TF2011: COMPLETE Mattel WWE Video Coverage

[wyleecyotee]

Feb 15, 2011 19:35:45 GMT -5 @machomook said:

wyleecoyote,

I certainly don't want someone to lie to us and am grateful for the truth. Just disappointed in the direction and not pointing it at one company. If WWE is hindering the growth of Mattel then Mattel should use these points to show them. Andre should NOT be done in exclusive! He is one of the biggest stars ever!!!! Having scale individuals but not scale rings seems VERY ODD to me. Legends lines are EXTREMELY Expensive compared to what the mass market has been used to which could be that they were more off on their price points then they were with the actual selection of the legends. I am merely stating my displeasure with the what is happening and a limited collection could hurt them greatly! I remember when LJN made figures ... I didn't start collecting until I knew it had legs and then I got all of them. And legs it had! Then Hasbro showed early on that they did have legs like Jakks. Mattel started out of the shoot with a bang and I have a heck of a collection going but simply am not into getting 5 Cena's etc ... I like new figures. Here's to legends.

I think the problem Mattel had is there was so much time and a lot of figures of old made by Jakks that a lot of people just called it a day when the license changed (maybe picking up a Savage). This takes a bit away from Mattel, plus the fact the PG era bringing in kids, kids buy toys, kids havent the foggiest who Repo Man is. Some may buy him becuase he looks "cool" or "funny" but the majority will look for Mysterio or Cena or Kofi which is why there are so many of them.

They sell, they bring in money so its only wise for Mattel to keep shelling them out.

EDIT:
I sort of realised I turned that into a rant, I aknowledge and restecpa your own opinions and merely stating my own here.

[lazyboy98]

I was really looking forward to that two pack.

[Next Manufactured’s Sweater]

Feb 15, 2011 19:35:45 GMT -5 @machomook said:

Having scale individuals but not scale rings seems VERY ODD to me.

They've done a scaled ring. Not enough people bought it, so they're not doing another anytime soon.

[The Assassin]

Excellent Q&A. Very professional, thorough and honest, with some good questions too. And it really seems like Mattel are reading the boards and actually taking our opinions and ideas into account. Mattel clearly seem passionate and dedicated to the brand. Basically the complete opposite of Jakks...

Thanks for the interview to Mattel, WF and Tim. And thanks for asking my question about referees too. I've wanted a referee Charles Robinson figure for so long!! Jakks promised to make new referees in Q&As for years, but never actually did... Hopefully Mattel will follow through and release referee figures.

The only disappointment for me, was I was really hoping to hear whether Mattel will be persuing permission to make classic WCW title belts for figures. But I guess they'll want to do the WWF belts first anyway, so I'll keep that question saved for the next Q&A session.

[Chewdeezy]

I think once Mattel gets to release everything they want, all the big names, all the stuff McMammon wants represented, I'm sure we will get some stuff in the future. Kids are the main audience they want to sell to but collectors are the ones with the money. I really hope we get some DX members. That is one of their most favorite groups ever, hopefully they can release it on Matty.com or something because I know I will be buying multiples.

[Deleted]

Would you rather buy a scale ring or the small ring? I have both and personally far prefer the scale because it fits a powerful crietria that Mattel successfully picked up on and what collector's like. I have no hunger to buy other rings but would like to buy accessories. Part of the reason I didn't buy the table, chairs, and announcer set is because it comes with yet again another small ring.

I respectfully don't want Mattel to draw the conclusion that accessories don't sell because people like me don't want to buy another non-scale ring.

But to the more important issue

Figures are my main focus and Mattel was able to get Rickey Steamboat which Jakks did not do. The size is an adjustment but one I actually like better. The Scale that Mattel does is WONDERFUL!

I'm not sure why anyone would prefer the stiff basic assortment that lacks posebility and playability over the elite line but would love to hear others thoughts.

I really think the price point for legends was sooooo expensive that I understand why the basic market might balk.

From a collector standpoint we of course what legends from different era's ... but one of the great things about the 80's and early 90's was the costumes and characters were very KID Friendly which could cross both markets. Kamala ... GREAT! Big Bossman would be wonderful! I really hope they get Andre out to all. But their selection thus far has been GREAT ... I just don't want them to retreat. And I want WWE to be more secure with their alumni! If you look on the WWE page you see Animal but not HAwk? What??? I understand what is going on with Ric Flair, The Hardy's and Hulk Hogan right now etc ... with TNA ... bummer ... but those who are not there I hope Mattel goes after.

[Da Iceman]

I honestly don't think the Legends line is going anywhere soon. Everyone around here wants to speak doom and gloom but really, did you see how badly the 2-packs sold? It is pretty obvious why they were canceled.

Also, when you look back at the first 2 series of Legends, they didn't sell well, especially series 1 which is STILL all over the place. Series 3 and 4 have been a lot better in sales around here and when I see someone and go back, they have sold. Cutting it back to 4 figures a wave helps us get better characters and more is put into them. I mean, the Model comes with TONS of good stuff same with Bam Bam and his jacket. I plan on buying all of series 5 and 6 and I couldn't be able to do that if there were more figures in the waves, especially with Defining Moments coming out as well.

