Message-ID: 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021202/ap_on_bi_ge/wrestling_woes_1

WWE Takes Pounding in Television Ratings 
Mon Dec 2, 3:27 PM ET  Add Business - AP to My Yahoo! 

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, AP Business Writer 

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) - Judged by the lines of loyal fans, who will
stand in the cold for hours to witness the flying bodies, the
explosions and especially the cheesy intrigue, World Wrestling
Entertainment is doing just fine. 

"It's a grown man's soap opera," says Jovany Rosado, 27, of New
Britain, who attended a recent WWE show in Bridgeport. "There's a
lot of twists and turns." 

But lately WWE, a commercial empire with matches shown in 10
languages and 130 countries, had been taking a pounding in the
television ratings on some of its key programs. The loss of some
star performers and competition from other wrestling outfits are
weakening its hold on audiences, for whom its plots may be becoming
too — is this possible? — outlandish. 

Average viewership so far this season for the show "RAW" is 3.1
million households, down 14 percent from 3.6 million last season, 20
percent from 2000 and 35 percent from the 1999 season, according to
figures from Nielsen Media Research. "SmackDown!" has suffered a
similar decline. 

WWE stock, which reached more than $25 a share shortly after it went
public in October 1999, is now trading at less than $9 on the New
York Stock Exchange (news - web sites). 

At performances, many fans carry signs praising their favorite
wrestlers and questioning the manhood of their enemies. The most
devoted wear masks and capes. 

Many youths worship the stars, who have written best-selling books
and appeared in movies. Most of all, the fans love the melodramatic
story lines surrounding the matches. 

But lately it seems they're loving them less. 

"It's not like everyone suddenly discovered it's fake and they don't
want to watch it," said Dennis McAlpine, an analyst with McAlpine
Associates in Scarsdale, N.Y. "It just sort of drifted down and they
haven't been able to stop it drifting." 

WWE officials acknowledged the decline in ratings but say its
programs remain among the top-rated on cable television. 

"Clearly we don't have, at the moment, everything the audience wants
to see," said WWE chairman Vince McMahon, who with wife Linda, who
is chief executive officer, built up the company. "It's just a
matter of time before it goes through the roof again." 

He said the company expected a temporary setback after WWE split its
wrestling stars into separate television programs following the
acquisition last year of its longtime rival, World Championship
Wrestling. The move required a change in viewer habits, but in the
long run will lead to more stars emerging, McMahon predicted. 

WWE, with a recent slump in profits, also has new ventures involving
books and movies to boost the bottom line. Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan
just released an autobiography. 

McMahon said WWE is developing new stars to replace some popular
ones who have left, to the distress of hardcore fans. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who pleaded no contest last week to a
charge of assaulting his wife, was suspended after he didn't show up
for a performance. Another wrestler, called Triple H, has been out
with injuries while one known as The Rock has been busy making
movies. 

Also gone is Mankind. "He got dropped on his head too often,"
McAlpine said. 

WWE's been generating some intrigue outside the ring lately, too. 

A former general manager of the company's entertainment complex in
Times Square was accused of stealing more than $400,000, while the
chief financial officer and chief marketing officer were fired. 

A female wrestler, 6-foot-2, 230-pound Nicole Bass, took a claim of
sexual harassment to a circus-like trial in federal court in New
York. The case ended in a victory for the company last month. 

The company also continues to tangle over the trademark WWF, which
it claims for the World Wrestling Federation, with an environmental
group that is known for protecting pandas and wants the letters for
the World Wildlife Fund. WWE lost that battle, but is fighting over
damages. 

WWE recently received a settlement from a television watchdog group
and an apology from the lawyer for a 12-year-old boy who killed a
6-year-old girl in Florida in 1999. The lawyer had claimed the boy
was imitating TV wrestling moves when the girl was killed. 

Linda McMahon said most of the legal troubles are resolved, but
analysts aren't as worried by them as by the ratings, which drive
advertising revenue. 

They want to see the show creating a buzz, as it did recently with a
show about two gay wrestlers tying the knot. During a commitment
ceremony, they turned out to be straight. 

"We're seeing a gradual and modest improvement in attendance and
television ratings," said Michael Tew, an analyst with Bear Sterns.
He cited, for instance, a recovery in fall ratings for "Smackdown!" 

"I think the company has just been able to more effectively create
better story lines," he said. 

The fans will let them know for sure. 

"Every night we have one of the biggest focus groups," said Gary
Davis, a WWE spokesman, as a recent "RAW" show began in Bridgeport.
"The worst thing in the world is silence. If they're silent, you're
dead." 

There wasn't much silence in Bridgeport, where the arena was nearly
full. But during an early match between new wrestlers the fans'
chant was: "Boring!" 

There were both cheers and jeers when a wrestler known as Raven came
out sporting a Scottish kilt, dreadlocks and green streaks across
his face. And fans erupted when Stacy Keibler came out in a limited
wardrobe and squeaky voice. She shot T-shirts into the audience but
the fun ended when Victoria, in hot pink pants, beat her up. 

Ariel Velez, 17, of Bridgeport, says he loves the raucous
atmosphere. But he said some recent shows were less exciting.
Another fan, Ryan Kwolek, 21, of Meriden, said story lines were
getting too complicated. 

"They're trying to go over the top when they don't need to be,"
Kwolek said. 

         RSPW's most long-lasting poster
         SPAMguard: add a dash between "Hack" and "Man"
to send me email
-- 
rspw{at}HackMan.com    Video/C/Unix geek      
 _____   _____   _____   _____   http://Hack-Man.com/Wrestling
||___|| |_   _| |_   _| ||___|| .  .   .   .... .  .   .   .   .   .   .
|  o  |   | |     | |   |  o  | :..: .:.:. :    :.' .. :`.': .:.:. :`. :
|__O__|   |_|     |_|   |__O__| :  : :   : :... : `.   :   : :   : :  `:


--- Internet Rex 2.29