Author: Alan Wass

  • Can All Elite Wrestling Challenge Billion Dollar WWE Network?

    Can All Elite Wrestling Challenge Billion Dollar WWE Network?

    Is someone finally going to challenge the monopoly the WWE Network has had on professional wrestling for the past 15-years? Apparently, a new wrestling organization called All Elite Wrestling is rumored to be on the verge of finalizing a national television deal in American to challenge Vince McMahon’s control over the industry.

    The WWE Network has long had a stranglehold on the wrestling business, but the times are changing with the emergence of other wrestling companies and the rumored All Elite Wrestling headed by Cody Rhodes, former son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes.

    WWE Network Monopoly

    The WWE Network has been the only major player on the pro-wrestling scene for the past decade, with other independent organization such as TNA and Ring of Honor (ROH) barely denting the mega-company. This has created a massive gulf in the industry, and up until recently, if you weren’t signed with the WWE, you were pretty much a non-entity in the business.

    Over the past two years, the Japanese wrestling company, New Japan Wrestling has been making a name for itself not only in the far east but also on American soil. New Japan has helped to garner some big name American talents such as the lauded tag-team the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and the Bullet Club faction that was initially headed by now WWE stars AJ Styles and Finn Balor.

    The popularity of Bullet Club and Young Bucks merchandise rival anything on the WWE Network at the current time and are sparking a renaissance

    Changing Times for Pro Wrestling

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rDUeqsq54s

     

    One of the golden ages of pro-wrestling or sports entertainment as Vince McMahon calls it today, was when WWE (called the WWF) and WCW went head-to-head with the Monday Night Wars back in the mid to late 1990s.

    In a period between 1995 and 2002, McMahon’s WWE was on the verge of failure as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) run by billionaire Ted Turner stole some of the then WWF’s star talents such as Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash. Vince and his WWE prevailed and the rest is history.

    Former WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes, now known only as ‘Cody’ since leaving the WWE Network, has been drumming up big business with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, collectively called ‘The Elite’. They tested the waters when they filled a 10,000 capacity stadium earlier this year on American soil that sold nearly 200,000 PPVs.

    Now it is rumored that the collective is planning to rival Vince McMahon’s WWE Network and are close to securing a TV deal.

    The Elite is currently a massive force with pro wrestling fans who have made their opinions known as WWE are experiencing the lowest viewing figures for their Monday Night Raw and Smackdown programs in decades. Although their profits are actually at an all-time high due to their online network, which is apparently worth $1.5 billion.

    Could an All Elite Wrestling organization challenge the might of the billion-dollar WW Network empire? Vince McMahon’s competitors usually end up in the poorhouse, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

    Featured image from YouTube.

  • World’s Most Expensive Gin Morus LXIV Costs $5,000 Per Bottle

    World’s Most Expensive Gin Morus LXIV Costs $5,000 Per Bottle

    Fancy a GNT? Normally I would say yes, but not if I am expected to pay for the world’s most expensive gin, Morus LXIV, which comes in at a cool $5,000 per bottle.

    With Christmas just around the corner, if you are loaded and want to impress your family or friends, the world’s most expensive gin is now available to buy at Harvey Nichols.

    Get Your Bottle of Morus LXIV Today!

    I once bought a special bottle of Hennessey Cognac that cost me in the region of $100 and that almost gave me a cardiac arrest. Obviously, I wouldn’t last 5-minutes buying up bottles of Cristal in a trendy New York nightclub.

    The world’s most expensive gin, Morus LXIV, is now being exclusively sold at the trendy London department store Harvey Nichols for over $5,000 per bottle.

    Distilled from the leaves of an ancient Mulberry tree, which is called the Morus Nigra, this exclusive and rare gin is becoming a real collector’s item with spirit connoisseurs the world over. The gin takes over two years to make and enjoys a cask strength of 64%.

    You could say the gin is handmade as each mulberry leaf is harvested and dried and handpicked for perfection. The leaf is then gently distilled and balanced with botanicals to give the drink a unique taste.

