Gribbenator85
Mid-Carder
6 UK refs, 1 U.S classified ref and 2 currently pending.
Joined on: Feb 7, 2011 15:45:18 GMT -5
Posts: 311
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Post by Gribbenator85 on May 10, 2015 17:21:20 GMT -5
Hasbro dropped WWE because of bad publicity related to the steroid trial I do believe. Wrestlers were not happy as wrestling figures can net guys quite a bit of cash. Jakks was created by Jack Friedman. He also created LJN and THQ. that was part of it. the other reason was, by the time 1994 came up, wrestling, and the WWF specifically, were no longer a hot commodity, or a guaranteed sure-fire thing as far as merchandise. by 1994, sales were down drastically for the Hasbro line, partly due to the steroid scandal, partly due to the 80's wrestling bubble bursting. so when it was time to look at renewing the licence, Hasbro passed. it's telling of exactly HOW bad the WWF public opinion and perception was at that time that companies like Hasbro,Mattel,Playmates, and Kenner all passed on the licence, but a little known, basically just started company called Jakks that no one had really heard of before was able to grab it. Jakks did quite well when you consider where they started. I always wondered why Hasbro stopped, thank you for the info on that, now now I know.
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Post by poindizzle on May 10, 2015 18:03:53 GMT -5
My strong inclination is that if Mattel isn't still making WWE figures past 2019 it is because action figures are no longer a viable market and no company makes them anymore. WHAT?!?! No longer a viable market?!?! This is not true.... I don't want it to either, but trust me, action figures probably won't survive at a $30 price point if minimum wage (just for instance) keeps creeping up so slowly and disproportionate to inflation.
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Post by mikey1974 on May 10, 2015 18:08:19 GMT -5
that was part of it. the other reason was, by the time 1994 came up, wrestling, and the WWF specifically, were no longer a hot commodity, or a guaranteed sure-fire thing as far as merchandise. by 1994, sales were down drastically for the Hasbro line, partly due to the steroid scandal, partly due to the 80's wrestling bubble bursting. so when it was time to look at renewing the licence, Hasbro passed. it's telling of exactly HOW bad the WWF public opinion and perception was at that time that companies like Hasbro,Mattel,Playmates, and Kenner all passed on the licence, but a little known, basically just started company called Jakks that no one had really heard of before was able to grab it. Jakks did quite well when you consider where they started. I always wondered why Hasbro stopped, thank you for the info on that, now now I know. yeah,Jakks started as a company no one heard of with their major licence being a damaged brand. of course, they got it at the perfect time, just before wrestling was get ready to start it's next big boon period. it also helped that starting in 1997 they were pumping out a MASSIVE amount of product, and by 1998, when the WWF fully hit its stride again, it seemed like the stores were getting in new waves of figures every 2 weeks or so.
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Gribbenator85
Mid-Carder
6 UK refs, 1 U.S classified ref and 2 currently pending.
Joined on: Feb 7, 2011 15:45:18 GMT -5
Posts: 311
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Post by Gribbenator85 on May 10, 2015 18:22:19 GMT -5
Jakks did quite well when you consider where they started. I always wondered why Hasbro stopped, thank you for the info on that, now now I know. yeah,Jakks started as a company no one heard of with their major licence being a damaged brand. of course, they got it at the perfect time, just before wrestling was get ready to start it's next big boon period. it also helped that starting in 1997 they were pumping out a MASSIVE amount of product, and by 1998, when the WWF fully hit its stride again, it seemed like the stores were getting in new waves of figures every 2 weeks or so. They progressed alot also, I hated the first Jakks figures as I loved Hasbro so I tuned out of collecting for many years. Then I got back into Hasbro MOC collecting and by accident I came across Jakks Classics which surprised the life out of me, because this same company that made me stop collecting was now producing figures that got me back into collecting again. I really believe they made it possible for Mattel to be the success they are today. Mattel worked from the groundwork that Jakks laid down for them and it all evolved from there.
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Post by poindizzle on May 10, 2015 20:41:52 GMT -5
yeah,Jakks started as a company no one heard of with their major licence being a damaged brand. of course, they got it at the perfect time, just before wrestling was get ready to start it's next big boon period. it also helped that starting in 1997 they were pumping out a MASSIVE amount of product, and by 1998, when the WWF fully hit its stride again, it seemed like the stores were getting in new waves of figures every 2 weeks or so. They progressed alot also, I hated the first Jakks figures as I loved Hasbro so I tuned out of collecting for many years. Then I got back into Hasbro MOC collecting and by accident I came across Jakks Classics which surprised the life out of me, because this same company that made me stop collecting was now producing figures that got me back into collecting again. I really believe they made it possible for Mattel to be the success they are today. Mattel worked from the groundwork that Jakks laid down for them and it all evolved from there. Some reason for once. There is full-on foaming at the mouth Jakks hatred on this board despite the ground they broke with the wrestling figure business. Wrestling figs are like no other type of action figure on the planet. Comic book toys vary wildly on terms of market strategy. Jakks had a distinct challenge of getting a constant barrage of toys on the market to justify always having heavy hitters repainted again and again. They made this work. They got the formula perfect before they lost out to Mattel and then Mattel cloned it. Mattel has made many leaps and bounds themselves, but let's not forget who helped make that possible.
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Deleted
Joined on: Sept 29, 2024 6:29:28 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 12:17:14 GMT -5
Mattel got it because top people at Jakks stole money from WWE. Is there more info on this?
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Deleted
Joined on: Sept 29, 2024 6:29:28 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 12:35:52 GMT -5
Do you think the WWE brand meets Mattels expectations? Its great for collectors like us but so many figures sit at retail. I could still find Mysterios and Punks and Del Rios as well as tons of Cena Orton and Sheamus. I don't feel like retail stocks enough to have sellers like Doink Earthquake Paige etc offset the peg warmers.
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Deleted
Joined on: Sept 29, 2024 6:29:28 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 13:02:10 GMT -5
Mcfarlane toys decided to stop making baseball and hockey figures.
There are obvious problems for the hobby of action figures in general, kids are more spoiled now than they were in 80s and 90s. Everything is iPad or mobile app. It's stupid
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Post by WCWThunderRosa on May 11, 2015 13:50:24 GMT -5
Mcfarlane toys decided to stop making baseball and hockey figures. There are obvious problems for the hobby of action figures in general, kids are more spoiled now than they were in 80s and 90s. Everything is iPad or mobile app. It's stupid And you don't think everyone said that in the 80's/90's about action figures? Every generation hates the next one. People hated the Beatles/Stones. The people who loved the Beatles/Stones hated disco/pop. Those people hated Nirvana. Nirvana fans hate techno music/R&B. It's a cycle that will always continue. Music's only an example. It's like that with everything, especially wrestling.
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Post by WCWThunderRosa on May 11, 2015 14:00:46 GMT -5
Mattel got it because top people at Jakks stole money from WWE. Is there more info on this? Yeah, search "Jakks Pacific vs WWE lawsuit", and you'll get several results. Some from 2004, when WWE first sued, & some from 2007-ish, when they finally settled.
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austin81
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 15, 2004 5:06:31 GMT -5
Posts: 2,963
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Post by austin81 on May 11, 2015 16:12:34 GMT -5
mattel should change his factory! China now is expensive... india or bagladesh mow! They figs are very very expensive! Year after year they rise the prices!
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Post by TheNinthCloud on May 11, 2015 16:38:05 GMT -5
Takeover? Man, I remember these forums when the silhouette of Triple H was posted. I must be old.
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