The WWE Network's Impact On Collecting

$9.99 a month.  It's the deal that has every wrestling fan talking, and for very good reason.  Viewing every WWE pay-per-view event live, an action that once cost hundreds of dollars per year, will now cost just $120 per year.  It's the WWE Network.  It's the first "groundbreaking announcement" in professional wrestling history that actually lived up to the hype.  But while the press conference that announced it answered many questions about the long-delayed WWE outlet, it opened up many more.  Many of those will be answered upon launch in a few weeks, but today we'll be tackling one that may take sometime to get a firm answer to.

There's a large portion of wrestling fans that do not collect much memorabilia.  They aren't interested in action figures, trading cards, magazines, programs, or promotional photos.  They could care less about obtaining an autograph or even snagging a photo with their favorite star.  Their sole monetary investment into the world of wrestling is collecting footage.  From the mid-1970's until about fifteen years ago, tape trading was a huge deal.  Since the turn of the century, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs have crept into the wrestling collector conscious.  Some fans collect each and every pay-per-view release.  Others go for everything that WWE Home Video puts out.  Others enjoy their pretty blue encased lineup of Blu-Rays.

With the announcement of the WWE Network, a streaming service based upon not only new productions but thousands upon thousands of hours of archived footage, DVD and Blu-Ray collectors have been pondering one thing: just what happens to the world of tangible wrestling media?  Now owning the majority of historical wrestling film libraries, WWE is the proprietor of professional wrestling past and present.  In addition to each and every live pay-per-view being presented to subscribers, WWE claims that every WWE, WCW, and ECW past pay-per-view event will be available, on-demand, on the launch date.

There will obviously be exceptions to this statement, but it is a pretty amazing thought that all of this will be available at any subscribing fan's fingertips on a whim.  New content will be added regularly, and many fans are expecting this to be non-pay-per-view supercards, old wrestling television broadcasts, and so much more from a variety of areas, eras, and promotions.  So how exactly will this impact collectors?  I can only give my own take.

Many have already given the nickname of "WWEFlix" to the WWE Network.  It's fitting, as the business model is close to that of Netflix.  Did Netflix kill the DVD and Blu-Ray market?  Absolutely not.  It certainly cut into the business of tangible media, but it has nowhere near killed it.  Many of those that have kept the DVD and Blu-Ray business alive are collectors who are, with all respect given, anal about their collections.  Wrestling collectors certainly resemble that remark in the best possible meaning.  These collectors are perfectly able to enjoy a streaming and/or digital version of the content of their choice, but they want something more.

There's something about holding the packaging, seeing the cover art, and even unwrapping the shrink wrap that is part of the complete experience.  It's a feeling that vinyl record collectors have talked about for years.  You cannot physically hold streaming content, nor can you sit back and look at it on your shelf.  It's along the same lines of the reason that VHS videos remain collectible in the digital age.  Physical media has taken many hits over the years and will continue to do so, but it will never die.

There is also the unavoidable fact that when content is strictly streaming, it can be taken from you at anytime.  Perhaps WWE will feel that having every pay-per-view available is just TOO good of a deal after awhile.  Even Netflix is a revolving door and eliminates content at times.  What if you're in the mood to watch SummerSlam 2002 or Survivor Series 1987 and suddenly they're gone from the Network?  You pop in the DVD, of course.  There's also no guarantee that the price will not rise in a few years.  While I have my doubts that it will ever raise beyond being a sizable deal, there are many personal scenarios that could leave a fan without access for a period of time.

WWE has not released any info regarding future DVD and Blu-Ray releases being affected by the advent of the Network.  There's also absolutely no reason to believe that they cannot co-exist.  Though past WWE Home Video releases such as documentaries and compilations are going to be available on the Network, it is unknown at this time just how fast future additions in that area will show up there.  New pay-per-view events have already been announced as being available directly after.

I've already made my decision.  I, like thousands of others, absolutely cannot pass up the deal that will be offered by WWE with the upcoming Network.  That being said, I only see my tangible wrestling media content continue to grow at the same rate as it has in the past.  I cannot unwrap and hold streaming content, nor can I have it autographed.  Having so many past events available to stream at any time will be great, but if I want to hear original music and other licensed content, I can even go back to VHS on occasion.  The wrestling world is huge, and there is a place for Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, Laserdisc, 35mm, 8mm, and even the WWE Network.

