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Nick Cohn, 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,639 Speaker 1: my friends and former agent, stops by the volume today 30 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: from a practicing attorney to a mega agent to now 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: the CEO of a public company. W WE Sofi Stadium 32 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles the site for WrestleMania April first and second. 33 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: The biggest stars will be there and Nick con joins 34 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: us SO. WrestleMania goes Hollywood Saturday Sunday at Sofi Spectacular Venue, 35 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: A spectacular venue. Roman Rains takes on, Cody Rhodes, brock Lessner, 36 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: John Cena, The Amazing Charlotte Flair and others. So there 37 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: are events weekly. This is your super Bowl? This is it? 38 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: Is it stressful for Vince, for you, for the performers? 39 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: Do you does it feel different? Well, look, I'll tell 40 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: you this. I can't speak to being a performer, obviously, 41 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: it's not what I do. But going out in front 42 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: of seventy five thousand fans a night or whatever it 43 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: might be. I remember hearing a story from Sugaray Leonard 44 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: years ago. He said, there's nothing like a ringwalk. He said, 45 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: you got seventy five fifty thousand people cheering for you, 46 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: cheering your name. I'd get into the ring and I'd 47 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: say to myself, holy shit, actually have to fight, which 48 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: I always thought was funny. But for us, I think 49 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 1: WW is a well oiled machine. We have almost a 50 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: thousand employees. Everyone's focus is on WrestleMania, so it's no 51 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: more stressful than any other week at WW. So not 52 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: that it's a playbook, but when you first came to WWE, 53 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: you did things that you and I had privately discussed 54 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: for years about my business, which is play the hits. 55 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: You know, the top five to ten percent of any 56 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: business are going to be your most dynamic revenue producers. 57 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: So you have really zoned in on your brock lesners. 58 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: John c at Charlotte Flair has never had a bigger 59 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: profile Roman reigns you even you've elevated that. So is 60 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: that easy? It's what you did in your career. So 61 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: was that on your note card of things to do 62 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: when you became you know, the CEO? Was that one? 63 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: Or were there things that I don't notice that a 64 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: non WWE diehard wouldn't notice that you had to work on. 65 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: Or was the system and the platform pretty solid and 66 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: it just needed tweaking. I think a couple of things. 67 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: I play the hits and part I learned from you. 68 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: So if you look at your content on your daily show, 69 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 1: it's some version of NFL, NFL, NBA, Lebron big story 70 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: of the day. But it's not, and we had this 71 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: conversation on day one of your show. It's not let's 72 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: put on this personality from baseball who's only known in 73 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: a local market. We don't need to mention any names, 74 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: right right, It's play the hits. What does the audience 75 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: want to see? So I think the way that Vince 76 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: and team built WWE was if you get a John Cena, 77 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: if you get a Rock, if you get a Roman, reigns, 78 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: showcase them. And if you showcase them, as long as 79 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: you can build opponents consistently and there's not just one 80 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: person carrying the load. As big as Roman is, all 81 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: of the other superstars that you mentioned, they all carry 82 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: a lot of stroke in our company. They all have 83 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: big voices. So for all of those people to be 84 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: on display over a two night event at WrestleMania this 85 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: coming weekend, we think it might give us a winning hand. 86 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,679 Speaker 1: So you've always had good instincts when you were an agent, 87 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: and then you go to WWE, and instead of dealing 88 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: with high maintenance people like me, not, you're dealing with 89 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: a billionaire who had created something revolutionary, transcendent, and with 90 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: that comes its own challenges. Was it the transition from 91 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,799 Speaker 1: representing sportscasters now you had big names, herb Street names 92 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: two now working alongside Vince McMahon. Was the first six months? 93 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: Nine months a year? Was it difficult? Was it? You 94 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: take me? How would you describe it? So ill as 95 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 1: your question back, and then I'll answer your question. When 96 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: we worked together and I had the good fortune of 97 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 1: being your agent, do you feel that I worked for 98 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: you or that you worked for me. Well, it was symbiotic. 99 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: I thought we worked. It was a great partnership. But 100 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, my belief as an 101 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 1: agent is that I worked for you. That's how I 102 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 1: set it up in my mind, and yes, a great partnership. 103 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: Typically you don't feel that, oh, I just worked for 104 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: this guy. And it was never that way with you, 105 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: But I was looked at it that way, and I 106 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: always thought to myself, if I could help to deliver 107 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: the goods to you, then you in return would extend 108 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: the partnership and pay me commensurately or pay the agency commensurately. 