Talking of pathetic...
WWE stock dropped as much as 6.7 percent on Tuesday and at least one stock exchange analyst is blaming the Donald Trump storyline. Maxwell Murphy of Dow Jones News Plus saw through the angle. "For starters, public companies don't announce mergers and acquisitions involving one of their most lucrative brands as part of staged, circus-like events," Murphy wrote. "And if, heaven forbid, they do, they certainly must file with alacrity an 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission to announce and explain the pact, which WWE hasn't done."
Murphy also noted that he contacted USA Network, which issued a press release to trumpet the storyline sale. "A USA spokesman referred questions to WWE about whether the release could mislead WWE investors who don't get the joke, or run afoul of Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rules," continued Maxell. "An SEC spokesman wasn't familiar with the situation, but doubted the agency would have a comment one way or the other about the propriety of such a press release." To read the full story, visit DJNewsPlus.com.
Powell's POV: A WWE spokesperson noted that the Trump sale "will make for great television," but danced around directly admitting the sale was a storyline. As of this posting, WWE has yet to directly acknowledge the Trump story on their corporate website.
Christ the WWE must have stupid investors.
There was apathy from the crowd last night towards Trump (booing him initially), so it should be interesting to see how they react to him over the coming weeks. At the end of the day, it is quite hard to like a
perceived billionaire with a comb over. It's one thing the press not buying into it, it's quite another if the fans don't.
I was hoping it was going to be Bischoff. They could have had him turn it into Nitro for a few weeks, Vince not standing for it & BOOM, something interesting (would have created more interest in The Rise & Fall of WCW DVD too). Even Stone Cold would have provided some much needed anarchy.