Mmouse Enterprises Chairman’s Centre
Knoxville, Tennesse
June 30, 2020
7:30am
(JM = Jeff Murrey)
*Chairman Murrey approaches the podium*
JM: Thank you, members of the press in the world of sports for gathering here on such short notice. It has indeed been a very interesting and sobering first season of the Sixth Era of Professional Wrestling and Third Season in the history of the PWI. I know that the competition over in Connecticut is undoubtedly celebrating their clean sweep of the season, having defeated the PWI in each head-to-head ratings battle so far. Seven ratings battles and seven consecutive victories for the EWA. There will be no excuses from me or anyone else here at PWI or Mmouse Enterprises overall.
Needless to say, we here in Tennessee expected a different result for each of our encounters and while the margin of loss to the EWA shrank significantly as the season came to a close, we can’t ignore the numbers and the fact which is glaring us in the face: WE MUST DO BETTER. I can assure you all right now that we are preparing with a great deal of excitement for the Fourth Season of PWI which starts with “Clash of the Destined” on September 20th – the card for which will be unveiled in the weeks to come -, and we are ready to come out swinging with a better approach to entertainment than you all have seen thus far.
I have informed the Board of Directors as well as Commissioners of each show that we will take no ratings shortage lightly and that adjustments in programming will be compulsory according to the demands of our audience. You will find that this means we will be THOROUGHLY inspecting the ratings trends of the past few months and in the weeks which open up the next season to assess where we need work. The objective, the PRIMARY objective will be to present to the viewers the most clear-cut and enjoyable experience in watching professional wrestling that we can offer.
While I don’t think it is realistic to say that we will not lose a single ratings battle in the next season, it will be the primary goal to win EVERY DAMN BATTLE. I have heard from numerous critics that Motivation 7 was one of this company’s greatest pay per views of all time, especially with respect to Night Two. As much as I don’t regret having our talent put on the extravaganza of a lifetime, we are fully appreciative of the feedback that we are getting about how we went about this. As much as I wanted to model all future Motivations based on the seventh installment, I have concluded that Motivation 8 and beyond will only be a single-night spectacle.
Moreover, I am announcing right now that there will only be one installment of the Spotlight, to transpire on New Year’s Day as a six-match card – instead of eight - every year going forward starting with New Year’s Day 2021. It will be preceded by a break following our Winter Pay Per View “The Epic” and it will be followed by yet another short break before our Monday broadcasts resume. Additionally, the “Showcase” Monday Special will only transpire once a year as well, on the First Monday of February to mark the anniversary of the first installment thereof.
The goal of these changes will be to help avoid exhausting our audience with a bombardment of major events. In the event that we have an unforeseen crisis which forces the cancellation of any broadcast, we will forego any further previously-unplanned “Supershows” such as we have seen in the past. While these special cards may have been necessary to help the audience catch up with our stories and get us on track, there are now numerous alternative ways with which we can present our brand without needlessly subjecting the audience to more content.
With respect to our alternating Monday broadcast schedule, this will continue until after the New Year. At that point, the highest rated show on average will become the permanent Monday program – except for the annual Showcase special and other planned Monday specials – while the runner-up will become the new Friday show. Once that change happens the brand split will effectively come to an end – for which our final internal draft took place last night and the details of which will be provided to you in a press release before you leave - and the roster will be unified with a number of tweaks.
Finally, I am right here and now making official some changes to the Premier Athlete Tournament Roulette, and the changes are as follows: no two matches for the tournament from the quarterfinals through to the finals will utilize the same match stipulation, and that applies to both the men’s and women’s divisions universally. Once a match type has been drawn it will be removed from consideration for all future matches in the series. To make this more unpredictable, we have added a number of a new match types to the list of match possibilities. With the Fourth Season being about two months longer than the Third Season the tournament will be able to start earlier and will not be forced into an unfortunate period of acceleration like what we saw last season.
So, without any further delay, I will now open the floor to your inquiries.
ESPN: Yes, Mr. Chairman, there was certainly a lot to unpack in your opening statement. I guess my first question is going to be addressed to the elephant in the room: the plan for a Friday show. What will this framework look like and how will it be managed?
JM: Excellent question. Well, I know some wrestling fans out there are probably worried that they are going to have an overload of wrestling with these changes. That should not be the case, because the Friday show will be shorter than the Monday show, by about half an hour to forty five minutes, and Ascendants will likewise be reduced by anywhere between ten to twenty minutes as well. The Monday show will proceed as a five segment show – except for when it is a planned special, like the six segment broadcast of “Showcase” -, but the Friday show will be a mere three segment show – including fewer backstage bits - and Ascendants will be reduced four to three matches and the Spotlight interview segment.
As for the management of these shows, Asylum will continue to be Commissioned by Mickey, Legends will continue to be Commissioned by Catherine, and Ascendants will continue to be Commissioned by Slammu. Here’s the twist, though. While the roster will be effectively reunified with movement permissible across all shows, the Ascendant Class – or Third Tier – will be reserved for Ascendants, the Second Tier will be prioritized on the Friday show, and the First Tier will be prioritized on the Monday show. The only test will be to determine whether Asylum or Legends becomes the Monday show and that will entirely be up to the fans at the end of the day.
Sports Illustrated: So, with the addition of a Friday show, even if it is shorter than the Monday broadcast, does that mean all three shows will continue to take a hiatus on Pay Per View and Special weeks?
JM: Of course.
HBO Sports: How did the Co-Vice Chairs react to the recent ratings news?
JM: Well, Catherine was quick to respond. She and I actually kept track of the ratings reports together. She was disappointed that we came up short again, especially after such a special closing broadcast, but she issued a quick congratulatory call to her Uncle and we then quickly got back to work on planning for the Fourth Season.