109 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: I took the same approach with Vince. Had the good 110 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: fortune of starting to represent ww in their media rights ventures, 111 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 1: so got to know him, got to No Triple H, 112 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: Kevin Dunn, all the other good folks at WWE. So 113 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: I had a really good glimpse of the company from 114 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: the outside looking in. So when I started, I took 115 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: the same approach. There's only one boss, Vince, so I'd 116 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: certainly try to get his buy in on material things. 117 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: It's no different than a client. If you have a 118 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: different point of view, you and I would talk about 119 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: it in private, and when we'd come out of the room, 120 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: we were bonded. That was our position. It wasn't a hey, guys, 121 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: bad news. Colin doesn't agree with me, so this is 122 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: what we're going to do. You had your point of view. 123 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: I had my point of view. You ultimately got to 124 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: make the decision. Once you made the decision, it became 125 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: our decision. And I think I took the same approach 126 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: to WWE the creative side. How much impact I would 127 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: imagine substantial did Vince have on creative And was he 128 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: willing to let you early on tweak or give strong 129 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: opinions on the creative side. I really haven't had much 130 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: to do with creative, so certainly the talent deals I'm across, 131 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: all the venue deals and all those things. Vince obviously 132 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: created the entire company, but I think what he set 133 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: up was a system in place with Triple H, with 134 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: a gentleman named Bruce Fresher, where the company could keep 135 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: going creatively and keep thriving even if one day. Vince 136 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: obviously knew he would leave the earth at some point, 137 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: as we all will. I think the best organizations are 138 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: set up so if one person even the founder leaves, 139 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: the organization keeps moving. And I think what you saw 140 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: over the last six months or so was that Creative 141 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: continued to thrive, Ratings continue to thrive, relevancy continue to thrive. 142 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: But all credits Evince for setting it up that way. 143 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: You talked about platforms earlier. It's so fluid commedias. You know, 144 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: streaming was obviously what Uber was the taxis. It was 145 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: a total disruptor to linear television. And so you have 146 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: this entertainment company, this is going to be on Peacock streaming, right, 147 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: which has just continues to grow. I mean, it seems 148 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: like a natural transition to Hollywood. But do you think 149 00:08:55,040 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: there's something right now, either being created or that's created 150 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: that you're going to pivot too? Like I know you, 151 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: you're not going to stop here. Growth is the name 152 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 1: of the game. There's always some other way to get 153 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: John Cena, Charlotte Flair, Roman Reign's name out. There. Is 154 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: there an unexplored platform or direction for WWE. I think 155 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: something that we're focused on. First of all, you're coming 156 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: off of some of your highest ratings of all time, right, 157 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: and that's while the ratings for overall cable television and 158 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: broadcasts are down. But part of that is certainly you 159 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: and your team. Part of it is also the proliferation 160 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: of sports gambling. Yes, where even for a game that 161 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: was once a done, you have there gonna cover totally? 162 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: Are they going to cover? Right? So it's whenever you 163 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,239 Speaker 1: see a ratings increase like that, it's usually a confluence 164 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: of events. Similar with your show. Again, you have the product, 165 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: but it just so happens. In sports gambling is moving 166 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: in the directions moving. I think for WWE we're really 167 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: happy where the business side of the business is, but 168 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: certainly there's room for growth. The one a area that 169 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: we haven't tapped into yet that we will be tapping 170 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: into is our intellectual property. So if you think back 171 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: twenty years before Disney bought Marvel, Marvel had to beg 172 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: for distribution of its movies. It's why Sony still has 173 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: a piece of Spider Man, which is obviously a Marvel property. 174 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: It's why Comcast still has a piece of The Incredible 175 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: Hult because those enterprises helped distribute those movies years ago. 176 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: You then saw Hasbrow do it an executive named Brian Goldner, 177 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 1: who unfortunately passed away a year or so Ago really 178 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: took Transformers and some other Hasbro properties into feature films 179 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: and you saw the reward on that. So for us 180 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: with a vast intellectual property that WWE owns ninety eight 181 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: percent of for characters like the Undertaker or Andre the 182 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: Giant or Big John stud those are things that we 183 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: want to get into in short order. What would surprise 184 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: me about the demographics of the WWE audience? Forty percent 185 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: of our audience or women, Fifty percent of the folks 186 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: who attend our live events attend with a child. There 187 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: hasn't been a fight in our stands, not jinxing it 188 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: in over fifteen years. So what was the Harlem Globetrotter's 189 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: family friendly environment when you and I were much younger? 