A story about WWE has been making the rounds through ESPN, The Associated Press, and many mainstream sports blogs. To summarize, World Wrestling Entertainment is scheduled to hold next Monday's Raw live from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. That also happens to be the same night as game four of the NBA Western Conference Finals. So, what's the big whoop, right? The Denver Nuggets are historically terrible and would never make it to the third round, thus the building should be open for Memorial Day, right? Right?
Yes, the arena is double booked. Naturally, many are thinking that the "little ole 'rasslin show" (our quotes) should stand back and let the big, bad NBA have their scheduled night. That somehow moving the NBA game back a day would set a precedent and we should only let the more important event take place.
Here's the thing though. The NBA playoffs aren't important.
Nor is Monday Night Raw. Both are forms of entertainment which are enjoyed by a section of the populace who likes that kind of action. Both are shows and spectacles that draw high cable ratings and promote individual personalities. Now there is the argument that the NBA is an undetermined event and every day is vital in the playoffs, whereas WWE can tape whatever stories they want to get across at a later day. That it's just a show and shows can be moved. But guess what, there is already a precedent from a few weeks ago in favor of WWE!
Playoff games are usually played every other day. Especially in the case of travel days. The thought is that the games are so intense that going back-to-back is just too rough on the body (because you know (tm), wrestlers just jump on a trampoline four straight days a week all year). So imagine the conundrum that the NHL had two weeks ago when the date of a theoretical game six in the Pittsburgh/Washington series would have fallen on the same date as a Yanni concert booked at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. What was the solution? Games 4 and 5 would be played on back to back days, even with the travel involved. Of course, where was the outcry against this?
There's an easy answer to why these things are happening. WWE and Yanni booked the buildings. Well in advance. They sold tickets, promoted the shows, and SIGNED CONTRACTS GUARANTEEING THE DATES. We bolded that because the situation really should be that black and white. However, for WWE it gets even deeper then that. They are responsible to produce a two hour television show for the USA Network. The merits of the importance if Raw can be debated all night, but no one can deny that USA is a major media player with some significant pull (we acknowledge that the the converse for ESPN can also be argued). Still, we've been postulating about this for too long now. Let's see what the publicly traded WWE has to say.
WWE VS. NBA
May 18, 2009STAMFORD, Conn., May 18, 2009 – World Wrestling Entertainment®’s live, internationally televised broadcast, WWE Monday Night RAW®, (USA Network, 9:00 PM ET) to take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday, May 25th is in jeopardy of being cancelled (sic) by the Denver Nuggets. The WWE and Denver Nuggets are currently at an impasse in resolving a scheduling debacle by the team and the Pepsi Center.A sell-out crowd is expected to attend the WWE show at the same time the Denver Nuggets are slated to square off against the Los Angeles Lakers for Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. WWE has held the May 25th date with the Pepsi Center since August 15, 2008.
“Even though the Denver Nuggets had a strong team this year and were projected to make the playoffs, obviously Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke did not have enough faith in his own team to hold the May 25th date for a potential playoff game,” said WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Ok Vince, we're with you. You're completely in the right, the building should be yours for the night. But, DID YOU HAVE TO CUT A PROMO ON THE DENVER NUGGETS? REALLY? REALLY? Is that really the best way to get across how monumentally huge the company is? Is that how you make your case that Monday Night Raw is just as important as anything else on TV that night? By challenging Stan Kroenke to a cage match and giving him a cheap Kobe jersey you bought at Sports Authority that day? REALLY?
So what do we think is going to happen in the end? The game will just be pushed back to 'Til Tuesday (voices carry!). Even if the contract was signed in April, that's just a formality in case the building collapses. It was booked back in August. If there is not an out clause by Kroenke we don't see how they can do this. Sure, they might just settle with WWE on the missed date, but Lord knows they won't want to take on the USA Network. So the easiest solution is to just play the basketball game the next day.
Still, bet on there being an opening skit of John Cena being locked out of the building and then beating up some nerdy looking gatekeeper named "Stan" because he snottily tells Mr. Cena he's not allowed in the building that night. It's about the level of class and maturity we'd expect from WWE.