    From the Makers of London Dry Gin

    This deluxe edition of Morus LXIV was distilled and concocted by the makers of London Dry Gin and also Jam Jar Gin, who is one of the premier gin makers in the world.

    The $5,000 price tag is due to the gin’s unique roots and its exclusivity, alongside its stylish packaging that enjoys a handmade embossed porcelain jar and stirrup cup. This also comes with a beautiful handmade leather hide casing.

    If you just want to find out what the world’s most expensive gin tastes like, or want a scaled down present for Christmas, you could buy the 3cl version of the Morus LXIV with the porcelain jar, cup and leather hide for approximately $300.

    Only last month, MoneyMakers discussed the most expensive bottle of wine in the world, which was a bottle of 1945 Burgundy wine that sold at Sotheby’s for over $500,000.

    However, if you are looking for something more affordable, the world’s most expensive gin, Morus LXIV is a bargain at only $5,000!

    Featured image from the Evening Standard.

  • Floyd Mayweather Lavish $5 million Spending Spree on Jewelry

    Floyd Mayweather Lavish $5 million Spending Spree on Jewelry

    How does Floyd Mayweather respond to rumors that his cash flow might not be as solid as once thought? He goes on a spending spree and splashes out over $5 million on flash jewelry in a single session, that’s how.

    As Americans have been splashing out big style over the course of Black Friday in the lead up to Christmas, Floyd Mayweather continues to make the news with his lavish purchases.

    Floyd Mayweather Still Ballin’

    There is a reason why Floyd is called ‘Money’. He has raked in over $250 million this year alone and is not afraid of spending it on ‘ice’ or other outrageous gifts for himself. As Americans search for the biggest and best deals on items over the Black Friday period, Mayweather doesn’t give a damn about scrimping and saving.

    Floyd Mayweather apparently splashed out $5.3 million in a single shopping spree in Los Angeles boutiques on Friday. As the masses searched for the best deals on the latest iPhone X and other goods, Mayweather bought three diamond-encrusted watches and a host of other exotic jewelry pieces.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BqWMtXch7Ui/?utm_source=ig_embed

    He is said to have purchased a 30-carat pear-shaped VVS ring for a gargantuan $2.3 million. But he didn’t stop there. The next jaw-dropping purchase was a $2.5 million diamond bracelet. He finished off the spending sprees by buying a 2 lbs. Cuban gold necklace and three watches for a combined total of half a million.

    Mayweather Not Going Broke

    We reported just a couple of weeks ago that his former friend, rapper 50-Cent, made backhanded remarks in regards to the financial situation of Floyd Mayweather and his ongoing tax issues. However, as stock and cryptocurrency prices continue to plummet, buying expensive jewelry is a good asset to have in safe keeps.

    Rumors were rife that Mayweather was struggling with his cash flow when he announced a strange boxing exhibition with Japanese kickboxer Tensin Nasukawa that is penned in to take place in Japan on New Year’s Eve.

    Even though Floyd Mayweather is the highest paid athlete in 2018 with total earnings of $285 million so far this year, that cash was mainly from his 2017 encounter with UFC fighter Conor McGregor.

    It is interesting that Forbes listed that Floyd Mayweather has made only $10 million this year in endorsements. That seems like a big figure to some, but not to those who spend $5 million on a single shopping session. It will be interesting to see if Floyd can maintain that type of spending when he does retire.

    Featured image from Sick Chirpse.

  • Eminem Rumored to Be Headlining Woodstock 50th Anniversary

    Eminem Rumored to Be Headlining Woodstock 50th Anniversary

    You would expect something big and grand for the Woodstock 50th Anniversary, right? It is being rumored that Eminem will headline Woodstock 2019 along with the Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam to celebrate 50 years of the historic music festival.

    Plans for the 50th Woodstock Festival have apparently been leaked online, making lots of noise across the internet as music fans lick their lips in anticipation of confirmation.

    Will Eminem Play at Woodstock 50th Anniversary?

    From Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, to Ozzie Osborne and Snoop Dogg, Woodstock has staged some of the biggest names in music history and has been the world’s leading music festival from the time of the hippies to the modern times of electronic dance music.