190 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: Is now the WWE family friendly environment where people come 191 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: with their children, It's safe, it's fun, it's PG programming, 192 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: and people tend to like it even more live than 193 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 1: they do on TV and people seem to love it 194 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: on TV. Roman Reigns I felt when you initially got 195 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: to the company it needed tweaking. I thought, has the look, 196 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: has the body, has the presence, but he does feel 197 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: today more popular than like three years ago. That's my 198 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: interpret I would be called a casual, but that's my interpretation. 199 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: You look at the ratings, is that right? And what happened? 200 00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: I think what happened. So when I joined the company 201 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: was at the height of COVID, even pre vaccine, you know, COVID. 202 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: So we never missed a week of TV. We shot 203 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: out of Florida. Our producers, our writers, our talent all 204 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: put their lives on the line to make sure that 205 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: that could happen and that we could deliver the product 206 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: to our fans. Really grateful for that. Roman, who has 207 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: had bouts with leukebia, had to take a moment off 208 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: because at the height of COVID, obviously with that pre 209 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: existing condition, he had to catch his breath and make 210 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: sure he didn't put himself into jeopardy. When he came back, 211 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: he came back as we referred to as a monster. 212 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 1: Heel a bad guy if you will. What I found, 213 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: and I think what fans would tell you, is that 214 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: typically the best performers are the ones who act like 215 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,079 Speaker 1: themselves but amplified. And by the way, Roman's a lovely guy, 216 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: great guy, but he's sort of the handsome guy who 217 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: played football. I'm sure when he was younger prior to 218 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: being married, did a nice job on the dating scene. 219 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: You know, he's sort of that guy, that's who he 220 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: is as a character, but amplified. If you look at 221 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, same things, versions, different versions of 222 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: the same thing. They were themselves, but amplified. And I 223 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: think that's what's really worked for Rome. Charlotte Flair feels 224 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: to me like the most popular woman ever in the sport? 225 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: Is that true? She's big, She's as big as it gets. 226 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 1: And you know, one thing, one of the many things 227 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: that I admire about Charlotte if you look at Rick Flair, 228 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: obviously she's the child of a really successful performance and 229 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: she's a grinder, grinder, And I think what happened was 230 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: because you know, in that generation, I think Flair's sons 231 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: thought that they would be the next great wrestlers, and 232 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: his daughter, Charlotte real name Ashley, was sort of overlooked. 233 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: So she had to almost prove herself more than she 234 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: would have had to prove herself had she not been 235 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: Rick Flair's ter. She puts in the work and you know, 236 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: the drill keet even having a chance at success, he 237 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: end up in the work you gotta grind, gives you 238 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: a shot. What percentage of your time is spent with 239 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 1: Wall Street, is spent with Vince? Is spent on television production, 240 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: scheduling a significant amount with Wall Street, significant amount with Vents, 241 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: significant amount with scheduling our live events, and on many 242 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: other things. Production is not my area of expertise, and 243 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: the folks who run it it is their area of expertise. 244 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: So I don't give them notes on it. It all 245 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: looks great to me. They always hit their numbers and 246 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: we're good to go. But all the other items you 247 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: mentioned a good portion of the day spent on that. 248 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: Let's say I was always struck when I'll be there Saturday. 249 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: I'm always struck by the ability to have this production. 250 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: It's live and then it's over, and I mean stuff 251 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: is on trucks in ninety minutes. Do you ever worry 252 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: about with wrestlers because there's such performers like a deep bench? 253 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: Do you think in terms of that because you've I 254 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: feel like you've asked a little more of your stars, 255 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: which is smart business. Sure, right, Lebron and his prime 256 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: we need to play seventy eight games? Is developing a bench? 