NOW WHAT...?

[mark.e.engel]

As expected, RSPW was full of barfing sounds resulting from WM IX. As usual,
Vince keeps us guessing, but this wasn't a guess I wanted to exercise.

Once the outrage calms down (if it ever does), we all wonder what will happen
now? Here, for what it's worth, are my opinions.

(1) FIRST AND FOREMOST... Hulk Hogan will remain as WWF champ after all the
post-WMIX sorting out is done, even if he has to win another tornament. Vince
had to give him the heavyweight title and totally destroy the Mega-Maniacs
tag-team angle because Hogan still sells the best when he occupies the
spotlight alone, plain and simple. I'm not saying I like him, but McMahon is
all business, and what sells IS what sells. He just does not look "natural"
next to a tag-team partner. Second of all, Beefcake's return just did not
generate enough fan interest by itself; it was Hogan's return that generated
all the interest. Third of all, turnout at the arena shows has been dismal.
Having Hogan again might just boost it.

Look for Yoko pounding Hogan's ribs on TV, culminating at SummerSlam.

(2) Brutus' best move would be to go talk to Ted Turner. He had some good
matches with Rick Rude in the WWF years ago, could provide interest for WCW.
There is certainly nothing left for him in the WWF, except maybe to turn heel
against Hogan and take Jimmy Hart with him.

(3) Brett Hart may go after the IC title after Perfect finishes his go-arounds
with Michaels, or he may also go down to Turner-ville. I would not predict
him going after Hogan; their styles are too different for that match to sell.

(4) Yokozuna will stick around for a while. Look for him and Undertaker to
resume their feud after Yoko vs Hogan has been exhausted.

_____________________________________________________________________________
| |
| MARK ENGEL ma...@corona.att.com |
| "The Wizard of Odd" AT&T Bell Labs, NJ |
|_____________________________________________________________________________|

[Eric Chmiel]

>I'm not saying I like him, but McMahon is all business, and what sells IS

>what sells. Beefcake's return just did not generate enough fan interest

>by itself; it was Hogan's return that generated all the interest. Third of
>all, turnout at the arena shows has been dismal. Having Hogan again might
>just boost it.
>

>| MARK ENGEL

Interest may have been generated, but think about this: though the
numbers won't be in for a few days, there is almost no question that Sunday's
show will most likely have had the lowest PPV buy rate by far for any Mania
in history. Buy rate may drop under 2.0 for this show, and every Mania in
the past has done much better than that. In general, PPV buys have dropped
dramatically (along with house attendance and TV ratings) over the past
couple years. It would seem to me that while Hogan's presence might be of
passing interest to former religious fans of wrestling, he didn't make them
want to buy the PPV. I think interest in the business at this point is
just so low that nothing--not even Hogan--is gonna help all that much. It's
unfortunate but fallout from Vince's glory years is killing the business in
the US and Canada right now. I have no idea what it'll take to stop the
bleeding, let alone turn things around altogether.

***********
Eric Chmiel
***********