    The music world went into a frenzy over the weekend as supposed news leaked in regards to the Woodstock 50th Anniversary line-up for 2019. Some of the names apparently being approached to headline the event include Eminem, the Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and Coldplay.

    Other names mentioned on the leaked flyer include newer artists such as Chance The Rapper, Demi Lovato, Kesha, Ariana Grande, Pink, and Lorde. Other famous names that are a who’s who of former music great to play at the festival include Elton John, Neil Young, Bon Jovi, Joan Baez, and The Doobie Brothers.

    Plans Confirmed for Special Woodstock 50th Anniversary

    The original founder of the Woodstock Festival, Michael Lang, has come out to confirm that plans are definitely in the works for a Woodstock 50th Anniversary special and that he is excited about the ordeal. There are even rumors that the original location of the first ever Woodstock in 1968, Bethel Woods, NY, is seriously being considered.

    It will be interesting to see how the event planners will combine some of the older and famous musical artists from the 1960s and 70s with EDM favorites of today who are also rumored to be playing at the event such as Daft Punk, Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Swedish House Mafia, and The Chainsmokers.

    Whether the rumors about Eminem headlining the Woodstock 50th Anniversary are true or not, it seems something special is being planned for the event so there is plenty to look forward to in the summer of 2019.

  • Star-Studded Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood Movie Panned by Critics

    Star-Studded Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood Movie Panned by Critics

    When the new Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood movie remake was announced with a star-studded cast, some people were rightly excited. But the film is getting hammered from all quarters by movie critics for its mediocrity.

    Robin Hood was famous for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but it seems this movie had a rich budget but ended up poor!

    Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood Fails to Make the Grade

    The new Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood remake enjoys a massive cast of well-known names such as Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, and Eve Hewson, but has failed to hit the bullseye. Maybe DiCaprio should have stayed in front of the cameras instead of producing the film from behind the scene.

    Whether you visit online movie review sites such as Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb or read the myriad of reviews online from professional film critics, the latest Hollywood adaptation of Robin Hood is getting seriously panned.

    Robin Hood remakes can be a bit hit and miss, although the Kevin Costner version, Prince of Thieves, from the 1990s is pretty much seen as the hallmark in the Robin Hood film genre.

    This new version has apparently gotten more laughs than Mel Brooks’ spoof Robin Hood movie, Men in Tights, but it wasn’t supposed to be funny.

    Poor Robin Hood Movie Reviews

    Every generation of people seems to get a new version of this timeless tale that sees our hero Robin going against the establishment run by the Sheriff of Nottingham. The new Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood remake is apparently lacking in terms of excitement.

    Time Out film critic Joshua Rothkopf went as far as saying:

    “Several dueling shades of dull, this umpteenth retooling of the outlaw legend is desperate to convince viewers that Christopher Nolan had something to do with it (he didn’t).”

    This is basically the sentiment of the vast majority of film critics in regards to the remake.

    Is Hollywood simply regurgitating too many classic films? Have they run out of original ideas or are just being lazy thinking they can turn over a quick buck rehashing classics? Most definitely, and it’s gone too far. Perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio should stick to his vegan clothing line.

    When the Disney Robin Hood cartoon from the 1970s has more depth than a modern remake with budgets in the tens of millions, you know the world is going slightly made.

    We don’t think that the latest Leonardo DiCaprio Robin Hood movie is going to be claiming any Oscars this year, so don’t hold your breath on that one.

    Featured image from IMDb.

  • Disney’s Lion King Remake Official Teaser Released

    Disney’s Lion King Remake Official Teaser Released

    When it comes to tear-jerking animations movies, not many can match The Lion King, or if you are older than hip-hop, Bambi. The official teaser for Disney’s Lion King remake has just been released and is making a roaring impact across cyberspace.

    The official teaser was released just before Thanksgiving to give the public a sneak glimpse into the remake, which can hopefully live up to the original.

    Eagerly Awaiting Disney’s Lion King Remake

    Did you cry when Simba’s dad died right in front of him as the animation movie’s star clutched his deceased father’s paw? If not, you either didn’t see the film or have the emotional outpouring of a wet lettuce.

