Thread: As an outsider, I think this Nuggets/WWE thing is hilarious

By the way, I think the WWE would win if it went to court, but the WWE will probably take the cash, and go elsewhere.

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night.

Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers -- and they called it first.

World Wrestling Entertainment said it is booked at the arena for an episode of Monday Night Raw, the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon told The Associated Press he doesn't believe there was "any malice, just ineptness," on the part of Kroenke Sports, which owns the team and the building, but can't tolerate the company "just simply throwing us out on our ear."

Without a quick resolution, McMahon plans to send his trucks to Denver.

"That's what we intend to do," he said. "We're going to show up."

Pepsi Center officials told the ABC television affiliate in Denver that the Nuggets game will be played as scheduled and that they are working with the WWE to reschedule or move its event.

Paul Andrews, executive vice president of Kroenke Sports Enterprises, issued a statement Monday night concerning the scheduling conflict, saying: "We are working with the WWE to resolve the situation amicably."

WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman said the organization secured the Pepsi Center last Aug. 15 and has already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the event. He says the organization expects a sellout, with tickets ranging from $20 to $70.

McMahon blamed Kroenke for not believing his team was good enough to still be playing in mid-May.

"The fans in Denver had a lot more faith in making the playoffs than the owner," he said in a phone interview from Louisville, where Raw was taking place later Monday night.

Denver is usually done with basketball by now. The Nuggets had lost in the first round five straight years, but as the No. 2 seed in the West are in the conference finals for the first time since 1985.

The league, which handles scheduling during the playoffs, is leaving it up to the team and the WWE to figure things out.

"The Nuggets and the WWE understand that the date of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals cannot be changed," NBA senior vice president Mike Bass said. "We are confident that the Pepsi Center and the WWE will resolve their scheduling conflict."

Zimmerman said the Pepsi Center confirmed in March with the WWE that the organization wanted to keep the May 25 date, and sent a contract on April 15 -- the final night of the regular season -- which WWE signed and returned. Tickets went on sale April 11.

The conflict didn't arise until Sunday, when the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Had the Rockets won, Denver would have had home-court advantage in the next round, hosting Games 1 and 2 and putting the May 25 game in Houston.

As of Monday afternoon, the schedule on the Pepsi Center's Web site listed WWE for 6:30 p.m. local time and Western Conference finals Game 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the wrestling event could still be purchased online.

McMahon said he couldn't guess how much he would make from the show, but that canceling wasn't easy because of how much is involved in moving his equipment, plus filling its obligated time slot on USA Network. Litigation is likely -- but he plans to be putting on a card.

"When you do have a date, you plan everything around it," he said, adding, "we may be holding an event in a parking lot somewhere."

Although it would be great if they could have both events go on at the same time right beside each other (A wrestling ring right beside a basketball court...is there that much room in the pepsi center?)

I find it funny as well. Is the event just scheduled or does the Pepsi Center/WWE have some sort of contract for that evening? I guess the Pepsi Center owner is surprised the Nuggets made it this far . I know the Nuggets fans thinks the WWE should just bow down, but both are businesses and if I were the WWE I would move to a new location but with alot of extra money in my pocket. NBA would do the same thing especially as greedy as David Stern is!

Oh well, I probably won't watch the game anyway.

McMahon is a douche.

There's also a concert on May 26th. Take your payout and find a new venue, and shut your yapper.

I believe there's language in the Nuggets contract with the Pepsi Center that if a Nuggets or Avalanche game is scheduled at the same time as some other event, the Nuggets/Avalanche event takes precedent because they are the principal tenants.

The WWE is now TBD.

what is this wwe and nba you're talking about? I dont think either are important enough to worry about. Maybe they should kick them both out and hold something important, like maybe a dog show or a baseball card sale.

Originally Posted by weazel

what is this wwe and nba you're talking about? I dont think either are important enough to worry about. Maybe they should kick them both out and hold something important, like maybe a dog show or a baseball card sale.

