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This is not what WWE wants when they talk about "mainstream crossover".
As if the fan chants and Twitter hashtags weren't bad enough, the fallout from Royal Rumble has been picked up by major media outlets today.
In an article discussing the #CancelWWENetwork trend, Time Magazine's David Stout wrote:
Sunday night's fiasco was the latest in a long line of setbacks for the WWE since the company launched a subscription-based digital network last year that has largely failed to win over its own base.
USA Today focused on Daniel Bryan's elimination and the overall booking of the event. The also included a widely circulated Tweet from ESPN celebrity and Grantland founder Bill Simmons:
The city of Philly just tipped over the Roman Reigns bandwagon and set it on fire.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 26, 2015
The company's stock is trading down slightly today, but the overall market is dealing with a number of issues related to oil prices, the Greek election results and the weather, so it's impossible to determine if bad press plays any role in the slight dip shares have taken on the NYSE.
Have you seen any other negative coverage of Royal Rumble outside of the usual wrestling news sites, Cagesiders? Will last night blow over for WWE, or will this have longer lasting implications for their business?