257 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: How valuable is that the WWE hugely valuable a few 258 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: years ago, certainly prior to me getting there. I think 259 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: what Triple H and Vince and others decided was, instead 260 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: of just mining the independent wrestling scene, let's create our 261 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: own developmental system, which is called NXT. Yeah, we've talked about, Yes, 262 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: NX Tuesday nights on USA, very interesting programming. A lot 263 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: of our current main roster Ron SmackDown Superstars came from NXT. 264 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: So that's been extremely valuable for us because for our folks, 265 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: like any other sport, you have to practice enough before 266 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: you get great. If the practice in front of an 267 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: audience too, that's what matters. It's not simply and I'm 268 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: not suggesting this is a simple task, not simply throwing 269 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: a football thirty yards down the field. It's being able 270 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: to do it in front of one hundred thousand people. 271 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: Were the same for NFL players. You could do it 272 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: in the park. There's a lot of good streetballers in basketball, 273 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: but put them in primetime, put them on a team 274 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: where there's rules, it's a lot tougher. What's your team 275 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: like that finds the people, discovers the people. You and 276 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: Vince obviously have a great stay In the end, there's 277 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: a certain it quality. Again, presence looks what would be 278 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: the process from we think we found somebody interesting too, 279 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: actually is on an event. So first we shifted our 280 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: recruiting a couple of years ago and really have gone 281 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: after college athletic programs. Yeah, and the thought behind that 282 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: was if you look at Roman Reins played football at 283 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: Georgia Tech, didn't make it to the NFL. If you 284 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: look at another guy we have, Bigge played football at IOWA, 285 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: didn't make it to the NFL. If you'll get the 286 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: Rock played football obviously University of Miami. Warren Sapp comes 287 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: in after him takes his rock ends up in the 288 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: Canadian Football League, you know, hoping he can figure it out, 289 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: and at the end of the day, it didn't work 290 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: for him in that venue, so he came into ours. 291 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: So it's not just male athletes that were after. It's 292 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: the female athletes also at all these athletic programs. If 293 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: you're the great sledgehammer thrower at the University of Alabama 294 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: and you're thinking, Okay, do I go get an office job? 295 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: I go work for upso come work with us, like, 296 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: we have an opportunity. So once they're in our system. 297 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: Then it comes down to every other job. Your brain, 298 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: this your heart, and certainly for us, your physical and 299 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: athletic ability. And if we see it, and it is 300 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: always hard to describe, as you know, what gives you, 301 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 1: it's hard to describe. Right, get a good look, you 302 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: put in the work, you know, you don't take yourself 303 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: too seriously. Even the Colin was right, Colin was wrong. 304 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: I hadn't seen anyone else do that. It's brilliant rather 305 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: than simply sitting there and saying I'm right and right 306 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: and right and right. So for us, it's once they 307 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: get in the ring, once in front of an audience, 308 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: can they do it? You know when you see it. 309 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: I remember when the NFL didn't have a team in 310 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,239 Speaker 1: Los Angeles forever, which is just crazy, crazy, And it 311 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: shows you the power of the league when you have 312 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 1: teams in Green Bay and Buffalo and none in Los Angeles. 313 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: Every franchise, Subway, pizza Hut, this isn't a Hogi town. 314 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: You're going to be represented. So to me, it seems 315 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: so natural, Russellmann, you should be in Los Angeles a lot. 316 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: That's the obvious one. What goes into deciding your biggest 317 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: matches of the year. Who makes the decision and why 318 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: do you choose venues? So just quickly on the LA 319 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,400 Speaker 1: not having a football team for so many years, part 320 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: of me believes that because the NFL is such a 321 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: New York based company that and you know this shrill 322 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: you lived in the Northeast. The West Coast has looked 323 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: at differently by the Northeast. It is so even when 324 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: I started at WWE and we had the return of 325 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,239 Speaker 1: live fans, we schedule to show that you attended at 326 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: Allegiance Stadium in Las Vegas. Yeah. Some of the folks 327 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: who at work in ww with me said, you know, 328 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: historically we haven't done great in Vegas. And I said, 329 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: having been born there, I'm not saying it makes me 330 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: the expert, but I haven't been born there, lived there 331 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: for so many years. I said, look, let me lay 332 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: out a couple of things. I said. Number one, there's 333 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: no one in the history of humankind who has said 334 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: to themselves, let's go to Vegas for a Monday so 335 