The D'Amore Drop: Yes, wrestling has to evolve with the times, but are we pulling back the curtain too far?
I'm really intrigued by WWE and Netflix's new show "Unreal," which premieres next Tuesday. It promises to take viewers inside the booking room and show exactly how the sausage is made — or at least, how they want you to think it's made.
From what I've heard, it won't be a pure documentary, if such a thing even exists. Like many 'docuseries' these days, it's going to be a bit of a work. That is just the reality of modern production. Being a fly on the wall doesn't just happen, not over and over. Producing compelling TV means the fly needs to be on this wall, at this moment, to capture that conversation. You can't rely on luck or have 100 crews on 100 people all the time when you're spending Netflix money.
Still, I think it'll be a hit. The appetite for behind-the-scenes content in wrestling is bigger than it's ever been, and "Unreal" looks tailor-made for that audience.
The big question is if it can do what 'Drive to Survive' did for Formula One and bring in a brand new audience.
But here's the difference: F1 is a real sport. The more you understand it, the more exciting and dramatic it becomes.
With wrestling, I worry the opposite is true. Pull back the curtain too far, and the drama in the ring starts to feel flatter — not deeper. Because wrestling is supposed to be mysterious. That's part of the magic.
Yes, I am just about self-aware enough to get that I am here writing a weekly column for Uncrowned — offering opinions on current storylines, casually using terms like 'heel' and 'work,' while also saying I'm uneasy about a TV show that openly exposes the business.
In fact, I am actually contradicting myself way worse than that…
For my own promotion, Maple Leaf Pro-Wrestling, we produce a YouTube series called "Beyond the Ring" that goes behind the scenes. We show backstage footage, even of opponents — who are at each other's throats on-screen — relaxing together off-camera.
And when I ran TNA with Don Callis, we pitched parent company Anthem a show called 'Behind The Booking Room Door' which was similar in concept to what Netflix is doing.
So … I guess what I'm saying is this: Wrestling has to evolve with the times. No one can hold these changes back or put the 'it's not a sport' genie back in the bottle. But that doesn't mean we can't still feel a little nostalgic for the way things used to be, y'know?
The insane PCO vs. Dan Maff war from Maple Leaf Pro is now on YouTube. You really should check it out.
I'll never root against TNA. I put too much blood, sweat, tears and money into that company across two long stints.
But as most of you know, my relationship with TNA ended about 18 months ago.
So, watching them pull off their biggest show ever with Slammiversary last Sunday was bittersweet.
It's wild to see guys in baseball caps doing podcasts claiming the TNA/WWE relationship 'all started' six months ago with Joe Hendry's appearance at the Royal Rumble.
Ahem.
TNA champion Mickie James — and her championship belt — entered the Royal Rumble three and a half years ago.
That's when the critical TNA/WWE relationship began.
Having AJ Styles appear in person on a TNA show was a lovely moment. (I say 'in person' because he appeared at the 20th anniversary Slammiversary via video, with the WWE's blessing, but... y'know).
TNA is the house that AJ Styles built.
He was the one we could point to, when everyone was saying 'TNA is nowhere near as good as WWE,' and say 'Yeah? Well, WWE has no one even close to THIS guy!'
It made sense for TNA to use AJ's appearance to pass the X-Division torch to Leon Slater. Leon has a massive future, both in TNA and, eventually, AEW and/or WWE.
Y'know, we discovered Leon during a TNA tour of the UK four years ago. He was a teenager, but like with Seth Rollins, who was also a teen when I met him, it was obvious Leon had 'it.'
We'd heard about him, booked him on the tour, but he was even better than his reputation suggested. We signed him as soon as we watched him wrestle — and here he is, making me look like a genius when all we did was recognize HIS genius when it was right in front of us.
Something's been bothering me.
Everybody knows Tony Khan grew up with money. So why is he the one who understands that most families can't afford to spend over $1,000 on one night out at the wrestling?
I know everything costs more these days, but I hate to see WWE become something only those with big disposable incomes can attend live.
Months ago, I advocated in this column for a 'wait and see' approach when John Cena's heel turn with The Rock wasn't followed up on by WWE.
And while I'll always ask fans to give the bookers and talent time to tell their story, six months after Cena's turn, we have to say that the turn hasn't been maximized.
Even allowing for the fact that nothing will ever eclipse Hulk Hogan's 1996 WCW turn, and that John's promo work has been strong, it just hasn't hit like it could have.
It's going to be very interesting to see if WWE turns John again next week at SummerSlam during or after the match with Cody Rhodes, and how they send him off into the sunset over this next (and final) five months of his career.
The whole industry is watching to see how the first-ever two-night WWE SummerSlam is received.
Turning WrestleMania into two nights made sense. Those shows were stretching to seven hours. Even the most diehard fans were getting worn out.
But the two-night SummerSlam? I'm not sure this one was organic. This feels like a revenue move by TKO.
That said, the cards look good. We'll see how it delivers.
