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By: Joey Styles
7/5/2005 1:17:51 PM

While the final number of buys will not be in for a few months, initial estimates for the ECW ONE NIGHT STAND pay-per-view are about 275,000 buys in the United States.

While some consider this a disappointment because that is what a normal RAW or SmackDown pay-per-view does I would like to inject some common sense here. First, the best ECW pay-per-view buyrate was 80,000 for WrestlePalooza.

Second, 275,000 buys x $35 price x 40% WWE's share is $3,850,000 NET INCOME. When the live gate and DVD sales are factored in, it will be $5,000,000 NET INCOME. Because the ECW pay-per-view was offered in addition to and not rather than regularly scheduled WWE pay-per-views, this is $5,000,000 INCREMENTAL NET INCOME!

That is a huge success as far as I am concerned and if WWE does not agree, they can license me the ECW trademarks just to run pay-per-views and I will do it myself!

I will be the first to admit that I have taken shots at the WWE creative team but they have hit three home runs in recent weeks:

1.) The 2005 draft lottery
Spread out over several weeks and swapping the two WWE World Heavyweight Champions made RAW and SmackDown must watch TV and freshened up the rosters of both brands. I am looking forward to seeing Batista and JBL stiff each other silly!

2.) Shawn Michaels lays out Hulk Hogan
Michaels is a better heel than a babyface and Michaels vs. Hogan is a dream match we have not seen yet but will now see at SummerSlam. Austin vs. Hogan at WrestleMania 22 should be even more fun.

3.) Chavo Guererro becomes Kerwin White
I would hate this gimmick if it were anyone else but Chavo. He is the only performer who can make WWE and himself real money with this act. I am laughing so hard that my eyes are tearing as I write this. Why Kerwin White though? Why not Charlie White? (I am not sure if all of you will get that joke).

The running total of what Panda Energy has invested in TNA is about $20 million. $20 MILLION!? Has anyone at Panda actually done the math as to what it will take to ever make back that kind of money? I know what TNA's only hope is at this point...TNA video games.

Most fans do not realize that biggest money maker available to a pro wrestling company is not pay-per-view. While an average WWE pay-per-view does 300,000 buys and an average WWE DVD sells 50,000 units, an average WWE video game sells 1,000,000 million units! 1,000,000 x $40 sale price x 15% WWE's share = $6,000,000 per game...and the video game company lays out all of the capital, not WWE.

TNA needs national cable TV to sign a video game deal, not to sell pay-per-views and that is the real brass ring for the Carter Family and TNA. If that does not happen, I will be hosting The Best of TNA on WWE 24/7 next year.

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