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: we can see Monday night raw. There's also no one 336 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: who said, let's go to Vegas on a Friday and 337 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: make sure we land by two o'clock local, so we 338 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: can be in our seats by five o'clock local for SmackDown, 339 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: which ends at seven pm. I said, also, you don't 340 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: want to. We don't want to go up and compete 341 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: against football, So forget Sundays. We don't want to compete 342 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: against the sports book on Saturdays. So if you go 343 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: during football season, you have I get it's not free entertainment, 344 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: but you make a twenty dollars bet you can hang 345 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: out in the sports book. Let's not compete against that. 346 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: But if we go in August, when there is no NFL, 347 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: when there is no college football, when there's not a 348 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: lot of action in the sports book post NBA Finals, 349 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: regular season baseball, maybe we'll have a shot low and behold, 350 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: I think we did sixty thousand tickets. You were there 351 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: was a big event. Great. So all of that goes 352 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: into the equation of where do we want to be 353 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:18,399 Speaker 1: when Los Angeles this coming weekend. It's so far as intentional. 354 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: It's our media rights deals are up in October of 355 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: twenty four in the United States, the right of first 356 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: negotiation with both of our incumbent partners, who we love, 357 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: Fox and NBCU. Well, obviously want to hear every conversation 358 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: with them first, but other folks will be attending because 359 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: it's easy to go to sofa if you live in La. 360 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: It's a five o'clock start time, West coast start time. 361 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: As you know, there's three things that the West Coast 362 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: undisputably destroys the East Coast in three things. Weather, weather, 363 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: it's I even close, sushi not even close, start an 364 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: end time of sporting events, not even close. So we're 365 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: gonna have a lot good folks there this Saturday and Sunday, 366 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: and they get to check out our product in person, 367 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: always a far easier sell for us if you've seen 368 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:13,679 Speaker 1: our stuff live. When you seek either incumbents or new partners, 369 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: what will be the two most important factors. Do they 370 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: give us the latitude to grow our product? Do they 371 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: realize in a fifty two week a year season, year round, 372 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: sometimes you're going to go down a little bit A 373 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: lot of times you're going to go up these things 374 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: evan flow and are they actual partners rather than just 375 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: cutting us a check? Check's great, but eventually, as you 376 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: know with any partner that there's going to be bumps 377 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 1: in the road, right, So you've got to have someone 378 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: there who's on your side. I think that's the most 379 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: overused term in business right now is we want to 380 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: be a good partner. Want to be a good partner. 381 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 1: Don't tell me, just be a good partner. But you 382 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: don't need to tell me you're going to be a 383 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: good partner. So that's what we look for. So we 384 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: have traditional media which I'm part of, like a premiere 385 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: radio and a Fox, and then you have you know, 386 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: the Amazons of the world. Also in terms of like capitalization, 387 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 1: you know, we grow up in a domestic world. Now 388 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: it's all global totally. Money comes from everywhere. Could I 389 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 1: argue there's value in getting a company overseas You already 390 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 1: have a bedrock, you have your business domestically. That's not 391 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 1: an issue. Could I argue there are advantages to having 392 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: somebody abroad ever buy or be your primary partner potentially, Look, 393 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 1: let's talk about primary partner. So it's a heck of 394 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: a lot easier to do a deal with an entity 395 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: that's in one hundred and eighty countries than to go 396 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: to one hundred eighty countries and do one hundred and 397 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: eighty separate deals. Especially forget the easy countries. United Kingdom, Australia, 398 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: Sub Saharan Africa. We have relationships there. We know what 399 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 1: to do. I don't know how to do a deal 400 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: in Finland. That's not my area of expertise. So even 401 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: our international team which is strong, do they really know 402 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: in Paraguay what the best outlet is for our product? 403 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 1: You end up taking the highest money deal, which can 404 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: sometimes hurt the product right certain countries. You don't want 405 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: to be behind a paywall, it won't work. Even if 406 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: you look at the last cricket negotiations in India, the 407 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: folks who got the digital rights, which was Viacom Reliance 408 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: and James Murdock, they're basically offering it for free on 409 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: an a vot saying we understand the culture and India 410 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: people are not going to pay for this, so we'll 411 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: have it ad supported. We'll make our money that way, 412 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: we'll get the biggest audience possible. Looking to get more 413 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: out of the NBA season, Well now it's the perfect 414 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: time to download FanDuel America's number one sports book. 