One of the best moments at Slammiversary was Moose handing off the X-Division torch to Leon Slater.
I've got a lot of friends in TNA, but Moose is basically family.
Frank Trigg, the UFC Hall of Famer, once called me and said he had a buddy who wanted to get into wrestling. Said he was an offensive tackle in the NFL. Told me, 'Just work out with him.'
I was expecting some big farm boy, 360 pounds, built like a fridge, but instead this athletic monster walks in. He was ripped, fast, and within five minutes I knew he was going to be a star.
Sure, there have been times I wished he were normal-sized, just so I could reach up and throttle him. Like I said, family. He's been to Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house, the Canadian Thanksgiving.
We were watching football. Moose was surprised that 'American' football was played on Canadian Thanksgiving. My mom, already smitten with the big lump, gently said, 'Well, honey, it's Sunday. That's when NFL games are played.'
And Moose, mouth full of turkey, looked up and said, 'Oh? It's Sunday in Canada too?'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
a minute ago
- Fox News
New film company founded by tech industry veterans wants to make Hollywood pro-American again
A new film company with ties to the tech and defense world is on a mission to reignite patriotism in Hollywood. The backers of the new project, called Founders Films, believe there's a growing appetite among audiences for bold stories that inspire and celebrate the American spirit. But they say that content has become increasingly rare in mainstream entertainment. "Movies have become more ideological, more cautious, and less entertaining," the company wrote in a pitch to investors, first reported by Semafor. "Large segments of American and international viewers are underserved. Production costs have soared and sales are flagging." The new studio aims to fill that gap by producing a range of content — from historical dramas to big-budget blockbusters — that celebrates American greatness, ingenuity and heroism. The commercial success of films like "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Oppenheimer" and series such as "Yellowstone" show that audiences are hungry for these types of stories, sources close to the project told Fox News Digital. While "unapologetically pro-American," Founders Films stresses that its mission is not partisan. Rather, it wants to make compelling films with a broad appeal. The project is already attracting significant interest from investors and collaborators, the sources said. One project has already been sold to a major studio. The company hopes to produce its own films, collaborate with other production companies and finance the development of other projects that align with its mission. Proposed project ideas include a film dramatizing the evacuation of the World Trade Center on 9/11, a movie about the "botched withdrawal from Afghanistan" and a multi-season spy thriller exposing "China's plans to replace the United States as the dominant global power," according to the Semafor report. Founders Films' leadership team has ties to Palantir, a tech giant which builds defense software solutions for the U.S. military and Allied forces. One of the film company's co-founders is Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer at Palantir. Ryan Podolsky, an early Palantir employee and U.S. Marine veteran, also serves as co-founder and CEO of the film company, while investor Christian Garrett is the third co-founder. Sankar immigrated to the United States as a child after fleeing violence in Nigeria and has often spoken about his gratitude to the United States. In a blog post late last year, he outlined his vision for the new film project, saying Hollywood needs to return to the "American cinematic universe" that shaped his love for America. "I remember growing up as an immigrant kid at the end of the Cold War, watching movies like Red Dawn, Top Gun, Rocky IV, and The Hunt for Red October," he wrote in the December 2024 Substack post. "These movies were the pump-up material of Peak America. They were awesome, and they instilled a healthy aversion to ushanka-wearing commies, for good measures." Sankar called out Hollywood executives for being unwilling to criticize America's adversaries today out of fear doing so would hurt them financially. "America is in the middle of Cold War II against a communist enemy with more people, more money, and more military might than the Soviets ever had," he wrote in the post. "The CCP is playing a more careful game than the Kremlin, but as the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Taiwanese know, it's no less tyrannical, even genocidal." "What is Hollywood doing to expose this new villain and inspire Americans? When was the last time you saw the CCP presented as a bad guy in a major motion picture, like the USSR? Cold War II is heating up, yet the American Cinematic Universe is AWOL. Worse than that, it's compromised by Chinese influence," he wrote. "Breaking out of our cultural malaise will require the studios to wake up and choose America," his post went on to say. "But it will also require a new crop of artists who are disenchanted with the status quo and who can re-enchant audiences with new, well-told stories."