I think if the sales of the Legends line get too grim, Mattel should just do a subscription service like they do with Masters of the Universe and Ghostbusters. Pay a flat fee at the beginning of the year and you get all the Legends from Matty.com. I know I would pay it, beats driving around to different stores and then they can do any wrestler they want, seems win-win to me since the Legends line is mostly for "collectors" anyway.

[JCF]

I didn't watch yet, but for the questions they asked, do they give our usernames along with the question?

[The Assassin]

I'm not so sure about the cutting down on the legends line and the "not going too obscure"...

personally, I don't really watch current WWE, so my main area of interest is legends figures, and mainly WCW/nWo guys from the monday night wars. so the news that they're cutting back on the legends line is disappointing for me. i already have a large Jakks RA/CS collection and i'm looking to build on that collection.

in order for me to buy a mattel legends figure, it will probably have to be from the 1995-2001 WCW/nWo era, and be a superstar who Jakks didn't make in CS/RA, or the headscan is a better likeness than the Jakks one.

I want plenty of guys who aren't A-listers. non-legendary, but fondly remembered. guys like Norman Smiley, Mortis, Disco Inferno. So I hope Mattel isn't considering those sorts of guys "too obscure"...

Bottom line is, I'm unlikely to be interested in mattel legend figures if Jakks already made a decent figure of that person, or if the superstar isn't from the era I remember.

[JKLMD2002]

Thanks for posting these. Really appreciate the upfront answers Bill. I know it'd be easier to dance around the questions, but the communication - even for disappointing news like no more Legends two-packs - is welcome. I don't really care that much about today's stars so any and all Legends info was great to hear as that's where the bulk of my wrestling figure budget goes.

Few things:

-Thanks for signing Bret Hart! He's my second favorite so glad to hear he'll be coming to Legends (?) - Elite was mentioned and Defining Moments. Pretty much any attire besides Survivor Series 93 will be great!

-Any thought to trying the Legends tag team format as online exclusives? Either matty.com or ringside?

-The today's superstars vs. yesterday's stars two-pack idea seems like a real solid idea even if it's not under the WWE All Stars banner. I'd definitely buy a Andre vs. Big Show, repaint Warrior vs. Cena or Ricky Steamboat vs Rey for example. So long as it's in the Elite format.

-I was one of those who asked for more waves of Legends since the number was reduced. The quality of the Legends line has been excellent - definitely me new favorite and I'd love to see the line stretch to some of the guys Jakks never gave us like a David Von Erich, Larry Zbysko and Dino Bravo and worry that with less figures per wave we won't get that kind of depth in the line now. Hopefully we can still get some of those fringe guys somehow and not just the main eventers. Modern Lawler's OK but a Legends Jerry Lawler with cape and crown is much more ideal ;-)

Please keep up the outstanding work and I look forward to many more years of collecting Mattel Legends!

[Matt Culture]

I am really hoping that while Mattel doubles up on what Jakks has already produced, we also get some more first time legends figures.

I mean Redoing Honkytonk man, tito santana, JYD, and the Big John Studd is a goods start

but we also need Hercules Hernadez, Killer Kahn, Buddy Rogers, Adrian Adonis, corporal Kirshner, ted arcdi, Georgeous George, Uncle Elmer, Paul Roma, etc

[Da Iceman]

I'd like Mattel to redo everyone from the Jakks legends line. Nothing Jakks ever did impressed me, pretty much everything Mattel has done has impressed me, and I would like as many Legends as I can get done in the Mattel style.

I hope they keep producing guys from the late 80s to the mid-early 90s. That was my favorite time in pro wrestling and I'd love to own as many of those guys as I can.

[Deleted]

Legends that I think would work for kids who never saw them or fans. In no particular order

Andre the Giant (Giant)
Big Boss man (Police)
Yokozuna (Big Sumo)
EarthQuake (Name and Large)
Hurricane (Name and Large)
Doink (Clown)
Papa Shango (Vodoo)
King Kong Bundy (Large balding man)
Honky Tonk Man (COstume and character)
Barbarian and Warlord (Costume and great builds)
Mountie (Canadian)
Goldberg (Obvious build)
Psycho Sid (Giant)
The King Jerry Lawler


No I would love a lot more and sure there is plenty I have not mentioned. I am rooting for MAttel and WWE.

[JKLMD2002]

Feb 15, 2011 22:19:38 GMT -5 Da Iceman said:

I'd like Mattel to redo everyone from the Jakks legends line. Nothing Jakks ever did impressed me, pretty much everything Mattel has done has impressed me, and I would like as many Legends as I can get done in the Mattel style.

I hope they keep producing guys from the late 80s to the mid-early 90s. That was my favorite time in pro wrestling and I'd love to own as many of those guys as I can.

Totally agree with you. I sold my Jakks collection off once I started getting Mattel figures so I'll happily buy the Legends Jakks made but done properly by Mattel. And this line is still so early that any legend made so far I'm definitely buying.

