Ringside Fest '18 - RECAP Video!

First off, thank you for having Sam do the Q&A. Bill is obviously very comfortable around him and made for a much better Ringside Q&A this time.

- 1st question is asking the Dude Love story. Bill refers to Sam's podcast for the scoop.
- So far no new deals from anyone involved in the concussion lawsuit.
- ECW TV/Tag titles would be hard since nobody to put them with. As far as Bill knows, RVD isn't under a deal.
- New WCW belt is in the works.
- No updates on the stage but process is ongoing to hopefully get it developed.
- Elimination Chamber will be available through online retailers.
- Sets he would want to do if he could: Piper's Pit, old interview sets.
- Store exclusives added to the main line was a marketing decision made to encourage retailers to order more of the main line. Retailers tend to want to order more of their own exclusive products. Could always add separate exclusive lines in the future.
- No flashback Epic Moments in 2019.
- Would love to do Demolition but no flashback tag teams in the works.
- Interchangeable arms could be a possibility.
- TRU closing is still affecting things today. Less opportunities for things like large playsets.
- They paint over belly buttons and tank top molds on women's figures because tooling budget for basics is too small to tool new women's torsos. Would rather spend on new heads for people like Drew Gulak.
- All Ultimate Edition info will be revealed Survivor Series weekend.
- Bill figure exists. 1/1 and very unlikely to come out as a generic ref figure.
- Painted elbow pads are added for accuracy for figures like Samoa Joe where the pad looks skin tight. Not a cost measure since it might cost more to paint.
- Bill agrees the women need new hands and says it will happen eventually.
- Light Heavyweight Championship isn't planned but could be possible.
- Cost of cloth goods still rises every year but they're able to budget for some simple stuff like a Rusev day shirt.
- Would never share their list of available talent to make.
- WCW Bret Hart could happen someday.
- Possibility for more re-releases like E12 Kane.
- No ECW figures coming.
- Distribution issues regarding the UK are out of his hands.
- Basics will have chase figures but not Battle Packs.

I wish he would've asked about staining and the walgreens line. And if he will ever interact with us on the forum again.

Yeah this was much better than other q&a in the past, some strange questions, as Bill's confused at times face showed, but overall i enjoyed it

How can the basic's budget be to blame for the Elite Rousey though?

Interesting to hear the strategy about releasing exclusives alongside the main line in an effort to increase orders. Hopefully that can work but really skeptical one figure will force stores' hands to better manage the sections.

Also wished the Walgreen's line was addressed. Have a store that hasn't set out any new figures for well over a week (after I bought the last sitting on the shelf). Keep having to move other stuff outta the empty spot. After a while I will have to notify an employee when they aren't busy.

OK so we know a new WCW title is in the works. Using the other information that Bill provided, I guess it's safe to assume that it's not the WCW Tag Team Titles. The two favorites for Mattel, Savage and Warrior, only held the World title between the two of them, it was Savage because "LOL WCW Warrior". We also know that a WCW Bret Hart is a possibility which means he isn't in the works for whatever title it is that Bill is working on. So Bret Hart is off the US title list. With Jim Duggan just getting released at Game Stop I don't see Mattel double dipping him so he is off the TV and US title list. Using that same logic, Steamboat was just released so I don't think they would do him. But Stunning Steve is different enough from Stone Cold to keep on the list but at the same time he probably doesn't "need" a title to help bolster sales. Vader held the US Title so that one is possibility. I could see Dustin needing a title to help sales. I mean I think at the end of the day the only logical person it could be is Norman Smiley with the WCW Hardcore Championship.

I think it might be jericho with the tv title

And whoever said the "chase" figures were a good idea is smoking crack...all those figures will do is go for insane after market prices as scalpers will be scooping them up everywhere.  this wont end well for chase figures. espec if the chase figure looks better.. I don't know about the decisions being made right now. but that's just my 2 cents on it. Retros need better distribution obviously. so we will see. and basically ending the playsets like the HB hotel is another bad call. I think we have taken 4 steps back in 2019.... sorry to say it... 

*chest

I bet it’s the WCW Cruiserweight belt since they’ve been using the design on the Hall of Champions packaging. I’d rather have the US belt first