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I always 443 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: felt in my business the first twenty five years is 444 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 1: to build an audience and then, like Howard Stern, that 445 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,719 Speaker 1: becomes less relevant and monetizing when you get into your 446 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: fifties and up monetize it. If you lose some audience 447 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 1: but monetize it to a much higher level. That's always 448 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: as an individual felt like the right play al Michaels. 449 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: We know who he is. Who's right in the check? Now? Yep? 450 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 1: Does it work that way for a business that your 451 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: brand is established, you have wildly loyal, young and growing audience. 452 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: Where is that line check monetization growth? How do you 453 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: view that? How does Vince view it? But by the way, 454 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: it's a dangerous line in our business. And I'll tell 455 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: you why. If you go back. This is going back 456 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: a long way, but if you go back to the 457 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: sixties where boxing was one of the top three sports, 458 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: Let's say, before the NBA became the NBA, before Bird Magic, 459 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:28,360 Speaker 1: when it was still Presteelers NFL, before Montana came in, 460 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: and boxing was Ali and Sugar Ray and all these guys. 461 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: One of the unfortunate things that happened in boxing is 462 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: they went behind the paywall for almost everything, right, so 463 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: they went to HBO when HBO offered more money when 464 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 1: very few people had HBO, so fewer eyeballs on their product, 465 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: especially with kids. If your parents didn't subscribe to HBO, 466 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: you weren't watching the fight. And those are rich parents, 467 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: Those are rich parents. Right. Cable was not prevalent, and 468 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 1: certainly premium cable was not prevalent, So you have to 469 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 1: actually have money back then to watch a product that 470 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 1: should be available to the masses. So if you look 471 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: at the steady decline of boxing, that's one of the 472 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 1: big factors. Then pay per view was figured out and 473 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: boxing said, oh, instead of just being on HBO for 474 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: whatever HBO was charging in nineteen ninety two ten bucks 475 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 1: a month, twenty bucks. We can charge fifty dollars an 476 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: event seventy dollars an event will make more money in 477 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: one night. Sure, but with no reinvestment in the sport, 478 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 1: what are you going to be in twenty years? And 479 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: if you look at boxing now and you say, wow, 480 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: they could do a heck of a lot better job, 481 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: or if you look how great of a job UFC did, 482 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: how great of a job Vincent wwe did? It was 483 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: always to make sure that the product was available to 484 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: the masses. Smart to me, who's your rival? I don't 485 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: know that we have one. It's there's two answers in 486 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: my mind to that question, Colin. Either we don't have one, 487 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: or everyone is our rival. What I think about often 488 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: is people, even our age, are on their phones at 489 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: night on TikTok so watching free content, watching free content, 490 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: texting their friends. They're messaging their friends. We have to 491 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,879 Speaker 1: make sure our product is exciting enough, not just to 492 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:07,959 Speaker 1: get you into the venue, but to make sure you 493 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: watch at home. So if there are other opportunities on 494 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: your phone that are better, we're dead. If we continue 495 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: to have a strong product that resonates with the fans. 496 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: We're in great shape. How many people now at WWE? 497 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,880 Speaker 1: How many do you employ? About a thousand altogether? How 498 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,120 Speaker 1: many on the creative side? Fifty to seventy five. These 499 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 1: are writers, writers, producers, meaning the writers obviously write the content. 500 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: The producers helped to execute on the content with our 501 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: superstars are wrestlers, which we call superstars. The producers and 502 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: the writers will work with the superstars to make sure 503 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: that the matches and the interviews go off the way 504 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: that's intended. How far ahead, for instance, will you begin 505 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: the process of WrestleMania months in advance? Months, months, months 506 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: in advance? If you said, now, where's the creative team 507 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: with their process? Their months ahead of WrestleMania. Obviously a 508 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: huge focus on Saturday and Sunday to make sure we 509 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: can execute what the plan is. But they're months ahead 510 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: and they know that's the way it should be, because again, 511 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: fifty two weeks a year, three to four programs a week. 512 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: If you're not months ahead, you're going to get caught. 