    The 1990s was a time when it was still possible to have a deep and emotional link to a cartoon. The original Lion King movie was first released in 1994, took $45 million to make and grossed a massive $968 million at the box office making it one of the highest selling animation movies of all time.

    In this day and age, we have been spoilt for choice in terms of animation movies. We have gone from a handful of animation movies released each year in the 1990s to hundreds released every year in modern times. With so much new technology, audiences seem to have less connection with animation movie characters than before.

    Let’s hope Disney’s Lion King Remake can change all that. The official teaser certainly looks well polished.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=4CbLXeGSDxg

    Jon Favreau’s Lion King Remake

    The world-renowned film director Jon Favreau has helped to create Disney’s Lion King remake, and he is not new to the genre. He directed the remake of the Jungle Book, so is the ideal man to have a decent stab at remaking another animation classic. Only last week we saw the official teaser for the new Toy Story movie as well.

    With CGI now being favored instead of old-style cartoon animation, it will be interesting to see what Favreau does with his effort.

    In terms of casting, Donald Glover will play the voice of Simba, while pop songstress Beyonce will be playing the voice of Nala. It will also be interesting to see how Millennials take to the remake.

    Disney’s Lion King remake will open across theaters in America from July 19 next year and is expected to do very well at the box office. Only time will tell.

  • 5 Highest Earning Athletes in 2018

    5 Highest Earning Athletes in 2018

    As we move towards the end of 2018, it’s always interesting to see who are the highest earners. When it comes to money makers, not many can match athletes and sportspersons. Here are the top 5 highest earning athletes in 2018 so far.

    #5 – Neymar – Yearly Earnings: $90m

    Brazilian footballer Neymar is sometimes known more for his girlie haircuts than his football skills. However, he is the 3rd highest earning football player and the 5th highest earning athlete so far in 2018 with $90 million. His five-year contract with PSG at the back-end of 2017 is worth a reported $600 million. His sponsorship contracts with Nike, Beats by Dre, Red Bull, Coca-Cola and Mcdonalds have helped.

    #4 – Conor McGregor – Yearly Earnings: $99m

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g9cyTYISZU

    The UFC superstar Conor McGregor has had another fantastic year in terms of earning. So far this year, the MMA demigod has raked in $99 million from his vast array of sponsorship deals with Beats by Dre, Burger King, Monster Energy and many more. The majority of his yearly earnings came from his 2017 fight with Mayweather. Not only is Conor one of the most marketable athletes in the world, but also one of the most notorious!

    #3 – Cristiano Ronaldo – Yearly Earnings: $108m

    It’s been another great year for Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of earnings. His move from Real Madrid to Juventus made not only lots of news for the Portugues footballer but also plenty of cash. His lifetime deal with Nike is reported to be worth $1 billion, and with a yearly salary of $61 million, the 33-year old footballer is making as much cash as possible in the last few years of his career.

    #2 – Lionel Messi – Yearly Earnings: $111m

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9u1Uj5CPmg

    Barcelona and Argentinean football legend Lionel Messi is the highest paid footballer in the world in terms of salary and combined earnings, making $84 million alone in wages from the Spanish football giants. He made a further $27 million from sponsorships and endorsements for brands such as Pepsi and Gatorade.

    #1 – Floyd Mayweather – Yearly Earnings: $285m

    Mayweather

    Although Floyd hasn’t actually fought in 2018 and is supposedly retired, the man known as ‘Money’ certainly lives up to his moniker. Mayweather has raked in a massive $285 million so far in 2018, which is mainly revenue from his fight in August 2017 with Conor McGregor. He only made $10 million from endorsements, so it will be interesting to see how Floyd can keep making the cash he is accustomed to without fighting.

    As the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Conor McGregor and Cristiano Ronaldo are now coming towards the end of their careers, who will become the next big stars and highest earning athletes in the world? Anthony Joshua? Canelo Alvarez? They are definitely big shoes to fill.

    Featured image from YouTube.