50 Years Of WWE Comes To Blu-Ray

When a company reaches the fifty year milestone, you have to expect them to celebrate it.  In fact, it's surprising just how little WWE, a company known for touting anniversaries of any size, actually pointed out their 50th recognized year in 2013.  A few mentions may have been made here and there on WWE programming, but to the best of my knowledge it came and went relatively quietly.  That is, except for the new WWE 50 DVD and Blu-Ray release.

To the hardcore fan, it actually appears on the outside to be a relatively useless release.  Most fans already know the history of the company and hardly need another lesson, but you can never get enough of the great quality footage that usually fills out these releases.  It was in fact some special footage included here that made me want this disc, that being an alternate view of one of the most historic matches in WWE history, but we'll get to that in a bit.

As with most WWE releases, you do get a dose of the "revisionist history" that some fans can't ever complain enough about.  Here, the revisionist history actually begins in the title itself.  If you recall, the WWE was claiming in their mid-1990's opening logo that the company had been the revolutionary force in sports entertainment "for over 50 years."  So which is it?  When did the company "officially" begin?  Does it really matter?  It's a business based on fictional history and telling fictional stories, so does "revisionist history" really make all that big of a difference?

A large portion of the beginning of the documentary celebrates the early success of the company thanks to Bruno Sammartino.  With Sammartino back in the WWE fold, it's obvious that the company wanted him back, in part, to help tell the story.  Though footage of his early days are limited, I still hope to see a dedicated Sammartino release in the future.  Hopefully WWE could obtain the rights to the epic 1960's battle between Sammartino and Giant Baba in Japan that exists on video.  The quality of the footage is absolutely amazing and would automatically qualify as an instant purchase in Blu-Ray format.

The story of the company is told not just by footage, but also by the obligatory "talking heads."  Instead of the usual troupe, here we get interviews with names not normally used such as Ivan Koloff, Jimmy Valiant, and Lex Luger as well as some with stars gone by such as Captain Lou Albano, Chief Jay Strongbow and Sensational Sherri Martel.  The one that struck me as the most interesting was none other than Linda McMahon.  Always well-spoken, Mrs. McMahon was well-utilized here as someone who definitely saw the company in good times and bad.

In addition to the normal stories of the national expansion, Hulkamania, WrestleMania, and the Attitude Era, this release also delves into darker territory that the company does not always speak of.  The 1990's steroid trial and the death of Owen Hart are both given dedicated sections and kudos should be given to the company for acknowledging both as part of its history.  The Benoit family tragedy is not mentioned here nor should it be.  Unlike the Hart death, the events did not take place anywhere near a WWE event.

The last fourth of the documentary is where my prime issues with it lie.  To begin with, we are "treated" to the opinions of "fans" in place of where we could be hearing more stories from the stars themselves.  The only "fan" of notoriety interviewed is Michelle Beadle, who WWE seems to have an obsession with.  Not being a very big sports fan, I know of Beadle solely from her constant mentions on WWE programming.  Why the company seems to get off on her attention is beyond me.  If WWE is an entertainment company, why is it any great shakes that a sports reporter (or whatever she is) is a huge fan?  If you ask me, she seems to have been someone with a casual interest who found a way to get free tickets.  Keep doing the "fake-football-team-fight-when-shown-on-camera" hun, your fifteen minutes have been long over in my eyes.

It is also around this time in the documentary where the story begins to feel as if it's transitioning into a commercial.  A large commercial.  Actually, it begins to remind me of a promotional video of a company trying to sell some sort of syndication package to a television station about two decades ago.  Obviously they're only going to promote today's product, stars, and concepts in a positive light, but it seems to go on just a bit too long here.  If I hear how great and state-of-the-art the "performance center" is one more time...

Honestly, you won't watch the documentary more than twice.  The extras, however, may be another story.  When "new-old" material is presented on a Blu-Ray, it's always intriguing, but how about something you've never seen before?  The WrestleMania III main event of Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant has been on countless media releases, but how about from the purely hard camera perspective?  It's here, it's amazing, and it's something that any fan needs to see at least once.  No commentary, a singular view, and the closest you'll get to watching the match live at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Also amongst matches and segments that really do capture the most celebrated moments in the company is another unexpected inclusion: my personal pick for 2013 Match of the Year.  That match would be the February 25, 2013 Monday Night Raw battle between John Cena and CM Punk.  These two always seem to make magic, but this particular match even threw the WWE's "rules" out the window with not only a piledriver but the kind of drama that wrestling's popularity was built on.  More kudos to the company for including this modern masterpiece.

