them!
I would love to have one of the Vince money t-shirts.
Me like shirts. you give one, please?
LMAO - that's epic.
I would seriously love a shirt. Come on Alfonso, all the time I spent defending this idea, please send me a shirt!
I'm not going to defend the idea anymore, I didn't enjoy the show. I would say that if I didn't enjoy it but the ratings show an increase when this scheme is over - consistently - then it would be a success, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, unless this media drive does something.
I still don't think the thinking behind the idea was bad - coming off in practice is an entirely different kettle of fish though and it's never guarenteed to work. They need to create interest. People need to care about them again, or at least know they exist. Thisw was a way to do that.
Please though, a shirt, the postcard, anything, please!
WHAT SIZES ARE THOSE SHIRTS?
Lucky...
HA that gift basket is awesome. The Pimp cup might be the greatest gag gift ever. But as for why the WWE is tanking, it's simple really. Vince has lost touch the world around him plus add the fact that the WWE creative team are a bunch of back stabbing ass kissers who are only interested in making him happy, its no wonder no new stars have been created.
Why would you send the $5 back?
Why not give it to a homeless person or something?
And seriously, he's giving away $1 million a week and you got $5. Maybe you shoulda praised the idea.. you mighta gotten 5 grand!
:P
I can see it now The Newsday Million Dollar Shirt Give Away....
It could be used to get more fans to read the blog. You simply send in an Email and if Seth or Alfonso Email you back your a winner!
The best part about this whole Million Dollar Mayhem ("Mania" doesn't do it justice) giveaway is that once it runs its course, then the remaining fans will appreciate the status quo, where the commentators can focus on hyping the next pay-per-view event or discussing the match itself.
It's the same benefit as all of those Diva Search finales.
"The formula at WWE headquarters should be as follows: great ring work + decent stories or better = more viewers, which is highly correlated with higher revenues, including discretionary items such as PPV buys and merchandising sales."
In the history of pro wrestling (post-Hogan boom), there have only really been four or five WWE champion with generally agreed upon "great ring work". Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. With the exception of Triple H, who had the luck to get pushed as the anti-Rock during the business' most profitable era, none of them ever made NEAR the money Hogan, Austin, or Cena (like him or not, he makes the most money for WWE) did/does.
So no, great ring work does not correlate to higher revenues. Don't get me wrong, I too wish that CM Punk could put asses in seats. Unfortunately, he doesn't. In pro wrestling, it's not about your ability to work. It's about your ability to entertain.
What about Beniot? Also HBK with a strong helping hand from the Undertaker kept the WWF(E) alive until Stone Cold and Rock came into there own, if not for him it may have Ted Turner that bought WWE. Remember 67,000 fans in San Antonio saw rumble 97, guess who calls San Antonio home? However you are dead on with Bret when he was champ there were alot of PPVs and tours where he was not the final match on the card. Thus who became the headliner, the showstopper, the main event? (hint; not the Undertaker)
There have only been two years where WWF came close to dying: 1994 (Bret Hart on top) and 1996 (Shawn Michaels on top). 1992 saw a huge decline in business (Ric Flair on top). Business went down between 2002-2004 (Triple H on top for most of that time) but started turning around again in 2005.
Putting 67,000 in the Alamo Dome in 1997 was impressive, but there are two factors for it being a success: Shawn Michaels being in his hometown and the fact that there wasn't much wrestling in that area until that point after WCCW died. I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that was the first huge event in Texas since the near beginning of the decade. So really, it is impressive, but great workrate didn't exactly put the asses in seats.
As for Benoit, I tend to ignore him these days, so there's that.
syxxpakk
I think Austin needs to be included in your "great worker" list.
Oh I 100% agree that Austin is a great worker. Same as the Rock. Nevertheless, there are many more fans who will tell you Austin is a piss-poor worker than will tell you Bret, Shawn, Ric, Angle, or Trips is a piss-poor worker (hence, "generally agreed upon").
Stupid internet kiddies. Rock, Hogan, Bret. They are nothing next to me. Stone Cold? Ha. Austin is nothing more than a steroid pimple on my ass. Undertaker? Undertaker!? Hello! Has anyone watched the amount of guys I've BURIED on Raw. Buried. Undertaker. Get it. God I am so clever, now go buy some DX merchandise. Where was I. Oh yes. The King of Kings is ruling over Raw. You saw how I pedigreed that imposter King Booker right off of the roster. I am the be-all and end-all of pro wrestling.
I refused to do a clean job for my 'idol' in his final hometown match, and destroyed my 'friend' (Regal) the following week.
Just imagine what I can do to my enemies.*
Game over.
*No need to imagine just check out how Jericho has been booked since returning.
Wow, look's like it's 2003 all over again,
Any proof that HHH refused to job for Flair? Any proof that Jericho and HHH are indeed enemies?
-Carlito was sent to Santiago, Chile on behalf of the WWE to promote an event there for July 2nd and dropped this comment:
"I may get in trouble, but that's why I'm here. My opinion is that it was a smart move by [HHH]. I think that's why he's champion now and has been champion in the past, it's easier to him. We, the real wrestlers, don't depend on people in the business. We don't have that benefit. We have to deliver the maximum in the ring. Others are given championships in a plate of gold or platinum, I'm happy for him"