Wrestlenomics

Andrew Yang tweets notwithstanding, does WWE really have the rights to its talent legal names? Vince McMahon is reportedly threatening to punish talent unless they stop using third-party monetized platforms like Cameo and Twitch. What's motivating this move? Brandon Thurston explains. Then, will NXT move away from its head-to-head competition with AEW Dynamite on Wednesdays? Does USA Network r...

TV production for WWE likely just got more expensive with the introduction of the Thunderdome. Brandon Thurston explains his latest estimate of WWE finances for the remainder of the year. Plus, it was an unusual week in TV viewership as Raw and Smackdown did their biggest audiences in months, NXT ran unopposed, and AEW was preempted into other time-slots. Which Japanese wrestling companies are pro...

The ThunderDome Era of the Coronavirus Era is upon us. How much will it cost WWE? I don't know. How much will it eat into WWE's profits? We'll get an idea soon. How hyped is Kevin Dunn about drone cameras? Very. As AEW is bringing ticketed fans into Daily's Place, we consider where Japan was with COVID-19 when New Japan decided to bring fans back into venues. Who's a draw and w...

"The people who would supposedly never stop watching beginning to stop watching. Brandon Thurston looks at the results of the Wreddit Census from 2020 and 2019 and how they may be an informative supplement to linear TV viewership data. What will happen if the timing of WWE and AEW's TV rights negotiations end up coinciding a couple years from now? Plus, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Oppor...

After helping WWE complete major increases in the value of its U.S. TV deals, WWE has hired Nick Khan to be its new President and Chief Revenue Officer. His hiring, and the introduction of other executives like new CFO Kristina Salen, comes as TV viewership is in unprecedented decline and there's ambiguity whether the popularity of the brand is being hindered by COVID-19, or by some broader pr...

Avid reader of SEC filings Brandon Thurston breaks down the WWE Q2 2020 earnings report as only he can. We look at all the news as the company was even more profitable than the market expected, leading to an increase in shares in after market trading. Plus: How did Vince McMahon respond to questions about declining TV viewership? Online merchandise sales are way up. Live Event business is almost n...

How should we read TV viewership declines in 2020? How low do viewer metrics have to be for it become a concern for WWE's TV partners like Fox and USA Network? Plus, Brandon Thurston lays out an argument for why the acquisition of WWE by Comcast (while unlikely) would be in the best interest of partners, shareholders, and fans. Referenced in this episode: Ad Age Remotely: WWE Chief Brand Offic...

What matters when it comes to wrestling TV viewership? Brandon Thurston talks about the coveted key demo, total audience, and TV rights fees. The number of wrestlers working 10 or more matches for major companies exploded in recent years. What does it mean for independent wrestling? Plus: Stephanie McMahon talks about the gender pay gap, Florida takes the lead in COVID19 cases, NBCU launches Peaco...

The foremost independent expert in pro-wrestling business, Brandon Thurston breaks down the most pressing news stories of the week. *Comments from Paul Levesque downplay WWE's COVID test results as reportedly more than 30 people test positive for the virus, and cases rise in Florida. *WWE announces the hiring of a new Chief Financial Officer, former Etsy CFO Kristina Salen. *WWE viewership doo...

What can we learn from Google web search data related to the biggest stars in WWE and AEW? Why is the linear wrestling audience so old? Is it representative of the actual consumer base or skewed by media choices? Plus, Brandon Thurston goes into detail talking about research he recently did breaking down the quarter-hour data in the Wednesday night competition between NXT and AEW. More for written...

We go through the facts from the news transpiring from the Speaking Out movement, as numerous stories of sexual assault and other misconduct where made public in the past week. Then, as many as 30 people within WWE reportedly have contracted COVID-19 after the company has declined to administer COVID testing until recently. Visit wrestlenomics.com for Brandon Thurston's latest written work and...

We learned of an update in the complaint filed by a pension leading a class-action lawsuit against WWE. The plaintiffs claim WWE and its executives failed to disclose information to stockholders as the company’s deal with Middle East North Africa TV partners OSN ended early, and an attempt to make a deal with Saudi-owned MBC faltered. Numerous stories of abuse and sexual misconduct in the wrestlin...