This is WWE's 50th anniversary celebration.  There wasn't a televised special or even much hoopla.  Aside from an upcoming book (a flyer advertising this is included), this is how the WWE wants to be represented for their golden anniversary.  It definitely works and seems to cover the exact moments and eras that most fans covet.  Aside from a seemingly odd omission of much material related to the legendary Gorilla Monsoon (most likely unintentional), I can't think of anything else that they absolutely should have covered.  This is a definite purchase for the aforementioned extras, but if you can wait I'd do it.  With the recent heavy discounts on releases just months after their release, you may be able to pick this up as a total bargain not too far down the line.

As for what should've been left out, how about the opinions of the fans?  Or at least fans that no one cares about.  I've never witnessed anyone scan the crowd of an event to see if this Beadle woman was present.  If the company wanted to dive into it's fan base, why not talk about the legendary Ringside Rosie(s) of the territories?  MSG's own Mrs. Krieger?  1990's staple known as "Faith No More Guy?"  Or why not track down Vlad the Superfan?  I did!

Now there's a shot of two fans that have seen their share of the WWE's fifty years!

The 2013 J\/\/ Awards

Our year-end tradition here on the blog continues with the 4th Annual J\/\/ Awards!  There are five total categories which are each awarded with a coveted "Joshie," designed and named after yours truly.  This year we decided to get "funky like a monkey" with the design.  It came out so well that you might think it's nothing but a "Dream."  Will any new manufacturers see their product take the ultimate prize?  Perhaps a few past winners will make their return?  The time for speculation is over, it's time for The J\/\/ Awards!

2013 Best Figure

Our first category is often the most talked about.  Seeing as that more figures are produced per year than any other type of wrestling memorabilia, it's easy to see why everyone has a favorite.

Mattel's WWE The Shield win "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Figure(s).  In a year with plenty of long anticipated debut figures, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns take the title.  Very few stars have made the impact that they have in their rookie year in the big time.  The hard hitting, no-nonsense in-ring style of The Shield comes across perfectly thanks to Mattel.  While more figures of these three superstars are planned, these initial Basic style representations simply scream Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta.

2013 Best Publication 

The printed word is becoming more and more difficult to find in the wrestling world, but thankfully there are still plenty of stories to tell in book form.

"Rags, Paper, & Pins--The Merchandising Of Memphis Wrestling" by Jim Cornette & Mark James wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Publication.  Plenty of new wrestling autobiographies hit the shelves this year, but how about the story of the pioneering of wrestling merchandising?  That's the story told in "Rags."  Anyone interested in wrestling merchandising, Memphis wrestling, or Jim Cornette needs to treat themselves to this wonderful resource.

2013 Best Buy (Non-Figure/Publication) 

As is the case every year, this category is about what gave wrestling fans the most bang for their buck.  This is probably the most versatile of the categories, yet we have a repeat winner in 2013.

The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Legends Fanfest wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Buy.  What can I say that I haven't already said about Fanfest for so many years?  As always, the weekend was the ultimate dream for fans of classic wrestling.  Memories were made, friendships were rekindled, and legends were celebrated.  Next year is being promoted as the final installment.  As a decade-long customer, I can only say "Don'tcha dare miss it!"

2013 Best Product Line 

The criteria for this category is simple: have a wrestling product that was sold continuously throughout the year.  To win, the quality, distribution, and price of the products are just a few considerations taken.

WWE Home Video wins "The Joshie" for 2013 Best Product Line.  With yet another repeat winner, the caretakers of the majority of wrestling footage of the past fifty years shines again.  An amazing effort put forth with the "Legends Of Mid-South Wrestling" production put the line over the top.  Fans everywhere have high hopes that this kind of vintage product becomes much more of the norm.  Continual high quality Blu-Ray releases of new events also helped WWE Home Video reign supreme in 2013.

2013 Future Holy Grail 

Never an easy choice, this category has to not only celebrate the recent past but also predict the future.  Just what items released in 2013 will be coveted by collectors in the years to come?

WWE Foam Fingers win "The Joshie" for 2013 Future Holy Grail.  Foam fingers have been en vogue in the wrestling world since the early days of Hulkamania, but with the current direction and fan base of WWE, it's a no-brainer that today's stars get similar treatment.  From the very first merchandise for Fandango to the popular "Best In The World" mantra of CM Punk, this new generation of "WrestleFoam" isn't something that can be bought at Wal Mart or Toys "R" Us.  In the future, these pieces should see the same high demand that their older counterparts enjoy.

