Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WWE Superstar Kane and his wife recently launched a new insurance company that is based out of Knoxville, TN. The company is called “The Jacobs Agency” and offers home, auto, motorcycle, boat, RV, rental, life and commercial insurance. In addition to that, they offer retirement planning.
According to those close to Kane, he’s been telling people that he has been planning to retire from WWE for quite some time now and is planning for his post-WWE future. He admits that it’s hard to walk away from the business due to the money and crowd reactions. The reason he’s still with WWE is simply because he feels he can still go and should continue doing so while he can at a “young” age. We know – 46 years old is not young but obviously he’s not getting any younger.
There is also a feeling backstage that Kane will end up involved with politics and may eventually run for political office. It’s well known that he is big into the political world and has appeared on numerous talks shows over the years discussing his views as a Libertarian.
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Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WWE has recently had discussions with AMC Networks Inc., Viacom Inc., Time Warner Inc. and 21st Century Fox regarding negotiations for television rights.
In the case of AMC, that is an interesting one considering that they are now a top five cable network due to the success of such shows as “Breaking Bad” and “Walking Dead.”
The talks with Viacom would be for Spike TV, which explains why Spike has yet to renew their contract with TNA, which is scheduled to expire right around the same time that WWE’s deal with NBC Universal is up.
Time Warner talks would mean a slot on either TBS or TNT, or both. For what it’s worth, one source noted recently that a wrestling company approached them about a potential deal and were told that they had no interest in wrestling, however that wouldn’t rule out WWE, as they are on a different level.
The talks with 21st Century Fox would likely see WWE end up on FOX Sports 1, in an attempt to help grow that new cable channel. This would also mean that WWE and UFC would be focusing all of their cable efforts on the same channel once again, a situation that helped build the UFC in the first place back when both called Spike TV their official cable home.
As previously reported, WWE CFO George Barrios noted that the company expects to announce their new cable television deal at the end of April, or in early May.
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WWE WrestleMania 30 will be the final WWE PPV to broadcast on Sky in Germany as the company has signed a new TV deal with the ProSieben/Sat1 Group. WrestleMania 30 will air on Sky Select as the final WWE broadcast on Sky, the end of a twelve year broadcast partnership which brought the country live WWE PPVs as well as live Raw broadcasts and SmackDown broadcasts.
ProSieben/Sat1 has already announced that three weeks after WrestleMania, the event will be available on online VOD provider Maxdome, although the price for that VOD has not been revealed. Going forward, PPVs will air live on Maxdome, with VOD set to be available three weeks after the live airing.
SmackDown will have its final broadcast on Sky on March 31st, and then return to free TV in Germany on April 5th. The series will air on Saturdays at 11 PM on ProSieben Maxx. The three-hour version of RAW, SmackDown replays and WWE NXT will be broadcast on ProSieben FUN, which is paid channel
WWE highlights will also air on MyVideo.de, which is a German website similar to YouTube, on a WWE-branded channel.
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Source: Pwinsider.com
UFC star Chael Sonnen was interviewed by TSN’s Off the Record in Canada in an interview that was broadcast last night.
Towards the end of the interview, host Michael Landsberg asked Sonnen about CM Punk and his WWE status, since the two were friends. Sonnen responded that he didn’t know what was going to happen with Punk and whether he would be wrestling at Wrestlemania, but Stephanie McMahon would be aware. Sonnen then held up a piece of paper with a phone number written on it and told those viewing to call the number on the paper.
Sonnen then told McMahon to, “tell Hunter I just played the game.”
The number was blurred out but Landsberg later stated that Off the Record called the number and verified it was actually McMahon’s personal cell number. She wasn’t happy about the call.
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Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The following is a list of the current merchandise sellers at the arenas in WWE.
1. John Cena
2. Daniel Bryan
3. CM Punk (down on the list because he’s been off TV and hasn’t been at the arenas)
4. Batista
5. Sheamus
6. Hulk Hogan
7. Randy Orton
8. Brock Lesnar
On the official WWE website, the list of top merchandise sellers is as follows:
1. John Cena
2. CM Punk
3. Daniel Bryan
4. Hulk Hogan
5. The Shield
6. Steve Austin
7. Brock Lesnar
8. Undertaker
9. Randy Orton
Notably absent from the list are Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio, both of whom have been among the top merchandise movers, especially Mysterio, who has been in the top tier list for several years.
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Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
According to an internal list that was just made in WWE, the company is projecting the following five guys to be the top Superstars, in order, going forward after WrestleMania XXX in April.
1. John Cena
2. Daniel Bryan
3. Randy Orton
4. Sheamus
5. Roman Reigns
Many found it interesting that both Sheamus came in at number two, and that Batista was not on the list at all. In the case of Sheamus, many point to the fact that Triple H has been very high on him for quite a while.
It should be noted, by the way, that this is a list of the guys they feel will be in those positions several months down the line, as opposed to where they are today. Obviously when they get to that point, things will likely have changed many times, but this is the list that the company just recently made.
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– WWE is planning on making a big push for merchandise based on four top names – Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, The Ultimate Warrior and Steve Austin.
With this merchandise push, WWE officials want these four at WrestleMania XXX. Obviously Hogan, Taker and Warrior are already booked but word is that they want to find a good storyline for Austin to have a non-wrestling role. The idea of being there has been pitched to Austin but there’s no word on any kind of deal yet.
– WWE Studios will be releasing several of their movies in combo packs this June. There will be a Triple H set (Inside Out, The Chaperone), a John Cena set (Legendary, The Reunion), a Family set (Legendary, Knucklehead, The Chaperone), a Drama set (That’s What I Am, Legendary), a Comedy set (Bending the Rules, Knucklehead, Chaperone) and an Action set (Inside Out, The Reunion, Bending the Rules, No Holds Barred).
– Cesaro was in The Netherlands last week doing promotional work for WWE. He did many TV and radio interviews, including a gym session with the WTF.nl website.
– “Road Dogg” BG James is legitimately suffering from a back injury. There was more talk this past week of doing The New Age Outlaws vs. The Usos for the WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania XXX.