513 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: I always thought you had a certain dexterity, you were 514 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: very nimble on bad days. I haven't had a lot. 515 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: I think we both had really nice lives, but especially 516 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: the Vegas years, those lean years for you, and they 517 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: were brief. Yeah, I always thought you were really good 518 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: in chaos. Again, as somebody from the outside, Vince leaves, 519 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: Vince comes back. That may be viewed by some as chaotic. 520 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: Was it in the building now? Not from my point 521 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: of view. Number One, he's a controlling shareholder, he's a 522 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: founder of the company. It's his right to come back. 523 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: And he graciously says, hey, it's our company. Factually it's 524 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: his company, and I have a good fortune of working 525 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: there and working with him. So if he decided he 526 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: wanted to come back, that's the way it was going 527 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: to be. And for me in terms of chaos and 528 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 1: looking at it, I sort of had a law school 529 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: professor who said this to me. I was looking at 530 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: two different law firms when I was a second year 531 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: student or something like that, and I say, you know, 532 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: it's a hard decision. And he said a hard decision. 533 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: He said, A hard decision is if you got twenty 534 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: bucks and you don't know whether you shoulduy groceries for 535 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: your kids or keep your lights on, that's a hard decision. 536 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: He's like, this is easy. So to me. Even when 537 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: I was an agent, I always wanted to talk straight 538 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: to my clients, straight to my colleagues. What was the 539 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: worst that could happen? Client fires you, I prefer not 540 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 1: to be fired, But okay, I can deal with that. 541 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: He was like, Oh, it's embarrassing. Not embarrassing to me. 542 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: That's the ups and downs of life. What's the other 543 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: bad thing that can happen? Oh, the agency fires you. 544 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: That's not my preference. Fortunately, see never fired me and 545 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: they were great to me. But so why if that happened, 546 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: So people like, oh that guy got fired. I don't 547 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: care about that sort of thing. So when chaos comes around, 548 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: I'd like to try to stay common it and figure 549 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: out what's our path out of the chaos. What would 550 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: surprised me about Vince? Obviously smart, driven, passionate. What would 551 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: surprise me? He can be an introvert in private settings. 552 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: He does not dominate a room, especially with people he 553 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: doesn't know. He's a really good listener. And the rule 554 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: of thumb with Vince is you can say anything you 555 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 1: want as long as it's said in a respectful way 556 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: and in private and if you think about it, those 557 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: are kind of your rules and my rules in private 558 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: conversations that you and I had had about your career, 559 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: I would not say those in front of a group 560 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: of other people. Maybe you in front of Anne other 561 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: close confidants, but that's your business. So if I had 562 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: a different point of view than we talk it through 563 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: in private. So it's all a stylistic thing. He's also 564 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: extremely generous and has financially helped He won't say it. 565 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: He doesn't like to take credit for that, but has 566 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: financially helped a whole lot of people, which you know, 567 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: not that many people know about, but I've seen that side. 568 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: It's a very sweet side. Does he still you know? 569 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: They used to say the late great Bill Russell threw 570 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: up before every game, which is hard to fathom, but 571 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: that was the kind of anxiety. He viewed it as 572 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: a real positive, like when I stop being nervous. Steph 573 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: Curry has talked about this, there is an anxiety. Even 574 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: as the best shooter in the world. What's Vince like 575 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: on Russellmania Night. He definitely not the throw of guy, 576 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: but definitely we got to be laser focused here. So 577 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: Russell ming and night going into the show, that's not 578 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: the night to be cracking jokes, right, and anybody who 579 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: wants to do that. If you're going into a quarterback 580 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: Super Bowl game, you're going to go crack jokes with 581 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: the quarterback. Give him space, let him breathe. If he 582 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 1: wants you to come around and say, hey, let's crack 583 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: some jokes, you come around and crack some jokes. But 584 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: it's not that sort of anxiety with him. He doesn't 585 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: operate that way. Yeah, he's such an iconic figure. I 586 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: wonder if part of what made this whole thing work 587 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: and continues to work is that Vince still works out. 588 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: He understands the life, the physicality of the wrestler. When 589 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: I look at Vince, it's such a Dana White. By 590 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,959 Speaker 1: the way, similarly totally you know Vince, to me, I 591 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: feel like he's an athlete to this day? Is he 592 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 1: he is? And look, I think even think about your 593 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:26,959 Speaker 1: own life. From my point of view, you've never been 594 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: a big drinker. I'm not maybe when you were twenty, Well, 595 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: last night and I went out, that's different. That's different. 