That's a lot of great memorabilia and a lot of wonderful 2013 memories.  We have one more blog entry for the year coming next week, but until then I'd like to wish everyone...

The (Mid) South Will Rise Again!

WWE Home Video releases that satisfy everyone are few and far between.  Either there's too much previously released material or the content is too "old" to appease the "Universe" or this or that or the other thing.  I'm not sure if it's a credit to the WWE home video team or the creative genius of Ernie Ladd and Bill Watts, but the newly released "Legends of Mid-South Wrestling" might be the pacifier needed to satisfy the cries of all groups of wrestling consumers.

Ever since WWE purchased the Mid-South Wrestling Library, fans have been clamoring for something to come of it.  It didn't take a genius to figure out that the purchase was a smart buy.  From Junkyard Dog to Ted DiBiase to Jim Duggan to Jake Roberts, so many wrestling stars of the '80s had some of their best years in the business as part of either Mid-South Wrestling or the Universal Wrestling Federation when the promotion changed names.  Seeing as how WWE enjoys showcasing the stars of what many fans between the age of 30 to 40 years old consider to be the company's "glory years," this release practically built itself.

Released in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats, Legends of Mid-South Wrestling is presented in a format that I was unsure of at first.  Instead of the often-used WWE DVD format of a documentary followed by matches, the wrestler soundbite and clip segments are interspersed throughout to tell the story of Mid-South/UWF and build up to complete matches.  After watching, I decided that I enjoyed this format more than the separate documentary.  While it may not work for every topic tackled, it definitely thrives here.

Although I'm not a home theater expert, to me this classic footage is particularly crystal clear in Blu-Ray format.  Though the occasional imperfection from the source material cannot be helped, someone did an absolutely remarkable job restoring these tapes.  Rumor says that the tapes were restored for the Watts family's own marketing of these matches before WWE purchased the library. 

The segments and matches presented each revolve around a key player in Mid-South's history and often include stars such as Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, and Dusty Rhodes who passed through.  In my estimation, the match listing is phenomenal.  Despite collecting quite a bit of footage through the years, the only match I had previously owned was Andre, Dusty, and JYD taking on Ladd and The Wild Samoans.  Six Hall of Famers in one match gives you just a hint of the star power involved here.

You'll see the student-teacher struggle of Magnum T.A. and Mr. Wrestling 2.  You'll relive the conniving Ted DiBiase as he battles former friends JYD and Hacksaw Duggan.  You'll witness tag teams such as The Fabulous Freebirds, The Midnight Express, and The Rock 'n Roll Express as they climbed up the ladder.  You'll learn of Muhammad Ali's involvement with Mid-South from Jim Ross himself.  How about Shawn Michaels, Sting, and The Ultimate Warrior TRULY "before they were stars?"  It's all here.

As is usually the case when comparing formats, the DVD packaging is a bit more attractive than the Blu-Ray version.  The latter format, however, contains several bonus segments and matches.  These extra features are absolutely worth picking up the Blu-Ray version for.  Cantankerous old "get that WWE logo off of my classic wrestling!" fans will be happy to see that the company's logo is very small in the over all packaging design.  In comparison, the classic Mid-South Wrestling logo is featured much more prominently as a whole.

This release has a lot of potential in several different areas.  As with any "classic" release, the likelihood of future, similar releases only rises if the sales are good here.  I've seen many fans reporting purchases of "Legends," which will only help the cause.  With this particular release, hopefully the company will feel the need for yet another chapter of Mid-South Wrestling.  There are many more great matches, classic characters,and untold stories yet to be touched upon.  Hopefully "Legends of Mid-South Wrestling: Volume 2" is on the home video horizon.

For every reason mentioned above and more, go out and buy this one.  WWE releases from their vast "vault" are always worth a purchase due to being able to get these gems in pristine quality, but this set goes above and beyond.  Very rarely in viewing the discs was I not completely entertained.  Going back to my earlier pondering, I think that it did have a lot to do with "The Cowboy" and "The Big Cat."  Not only did they know how to build a promotion, but they knew how to build the talent to keep us enthralled.  Thanks to WWE, we now get to treasure that greatness forevermore. 

