The AP reports that WrestleMania will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The WWE confirmed the reports at a press conference this past Thursday.
Via WWE press release:
Governor Christie was joined by WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, New York Football Giants President and CEO John Mara, New York Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson, NYC & Company CEO, George Fertitta and WWE’s Senior Vice President of Special Events John Saboor to make the announcement at a press conference held earlier today. WWE Superstars John Cena®, Triple H®, Sheamus®, Mark Henry®, Brie and Nikki Bella™ and special guest Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson were also on hand at MetLife Stadium for the historic announcement.
The Rock announced that he would be at the NY/NJ WrestleMania although its not known whether he’d be performing or just participating in another way. His appearance can help with the early promotion for the event.
Payout Perspective:
Even before this year’s Wrestlemania in Miami, the WWE has announced WrestleMania XXIX. Its a little surprising considering its held past Wrestlemanias at Madison Square Garden. But, the stadium venue falls in line with the company’s annual biggest event. Its a good acquisition for Met Life Stadium and a dress rehearsal for the Super Bowl which it will host in 2014. Despite what some may think of professional wrestling, the competition to host a Wrestlemania is as tough as it is to get a Super Bowl.
The positive economic impact it has for a city is noticeable as many fans travel to the city of the Wrestlemania and its a significant boost in tourism. The WWE has taken advantage of the event by promoting a week full of events to draw its fans to the host city. According to the WWE press release, “WrestleMania has generated more than $200 million in cumulative economic impact for its past four host regions.”
Last year, WrestleMania was held in Atlanta where it was reported it made a positive $62 million economic impact in the region. Likely, Miami will eclipse this number and next year’s WM in New York/New Jersey should be even more considering the attraction of visiting New York as well as the other activities that one could do in the area.
WWE is well ahead of the UFC as a brand and a form of entertainment. McMahon is clearly a genius at marketing, branding, and producing individual stars to attract fans looking for drama and violence in one. Not putting WWE down in any form; those athletes are very tough and undergo a lot of damage during the course of their careers. The Rock in particular is a very talented entertainer and athlete.
UFC would be well-advised to adopt a similar model; perhaps even go over-the-top with back stories and emotional involvement. Fans have to put too much effort in getting to know and like/dislike the fighters in general.
You dont have to be much of a genius when everything is scripted. It is unreasonable to even compare the two. It is VERY easy to make stars in the WWE. They script the outcome and they script the interviews and they sript the camera angles to make the guys appear larger than life. I saw the Rock on a tv show the other day where he talked about going to a spot after a win for a photo opp where he stands above the camera. The WWE takes corny one liners and creates openings to explain them so they can work them in. In real life you have to be articulate and think on your feet to clown someone or come up with a catch phrase. In WWe they have guys walk into them so anyone can be a star. If they have no personality at all they let you win 100 matches in a row like Goldberg and make you a star.
The UFC imo needs to stay away from WWE model. They need to be a sport. Like other sports fans tune in to the sport to see wins and loss’ and the sport itself. Fighters careers are to short to have the sport hinge on an indiviual’s success. Thats why Boxing is so limited. It is driven by a few personalities and not the sport of boxing. The UFC needs to keep people following their Brand as much as possible and then the fighters a close second. Then people are watching even if it isnt their favorite fighter fighting. UFC has done this thus far and it has put them on a higher level than boxing because they can draw high levels consistantly rather than just 2-3 times per year. Even wrestling has got to where they are only going great numbers a few times per year.
McMahon has been at the forefront of the wrestling entertainment industry for decades and has grown it substantially as well as created more stars than any other sport I can think of. Wrestlers are also legitimate athletes, and there’s no reason to believe that scripting is the only thing that makes the difference between a star and a dud. A lot goes into each WWE production.
Unclear as to why UFC can’t do both; create palatable back-stories for fans to identify with and “be a sport”. Some fighters have confessed to fabricating feuds or playing up whatever image they wanted publicly. Money is the goal, not authenticity. People need heroes and bad guys.