  • Bet365 CEO Denise Coates Gets $281m Paycheck

    Bet365 CEO Denise Coates Gets $281m Paycheck

    Some say gambling doesn’t pay. BET365 CEO Denise Coates would beg to differ. The founder of the popular betting website pulled in a whopping paycheck of $281 million this year making her the highest paid CEO of a private company in the UK.

    Bet365 are one of the leading online bookies in the United Kingdom, which is a nation that loves to have a bet. The company has just had a very successful year as is evident with the paycheck of their founder and CEO.

    Happy Days for Bet365 CEO Denise Coates

    Although gambling is banned across many nations, especially across Asia, the bookie business continues to skyrocket in Great Britain. Figures released earlier this week from the past year from March 2017 to March 2018 show that Bet365 CEO Denise Coates raked in a salary of $281, which is 10% higher than the previous year.

    Although Denise Coates name wasn’t identified in the figures, Bet365 have received awards for having the highest paid director, which has pretty much spelled it out in capital letters.

    Not only does the figure put her at the top of the CEO list in the UK, but she also becomes one of the highest paid executives of a private company in the world. Her bank-busting yearly salary is actually higher than any CEO on the S&P Index of US public companies.

    Bet365 Billionaire Businesswoman

    Bet365 CEO Denise Coates is a powerful businesswoman and is listed as having a $5.8 billion fortune and currently owns over 50% shares in the business.

    The company is the second largest betting firm in the UK in terms of sales, second only to GVC Holdings Plc, who is also an online betting platform. Other notable online betting platforms in the UK are William Hill, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power.

    As the home of football, golf, cricket, horse racing, tennis and a myriad of other sports, the United Kingdom is one of Europe’s premium betting epicenters. Typically speaking, there are anywhere between 14 to 30 horse races per day in the UK, all centered around the betting industry.

    Bet356 saw massive profits last year rising over 31% to a total in the region of $800 million alone for the company.

    In some countries, high-end bookmakers are criminals, but in the UK, Bet365 CEO Denise Coates is a billionaire businesswoman, and rightly so!

    Featured image from The Times.

  • Best and Worst Consumer Loans to Take in the United States

    Best and Worst Consumer Loans to Take in the United States

    Have you ever heard the term ‘Neither a lender nor borrower be’? Sounds like great words of wisdom, unless you need cash on the hip in rapid fashion. It’s always difficult to tiptoe around the issue of the best and worst consumer loans in the United States, and in reality, the choices you make are usually linked directly to how desperate you are.

    Let us help you to circumnavigate the murky world of consumer loans in the United States so you can make a decision based on common sense instead of necessity.

    Best Consumer Loans in the United States

    Making a mistake by choosing the wrong option can not only leave you in debt for thousands of dollars, but the debt can dramatically increase and seemingly go on forever making your life a living hell. Here are your best 3 options for consumer loans in the United States:

    #1 – Personal Loans from Friends

    If you have wealthy friends with surplus amounts of cash, taking a small personal loan from friends or family is easily the best option. Assuming you are going to pay it back of course. Because no-one wants to be in debt to a friend or a family member for too long.

    By taking this option, you will cut down the interest rates to a bare minimum. Many friends will charge very little in the way of interest if any at all, so as long as it’s a small loan and you are planning to pay it back within a reasonable agreed time limit, this is the best consumer loan option by a country mile.

    #2 – Personal Unsecured Loans

    If you are a younger person who doesn’t have many assets to leverage or you are a parent looking to borrow money to send your kids to college, an unsecured personal loan is a great option. Personal loans are more suited to those borrowing smaller amounts up to $30,000.

    A personal loan doesn’t borrow against anything valuable such as a property, and although that means the interest rates are commonly higher, you won’t lose your property if you default on the payment.

    Interest rates on personal loans average at around 11%, but if you have a clean credit rating and search around, you could find something in the region of 5.5%, which is less than a credit card.

    #3 – Remortgage your Property with Home Equity

    If you are a homeowner or have been paying a mortgage on a property for a while and need cash, remortgaging your property, or a portion of it, is a great way to inject some much-needed cash flow. Refinancing your house or getting a home equity loan is a sensible approach because the repayment methods are usually from 5 to 20 years long, giving you lots of time to pay it back. And you still have a house at the end of it all!