CM Punk--Best In The Blu-Ray Player

One thing that many WWE DVD and Blu-Ray collectors have learned is that patience is a virtue.  A money-saving virtue, at that.  While there's no shame in purchasing the newest videos on release day, it's become apparent in the past few years that if you wait, you'll be saving some money.  Whether it's on WWE's own online shop or the discount bin at Wal Mart, it seems as if many of these releases are showing up at a lower price faster than ever.  When one of the discounted items just happens to be a release that you were prepared to pay full price for, it sweetens the pot even more.  That's exactly why I finally decided to take on the "Best in the World."

For "WrestleMania Season," Wal Mart stores have devoted a section of their DVD/Blu-Ray section to WWE product.  The display is topped with newly packaged DVDs of WrestleMania's 1 thru 15.  The many issues with those re-releases have been chronicled elsewhere, but the true gems in the promotion are positioned below.  The crown jewel?  "CM Punk--Best In The World."  A two-disc Blu-Ray that was just released last year for only $13?  Who could pass it up?

It's no secret that I'm a CM Punk fan.  Thanks to a local promotion frequently booking him in his early days, I sat ringside for some of the greatest matches I've ever witnessed live including Punk vs Eddy Guerrero, Punk vs Chris Hero, and several versions of Punk vs Christopher Daniels.  You always here people say that they "knew" that men such as Shawn Michaels or Steve Austin would be huge stars one day after seeing them early in their careers.  I always felt that was a little bull and a lot of hindsight.  After being exposed to CM Punk matches for about six months, I suddenly realized that the "gut" feeling can be very real.

Friends of mine who had seen the documentary on this release informed me that it was just like reliving those early days of Punk's career.  As surreal as it was to see Punk in a WWE ring for the first time or his first action figure, it's just as amazing to see that early indy footage show up on a WWE-produced documentary.  Comments from those with him in the early years help bring those decade-old stories to life and explain a side of professional wrestling that many of the "WWE Universe" crowd are probably very unfamiliar with.

While Punk's rise through the indies is interesting, the documentaries strongest point is how candid and truthful it was permitted to be regarding the infamous "backstage politics" in WWE.  To hear many tell it, no one persevered through that struggle better than CM Punk.  Though a few of his gripes seem more egotistical than anything (especially dismay over reporting to WWE's then-developmental territory, OVW), Punk did seem to struggle extraordinarily from his WWE debut to where he is today.  For someone of his immense talent, his ascension to the top was obviously hit by roadblock after roadblock.  "Best In The World" does a great job providing both sides to that story.

Many of the best features and stories filmed exclusively for this release actually show up on the second disc as special features.  Some are informative while others are purely an entertaining look at the life of one of the company's most popular stars.  No matter if you agree or disagree, you will learn exactly how Punk feels about almost everything.  Despite disagreeing with almost 99% of Punk's ideology, I found that it's almost impossible not to respect him.  Anyone who respects The Ultimate Warrior, as you'll learn in the special features, has to have something going on up there!

Of course a plethora of matches are included as well, beginning with a match from OVW and ending in the middle of last year.  Perhaps the only gripe I have with the release is here.  At least a couple of matches from Punk's early days should be included here.  Clips are shown through the documentary, and I'm sure many fans who've never seen them would be thrilled.

$13?  You can't go wrong.  For $13 it's worth it for the 2011 Money In The Bank Punk-Cena main event in high definition alone.  Heck, at full price you really couldn't go wrong here.  This is the best WWE release in a long, long time.  The brutal honestly that WWE allowed in the documentary cements that.

Is Punk's biggest moment yet to come?  Is he taking "The Streak" this Sunday?  If you're not already partcipating in our social media expansions to the blog, what are you waiting for?  Although we have a nice view of our Twitter feed on the side of this page, why not follow us @JWsWrestlingMem?  Even better, "Like" our Facebook Fanpage for a live look at so much of the excitement that will be going on in the New York/New Jersey area this weekend!  Whether you're joining us in The Big Apple or watching from your living room, enjoy WrestleMania XXIX!

Wrestling Treasures On DVD & Blu-Ray...Just Not Enough!

DVD and Blu-Ray were two of the best gifts ever to come to wrestling fans.  Instant access to matches in the best possible quality.  Full length documentaries about your favorite stars.  Collections of matches from many of the all-time greats.  The question is, have these releases lived up to expectation?  After all, the kingpin of these releases owns virtually every piece of classic wrestling footage known to be available.