Quilting Show!! This supercedes all of them.

My fandom of the NBA left with John Stockton and the players I watched in the 80s and 90s. And I never was a fan of wrestling though the WWE should be compensated.

I don't understand all this Nuggets owner didn't think his team would still be in the playoffs BS. Do you think Stan does the bookings? It's a total acident they ended up on the same day, there was and is no way to know the exact dates of the games untill the series wrap up. It happened, WWE is milking it for attention on ESPN and they will get there money and move on.

Originally Posted by BroncoAV06

I don't understand all this Nuggets owner didn't think his team would still be in the playoffs BS. Do you think Stan does the bookings? It's a total acident they ended up on the same day, there was and is no way to know the exact dates of the games untill the series wrap up. It happened, WWE is milking it for attention on ESPN and they will get there money and move on.

If the Rockets had won Game 7 instead of L.A., there wouldn't have been a problem.

Originally Posted by BroncoAV06

I don't understand all this Nuggets owner didn't think his team would still be in the playoffs BS. Do you think Stan does the bookings? It's a total acident they ended up on the same day, there was and is no way to know the exact dates of the games untill the series wrap up. It happened, WWE is milking it for attention on ESPN and they will get there money and move on.

I agree that WWE is milking it for attention ONLY. And if the Avs made the playoffs, rather than the Nuggets, there could have been a scheduling conflict there.

Obviously someone decided to take a calculated risk on not having a conflict arise (because back in October, it had to seem very unlikely that this team would make its first trip to the conference finals in 25 years.) The question I have is how high up did those conversations go?? Will someone lose their job for doing this or did the higher-ups authorize it and decide to gamble? That's what I'd like to know.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

McMahon is a douche.

There's also a concert on May 26th. Take your payout and find a new venue, and shut your yapper.

I believe there's language in the Nuggets contract with the Pepsi Center that if a Nuggets or Avalanche game is scheduled at the same time as some other event, the Nuggets/Avalanche event takes precedent because they are the principal tenants.

The WWE is now TBD.

That was pretty much my thinking as well. Although the WWE is probably a good draw i think any home team should have the precedant over another gig whether its the WWE or some concert event.

Originally Posted by Northman

That was pretty much my thinking as well. Although the WWE is probably a good draw i think any home team should have the precedant over another gig whether its the WWE or some concert event.

I believe they do, although the NHL accommadated the douche bag a few weeks ago.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

I believe they do, although the NHL accommadated the douche bag a few weeks ago.

I think that was for a Yanni concert...unless there was another instance.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

McMahon is a douche.

There's also a concert on May 26th. Take your payout and find a new venue, and shut your yapper.

But what money will that bring? Vince could care less if RAW is shown in his bathroom. As long as he reels in a new audience, which he's doing right now as this soap opera drags out, he wins. He already won. He got an interview on ESPN. It'll be news during every game. And when you google the Denver Nuggets, the first three letters you see on new headlines is WWE.

Vince is a versus guy. This is his arena so to speak and he won't lose.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

I believe there's language in the Nuggets contract with the Pepsi Center that if a Nuggets or Avalanche game is scheduled at the same time as some other event, the Nuggets/Avalanche event takes precedent because they are the principal tenants.

The WWE is now TBD.

Originally Posted by Northman

That was pretty much my thinking as well. Although the WWE is probably a good draw i think any home team should have the precedant over another gig whether its the WWE or some concert event.

Can McMahon sue though? I believe tickets are sold out for this show. He can't hold it on Tuesday, since he has another show. Wednesday is an option, but not the sexy end result for McMahon, and what's to say customers won't ask for a refund. Yeah it's Kroenke's building, but unless there's specific language that forces McMahon and Co. out, a judge may have to step in if McMahon doesn't budge.

Originally Posted by honz

I think that was for a Yanni concert...unless there was another instance.

Don't mess with Yanni. That dude's an intergalactic badass!