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Highlights of the Nike Deal, Broadcast Partnerships, Kit Sponsorships, and Stadium Naming Rights
Explore the "Business of the NWSL 2025," a detailed report on the women's soccer league's media and sponsorship landscapes. Discover insights on $39.5M in league sponsorship, $60M in media rights, and $66.46M in team sponsorship. Learn about market viewership, team profiles, and social media metrics. Dublin, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Business of the National Women's Soccer League 2025" report has been added to offering. The main aims of this report is to highlight commercial landscape across NWSL. The report aims to break down the key commercial revenue streams for the league and its affiliated teams. It goes into detail on the key partnerships including its centralized rights with Nike, its four main US broadcasters, front-of-shirt rights, sleeve partnerships and stadium naming "Business of the NWSL 2025" report is part of the the analyst's 'Business of' series of sport competition profiles. The report takes a deep dive into the premier competition for women's domestic soccer in the United States. The report explores the biggest rights across the league, specifically looking at the main media and sponsorship rights attached to the NWSL, as well the main sponsorship rights and annual values of the 14 competing teams. The report also looks at market viewership, profiles individual teams and offers social media following comparisons against teams, other American sports leagues and other soccer NWSL stands to generate $39.5 million from league sponsorship this season. Home market media rights worth $60 million across four main broadcaster deals. Team sponsorship in the league worth $66.46 million in Highlights Overview of the media rights landscape. Global media and sponsor partners explored. Breakdown of the sponsorship deals including annual values. Individual team profiles. Team market comparison by sponsorship. Connected social media followers. Reasons to Buy Soccer is a growing sport in the United States as the country build towards jointly hosting (with Canada and Mexico) the 2026 men's FIFA World Cup . The NWSL, alongside the WNBA (basketball) is the most popular women's sports leagues in the United States and has produced many of the best players in the world over the past decade. Key Topics Covered: 1. Overview2. Media landscape3. League sponsorship landscape4. Kit supplier landscape5. Front-of-shirt landscape6. Sleeve landscape7. Back-of-shirt landscape8. Stadium naming rights landscape9. Team sponsorship overview10. Additional revenue & social media11. AppendixKey Data Tables Home market broadcasters Regional broadcasters International broadcasters NWSL ticket revenue For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How Greg Schiano built Rutgers football's infrastructure to adapt to changing landscape
As the wayward search for Rutgers' new athletics director appears to finally be close to an end, Greg Schiano's football program will begin training camp having been unaffected and undeterred by what transpired over the last year. The chaos that's engulfed the Rodkin Center hasn't moved across Sutphen Road to infiltrate the Hale Center. And that's not a coincidence. Schiano since he's been back has run his program in his vision with the personnel and infrastructure that he sees fit. As the landscape of college sports – especially college football – has evolved with Name, Image and Likeness, the transfer portal and now revenue sharing, that infrastructure has only become more important. It's also become bigger. But the freedom Schiano has to lead his program without interference has helped insulate it from an AD search that became a punchline nationally – its previous leading candidate, Brian Lafemina, according to NJ Advance Media pulled his name from consideration in recent weeks. The university has now zeroed in on Keli Zinn, the executive deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer at Louisiana State, according to reports. When asked about the long search last week in Las Vegas at Big Ten Media Days, Schiano said he hadn't spent much time worrying about the search. Had it affected anything? 'Not our operation,' said Schiano, who's beginning his sixth season since returning to Rutgers. More: Rutgers is targeting LSU administrator as next athletics director, per reports Rutgers football's infrastructure While it undoubtedly would help Schiano to have an athletics director who could help him raise funds – something he's never had during his second stint – it's not something that's stopping him. Schiano's program has increasingly started to look like an NFL organization. His two years as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and 2013 gave him an up-close, inside look at what it needs. NFL organizations have college personnel and pro personnel to evaluate both groups of players. Schiano's program has groups to evaluate high school players and college players so it's ready to jump when anyone enters the portal. Schiano's been diligent about how he's built the operation. 'Certainly we need more people to help with evaluations but we've kind of reorganized our entire population,' Schiano said. 'My whole thing has always been measure twice and cut once. I don't want to just react, I'd rather be a little bit later and get it right than have to be the first out of gate. I don't want to be last but certainly don't need to be first. I've observed a lot of other people, what they've done. Things I think are good, things that are not. Certainly from my own experience I had an idea of how I wanted to do it.' 'Comfortable with the team we have' Schiano credited the team he's assembled to help lead it: Chief of Staff Kevin MacConnell, assistant general manager for finance Jordan Wolkstein, assistant general manager for personnel Eric Josephs, and assistant athletic director for football Will Gilkison, who helps run the ins and outs of program operations. Wolkstein's role helping to oversee contracts and compensation for players shows just how much college football has changed, but it's also a necessity. When it comes to paying players and roster construction to stay within a budget, that's another area Schiano's time in the NFL helped prepare him for. 'I think it helps a lot,' Schiano said. 'I think it just helps with the comfortability of dealing with finance as it ties to football. I think you have to some discipline. We've had some players that if we could've spent a little more, we could've probably gotten them. To me the most important thing is your own team. You're around them every day, you know who they are. So where you can't afford to make mistakes is on your own team. That's the one you should know. Every time you step outside your organization there's some unknown there.' Every year Schiano's program has evolved. Every year it's looked more and more like a pro organization to adapt to the changes in college football. He's built it in his vision. At some point Rutgers will hire an athletics director, but until it does operations inside the Hale Center continue to run smoothly. 'We really feel comfortable with the team that we have,' Schiano said. 'We do have to continue to strategically add people to build the infrastructure but I want to make sure they're the right people.' This article originally appeared on Rutgers football: Greg Schiano has built program to adapt to changes
