How Many Network Subscribers Will Watch WrestleMania?, Donald Trump - WWE, Jim Cramer On WWE (Video)
- AOL has a story here about some fans boycotting WWE because of the company's ties with President Donald Trump. It was noted that comic book writer Aubrey Sitterson, who hosts the Straight Shoot podcast, stopped watching and covering WWE, which he noted was a "massive decision for the show."
"I'm not boycotting. It's not a boycott. I'm not stopping watching in order to effect change. I stopped watching because it made me uncomfortable," said Sitterson. "It was Royal Rumble weekend and the last thing I wanted to do was to sit down on a [Sunday] night to watch a WWE brand Pay-Per-View. And then to go live on my wrestling show ? promoting this company that had not only paid for Trump to get into office and do the things he is doing, but in the process had bought Linda McMahon a spot in the administration. It sickened me that I was part of their marketing plan, that I was not only complicit, but that I was helping."
- The Stamford Advocate has a story here about the business that WrestleMania will be doing this weekend with comments from WWE CFO George Barrios. Barrios noted that at least 90% of WWE Network subscribers will watch the show on the Network. It was noted that the economic impact of WrestleMania for Orlando is expected to be in the $100 – $150 million range.
- Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's Mad Money, discussed WWE stock on the show, as seen below. Cramer was bullish on the stock, calling it a "classic Trump stock" due to Trump's ties to Linda McMahon. Cramer also credited the WWE Network for the rise in the stock price.
"With pay-per-view, WWE would only actually get to keep 40 to 50 percent of the revenue generated by a given event, with the rest going to the broadcaster. With WWE Network, though, they cut out the middleman and keep all the money," Cramer said. "In short, WWE Network was a very expensive enterprise to set up, but we're now approaching the point where it really starts to pay off.
"WWE is firing on all cylinders here [and] the rollout of its online network has been a huge success, but take it from the Booyah Brooklyn Bomber: the stock has run so much that I'd recommend buying it into a pullback, although it's possible you won't get one, ?so maybe you take some down now and buy more lower and later."