My main hope with the Legends is that it doesn't become a line with just Stone Cold, Triple H, Undertaker, HBK, The Rock, Macho Man and a few other big guns. The Defining Moments Austin makes sense, but I would have loved to have seen a "Stunning" Steve Austin from his WCW days with the long hair and robe to give us a more varied look at one of the WWE's biggest legends.

Bill did say that more and more superstars are coming to them now so I take that to be a good sign since the biggest stars not with TNA (and guys like Nash and Booker who are in the works) are already in the line hopefully paving the way for guys like JYD, Tito, Luger and Nikita.

My two biggest wants in this line besides Sting, my favorite, is to have a complete 4 Horsemen [Flair, Windham, Blanchard and Anderson] and Dangerous Alliance [Rude, Austin, Anderson, Eaton and Zbysko]. If I can get that anything else is extra.

[kimberlysghost]

Candid answers, can't ask for anything more than that. Great questions from Tim as always. Mattel has done a great job the first year+ with the WWE brand.

The only thing I have to add is I would like to see Legends 2 packs out there. Maybe just do two waves a year, I don't know how the business part of that works. But 2 packs are the only way to buy some Legends in my opinion.

Kim

[elrey82]

I think that this line with WWE is just going to get better!!! i mean it was their first year and i think they delivered !!! I'm definitely looking forward to these new Elite/Legends figures!!! The only thing Im hoping is that they really dont do cloth knee pads, it would just be horrible!!!

[Bandalero]

Feb 15, 2011 22:55:25 GMT -5 JKLMD2002 said:

My two biggest wants in this line besides Sting, my favorite, is to have a complete 4 Horsemen [Flair, Windham, Blanchard and Anderson] and Dangerous Alliance [Rude, Austin, Anderson, Eaton and Zbysko]. If I can get that anything else is extra.

Whoa, I thought I was the only one! I too want that version of the 4 horsemen and the Dangerous Alliance - seriously folks you don't get a better pedigree for a tag team combination like Anderson & Eaton...but now I wonder if a Bobby Eaton figure is too obscure for Mattel

[JKLMD2002]

Not at all! :-)

I really hope Eaton isn't considered obscure. I need two Eatons cause it's a must to have a Midnight Express version too!
Arn is great as the red/white attire fits both Horsemen and Dangerous Alliance era.

[DZ: WF Legacy]

Mattel have done a great job with Legends, but man, they really shot themselves in the foot with the 2-packs. The figures themselves weren't the problem, is was the line-ups. Bushwackers? Okay, not a bad way to start. They're not exactly the Road Warriors but they were a memorable team who look cool in figure form. Piper/Orton? Here's where the problem begins. The main thing here is Piper - we JUST got a Piper in Entrance Greats, and while it was a Basic, it's largely seen as the better figure. Piper also had a ton of CS figures before this one. And pack him with Bob Orton at the $30 pricepoint and it becomes a tough sell. How many people are going to spend over $50 to get both EG Piper and this 2-pack? Not many, and Bob Orton alone probably won't sell the set to most. Sheik/Volkoff? Not bad, but again - they just released a Sheik in Legends, and Sheik had a bunch of figures in CS already. The average person is only going to buy one of each wrestler, with exceptions made for their favorites. The problem is when we're talking about Legends, we're talking about mainly appealing to older collectors. And then we're talking about personal favorites, that shrinks the market down even more. It would have been better to wait 2-3 years and do a new Sheik in tights, that way those who missed the one from "back in 2010" had a chance to get him again, and maybe people who already bought him would be more likely to get a new figure of him since they've already had the old one for so long.

But that critique aside, Bill, thank you for your honesty and for actually answering our questions. I appreciated the insight on how WWE communicates with Mattel. Pity that they told you guys to hold off on DX (New Age Outlaws!), but at least we now know that it's not you guys, it's them. I loved the statement about certain companies "not caring anymore" once simple stuff like skintone variation becomes a regular problem. Great to hear Bret is finally signed, and that Vince is coming soon. Interesting to hear about a possible 'build-a-figure'. That sounds perfect for a camera man or ref.

[The Macho Hitman]

I'm disappointed to hear that the Legends line is being reduced. The only reason I buy Jakks and Mattel figures is for the classic superstars. I'm a sucker for nostalgia. If Mattel is slowly going to phase out their legends line I at least hope they get in some more wrestlers that Jakks weren't able to produce. Such as they did with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and Macho Man. I'd love to see "Mighty" Hercules Hernandez and Miss Elizabeth figures surface over the next couple of years. Those two are standouts for me that haven't been done since the 90's. I'm really loving "The Model" Rick Martel figure. I'm a huge fan of his so that figure is a must for me. I'm sorry that their legends lines hasn't done as well as hoped. Because I for one was looking forward to their WWE Legend Scale Ring with Andre figure. But hopefully they still come out with their Rockers figures. They look a heck of a lot better than Jakks version. Time will tell. Long live the Legends Series! Ohhhh Yeaaahhhhhhh!!!!!