Wrestling stars who spike business usually do so soon after being elevated to main event status for the first time in their career. We explore this and the news of the last week or so, including: -New Japan announces its return to events -Triple H on why WWE isn't doing COVID-19 testing, and his new executive title -MLW signs with DAZN -The new free tier for the WWE Network means the end of fr...

As people across the U.S. protest racism and police brutality, we divert from the usual focus on wrestling business. Audio clip sources: -Xavier Woods, UpUpDownDown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmmTyEmCZpE -MVP, Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-QQM4xcLMU0 -James Baldwin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwhNWPLVF-Q | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAmL3F5uylo -Dr....

Coming off news that early estimates for All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing pay-per-view may have been among AEW's most-bought PPVs yet, we revisit the strategy behind the WWE Network, as told by former WWE co-president Michelle Wilson. Plus Brandon Thurston talks about the Wrestlenomics formula and talks your questions! Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/wrestlenomics http://twitt...

How safe is it to continue running empty arena wrestling events in the United States and Florida compared to Japan or Tokyo? Brandon Thurston looks at the data around testing, cases, and deaths. What do Google searches tell us about the title reigns of WWE champions and the popularity of WWE from 2004 to the present? The latest on TV viewership, including the success of the Dark Side of the Ring s...

The latest on the pro-wrestling business during the coronavirus pandemic, discussed by Brandon Thurston. *NJPW President Harold Meij gave a statement about the state of his company. *An update on the ongoing lawsuit between former XFL CEO Oliver Luck and Vince McMahon. *What regular top stars are left for WWE? *Your questions! *And finally why it’s clearer now the WWE Network has made life more di...

It looks like WWE's going to be even more profitable than thought before, according to Brandon Thurston. Also, what's "friction"? What are breakpoints, and why are they important to assessing wrestling's popularity in the midst of the coronavirus crisis? Plus, everyone's favorite topic: is wrestling real or fake? And what are the economic consequences of the wrestling audie...

Brandon Thurston talks over the effect empty building wrestling shows are having TV viewership and whether viewers will bounce back whenever programs can return to arenas. We consider the possibility of WWE selling to a major media company, executive stock sales and the performance of major wrestling companies' YouTube channels. Follow Wrestlenomics at http://twitter.com/wrestlenomics Visit ht...

Wrestling business analyst Brandon Thurston breaks down the WWE Q1 2020 earnings call in a level of granularity as only he can. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/wrestlenomics-radio/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Brandon Thurston reviews the recent events that led up to WWE's decision to cut costs and lay off or furlough workers, as well as the recent closure and bankruptcy of Vince McMahon's XFL. May 2018: WWE discloses it received a minority stake in Alpha Entertainment related to XFL IP transaction with Alpha. https://otp.tools.investis.com/clients/us/wwe/SEC/sec-show.aspx? FilingId=12727687&amp...

Vince McMahon's latest endeavor into professional football seems to have come to an end after most XFL employees were laid off this morning. Does WWE's "cinematic" approach demonstrated at Wrestlemania have an economic relevance? What does it mean for the development of new stars? Follow Wrestlenomics at twitter.com/wrestlenomics Visit the website at wrestlenomics.com Support this...

Brandon Thurston talks about these subjects: -Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs on his governor's stay-home order -Predictions on how long it'll be before wrestling events will go back to normal -WWE will remain profitable despite COVID19 restrictions -WWE and AEW TV rights aren’t at risk -Wrestlemania offered as a $60 PPV on streaming platforms -Wrestlenomics dubstep math: Showing how venue...

As we remain quarantined at home, the wrestling business continues on. Brandon Thurston talks about these topics: -COVID19 risks, Roman Reigns pulls out of Wrestlemania match -Vince McMahon enters into stock sale agreement with Morgan Stanley -Is WWE’s PPV rights deal dead? -WWE COVID19 risk model -Paul Levesque’s new corporate title -How do investors and analysts think about WWE’s business? Visit...

*The latest news on COVID19's effect on the wrestling business. *Paul Levesque's new EVP title. *What are people actually referring to when they say 'attendance'? Brandon Thurston gives an overview of the most highly-attended wrestling events of modern times. Live gate (revenue generated from ticket sales) is better understood than attendance in more recent times. The most lucrativ...