HBO Sports: What about Mr. Puddphucker and Mickey?
JM: Harry was just as professional as Catherine, although he and Miss Jackie are not as outspoken as the rest.
HBO Sports: You seem to be dodging revealing Mickey’s response…
JM: Look, Mickey is a little off the rails right now. I haven’t the slightest clue as to how he has taken the news about the ratings losses. All I know is that the footage we saw at the close of Motivation was among the most disturbing images I have ever witnessed. He issued no statement after we received a report of the ratings. So, maybe you can get word from Lawrence about what Mickey thinks, because he sure as hell isn’t talking to me.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated: Funny that you bring that up, Mr. Murrey, because I received some kind of odd letter in the mail from Mickey today.
JM: What do you mean?
Pro Wrestling Illustrated: Well, I haven’t been able to figure it out, but all I could decipher was that Mickey wanted us to know that he had “dealt with the problem”.
JM: I didn’t think it was possible to be more weirded out, but here I stand corrected. Well, that is about all the time I have for now everyone, please join us in a few weeks for our next press conference. There will be plenty more press releases, breaking news, and pressers to come as we enjoy our well-deserved break from regular programming. Thank you. *Leaves as the press attempts to get another question in*
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The following was the press release presented to the members of the press pertaining to the details of PWI's final internal draft as well as other roster updates:
ATTENTION MEMBERS OF THE PRESS:
The following are the results of the 2020 PWI Internal Draft which transpired on the evening of Monday, June 29th, 2020:
In the second annual draft of the PWI in the Sixth Era, the rules were a bit more complicated than in 2019. Mickey (or, Executioner, choosing on behalf of Mickey) and Catherine got to choose from singles competitors, entire stables, and tag teams. There were seven rounds for Tag Teams specifically, but each brand had the option to choose additional tag teams as part of their main draft picks (for which there were 25 rounds for a grand total of 32 rounds in the draft). Both “drafts” occurred simultaneously with each brand having the choice between filling a slot in “Main Draft” and “Tag Team Draft” on each round. All undrafted competitors following the 32nd Round were left as free agents to remain in the Ascendant Class.
Mickey’s proxy – representing “Asylum” – won the coin flip (for the second straight year) to get the first pick in the draft. Catherine represented “Legends”. Here’s how the picks unfolded:
Main Draft –
Asylum secured = 1. The Wyatt Family (Including FRED, Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, and Scarecrow) 2. Alexa Bliss, 3. Teo, 4. Gail Kim, 5. Living Dead Girl, 6. Allie, 7. Ariel, 8. Scott Nash, 9. Paige, 10. Randy Savage, 11. Brock Lesnar, 12. Marty Scurll, 13. Slammer, 14. Drew McIntyre, 15. Rhyno, 16. Matt Hardy, 17. Robby Storm, 18. Tessa Blanchard, 19. Maria, 20. Mark Henry, 21. Baron Corbin, 22. Riott Squad (Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan), 23. American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan), 24. Mr. Kennedy, 25. Rob Van Dam
Legends secured = 1. The Allure (Including Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Amber Gallows), 2. Asuka, 3. Petey Williams, 4. Victoria, 5. Becky Lynch, 6. Madison Rayne, 7. Amazon, 8. Kevin Owens, 9. Emma, 10. Dragonfly, 11. Jeff Hardy, 12. Ivelisse, 13. Jon Moxley, 14. Brandon Lee, 15. Aleister Black, 16. Samoa Joe, 17. Mike O’Malley, 18. Zelina Vega, 19. Taya Valkyrie, 20. Dolph Ziggler, 21. Carmella, 22. Torrie Wilson, 23. Kelly Kelly, 24. Cesaro, 25. Daisy Buffer
Tag Team Draft –
Asylum secured = 1. The Elite (Miz and Morrison), 2. Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar), 3. Comic Nightmare (Thundra and Starfire), 4. Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo), 5. A Taste of Heaven (Zevon Heaven and Britt Baker), 6. Team Laycool (Michelle McCool and Layla), 7. Undying Legends (Molly Holly and Ivory)
Legends secured = 1. Fire and Desire (Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose), 2. YMCA (B-Rad and T. Page), 3. The Agency (Sharon Carter and Mockingbird), 4. New TNT (Triple H and Test), 5. Untouchables (Mr. Clean and Drake Nash), 6. IIconics (Peyton Royce and Billie Kay), 7. War Raiders (Erik and Ivar)
The following talent reverted to being members of the Ascendant Class in the Singles Division (Women’s Talent and Tag Teams may still be featured on Ascendants irrespective of this Class Roster):
Matt Taven, Tiny, Mr. Perfect, Jeff Jarrett, Scorpion, Christopher Daniels, X-Pac, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kurt Angle, Diamond Dallas Page, Doink, Andrade, Chaz, and Elias
The following talent were exempt from the draft altogether, are active members of the roster, and are not members of the Ascendant Class:
Bossman, (whereabouts unknown, alongside The Almost Sidekicks), and the “Henchman” Kurgan and Abyss (who serve at the behest of Mickey, alongside The Executioner)
The following talent retired from in-ring competition at the end of Season Three:
Ken Shamrock, Stephanie McMahon, Sable, and Sunny (due to their failure to improve their records by the end of the season, per the ultimatum issued by Chairman Murrey)
Lance Storm (of his own free will, following his loss to his son Robby)
Taz (of his own free will following the conclusion of Season Three)
Drakus and Kane (failed to report for contract extension for 20-plus year veteran status to avoid forced retirement following the conclusion of Season Three)