Most fans have been very pleased with the offerings of the past ten years.  Well-produced profiles on many of the industry's greats have earned loads of praise from even the most jaded of fans.  Although the occasional cry of "revisionist history" is heard regarding these releases, the productions have done well for the most part.  Much of the discussion has surrounded the choices of matches released in these new formats.

Thanks to these releases, the days of watching some of the best remembered matches in history on multi-generation VHS copies is long over.  To see these matches in the best quality possible is a real treat, one especially deserving of the only sport that thrives upon repeat viewing.  The problem begins for the fans who want a bit more than the famous main events and stars of the past.  This fanbase wants full releases of television episodes from any of the various promotions that WWE owns the film library of.  They also want previously unreleased footage and full unedited events from any era in the history of the game.

The truth is that WWE is a business and only wants to release what will sell.  The fanbase that wants these rarer matches isn't as big as the market that will eat up release after release of John Cena, CM Punk, and The Rock.  A certain price point must also be considered.  If the company were to release "season" sets of various wrestling programs of the past, retail prices would be astronomical and simply not be profitable to WWE.

To WWE's credit, more and more of the "rarer" matches are beginning to see the light.  The upcoming "Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection" set will include a plethora of lesser known bouts from The Hitman's career including matches from Stampede Wrestling.  And although the matches themselves are hardly rare, WWE will once again dive into a fan favorite topic from the past, the legendary War Games.  Slated to be hosted by Dusty Rhodes, the War Games set has been long demanded by fans.  Seeing as that the War Games matches have been conspicuously omitted from past sets where they would've fit in, the announcement of this release comes as a small, but otherwise welcome, surprise.

War Games and some rarer Hart stuff?  Great.  But there are ways that WWE can make some money and appease the fans who want some really rare stuff all at the same time.  In the past several years Warner Bros. has taken a look at their properties and began The Warner Archive Collection.  These releases are movies and television properties that are actually produced upon purchase.  While they're just as nice and attractive as a release purchased in a brick-and-mortar store, these are properties that Warner feels would not produce numbers big enough to warrant a full blown release.  Warner makes a profit.  Fans get the films that they want.  Everybody wins.  With the known record of the WWE marketing machine, I'm shocked that they haven't at least tried out this route.  Video on-demand does not count.

Personally, I would love to see things that have never been released anywhere.  Period.  Absolutely never before seen aside from the people who were there.  My number one release in this category?  A simple title.  One that Craig DeGeorge introduced to the WWF fans of the 1980's on a Coliseum Video:

"The Dark Match." 

If you're reading this blog, you should know what a dark match is.  If you don't, it's very simple.  A dark match is a match held before a show that is going to be taped and/or televised.  In some cases they're used to try out new talent and gimmicks.  Otherwise they can be used to test the television equipment or simply warm up the crowd.  Other times dark match "main events" are used to give the live audience a big match before ending the night.  To me, dark matches have always been one of the most appealing parts of attending a live taping.

Keeping with WWE's tremendous archiving habits going years back, it's safe to assume that many dark matches still exist.  I would begin with the "missing" dark matches of WrestleMania.  Aside from a few photos, nothing has been seen of 'Mania dark matches featuring Paul Roma vs The Brooklyn Brawler (VI), Koko B. Ware vs The Brooklyn Brawler (VII), The Bushwhackers vs The Beverly Brothers (VIII), El Matador vs Papa Shango (IX), and The Heavenly Bodies vs The Bushwhackers (X).  Mat classics?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Regardless of that, any true fan of the classic era of WrestleMania should be chomping at the bit to see these matches.  Dark matches from other pay-per-views of the era would also be welcome, as would the three SummerSlam '92 matches that were only seen in America on Prime Time Wrestling.

No room for a release like that?  No problem.  It's time for another WrestleMania Anthology.  Now that "WWF" is allowed to be uttered in classic footage according to the never-ending "F" controversy, it's time for a re-release.  The DVD WrestleMania releases also omitted many themes that WWE seemed to think that they didn't have the rights to at the time but now have no issue releasing.  Why not throw these dark matches on as extras?

WWE Home Video is doing a great job and is one facet of the company that truly seems to try and appeal to every type of fan.  They wouldn't have won The 2011 J\/\/ Award for Best Product Line if they weren't!  All that I'm asking for is...let us see the...dark!

