Tuesday, May 26, 2009

McMahon v. Kroenke

So, we've had our fun and games in LA, and somewhere in Denver, E. Stan Kroenke is boiling. Why do I know this?

If you saw the press conference on WWE.com with McMahon's announcement of change of venue for Raw, you'd know. See, Kroenke's team's "amicable" solution was for Raw to be held Sunday night at the Pepsi Center contingent on a joint press release. This press release included a quote, apparently written by Paul Andrews (Kroenke's spokesperson for all of this, if you call simply shooting out a press release once as a spokesperson), in which McMahon is to praise Kroenke and his staff.

Fortunately, Vince held back the urge to rip it up and practice his basketball skills with it and his circular file so we could all read it, also on WWE.com.

Some (those who feel the need to make a distinction between what is a "real" sport) have argued Vince is the villain in all of this for parading around insulting Kroenke every chance he gets. Not only is this what makes Mr.McMahon a great character, but this is what makes him the P.T. Barnum of our generation in marketing his product. This is a great businessman at work.

Who knows? Perhaps Vince was even aware of the situation he was possibly getting into when he signed the contract in April, and was even cheering the Nuggets on so he could get this great publicity opportunity.

Is it wrong? No. Anytime you can get your product out there, especially as a news item for free, it is a good thing. It's like when celebrities get free stuff, they get it to be photographed or videotaped with it so you or your girlfriend wants it.

What's bad business? Writing contracts without provisions to CYA, breaking contracts, treating another businessman like he is someone in your company you are trying to get to "amicably" resign and hiding out waiting for it to all blow over. Oh yeah, and letting one of your competitors save the day and help rub it in your face.

No matter what happens in the land of the NBA (I almost taped the game Monday night just to see if anything was mentioned about the mess, or if the cameras normally reserved for Jack or Eva sightings were aimed at the owner's luxury suite), I think Kroenke came out as the fool, and the Pepsi Center's chances for WWE events have become extinct.

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