Brandon Howard Thurston

Analysis: Pro Wrestling Guerilla Ticket Prices Have Tripled Since 2010 As Demand Increased

Ticket prices for Pro Wrestling Guerilla have more than tripled in the last seven years as the Reseda, California-based promotion has become more popular. According to archived previous versions of PWG’s website, front row and general admission tickets cost $25 and…

Triple H’s Nutritionist Claims WWE Wrestlers Can Take hGH and hCG, Says A Lot of Wrestlers On Them; WWE Comments

“Triple H” Paul Levesque’s nutritionist Dave Palumbo said WWE’s drug policy allows wrestlers to take human growth hormone (hGH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Those performance-enhancing drugs are supposedly banned by WWE’s wellness policy. Palumbo did an interview with Matt…

Brandon Howard’s Analysis: Is WWE Business Down?

An analysis of attendance estimates suggests WWE’s live event business for September 2017 was not far off from what it usually is for that month. Turnouts for SmackDown TV tapings however are arguably disappointing in light of the brand split…

Brandon Howard: Wrestling Is More Politics Than Politics

Wrestling fans often beg that the conversation stay away from politics. This is their much needed escape. Even if pro wrestling must be an escapist artifact, it is nonetheless part of the world. It contributes to our culture and values…

Brandon Howard: Is Roman Reigns Really A Bigger Draw Than John Cena?

Is Roman Reigns really a better ticket-seller than John Cena, as Reigns insinuated in a promo on the September 11 edition of WWE Monday Night RAW? Reigns’ comments (which can be seen in the YouTube video embedded above, starting at…

Mae Young Classic Was Well-Done, If Lacking Awareness

With the Mae Young Classic, Paul Levesque, better known as Triple H, has produced his third tournament made-up of mostly relatively unknown talent. Following the Cruiserweight Classic last summer and the UK tournament from January, the Mae Young Classic elevated…

Mae Young Classic Participant Kavita Devi Sparks Interest In India

Indian-born Mae Young Classic participant Kavita Devi is moving numbers on YouTube and Google. A clip on YouTube of Devi’s first-round match in which she lost to New Zealand’s Dakota Kai already has 3 million views as of this writing,…

Analysis: NJPW G1 Climax Draws Over 80,000 For Tour, $1.3 Million Gate For Final Night

The twenty-seventh annual New Japan G1 Climax closed Sunday with attendance and ticket prices up from recent years. The final night at the Sumo Hall on August 13 this year we estimate drew a $1.3 million live gate, based on advertised ticket…

WWE Network Comes To China For $4.50; Price Points Around The World

The WWE Network in China will have the lowest price point of any region the service has launched in. For 30 yuan ($4.50 USD) per month or 198 yuan ($30.00) per year, customers in China will be able to watch…

Analysis: The Meaning Behind Roman Reigns’ YouTube Popularity

A recent study I did showed Roman Reigns performs better than most when it comes to video views on WWE's YouTube channel. The news generated a lot of comments as Reigns is a polarizing figure for many. How one felt about the…