    The interest rates on home equity loans are generally in the 5% to 6% region, but please beware of the tax laws pertaining to deductibility if you are not using the cash for home improvements.

    Worst Consumer Loan Options in the United States

    Now we have discussed the best options, it’s time to explore the worst consumer loan options in the United States so you can sidestep the common mistakes that Americans make every year.

    #1 – Short Term Payday Loans

    Have you ever been strapped for cash and was so desperate you considered a payday loan? Make sure you think twice before getting one. A report from Pew Charitable Trusts back in 2013 detailed that only 14% of Americans who took payday loans could afford to pay back the loans with monthly payments.

    The report showed that payday loans are extremely unaffordable and on average leave the borrowers in debt for an average of five months. Payday loans allow you to borrow money on hours you have already worked but have yet been paid for. Although it seems like a great idea for a short-term loan until you get paid, 76% of these payday loans are renewals that go on for months until you have finally paid up.

    Payday loan providers will also need access to your bank account in some way so they can direct debit from your accounts. And you will be hounded if you fail to make your payments. Be wary of this option.

    #2 – Pawn Shop Loans

    Although pawn shop loans do a get a bad rap, there are some pros and cons. If you are looking for a short-term loan, and are willing to put up an item for collateral, they are safer than payday loans.

    However, in some states, interest rates on pawn shop loans can reach up to 37%, and other fees that come with the loan you will still have to pay. The plus factors are if you default on the payment, you will only lose your collateral and will not be hounded by debt collectors.

    #3 – Auto Title Loans

    Auto Title Loans are short term loans where you have to put your car or vehicle titles up as collateral. These kinds of loans are usually for a period of 30-days, which is a quick turnaround if you can make the payment, but if not, they can sell your car to recoup the loan.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • IKEA Cuts 7,500 Jobs Worldwide to Focus on their Online Business

    IKEA Cuts 7,500 Jobs Worldwide to Focus on their Online Business

    The world-famous Swedish home furniture brand, IKEA, is the latest victim of the increased popularity of online shopping as it cuts 7,500 jobs worldwide and 350 jobs in the UK to focus on other areas of their business.

    If you are a fan of assembling your own household and garden furniture, is it time to put down the screwdriver to mourn the end of the Swedish flat-pack assembly kingpins? Not just yet!

    IKEA Keeping in Line With Spending Habits

    Although the news that IKEA plans to cut 7,500 jobs across the world seems like a doom and gloom move, the company contends that they are simply shifting focus from their large stores to their online sales and smaller shops.

    The Swedish group is cutting the jobs to streamline their business moving forward to focus their emphasis on the growing online market, which is essential if IKEA wants to compete in the modern consumerism sector of today. The 7,500 jobs are mainly for office workers to help the company conform to new shopping habits.

    The biggest losers in this scenario are the UK. IKEA employs 12,100 people across the United Kingdom and will be cutting 350 jobs. However, they hope to counterbalance this by opening a new store in Greenwich in 2019 that will create a further 500 jobs, mostly on the front line.

    Putting the Cuts Into Perspective

    Putting this into perspective, IKEA currently employs 160,000 people worldwide across 367 stores and 30 countries, so relatively speaking, cutting 7,500 jobs is not as stark as it appears.

    IKEA believes that it would also be creating a further 11,500 jobs across the world as it moves its focus from megastores to online shops and new store formats.

    The chief executive of IKEA, Jesper Brodin, told The Guardian newspaper that the cuts are not all negative for the future of the company by saying:

    “We continue to grow and perform strongly. At the same time, we recognize that the retail landscape is transforming at a scale and pace we’ve never seen before. As customer behaviors change rapidly, we are investing in and developing our business to meet their needs in better and new ways.”

    If former megacompanies such as of Toys’R’Us and Kodak would’ve had the same foresight to change with the times, maybe they would still be in a competitive position instead of languishing in pain. It seems that IKEA is readying itself to evolve with the consumer marketplace.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.