News on Wrestlemania 30 and the future of Fan Fests

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

It's said that WrestleMania 30 is now pretty much confirmed for the Superdome in New Orleans, which would be the first time a pro wrestling show had been held there since WCW Nitro on June 21st, 1999. The official announcement is expected to come in February at Elimination Chamber, also from New Orleans.

The WWE Royal Rumble Fan Fest was such a success that they have decided to do the same thing with all big four pay-per-views - Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series. Because the Rumble Fan Fest was an experiment, it will be much bigger next year and beyond, like the WrestleMania Axxess events.

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Dixie Carter to make announcement on Impact - details

Source: Lordsofpain.net

 Dixie Carter tweeted this afternoon that a "major announcement will be made on Thursday's episode of Impact wrestling that will "change everything for our wrestlers, company & YOU our audience!"

The announcement will be that TNA will be taking Impact Wrestling on the road in 2013. TNA will still run occasional tapings from the Impact Zone in Orlando, FL. When Impact goes on the road, TNA will air a live episode of Impact and then tape the following week's show right afterwards. This is a similar format to the early days of WWE Monday Night RAW. The first taping on the road will be Thursday March 14th from Hoffman Estates, IL at the Sears Centre Arena, a venue that TNA has held live events at before. Thursday's Impact episode was taped last week in Manchester, England and there were no reports of an announcement made for the live crowd, so the announcement will be edited into the show.

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El Generico officially in WWE now

Source: PWInsider

Word is that El Generico has passed his medical testing and has now officially signed with WWE. He will be reporting to NXT some time next month.

(Editor's note: OLE!)

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WWE Network coming to Youtube?

Source: Lordsofpain.net

AdAge.com has published a new article noting that YouTube is preparing to launch a new paid subscription service that would offer customers the chance to pay from $1-5 per month to subscribe to premium content channels. The article notes: YouTube has reached out to a small group of channel producers and asked them to submit applications to create channels that users would have to pay to access. As of now it appears that the first paid channels will cost somewhere between $1 and $5 a month, two of these people said. In addition to episodic content, YouTube is also considering charging for content libraries and access to live events, pay-per-views, as well as self-help or financial advice shows.

It's not clear which channels will be part of the first paid-subscription rollout, but it is believed that YouTube will lean on the media companies that have already shown the ability to develop large followings on the video platform, including networks like Machinima, Maker Studios and Fullscreen. YouTube is also looking outside its current roster of partners for candidates. While the WWE Network is not specifically mentioned in the article, it appears that WWE could be one of their premium partners. WWE, which already has a multimillion dollar deal in place with Youtube, recently ended several of its popular Youtube shows, including Zack Ryder's Z! True Island Story, WWE Download, Santino Marella's Foreign Exchange and Are You Serious, it's very possible the company will be changing gears and offering the WWE Network exclusively through YouTube.

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SPOILERS - WWE Smackdown for this Friday 2/1/13

Source: Lordsofpain.net

SmackDown opens with Booker T and Teddy Long in the ring for their big World Title announcement. Sheamus, Randy Orton, The Great Khali, Daniel Bryan, Kane and Dolph Ziggler are also out as Elimination Chamber participants. Ziggler interrupts and isn't interested in all this because he already has a guaranteed shot. Booker makes Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio for later tonight. Also, Team Hell No vs. Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio. Jack Swagger returned and wanted in the Chamber but Booker says he has to earn it, as does everyone else tonight.

Alberto Del Rio is shown looking for Big Show and he is ready to fight.

Cara and Rey vs. Team Hell No is up next. Mysterio and Cara get the win in what was said to be a great tag team match. Kane and Bryan argued after the match.

Matt Striker interviews Alberto Del Rio outside. Del Rio is waiting with a baseball bat but tells Striker he's just getting some fresh air.

The Great Khali defeated Jinder Mahal. Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre tried to get involved but Hornswoggle stopped them.

Teddy Long tells Booker backstage that it was his idea to bring Jack Swagger back. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow come in. Booker books Sandow vs. Sheamus for tonight.

Lots of recap videos from RAW. They show video of Vince McMahon being stretchered out of the arena with Stephanie McMahon at his side.

Sheamus vs. Sandow is up next. The Shield ended up interfering and attacking Sheamus.

Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton is up next. Orton wins after a RKO.

Barrett is being interviewed backstage when he sees Bo Dallas. They brawl and Barrett gets the upperhand.

Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston is up next. Good back and forth match. Swagger got the win with the ankle lock.

Del Rio is outside as Big Show's tour bus arrives. Del Rio attacks him as he gets out. They end up fighting on top of a car. Del Rio chases Show but he jumps into another car and drives away.

Alberto Del Rio beats Dolph Ziggler with the cross armbreaker.

Big Show is backstage and he has Ricardo Rodriguez held hostage. Del Rio runs to the back but Show knocks Ricardo out with a knockout punch.

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Update on Brock Lesnar's schedule over net few months

Source: PWInsider

Brock Lesnar is scheduled for this Monday's Raw taping in Atlanta, GA, so WWE will be using that appearance to follow up on the angle where he destroyed Vince McMahon and broke his hip during his return to the company. Lesnar will be making semi-regular appearances for the company leading into Wrestlemania 29. When he was signed last year, the deal called for a minimum of two dates per month, which WWE obviously did not utilize as well as additional dates building to Mania. So far, Lesnar is being locally advertised for Atlanta this Monday as well as 2/25 in Dallas, 3/11 in Indianapolis and 4/2 in Washington, DC. Additional dates could be added (or these dates changed) as WWE storylines evolve.

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