596 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: You're with your wife, you're having a good night, that's different. 597 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: I'm talking about in business settings with It's that part 598 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: of why I've never seen you be a big drinker, 599 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: you got to work the next day, right, and you 600 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: got to have the goods. And in our business, collective business, 601 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: you got to earn your keep every day. So the 602 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: hey I'm tired, I can't do it today. Okay, maybe 603 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: you can have one day like that, but if you 604 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,719 Speaker 1: have a week like that, you have a month like that, 605 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:58,200 Speaker 1: you're gonna have a problem. I think it's the same 606 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 1: way with the Vince's of the world, with the Danas 607 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 1: of the world. They got to go every day, so 608 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: whatever they need to keep themselves fresh and clear headed 609 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: is what they're going to do. There's never been a 610 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: moment since I've known the guy, Vince or Dana where 611 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: I've ever spoken to either one and they're like, Ah, 612 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,919 Speaker 1: I'm just tired, I'm feeling a little down today. Never, 613 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: it's the same opening of a phone call with each 614 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:24,799 Speaker 1: of them. Hey, Hey, are you doing good? How are 615 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,720 Speaker 1: you doing? You have time to talk business? Yep, boom, 616 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: we talk business. There's never ah, you know, my kids going. 617 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,399 Speaker 1: Everyone has their problems, and you know this drill. If 618 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: you really want to get ahead, you gotta understand no 619 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: one really gives a fuck about other people's problems. We've 620 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: talked about this before, like I'll calling my flights delayed. 621 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 1: You know, it's another out calling you land man, like 622 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:48,560 Speaker 1: I don't know how to tell you, like we all 623 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: got problems. You mean I shouldn't rush to Twitter and 624 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: complain about Delta people do? They do it all day 625 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: And I get it. They're trying to get Delta's attention. 626 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: I get it's frustrating when you flying things a late. 627 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: No one gives a fuck. It's sort of like, you know, 628 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:02,600 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night, if you've ever stubbed 629 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:04,799 Speaker 1: your toe on your bed, right, you tell the person 630 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: the next day you should see my toe. No one, 631 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,720 Speaker 1: No one gives a shit. And I don't mean about 632 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: serious things in life. Yea, if a friend's really sick 633 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 1: or whatever, of course you care about that. But when 634 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,959 Speaker 1: someone's like, oh, I have the flu, Like, okay, takes 635 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:18,840 Speaker 1: some fair flu. Call me in three days, man, Like 636 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: we gotta move here. Vince is that way, Dana's that way? 637 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 1: John Cena, Charlotte Flair obviously brock Lessner, who again is 638 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 1: such a unique physical presence, finally does how the audience 639 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: reacts not just ratings, but do you watch how the 640 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 1: audience reacts to your wrestlers. Can that elevate or puncture 641 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 1: a career? To us? That makes our breaks our performers. 642 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 1: So if the audience is into someone, even if us 643 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 1: folks in the back of the house haven't seen it, 644 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: we're gonna give that person a push. If we think 645 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,479 Speaker 1: someone's a big star and the audience, now, we'll stick 646 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: with it for a while. Early on with Roman Reigns, 647 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: it wasn't working the way wwe thought it would work. 648 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 1: They stuck with it. They stuck with it, They stuck 649 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 1: with it. Finally, when he went heo again the villain character, 650 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:18,800 Speaker 1: it worked like wildfire. And you hear the audience's reaction 651 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 1: to him the head of the table. They acknowledge me 652 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 1: whatever you know it is that he's saying. They react 653 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: no matter what. Someone once told me. They said, you 654 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: know what the opposite of love is? And I said, 655 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 1: I don't know hate And they said, no apathy. They 656 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 1: said love and hate are close cousins there. So if 657 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:38,240 Speaker 1: you love our performers, that works. If you hate our performers, 658 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 1: that works. If you don't care about the difference. Is 659 00:36:41,000 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: the killer the killer, that's the killer. The volume. Make 660 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: sure to check out The Draymond Green Show. I brought 661 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,040 Speaker 1: Draymond Green into the Volume because one of the more 662 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:12,400 Speaker 1: entertaining voices in sports. Unique perspective understands behind the rope. 663 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:16,280 Speaker 1: Also chops up with guests like Gary Peyton, Zach Levine, 664 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: Tracy McGrady. Make sure download The Draymond Green Show wherever 665 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:25,840 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, only on the Volume podcast Network.