The State of Wrestling Collecting Address--2012 Edition

"Out with the old, in with the new."

That's one statement that you'll never see promoted in these pages.  Myself, like many collectors, thrive upon the glories, and glorious memorabilia, of the past.  That being said, longtime readers will know that I frequently review new product and am always open to what's coming in the future.  I decided that it might be fun to once again take a look at what's on the horizon in wrestling collectibles. 

Although nothing like the '80s "boom" period or the Attitude Era, there is a surprisingly large amount of items on the market today.  With the "PG Era" WWE in full-force, it's no wonder that many of these items are geared towards kids.  WWE branded children's books, apparel, and even linens sit alongside merchandise from SpongeBob, Batman, and other kid-friendly properties.  While I hope that we don't see A.J. pillowcases anytime soon, the childlike characters such as Hornswoggle are very prominently featured.  With "Back-To-School" time (thankfully) coming right around the corner, expect to see WWE backpacks and stationary sets once again at retail.

Even in a somewhat milder WWE world not every item is for the youngsters.  BIC has released large lighters featuring some WWE Superstars who aren't as frequently featured on items such as Layla, The Miz, and Eve while apparel in the adult sizes seems to sell briskly.  WWE seems to finally be grasping the concept of fans wanting to have a "wrestling shirt that doesn't look like a wrestling shirt."

While some fans are insulted by the notion, it does make a lot of sense.  Although fans should be proud of their allegiance to the squared circle, wrestling apparel has often been notoriously garish.  This is, in part, due to the fact that the apparel worn by the wrestlers themselves is loud and eye-grabbing.  For a few years now TNA has seemingly understood the "apparel perils" of wrestling fans by offering t-shirts that are simultaneously stylish and fun.  The promotional t-shirt for TNA Bound For Glory 2011 is one such product.  Another innovative example is a shirt for TNA Knockout Velvet Sky which was specifically designed for men.

"Innovation" could actually be used to describe many of TNA/Impact Wrestling's products, but sadly there isn't much distribution for them outside of their own retail website.  Seeing as how the company's trading card and action figure lines frequently sell out, it may not be a bad time for TNA to explore getting more items into brick and mortar stores.  With Hulk Hogan aboard for nearly two years now, it almost seems like a no-brainer.  "Hulkamania" shirts sell no matter which company's banner they are sold under and TNA has even made a stylish new version of the red and yellow.

It's hard to believe, but there has not been a time in nearly three decades that wrestling action figures have been absent from store shelves.  In fact, I'd wager that many of you are reading this blog because of a love for them.  While Mattel continually floods today's stores with countless re-releases of Randy Orton, fans clamor for figures of new talent, both male and female, as well as legends.

Another blow to collectors was delivered this past week from Mattel.  It seems that the long-awaited Miss Elizabeth figure, slated to be released through their Mattel Collector's site, is now scheduled to be released in one of the standard "Elite" lines.  This ensures that the figure will be next to impossible to find at retail.  The previous Legends figures released through the Collectors site, while around $28 after shipping, were at least easily obtained.

This is just another blunder in what could be a great line if it were not impossible to collect thanks to issues such as these.  While some Jakks figures were harder to find than others, most "limited" figures were at least repaints and not long-awaited characters like Elizabeth.  Hopefully Mattel realizes their mistakes before it is too late.

In a more positive area, WWE Home Video has released another winner with their recent Best of WCW Clash of the Champions DVD and Blu-Ray.  Although full Clash releases would be preferred, WWE whipped up a very enjoyable collection of matches from the entire run of the Clash.  Making it even better is the fact that WWE recently had it, as well as many other DVD and Blu-Ray releases from their library, available at rock bottom prices through their website. $9.99 new release wrestling...err...sports entertainment Blu-Ray discs?  I'm there.  In a related note, it appears that the Blu-Ray release of No Holds Barred recently mentioned here has been delayed or canceled.  The DVD was in fact released, but I have a feeling that we'll be seeing this one for under $5 sooner rather than later.

With events like San Diego Comic Con as well as the holiday buying season coming sooner than anyone would want to admit, more new and exciting products will be flying onto shelves.  Will there be more cool wrestling t-shirts?  More legendary matches on DVD?  Mattel figures that aren't Randy Orton?  Time will tell.  The only thing we know at this juncture is something that we have learned after a painful lesson this past Monday night...

Even Brooke Hogan makes more sense as an authority figure than...Hornswoggle.