WWE: WWE considering turning Reigns or Ambrose heel; Reigns is #2 merch seller

[M.C.G. 31]

The only thing I like about Ambrose being the one to turn heel right now is that he could be the one to walk out of Survivor Series with the title, but drop it to Roman sometime between TLC-Fast Lane.

 

[Balance]

The only thing I like about Ambrose being the one to turn heel right now is that he could be the one to walk out of Survivor Series with the title, but drop it to Roman sometime between TLC-Fast Lane.

I would love this just for the fact that who would ever predict that both Rollins and Ambrose would become WWE champ before Reigns on the Shield?

 

[Kimi]

reigns going heel is the best long term move it's a chance for him to find himself on the mic, and say screw you to all the fans resisting him, but WWE has time after time shown no long term vision over the last few years, so i suspect it'll be ambrose who the fans actually like.

also meltzer offers no perspective on reigns merch sales, is it this month, this quarter, this year? also factor in no babyface has been pushed nearly as hard as him, he has no competition other than cena and i suppose lesnar

He's been a top seller for a long time now (like over a year). He's very popular with the t-shirt demographic, so he sells a lot of shirts. Kids like winners, and he's won a lot.

Ambrose and Orton also sell well, and they're the only other two big non-Cena faces. But Reigns wins more, so he sells more.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

He's been a top seller for a long time now (like over a year). He's very popular with the t-shirt demographic, so he sells a lot of shirts. Kids like winners, and he's won a lot.

Ambrose and Orton also sell well, and they're the only other two big non-Cena faces. But Reigns wins more, so he sells more.

The issue when it comes to these seller discussions is the fact that it is not really a fair fight when it comes to who sells more than someone else just due to how they decide to manufacture more for others and push them compared to others. Of course, they're going to make more t-shirts and make more money from said shirts when it's that supply that is out there more than say Ambrose or Orton when they're not in a push phase.

 

[ColePens]

If Ambrose turns heel.. nobody cares. The guy is in his own class where he'll be Dean Ambrose whether you like him or not. I don't think heel or face will elevate his character. Good stories and letting him be himself on the microphone will elevate him.

Reigns could be a mega FACE down the road if they turn him heel now. Let him find his groove, talk **** on the crowd, and I bet you so much money people will just start cheering him one day. Similar to the guy they want him to be... The Rock. Just with 1/10th of his overall charisma.

 

[Kimi]

The issue when it comes to these seller discussions is the fact that it is not really a fair fight when it comes to who sells more than someone else just due to how they decide to manufacture more for others and push them compared to others. Of course, they're going to make more t-shirts and make more money from said shirts when it's that supply that is out there more than say Ambrose or Orton when they're not in a push phase.

Yes the numbers at the top are heavily skewed. This isn't a problem. This is the reality of a travelling business. Nothing is meant to be 'fair', it's about the WWE making money. Which is something they do by pushing a couple of stars and turning them into shirt selling machines. It works or they wouldn't be doing it.


Does it suck that there are no Ryback shirts? Not unless you're that lone guy out of thousands in the arena who wants one. And then you can go buy one online with no hassle at all. The vast majority of sales they'll do will be the popular guys or the newly release shirts. They know this and that's what they bring with them.

Carting about a large inventory is very expensive, running with a limited inventory that you KNOW will sell is the only logical option.

And it's not like they don't know what does and doesn't sell. They have the website and will track what is popular. If for what ever reason Stardust starts selling a ton of shirt online, you'll for sure see some show up at shows.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Yes the numbers at the top are heavily skewed. This isn't a problem. This is the reality of a travelling business. Nothing is meant to be 'fair', it's about the WWE making money. Which is something they do by pushing a couple of stars and turning them into shirt selling machines. It works or they wouldn't be doing it.


Does it suck that there are no Ryback shirts? Not unless you're that lone guy out of thousands in the arena who wants one. And then you can go buy one online with no hassle at all. The vast majority of sales they'll do will be the popular guys or the newly release shirts. They know this and that's what they bring with them.

Carting about a large inventory is very expensive, running with a limited inventory that you KNOW will sell is the only logical option.

And it's not like they don't know what does and doesn't sell. They have the website and will track what is popular. If for what ever reason Stardust starts selling a ton of shirt online, you'll for sure see some show up at shows.

Some of it is certainly sound business practice but some of it is a method of holding guys down they don't want to succeed or those they don't care to have succeed. This type of stuff happens to one Randy Orton and he has complained about it in the past.

 

[ColePens]

I just feel bad for the talent. I understand, from a business perspective, what Kimi is saying. However, the talent gets a portion of their merch sales, correct? So from the multiple events I went to, it's much easier and more likely to go to the shop at the arena and buy a t-shirt or two because you are free-spending. If you are online, you have to pull the trigger and it's not as likely.

Much easier to spend when you are at a live event and not just surfing online with a credit card. That directly changes what an individual makes if their stuff is not available in youth sizes at events.

 

[Serac]

Some of it is certainly sound business practice but some of it is a method of holding guys down they don't want to succeed or those they don't care to have succeed. This type of stuff happens to one Randy Orton and he has complained about it in the past.

Haven't they done it with both Punk and Lesnar as well ?
All these guys who could easily sell a ton of shirts at an event, but WWE intentionally understocks

 

[Emperoreddy]

Haven't they done it with both Punk and Lesnar as well ?
All these guys who could easily sell a ton of shirts at an event, but WWE intentionally understocks

Isn't that one of the things that legit set Punk off and pissed him off?

they don't always stock stuff for the guys that are over. There are lots of politics involved with merch numbers.

 

[Kimi]

Yeah, basically everyone on the roster will be short changed by the current model. You can call it 'intentional under stocking', but it's really just maximising WWE money. The goals of the WWE and of the individual wrestlers conflict, the WWE wins out.

But this isn't just shirts. Wrestlers entire careers are dictated by the WWE. They pick who will be stars, they pick who will get paid the most because of that. Yeah the wrestlers can work as hard as they can but, as everyone loves to point out with Cesaro, it doesn't mean anything in the end when the WWE picks the stars.

It sucks, but that's how it is. It sucks even more with the monopoly the WWE.


Not saying there haven't been issues before. In fact I'm 100% that there has been problem as it's business/politics and there always is.

 

[ColePens]

That brings us to "independent contractors" and if they arent' going to house all those shirts at live events, then the talent should be able to do something to supplement. Only few talents are allowed to do so. That was actually one of Punk's biggest arguments.

Punk would have stayed in WWE, IMO, if they let him do all the supplemental ways to increase his value, too. Lesnar/Cena are allowed to do so.